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will have flag football programs in the spring of 2025. e NCAA is exploring flag football as an emerging sport for women, as well. e NFL is playing a role in helping those 22 NAIA programs to get started by offering each school a $15,000 funding grants. According to Avis Roper, the NFL's director of football communications, those $15,000 grants are still available. "e NFL continues to support the NAIA and other collegiate programs who are launching flag football programs, given they are pivotal in driving the growth of sport of flag football," Roper says. FOURTH QUARTER NEWS AND NOTES Two other interesting developments are im- pacting the world of youth football in America. • While football fans agree that the season starts in August and doesn't end until the NFL's Super Bowl in February, the football season for Darren Cato has a different set of dates. For Cato, the owner of Mercury Sports in Evansville, IN, the season really starts when schedules are completed because for 20 years Cato has run a vital reconditioning businesses for football helmets and shoulder pads. For Cato, football's traditional off season is his regular season. "We have already started reconditioning helmets," Cato reported in late October. "We use November 1 as our start date each season, but we normally start even before then." Last year, Mercury Sports reconditioned more than 19,000 pieces of equipment from nearly 500 high school and college teams. "Once started, it typically takes a couple of weeks to cycle through the process," said Cato. "ere are factors that slow down that process at times." While the life expectancy of a football helmet can be as much as 10 years, most football pro- grams don't use helmets that old. "at is the life expectancy, but as the aware- ness continues to grow coaches and programs are trying to renew their inventory of helmets more oen," says Cato. "ey are starting to do the right thing, which is to provide the best pro- tection for their athletes that they possibly can." At Mercury Sports, there is an emphasis on making sure shoulder pads are as fully opera- tional as helmets. "ere is no NOCSAE standard on shoulder pads at this point, but some manufacturers have adopted the 10-year-and-out policy for their shoulder pads," he explains. "Unfortunately, shoulder pads have taken a back seat to helmets, rightfully so. But, we are seeing negligence in schools and programs putting such an emphasis on helmets that they don't invest into their shoulder pads." • One of the most significant challenges facing youth and high school football in America is the dearth of officials, and as a result an increasing number of varsity football games are being played on ursday nights rather than the traditional Friday Night Football. Quite simply, the biggest reason is the lack of qualified game officials and referees, as there are not enough officials to staff every high school football game every Friday night. To help overcome this shortage, the NFHS is aggressively promoting the need for more football officials and officials in all high school sports. And, you'll get paid for your time, as well. If interested, access www.highschool- officials.com. n teaminsightmag.com November/December 2024 ~ Team Insight • 23

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