The Olympics are unlike any other sporting competition on the planet. For 16 days, over 300 events representing 35 sports and every country on the planet compete to take home their prized medals, and I have looked forward to watching the Summer Olympics every 4 years since as far back as I can remember. But there’s always been something missing. One of the United States most popular sports, and a top 10 sport throughout the world, it looks as though tackle and flag football could be Olympic sports by the year 2028, but issue obstacles still remain for that to become a reality. First we’ll walk through some reasons why the road to getting American Football included into the Olympics has not been an easy journey, followed by why we believe flag football to be the logical solution and choice as a future Olympic sport.
WHY ISN’T AMERICAN FOOTBALL ALREADY AN OLYMPIC SPORT?
Rugby and Football have similar paths to the Olympics
According to an article by NFL.com, the biggest logistical problems facing the sport of American Football being included in the Olympics are very similar to that of Rugby. With the large numbers of participants on each team, the “gender equality” formats where both men and women participate in every sport, and the compressed 3 week schedule that would be tough with a more physical game like football and rugby. Furthermore for American Football, the barrier to entry is high due to it’s cost to equip all players with pads and gear, and therefor has also been slow to adopt in many foreign countries, especially of the poorer variety.
Knowing all this, it’s hard to see how either sport would be a good fit for the Summer Olympics. Rugby is a lot like Soccer in that very little is needed to play the sport in terms of gear and practice at it’s base level, and has a much larger international following. This among other reasons has recently allowed Rugby to be cleared for the Olympics starting in 2016 by changing the traditional style to a less traditional “sevens” format which is faster paced with less people, which could help carve a similar path for American Football, or flag football more specifically.
TACKLE SAFETY CONCERNS
Rocksolid Soft Shell Helmets
There’s a lot of talk recently revolving around the safety of tackle football, and not just in the NFL where concussions are a major concern. Starting as far back as the youth football level, recent evidence has surfaced supporting the idea that even short of a concussion, repeated head impacts and collision can manifest in similar brain injuries later in life for kids tested between the ages of 8-13. Many researchers are suggesting kids shouldn’t be playing football at all, suggesting that kids’ heads are “a larger part of their body, and their necks are not as strong as adults’ necks. So kids may be at a greater risk of head and brain injuries than adults.”
Even more and more high school, college and pro teams are starting to reduce the number of contact practices, still sporting the likes of soft-padded headgear and shoulder pads for added protection. But what if we could limit the contact players see before high school and middle school while also addressing some of the concerns for the sport related to it being fully accepted into the Olympics?
DREW BREES BELIEVES FLAG FOOTBALL CAN SAVE FOOTBALL
Youth Flag Football is Exploding Internationally
And he’s not the only one. Recently Drew Brees was interviewed by Peter King for NBC’s pregame show and had some strong words on why he believes flag football is the answer. “I feel like flag football can save football,” Brees said. Brees coaches his son’s flag football team, and played flag football himself through junior high, never playing tackle football until high school. “I feel like (flag football) is a great introductory method for a lot of kids into football,” Brees mentioned. “Otherwise I feel it’s very easy to go in and have a bad experience early on and then not want to ever play it again. I feel like once you put the pads on there are just so many other elements to the game, and you’re at the mercy of the coach in a lot of cases too. And to be honest, I don’t think enough coaches are well-versed enough in regards to the true fundamentals of the game especially when the pads go on at the youth level.” Many other pro athletes and coaches have expressed similar sentiments as well, singing praises for the sport of flag football, and the rise in popularity of the sport echoes that.
As of 2015, studies show that flag football is the fastest growing youth sport in the United States, greatly outpacing the growth of traditional tackle football. Many individual high schools are making the switch to flag football over tackle, getting other schools in their regions to follow suit creating organized leagues and divisions. It’s even an officially recognized varsity sport in many states, and with women especially flag football is a way to allow easier participation versus the physical nature of tackle.
Flag football isn’t a fluke or just a recreational development tool that feeds into tackle football, it’s a full-fledged movement that has it’s own identity and purpose and it’s time we recognized that distinction.
