RCX Sports Founder & CEO Izell Reese joined two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning on Good Morning America Tuesday morning for a conversation with Michael Strahan about the power of youth sports, the rapid growth of flag football, and why every kid deserves the chance to play.
The appearance put a national spotlight on a mission RCX Sports has been committed to for years: making youth sports more accessible, more affordable, and more fun for kids of all backgrounds.
For Manning and Reese, youth sports aren’t about producing the next professional athlete. They’re about giving every kid the opportunity to build confidence, learn resilience, and discover something they love.
“I think the life lessons you learn because of sports—leadership, teamwork, dealing with success, dealing with failure—are so important,” Manning said. “Just the lifelong friendships you make because of sports. Playing multiple sports as a kid and finding that passion you might have.”
More Than the Game
Those lessons have shaped Reese’s mission since retiring from the NFL.
“We are committed, and it’s been a mission for me since I hung up the cleats, to get more kids playing multiple sports,” Reese said. “Partnering with several professional leagues has given us a unique opportunity.”
For both men, the goal isn’t steering kids toward one sport—it’s helping kids discover the lifelong benefits that come from simply playing.
“The more sports kids can play, the better,” Manning said. “Playing basketball, basebal,l and soccer growing up helped form my athletic ability. Playing multiple sports at a young age is so healthy for kids.”
Today, RCX Sports works alongside the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, MLS and MLB to create opportunities for more than one million young athletes nationwide to play, compete and stay involved in sports.
Flag Football Is Opening New Doors
That mission is especially evident in one of the fastest-growing sports in the country: flag football.
Manning pointed to the rapid growth of girls flag football and the expanding opportunities available at every level.
“Girls are playing flag football now. They can play through high school, and it’s becoming a college sport,” he said. “Kids get to learn the fundamentals of football without having to worry about tackling or all the equipment.”
Reese said the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games is another milestone.
“When we were playing, we all dreamed about having the opportunity to play in the Olympics,” Reese said. “Flag football has been legitimized. It’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. You’re seeing the evolution of football.”
As the official operating partner of NFL FLAG, RCX Sports helps operate more than 2,000 leagues nationwide, regional tournaments and the NFL FLAG Championships Presented By Toyota, creating opportunities for hundreds of thousands of young athletes every year.
Every Kid Deserves the Chance to Play
If there was one message that stood out throughout the conversation, it was this: the greatest value of youth sports isn’t found in championships or highlight reels. It’s found in the confidence kids gain, the friendships they build, and the opportunities they’re given simply by stepping onto the field.
That belief continues to drive everything we do at RCX Sports. Whether it’s introducing a child to their very first sport, helping communities launch local leagues, or creating new pathways for young athletes to compete, our mission remains the same: get more kids in the game.
Ready to bring an RCX Sports program to your community or find a league near you? Explore our programs and see how we’re helping more kids play every day.
Watch the full Good Morning America interview here.
