The East Texas Flag Football league is a recreational and developmental league for boys ages 5 to 12 and girls ages 5 thru high school. As a limited contact sport flag football brings all the fun of football, just without the pain and high risk of injury. We emphasize the importance of leadership, sportsmanship, and the ability to work in a team. These skills are coupled with an opportunity to get outside and get some exercise in a fun and exciting way. More kids are playing flag football than ever before. And we can see why—it’s engaging, inclusive, and ridiculously fun. The best part is anyone can learn how to play flag football. You don’t need a certain build, skill set or prior experience. If you are a parent considering enrolling your child in football, the Concussion Legacy Foundation strongly recommends you delay enrolling your child in tackle football until the age of 14. Research continues to show us that the long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma from tackle football can be catastrophic. Meanwhile, football experts - from coaches to Hall of Fame players - remind us that you don't need to start tackle young in order to become a great football player. Until tackle football is proven safe for the developing brain, we urgently recommend flag and other non-tackle versions of football before age 14. As parents, you deserve to make an informed decision about your child's future health. That's why we launched The East Texas Flag Football League, to give parents an option. This fall the League will begin offering a HIGH SCHOOL WOMEN division.  We are adding this division to give local young ladies another opportunity to showcase their athletic ability and possibly earn a flag football scholarship that is now being offered by many colleges and Jr. colleges.  The ladies will be able to register on line , by text or email.  They will be able to register as part of a team or individually and be placed on a team. The goal is to get more girls involved in high school sports and tap into a widespread love of football by many. In less than one year the number of schools playing girls flag has nearly tripled. According to the National Federation of State High Schools Associations, California joins Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Florida and Nevada that offers flag football as an official high school sport. Without the uil's approval, Texas high schools could organize flag football clubs. The competition would likely drive more schools to start teams and develop a pipeline of players. Last year the league attracted 140 players from Henderson, Arp, Carlisle, Carthage, Kilgore, Overton, Mt. Enterprise, Troup, Tyler and West Rusk. This year we hope to continue to grow and we think adding a high school women division is the perfect way to accomplish this. LEAGUE DETAILS: When does season start? September 16, 2023 When can I register? You may register anytime before Sept.2 deadline. How can I register? Players may register here on line, by texting info to 903-617-3495 or by email to bobtamplin@aol.com. How much does it cost? 1st Child - $75; Sibling - $50; Head Coach Child - $25 When and where are games played? All games are played in Henderson on Saturday morning beginning September 16. Equipment and uniforms: No equipment required, however mouth guards are recommended. No metal cleats allowed. Jerseys will be provided by league before first game. Projected age divisions: Coed - 6U, 9U, and 12U; Women - High School Team assignments: Players may register as part of a team, request a particular coach, play with a friend, or be randomly placed on a team with local players. Parents will be notified of team placement after registration deadline, 2 weeks prior to first game. Volunteers are crucial to the success of our league. We'd like to thank all of our coaches for volunteering their time and talents to improve our youth sports programs.