CHICAGO, July 16, 2020 – NFL FLAG has been named the official flag football program of the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA).
Flag football is growing in popularity in Alabama, with several ARPA member agencies already offering NFL FLAG football to their participants. ARPA will help promote the game of flag football and NFL FLAG programs across its member agencies.
As part of the partnership, NFL FLAG will provide official NFL licensed jerseys to ARPA member agencies and support ARPA’s statewide flag football tournament with digital branding and marketing support. The winner of the ARPA statewide tournament will be invited to participate in the official NFL FLAG regional tournament.
“As a native of Dothan, Alabama, I’m proud to help bring NFL FLAG to my home state and work with ARPA to create more opportunities for all athletes to play the game of flag,” said Izell Reese, former NFL safety and executive director of NFL FLAG. “Our hope is that we can work with other state agencies to help create quality flag football experiences for boys and girls across the country.”
NFL FLAG also will organize and plan a virtual flag football coaching clinic for ARPA member agencies, with plans being discussed to hold in-person events in future years. NFL FLAG will host a virtual kickoff session to introduce the program to all ARPA member agencies this summer.
“The Alabama Recreation and Parks Association is excited to partner with NFL FLAG and RCX Experiences in providing NFL FLAG football to the kids in our ARPA communities,” said ARPA Executive Director Natalie Norman. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our Association. We know that through this collaboration, we will take part in offering the gold standard in flag football to the youth of our state. This partnership is one that will further our ability to keep our kids physically and mentally fit.”
All NFL FLAG coaches in Alabama will be trained in injury recognition and prevention in compliance with the state’s 2018 Coach Safely Act as part of the ARPA/CoachSafely Initiative. The CoachSafely online course educates youth coaches on a comprehensive group of topics, including concussions, infectious and communicable diseases and mental health.
NFL FLAG is an NFL licensed property of more than 1,600 locally-operated leagues and over 500,000 youth athletes across all 50 states. With regular participation of more than 3 million youth and adults in the United States, NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible non-contact league made available for youth ages 5-17. Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the official operating partner of NFL FLAG.
###
About NFL FLAG
NFL FLAG is an NFL-licensed property of more than 1,600 locally operated leagues and over 500,000 youth athletes across all 50 states. NFL FLAG is a fun and accessible non-contact program available for girls and boys ages 5-17. Players benefit by being physically active through non-contact, continuous action while learning the fundamentals of football as well as lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship.
Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the official operating partner of NFL FLAG.
About Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX)
Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX) is the premier youth-sports experiences business, running and operating leagues, camps, combines, tournaments and events across the United States.
Part of Reigning Champs LLC, RCX works with professional leagues, national governing bodies, sports-centric businesses and brands to reimagine youth sports experiences. RCX produces events with world-class partners including the NFL, Jr. NBA, Rivals and adidas.
Reigning Champs is committed to growing youth sports participation and creating a path to college for all students. In 2019, Reigning Champs’ family of businesses donated $23 million in services to deserving student-athletes and families. Each year, Reigning Champs’ innovative platforms support over 2 million athletes across 34 different sports. For more information, visit reigningchamps.com.
About Alabama Recreation & Parks Association
Founded in 1943, the Alabama Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional organization. We are dedicated to advancing the profession in our state through leadership, education, advocacy, promotion and service. ARPA enables parks and recreation affiliates and professionals, through educational and networking opportunities, to enhance the quality of life for citizens of Alabama each and every day. ARPA empowers members to make a difference and impact communities, blazing the trail for generations to come. We strive to enhance health, physical and mental wellness, safety and access for all populations. For details on ARPA’s services, please visit www.arpaonline.org.
Media Contacts:
Lauren Pulte
Reigning Champs Experiences (RCX)
Natalie Norman
ARPA Executive Director
