Texas church Prestonwood Baptist Church will host the first Football ‘N’ America league, a co-ed flag football program for youth in Texas.
The church’s sports outreach ministry, Prestonwood Sports Organization, is partnering with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees as part of the program, CBN News reports.
The church’s Football ‘N’ America league is for youth in kindergarten through 4th grade. The season starts Saturday, Sept. 14.
“We stress the importance of teamwork, discipline and sportsmanship while promoting the fundamentals of the great game of football in a fun, family-friendly, safe and competitive environment,” the Play FNA website says.
Prestonwood Sports Organization says their mission is to promote competitive play in a positive environment while helping youth develop spiritually, physically, intellectually, socially and emotionally.
FNA’s motto is “Friends, Family and Football.”
“Flag football is something I played until my freshman year of high school,” Brees shared in a promotional video on the organization’s website. “I learned the fundamentals of the game through flag football and I developed my passion for the game by participating in it.”
Brees has said that the league is meant for all skill levels, but for students wanting to play football competitively, the league is a learning environment.
“What better environment to develop that understanding and that comfort and confidence level than flag?" Brees said in an interview. "Then once your body is ready, once you're physically developed enough, mentally developed enough in order to put the pads on, put the helmet on and go play tackle you're much more ready, you're much more informed, you're much more comfortable.
“I can confidently credit the game of flag football for helping my development as a player and a person,” he added in the league’s promotional video.
Prestonwood Baptists Church’s senior pastor Dr. Jack Graham applauded the football ministry noting that “The Great Commission can begin with a simple invitation, ‘Hey, want to come play football this fall?’” CBN News reports.
Brees founded FNA in 2017. The flag football league is for youth from ages kindergarten through 10th grade. There are more than 20 leagues across the nation.
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Gregory Shamus/Stringer