Internationally it is gaining popularity as well, much faster it seems than traditional American football where the barrier to entry is much higher with the need for full pads and gear. In Mexico for instance, flag football is booming in popularity, where most consider it to be the #2 sport to soccer and closing fast, with and estimated 2.5 million kids participating just at the elementary school level. International teams are starting to make the trip to some of the more popular American flag football tournaments, with representation from Panama, Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada and more a common occurrence.
Battle Orlando $30,000 Tournament – May 26-28, 2017
At an adult level, it was a record year for the sport of flag football. New major tournaments are popping up across the world, seeing thousands of teams competing across all age groups, formats and styles. Cash prizes have been at an all time high, expected to eclipse over $100,000 in team giveaways in the next calendar year. Sponsors have started taking notice as well, with the likes of EA Sports, Nerf, Hotels.com, Red Bull and other major brands seeing the value and growth from flag football as a way to effectively reach their target audience in large numbers. Women’s participation is at an all-time high as well, mirroring it’s popularity at the youth level, and is the preferred format of play for American football in most Central to South American countries.
Everywhere you look, participation and interest in the sport flag football is exploding.
So how does this all lead back to the Olympics and getting American football included as an official sport? First, let’s review a little history on where the sport stands today with the International Olympic Committee, or IOC.
Historically, In order to be included into the Olympic games as a demonstration sport, you have to have an International Federation and have held a World Championship competition. This must take place a minimum of 6 years before a scheduled Olympic games. The International Federation of American Football, primarily focused on tackle football but includes flag in it’s tournament lineup, met this standard and was approved in 2012, and gained provisional recognition in 2014. This could pave the way for American football to be included as an official sport, and flag football as possibly a discipline of said sport, however the IFAF has since faced setbacks due to alleged scandal, event mismanagement and misappropriation of funds that cannot bode well for the sports inclusion short term. Fortunately in 2007 the IOC adopted a new, more flexible rule set allowing programs to be up for review after every Olympics starting in 2020, clearing a path for all sports to present their case for being included by winning a simple majority vote.
So the opportunity is there for American football to be included in the most prestigious sporting event around the world, but how do we overcome the obstacles presented by the structure of the sport to fit the mold of a successful Olympic sporting event?
FLAG FOOTBALL IS THE KEY TO OLYMPIC INCLUSION
For every way tackle football doesn’t fit the mold as a logical choice for the IOC, there’s flag football. Here are the top 4 reasons flag football should be considered to be included as the next Olympic sport.
1. It’s Less Physically Demanding than Tackle Football
As we’ve already established, flag football is a much safer alternative than tackle football. Less hits and collisions equal fewer injuries, and flag football is already a proven success model that’s being praised for preserving the game for future generations. But when it comes to the Summer Olympic Games, safety is just one aspect of the physical demands of the sport, considering you have less than a 3 week window to fit in all levels of competition, and the year-round activity needed to practice and qualify. Imagine playing 6-7 full contact football games with a limited roster all within a span of ~16 days, not to mention other possible qualifying events throughout the year. For flag football, it’s not uncommon to play 6-7 games in a weekend or sometimes even a day, so the sport is more than equipped for this style of tournament play.
2. International Flag Football Interest is Exploding
As mentioned above, this is a major issue when determining whether a sport is fit to be considered, and while traditional American style tackle football is extremely popular worldwide as well, flag football appeals to more countries. It’s a lower barrier to entry as far as cost and equipment go, don’t require full length and striped football fields to participate, and is easier to hold larger tournament competitions and leagues to inspire local interest.
3. It Requires Fewer Participants
Depending on which format would be used (our guess is either 5v5 or 7v7), flag football requires far fewer participants than traditional tackle football. Part of this is due to it being a less physically demanding sport and the need for less substitutions, and another part is due to needing less specialist players, such as kickers, punters, special teams, offensive lineman, etc. Where each traditional tackle football team would probably carry 50+ competitors, flag football would need probably 15 players at most, cutting that number to less than a third. This is important because the Olympics cap their total participants to 10,500 athletes and coaches. It also again allows more countries to compete, especially poorer countries, where fielding a smaller and less financially demanding team coupled with the reasons above makes more sense.
4. It’s Not Just a Men’s Sport
Gender equality is a major emphasis for the IOC. The 2012 Summer Olympics marked the first time all sports included competing women in their category. Today, any new sport that is added to the Olympic Games must include both male and female participants. For tackle football, there is just not nearly enough interest from women participators for it to make sense. While there are some female players, and even some female tackle football leagues and organizations, it just doesn’t fit the mold, especially with the other issues relating to physicality and barrier to entry. For flag football this is not a problem as detailed above, with female participation booming internationally.
