HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Registration will begin August 5 for Hot Springs’ first-ever NFL FLAG Youth Football League this fall, open to kids in three divisions.
NFL FLAG is the official flag football program of the National Football League and is the largest youth flag football league in the United States.
“We’ll have three divisions,” Majestic Park General Manager Derek Phillips said. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for girls and boys to enjoy one of the fastest growing sports activities in the country.
“There will be a co-ed division for girls and boys in the first grade and younger. We’ll have two divisions for girls only, one for girls in the 7th through 9th grades and one for girls in the 10th through 12th grades.
“We’re especially eager to open up this wonderful sport to girls. This is going to be great. It’s a great addition to the youth baseball programs we have opened up to local kids, and it brings an added opportunity for girls in Hot Springs to get involved in sports activities.
“It looks like this could be the next sport for girls in high school, and we want to get it started in Arkansas. Our partnership with NFL FLAG and playing at Majestic Park is the perfect place to start.”
“We have added the NFL FLAG competition because it is one of the fastest growing sports for girls with many new scholarship opportunities as they grow older,” Visit Hot Springs CEO Stave Arrison said.
“We are offering a co-ed program for girls and boys first grade and under that will be a feeder program to programs already established for older youth groups at the local schools,” Phillips said. “We don’t want to compete with what the schools have already established, but help their programs.”
The National Federation of State High School Associations said, “The NFHS is excited about this new sports opportunity – particularly for girls. Flag is a sport of inclusivity, can be played in any season (weather dependent), is fast-paced and offers the excitement of tackle football with a reduced risk of injury. Costs are also minimal since students need little more than a uniform, pair of cleats or athletic shoes.”
Phillips said registration will be $75, and coaches are invited to register their teams at league@majesticpark.org. If you don’t have a team, sign up as a free agent on the website majesticpark.org“
“We’ll have a coaches’ meeting August 19 at Out of the Park across the street from Majestic Park,” Phillips said. “Then play will begin September 24.”
The popularity of flag football – for boys and girls – has been growing at the youth levels for the past 10 years. In 2023, about 500,000 girls ages 6-17 played flag football – a 63 percent increase since 2019.
At a higher level of competition, more universities are beginning to offer flag football for girls, which will enhance the appeal for girls playing the sport at the high school level. Internationally, the sport received a huge boost with the announcement recently of flag football as an Olympic sport for men and women at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
NFL FLAG leagues are no-contact, giving boys and girls of all abilities a chance to develop their fundamental football skills in a positive, inclusive environment.
NFL FLAG provides more than 1,500 league organizers and coaches the ability to position their programs as the most credible, leading youth flag organization at their local level.
In the 1990s, when the NFL launched a global health and wellness initiative called Play Football, it had one goal: to make football accessible for all children—no matter their age, size or gender. That is where the idea for NFL FLAG began.
In 1994, the NFL officially kicked off its first youth camp series at the New England Patriots’ stadium, where it introduced the rules of flag football and taught children how to play. Shortly after, leagues began to pop up nearby in Massachusetts, and they quickly took off. By the early 2000s, youth athletes all over the country were participating in NFL FLAG, from school programs to local park districts to Boys and Girls Clubs.
Now, with more than 600,000 participants, NFL FLAG continues to evolve. It’s a pathway for female athletes to play in college, as well as an outlet for tackle athletes to compete in the offseason. One thing stays the same: It’s a place for every boy and girl to play football.
NFL FLAG says its mission is “To empower youth athletes and instill a lifelong passion for flag football through leagues that are engaging, fun, and accessible for everyone. With the support of the NFL, we provide a structured opportunity for kids to discover the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and friendship, both on and off the field.”
For more information contact Derek Phillips at 501-359-2414 or dphillips@majesticpark.org.