i9 Sports is redefining one of America’s most popular pastimes with an emphasis on safety.
Over the last few years, flag football has become increasingly popular among children and parents alike due to its appeal as a safer alternative to tackle football. You may have noticed local flag football leagues popping up right in your town. While flag football is not necessarily a new sport, it’s certainly more popular now than it’s ever been. In 2015, the sport saw an 8.7 percent increase in participation among children age 6 to 14, according to a study conducted for and published by USA Football.
Youth flag football scores big in the eyes of parents
When you open an i9 Sports athletic franchise in your community, parents can feel at ease knowing their child is staying active and developing fundamentals with reduced risk of serious head-to-head collisions. We’re so committed to safety that we commissioned a national survey to identify parents’ concerns about concussions related to kids playing tackle football. As the survey revealed, concussion awareness is prevalent, many parents, players and coaches don’t heed the warnings about the connection between tackle football and concussion injuries. Even more research continues to build a case against tackle football. In 2015, the Boston University School of Medicine found that children who participate in tackle football before the age of 12 face an increased risk of developing cognitive impairments later on in life.
With safety at the top of our minds, we’ve taken a proactive approach to run only flag football leagues — there is no tackle football at i9 Sports! We provide a safe, supportive environment, as described under The i9 Sports® Experience, while also ensuring that all i9 Sports coaches are certified, background checked and up-to-date on all the best youth sports safety practices.
As an i9 Sports athletic franchise owner, you help kids succeed in life through sports while staying committed to safety
As is evident by its popularity, flag football is a great way for kids to learn a variety of skills that will help them both on and off the field. In comparison to traditional tackle football, flag football is a no-contact sport that involves defensive players pulling flags from the ball carrier’s belt to result in a “down” instead of physically tackling the ball carrier to the ground. By removing that physical contact from the game, eliminating the need for the heavy helmet and pads that tackle football players wear, flag football players are able to focus more on developing vital skills and movements rather than avoiding tackles from the other team. This is especially helpful for children new to the game of football or sports in general. With safety and fun as priorities, our franchisees promote valuable skills such as teamwork, self-discipline and good sportsmanship to our flag football players and kids involved in our other sports leagues.
Join our team and open your very own i9 Sports athletic franchise
With more than 42 million children enrolling annually in youth sports leagues across the U.S., now is the perfect time to join the i9 Sports team. We are looking for individuals who share our passion for paving the way for safer, more inclusive youth sports leagues that capitalize on both fun and age-appropriate instruction. To learn more, request a copy of our free Franchise Report, How to Make a Living in Youth Sports.