NEXT STEPS FOR FLAG FOOTBALL AND OLYMPIC INCLUSION
So how do we take the next steps to ride the momentum of flag football straight into the next available Olympic games? The IFAF has already helped begin the process of getting the sport of American Football in front of the IOC in recent years, but with their public issues and seemingly no movement since 2014 more needs to be done to keep moving forward. What we do know is that flag football is being taken seriously at all levels for really the first time in history, with major organizations making moves to get more into the flag football space and the creation of bigger and more international events to fuel the sport. We believe that either on it’s own, or as a discipline of tackle football, flag football WILL be included in the Olympics at some level in the next 10-20 years.
If that happened, what do you think that would do to boost the popularity and legitimacy of the sport of flag football long term? Let us know in the comments below!
Travis Burnett
A pioneer in the flag football community, Travis helped co-found the Flag Football World Championship Tour, FlagSpin and USA Flag. Featuring 15+ years of content creation for the sport of flag football, creating and managing the largest flag football tournaments on the planet, coaching experience at the youth and adult level as well as an active player with National and World Championship level experience.
It’s actually a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you simply shared this helpful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
[url=https://trazodone.beauty/]trazodone 300 mg price[/url]
[url=http://lisinoprilas.com/]lisinopril uk[/url]
Hi, i believe that i noticed you visited my site thus i got here to “go back the desire”.I’m attempting to to find issues to improve my website!I assume its ok to use some of your concepts!!
[url=https://permethrina.gives/]order elimite online[/url]
[url=http://lasix.lol/]lasix coupon[/url]
[url=http://lasix.africa/]furosemide australia[/url]
Howdy! I realize this is somewhat off-topic but I had to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours take a massive amount work? I’m completely new to operating a blog but I do write in my diary on a daily basis. I’d like to start a blog so I can share my own experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any ideas or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!
[url=https://hydroxychloroquine.skin/]plaquenil price canada[/url]
[url=http://happyfamilystore.network/]reputable overseas online pharmacies[/url]
[url=https://atarax.ink/]atarax 10mg uk[/url]
[url=http://azithromycinx.com/]zithromax online buy[/url]
Hello there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it is really informative. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Hi, i think that i saw you visited my blog so i came to return the favor.I am trying to find things to improve my site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
You really make it seem so easy together with your presentation however I find this topic to be really something which I feel I might never understand. It kind of feels too complicated and very broad for me. I am looking forward in your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
This post provides clear idea in favor of the new viewers of blogging, that truly how to do blogging and site-building.
[url=https://xenical.ink/]orlistat drug[/url]
constantly i used to read smaller articles or reviews which also clear their motive, and that is also happening with this post which I am reading at this time.
[url=https://chloroquine.party/]aralen medicine[/url]
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.
This is the right blog for anybody who wants to find out about this topic. You realize so much its almost hard to argue with you (not that I personally would want toHaHa). You definitely put a new spin on a topic that has been written about for a long time. Great stuff, just great!
Do you have a spam issue on this website; I also am a blogger, and I was wanting to know your situation; many of us have created some nice procedures and we are looking to swap methods with other folks, why not shoot me an e-mail if interested.
[url=https://onlinepharmacy.beauty/]online pharmacy[/url]
I like the valuable information you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I am quite certain I will learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!
Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You definitely know what youre talking about, why waste your intelligence on just posting videos to your site when you could be giving us something enlightening to read?
Having read this I thought it was extremely informative. I appreciate you finding the time and effort to put this informative article together. I once again find myself spending way too much time both reading and leaving comments. But so what, it was still worth it!
What’s up, yup this piece of writing is truly good and I have learned lot of things from it about blogging. thanks.
Nice post. I used to be checking continuously this blog and I am inspired! Very useful information specially the ultimate part 🙂 I deal with such info a lot. I used to be seeking this particular info for a long timelong time. Thank you and good luck.
I have to take my child’s [url=https://flassix.com/]Lasix 10 mg tablet[/url] with us when we travel.
