Why Flag Football Might be the “IT” sport for Your Family
“Do you know what my favorite part of the game is.? The opportunity to play” – Mike Singletary
Becoming a Mom, one of the first things I thought about was not “what sports should I make sure my kids are great at(not that I haven’t thought about it as a college savings plan 😉 ). I did however, think pretty immediately, about how to raise good humans. That meant kids that knew how to be team players yet had a sense of independence, who knew how to overcome obstacles and disappointment and were willingly to put in the hard work, who were proud of themselves but knew how good it felt to bring others along in their success.
Enter Flag Football.
This might not be the first sport that pops into your head when think about what your kids might be interested in, but it is something to seriously to consider if you are looking for a way to instill some of the following traits:
- Dedication
- Discipline
- Ownership
- Motivation
- Empathy
Dedication and Discipline –
“Football is like life. It requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedications, and respect for authority” – Vince Lombardi
A lot of people may think Dedication and Discipline are the same thing. To me they are similar but I equate them to flip sides of the same coin. Discipline Is “training someone to obey rules or a code of behavior.” Discipline is something most of us teach out kids very early on because we know that, in order to successful, the world requires this in some form. Dedication however, is “a commitment to a purpose”
Flag Football brings out the best of both of these. It requires discipline (from both us and our kids) to get out on the field on the days we may be pressed for time or have other obligations, when we might not be feeling 100%, or we are just plain grumpy. The dedication comes in when you see your teammates out on the field and know you are apart of something a little bigger than yourselves.
Ownership and Motivation
“I have yet to be in a game where luck was involved”- Urban Meyer
Similar to Dedication and Discipline, Ownership and Motivation can go hand in hand. When kids feel a sense of ownership over something they are motivated to do more, push themselves and others, and really
Practices offer a chance for our kids to see hard work pays off. They want a position they love to play? They have to own getting out there and trying their best every single time they step on the field. They learn to make mistakes and get back up for another go. There are going to be losses or bad plays that make them think about quitting, this is the opportunity to motivate themselves to try again.
Empathy
“The most valuable player is the one who makes the most players valuable” – Peyton Manning
Last but certainly not least, and maybe most important, is Empathy. If there is anything I think I need to do most as a parent its to teach my kids to be empathetic.
Winning is great and something we all strive for, but do our kids think about the faces on the other side of the field that aren’t having their best day. Its 100% ok to celebrate a win but learning to do that with compassion and know that not every game is going to go the same way is just as important of a lesson.
Flag Football offers the chance to learn to choose to be kind not only ourselves but those around us. Watching out friends and peers have their best and worst days offers the opportunity for our kids to choose whether they are going to offer encouragement or apathy. I cannot think of a great lesson
We know as Moms, there are TONS of options you can choose as a parent when thinking about how to teach your kids some of these valuable lessons. Sports is just one of those. And among those Flag Football is just a small piece but we think it offers an amazing opportunity to learn some great life lessons, build character, and HAVE FUN along the way.
How to Get Started with Flag Football
Charlotte Mom is proud to partner with the National Football Foundation (NFF) and Future for Football to share how Flag Football can make impact your family and our community.
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people.
The mission is to promote and develop the power of amateur football in developing the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, competitive zeal, and the drive for academic excellence in America’s young people.
Check out Future for Football League Finder to find a league near you.
