Sport-specific baselines

Baseline Testing in Youth Flag Football

Safer than tackle is not the same as safe. As flag football scales, baseline programs should scale with it.

April 13, 20263 min read

Flag football is now the fastest-growing youth sport in America, driven partly by parental concerns about tackle football concussions. The sport was added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. But flag football isn’t concussion-proof — collisions, falls, and inadvertent contact still occur.

As participation scales rapidly, baseline testing programs should follow. The conversation isn’t whether flag football is safer than tackle (it is) — it’s whether brain safety infrastructure should scale with participation (it should). See also concussions in “safe” sports.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ

Is flag football concussion-proof?

No. Collisions, falls, and inadvertent contact still occur. Flag football is safer than tackle, but 'safer' is not 'safe.'

How big is youth flag football growing?

It's the fastest-growing youth sport in America, and it was added to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Should flag football baseline test?

Yes. As participation scales rapidly, baseline testing programs should follow — because brain safety infrastructure should scale with participation.

How does flag compare to tackle football?

Tackle produces substantially more concussions and subconcussive impacts. But neither is free of head injury risk — and baseline testing supports both populations.

Baselines scale with participation.

As flag football grows, baseline infrastructure should grow with it. We offer team rates for youth flag football leagues.

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