Growing up in Dallas, where Thanksgiving is football, a flag wasn’t far from the feast. Before and after the Cowboys hosted their annual Thanksgiving Day game, Alexander Gray pulled out the pigskin without pads.
Flag football, perhaps America’s most popular intramural-based, spur-of-the-moment sport, isn’t just a Texas-sized holiday specialty. In its various forms, from casual to intense, the game is played everywhere in the U.S., and particularly when it coincides with the NFL and college football seasons.
Gray, a 44-year-old Littleton resident, organizes a year-round, once-a-month flag-football game near Sixth Avenue and Federal Boulevard through his website, and he also puts on a Thanksgiving Day contest at the same field.
“Just for fun and a little exercise,” he said.
Most community recreational centers offer youth, adult and coed flag football, which has been taught in elementary physical education classes as long as dodge ball or jump-rope. The fall leagues are accepting player applications, with games scheduled to begin by the end of the month.
“Playing flag football just makes you feel like a kid again,” Gray said. “You try to do the things you did as a kid, and most of the time you can’t, but it’s really great that the players get out and try. And every once in a while, you’ll make an incredible play. It makes you feel young, and for that hour, we’re all kids.”
Flag football can also have a serious side for young adults still looking for intense gridiron competition.
J.D. Kellogg, a former star quarterback for Loveland High School, founded Colorado 4 on 4 Flag Football, a tournament-based organization featuring former prep, college and professional players. Kellogg played football at Montana State before suffering a shoulder injury. He switched to strong safety and played for a junior college before ultimately graduating from Western New Mexico.
“We play for the competitiveness, to get out there with other guys who are talented. It’s the excitement, I guess,” Kellogg said. “You can’t hit, but as far as throwing the ball around and making plays, it’s not much different than the real thing. In our league, pretty much everyone played high school, many of them college and some pro and we still make plays.”
Flag football is football without pads or tackling, a safer brand of ball. The ball carrier is downed by removing a strap from his or her flag belt. The game is played with various amounts of players on each side, and some styles use kicking and punting, and others don’t. Field sizes also vary.
Flag football also can be divided into “contact” or “no contact.”
For the latter, there is no blocking and usually no linemen, and defensive players can only attempt to grab the ball carrier’s flag from the side; he or she cannot impede the path of the runner. Also, the ball carrier cannot ward off the tackler’s hands.
In contact flag football, linemen are allowed to block with their hands around the opponent’s chest. Defensive players may impede the ball carrier’s path to grab the flag, and warding is allowed.
Gray said his group sometimes makes up rules as they play. But Kellogg’s 4-on-4 tournaments and those like them nationally are structured.
The standard field is 50 yards long and 25 yards wide, and end zones are 7 yards deep. Offenses begin from their 5-yard line and must reach midfield for a first down. Once they cross midfield, they have three downs to score.
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
Pigskin without pads
The following Front Range organizations are among those that offer youth, adult or coed flag football:
* Aurora Parks and Recreation , 303-326-8700
* Colorado 4 on 4 Flag Football (Loveland) , 970-556-2595
* Denver Parks and Recreation , 720-913-1311
* Foothills Park and Recreation District , 303-409-2100
* Highlands Ranch Metro District , 303-791-2710
* Sports Monster (Dick’s Sporting Goods Park) , 303-231-9690
Let it fly
What: Let it Fly 4-on-4 national tournament
When: Oct. 16-17
Where: Schaffer Park, 9750 W. Hampden Ave.
Information/registration:
Mike Chambers, The Denver Post