Great article! This is the type of information that are meant to be shared around the internet. Disgrace on the seek engines for not positioning this submit upper! Come on over and talk over with my web site . Thank you =)
Hi to all, because I am truly keen of reading this weblog’s post to be updated regularly. It contains nice data.
Hi my loved one! I want to say that this article is awesome, great written and come with almost all significant infos. I’d like to peer more posts like this .
This information is invaluable. Where can I find out more?
[url=http://sildenafil.skin/]buy sildenafil generic india[/url]
Someone necessarily help to make significantly articles I would state. This is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to create this actual submit amazing. Wonderful task!
Hey there, You have performed a fantastic job. I will definitely digg it and individually recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this web site.
buy generic proscar [url=http://proscar.foundation/]proscar for sale australia[/url] proscar medicine
It’s difficult to find knowledgeable people about this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Remarkable things here. I’m very satisfied to see your article. Thank you so much and I’m looking forward to touch you. Will you please drop me a mail?
Howdy! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions? With thanks
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Many thanks, However I am going through issues with your RSS. I don’t know why I can’t subscribe to it. Is there anyone else getting identical RSS problems? Anybody who knows the solution will you kindly respond? Thanx!!
My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find the majority of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content for you? I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write related to here. Again, awesome weblog!
Great delivery. Outstanding arguments. Keep up the good work.
I blog quite often and I genuinely appreciate your content. The article has really peaked my interest. I am going to book mark your site and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
hey there and thank you for your information I’ve definitely picked up anything new from right here. I did however expertise a few technical issues using this site, since I experienced to reload the site a lot of times previous to I could get it to load properly. I had been wondering if your hosting is OK? Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances times will often affect your placement in google and can damage your quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords. Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my e-mail and can look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content. Make sure you update this again soon.
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!
Thanks for finally writing about > %blog_title% < Liked it!
With havin so much content and articles do you ever run into any problems of plagorism or copyright violation? My site has a lot of completely unique content I’ve either created myself or outsourced but it looks like a lot of it is popping it up all over the web without my agreement. Do you know any solutions to help reduce content from being ripped off? I’d genuinely appreciate it.
Thank you, I have recently been searching for information approximately this topic for a while and yours is the best I have found out so far. However, what concerning the conclusion? Are you positive concerning the source?
I always used to read post in news papers but now as I am a user of internet thus from now I am using net for posts, thanks to web.
You ought to be a part of a contest for one of the best sites online.
I am going to recommend this web site!
My brother suggested I would possibly like this web site. He used to be totally right. This post actually made my day. You can not consider simply how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thanks!|
Howdy my name is Matthew D’Agati.
Solar technology the most promising and efficient sources of renewable energy, which is rapidly gaining interest as a primary energy source at work. In the future, it’s likely that solar technology is the dominant source of energy at work, as increasing numbers of companies and organizations adopt this neat and sustainable power source. In this specific article, we are going to discuss why it is critical to change to renewable energy sources such as for instance solar technology at the earliest opportunity, and just how this transition will benefit businesses plus the environment.
The initial & most important good reason why you should change to renewable energy sources may be the environmental impact. The usage fossil fuels, such as for instance coal, oil, and natural gas, may be the main reason for polluting of the environment, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. These emissions have a profound effect on environmental surroundings, causing severe climate conditions, rising sea levels, and other environmental hazards. By adopting solar power, companies and organizations often helps reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Another essential reason to change to solar technology may be the cost benefits it provides. Solar energy panels can handle generating electricity for businesses, reducing or eliminating the necessity for traditional sourced elements of energy. This may lead to significant savings on energy bills, particularly in areas with a high energy costs. Furthermore, there are many different government incentives and tax credits open to businesses that adopt solar technology, making it much more cost-effective and affordable.
The technology behind solar power is simple and easy, yet highly effective. Solar power panels are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which convert sunlight into electricity. This electricity are able to be kept in batteries or fed straight into the electrical grid, according to the specific system design. So that you can maximize the advantages of solar technology, it’s important to design a custom system that is tailored to your specific energy needs and requirements. This can make certain you have the proper components set up, such as the appropriate number of solar power panels additionally the right sort of batteries, to optimize your power efficiency and value savings.
