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sales – as a whole – were up 30 percent for Coaches Corner. According to Doc Claussen, a manager with Coaches Corner, it was an exceptional year for sales of custom football uniforms and an average year for sales of football cleats. Participation numbers, however, remain a bit of a concern. While middle school football is strong in Indiana, the majority of high schools nowonly have two football teams — varsity and junior varsity squads. "Only a few high schools actually have a freshman football team anymore, so those freshmen teams play other junior varsity teams," says Claussen. In addition to strong sales with football teams, Claussen was delighted to report that fanwear sales for football have also been strong this year. In Solon, OH, supply chain issues have not really been a problem for Rube Adler Sporting Goods, mostly because they don't sell football helmets, shoulder pads and cleats. "We have not had any issues with the supply chain," says owner Ken Adler. "In football, we deliver uniforms and spirit wear. ere's plenty of product out there and getting inventory has not been a problem." However, supply chain issues were a major concern for Southwest Sporting Goods Company in Arkadelphia, AR. "We normally sell everything in football from helmets down to the cleats, but we had issues getting helmets because of delays in the supply chain," says office manager Rhonda Fowle. "is year, we sold lots of footballs, cleats, jerseys, socks, tape, wrap and a number of padded bleacher seats for parents." And of course, in Texas, high school is as strong as it has ever been. For Carey's Sporting Goods in Fort Worth, TX, owner Dan Carey made sure that all local high school football teams received what they needed for the recently completed fall season. "Football is a strong category for us. We're a full-line team dealer in football," says Carey, sell- ing head-to-toe along with all field equipment. Carey believes his football business is strong now because of the teamwork of high school athletic directors back in 2020, who were able construct some type of schedule for high school football to be played despite the COVID pandemic. "e high school football schedule was skewed and changed, based on outbreaks of COVID," Carey recalls. "But fortunately, we were able to play high school this season." Out west in San Rafael, CA, the business of selling tackle football to local high schools, middle schools and youth leagues was strong and steady for T & B Sports. According to sales associate Tom Brusati, the team side of the business sold a healthy number of uniforms, footballs and football equipment to teams, while individual players and their parents would visit the retail side of the business to buy practice jerseys, pants, cleats, socks and padding. e one part of the football business that T & B Sports does not sell is helmets and shoulder pads. "It was tough getting deliveries," says Brusati. 2ND QUARTER OPPORTUNITY Flag Football e future of football just very well be flag. at's because flag football is growing various ways, thanks in large part to support from the National Football League (NFL), the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Back in July, the NFL partnered with the International Federation of American Football to bring flag football to e World Games in Alabama, where Mexico won the gold medal in the women's division — the U.S. placed second and Panama was third. In the men's division, the U.S. men won the gold, Italy won the silver and Mexico the bronze medal. According to the NFL's Roman Oben, the big-picture goal with flag football is to have the sport included as one of the sports at the Summer Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles. e NFL has also taken an active interest in promoting flag football at the local level by creating National Flag Football, which is the largest NFL youth flag football organization in the country for boys and girls pre-K (four years of age) through eighth grade. Launched in 2006, the National Flag Football program is designed to educate young athletes about football in a safe and fun environment while emphasizing participation and sportsmanship. According to Oben, this program provides young players with an opportunity to engage in football in non-contact, continuous action while learning lessons in teamwork. Already there are more than 50,000 players in the league throughout the U.S. Meanwhile, at the high school level flag football is an officially sanctioned sport in five states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Montana and Nevada, with Florida the heartbeat of girls' high school flag football — there are 311 high schools that sponsor varsity flag football for girls. In all, more than 7800 girls in Florida are playing high school flag football. e good news is that in Florida and other states adopting the flag version for girls, the teams tend to buy more equipment such as higher end cleats, socks, shorts, jerseys, belts for flags, mouthguards and, of course, footballs (when they can get them). "To win state championships, you must equip your players with good, quality gear, footwear, uniforms and equipment," explains Scott O'Hara, the head coach of the girls' var- sity flag football program at Seminole Ridge High School in Loxahatchee, FL, one of the annual powerhouse schools in flag football for the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA). "It's also great to see my players have the chance to continue to play flag football at the college level." e news for flag football gets even better. Next spring, at the collegiate level, the NAIA will be conducting its third year of varsity women's flag football, which remains classified as an emerging sport for the NAIA. Currently, 18 NAIA colleges and universities have women's flag football teams. e decision to add varsity girls' flag football to the list of sports offered at one of those schools – Florida Memorial University – was an easy one for the leadership of the athletic department. "Adding women's flag football to the list of sports that we offer here at Florida Memorial University means that the amount of lives that we get to impact as an institution of higher education grows," explains athletic director Ernest Jones. "More young women will have the opportunity to pursue their academic and athletic goals and potentially change their lives and their families' lives. We look forward to building a (women's) flag football program TEAM: FOOTBALL 17 • Team Insight ~ November/December 2022 teaminsightmag.com

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