Among the important aspects in designing a custom solar technology system is understanding the different types of solar panel systems and their performance characteristics. There are two main types of solar power panels – monocrystalline and polycrystalline – each featuring its own benefits and drawbacks. Monocrystalline solar energy panels are manufactured from a single, high-quality crystal, helping to make them more cost-effective and durable. However, also, they are higher priced than polycrystalline panels, that are made of multiple, lower-quality crystals.
In addition to cost savings and environmental benefits, switching to solar technology may also provide companies and organizations with an aggressive advantage. Companies that adopt solar power have emerged as environmentally conscious and energy-efficient, and also this often helps increase their reputation and competitiveness. Furthermore, companies that adopt solar power will benefit from increased profitability, as they are in a position to reduce their energy costs and enhance their bottom line.
It’s also important to notice that the technology behind solar energy is rapidly advancing, and new advancements are being made all the time. For instance, the efficiency of solar power panels is constantly increasing, making it possible for more energy to be generated from a smaller wide range of panels. In addition, new innovations, such as for instance floating solar power panels and solar power panels which are incorporated into building materials, are making it simpler and much more cost-effective to look at solar power.
In closing, the ongoing future of energy at work is poised to be dominated by solar power as well as its several benefits. From cost benefits and environmental sustainability to technological advancements and increased competitiveness, the many benefits of adopting solar technology are obvious. By investing in this neat and renewable source of energy, businesses may take a dynamic role in reducing their carbon footprint, cutting energy costs, and securing their place in a sustainable future. The transition to solar technology isn’t just essential for the environment but in addition for the commercial well-being of businesses. The earlier companies adopt this technology, the better equipped they’ll certainly be to manage the difficulties of a rapidly changing energy landscape.
Should you want to study more info on this idea subject matter visit my personal website: [url=https://ntxvv.com/testimonial/hello-my-name-is-2/[color=black_url]https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Matthew-F-Pech-56081101installation solar system haverhill[/color][/url]
TEST Seeking a marriage planner concerning having to prepare, event organizing, and corporate events is not just useful but additionally beneficial, specifically for ethnic and Indian wedding receptions in Boston. Creating a meeting could be stressful, time-eating, and disturbing, but an expert planner could ease the responsibility by delivering their skill, information, and understanding into the table. In terms of ethnic and Indian wedding events, there are numerous personal lifestyle and customs that have to be taken into account, and a marriage planner that is knowledgeable about these customs often helps make sure they have been included in the event. A marriage planner often helps find a very good vendors, negociate prices, and produce a timetable and budget for the function, all whilst trying to keep the social worth in your mind. This will probably save the couple money and time, along with supply them with peace of mind comprehending that their event is in capable hands.
For food suppying, a professional wedding party advisor will help with menu planning, making sure the laundry are authentic and meet up with the couple’s dietary requirements. They could also assistance with seating arrangements and making sure there was enough food for all guest visitors, along with coordinating using the catering staff to ensure that the meals is served on time and towards the couple’s liking. When it comes to event planning, a marriage planner can deal with all facets associated with event, from selecting the venue to organizing with vendors and making sure the function runs smoothly. They are able to assistance with accessories, illumination, and sound, in addition to creating a schedule for the event to make sure that all happens on time. This could be peculiarly great for Indian weddings, which regularly have many events and ceremonies over multiple days. For business events, a marriage planner can deal with every part of this event, from selecting the venue to coordinating with providers and making certain the function runs smoothly. They could assistance with decorations, lighting, and sound, in addition to generating a schedule for the event to make sure that anything happens on time. They can also assist with marketing and marketing, making sure the big event meets the company’s desired goals and intent. Hiring a wedding planner for food suppying, event preparing, and commercial events could be extremely beneficial and ideal, specifically for ethnic and Indian weddings in Boston Ma. An expert special day planner can really help make sure that the big event is culturally significant, authentic, and thoughtful while also supplying the husband and wife with calm of mind and conserving them time and money. Due to their resources and experience, a wedding planner might help create an noteworthy event that fits the couple’s dream and is more than their targets.
Should you want to gain knowledge of more about this idea matter go to my own business site:
[url=https://sybeventplanning.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Harvard-University-Masquerade-Ball-2017-had-the-largest-attendance-for-a-HESA-event-EVER.pdf][color=#000_url]new england wedding planners[/color][/url]