The Boston NFL Flag Football League
Registration for the Fall 2023 Season is Now Open!
Overview
For over 50 years, Hill House has run quality athletics programs for children in the Boston area. Starting in September, 2018, Hill House hosted the inaugural Boston NFL Flag Football League, an officially licensed NFL Flag program. Flag Football is a non-contact version of football, allowing for skill development and fun. All teams and leagues are co-ed and take place on Sunday mornings in Boston from September-November. The league is open to children city-wide and we've welcomed teams and players from all neighborhoods of Boston.
League format - 2023
The Boston NFL Flag Football League will comprise of the following leagues. All grades should be correct as of September 2023.
- 8:30am-9:30am - The Patriots Developmental League - Kindergarten & Grade 1- Register here!
- 9:00am-10:30am - The Junior League - Grade 2 & Grade 3 - Register here!
- 10:00am-11:30am - The Senior League - Grade 4 & Grade 5 - Register here!
- 11:00am-12:30pm - The Pro League - Grade 6 through Grade 8 - Register here!
All divisions (Junior through Pro) will run 30 minute team practices before playing 60 minute leagues games in the fall 2022 season, pending health & safety guidelines by state and local officials.
What to expect
All players will be placed on a team and receive a reversible NFL team branded jersey and an NFL Flag belt. The season will run the first Sunday after Labor Day through the start of November and teams will have a chance to practice as well as playing games. Sneakers or cleats can be worn as well as your team jersey and belt each week.
The season will include a regular season and playoff games and is scheduled for the following dates:
- Training Camp/League Combine Session- 9/10
- Regular Season Game Sessions- 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, Skips Indigenous Peoples' Day Weekend, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29
- Playoff Game Sessions- 11/05, 11/12
- All-Star Celebration/Playoff rain date- 11/19
Registration and Format Changes established in 2022
For all friend requests, going forward, we ask that these be limited to 1-2 friends max. Ultimately we will use our best judgement to separate players into equal teams to help ensure fun competitive balance for our leagues consistent with other Hill House programming. The first week will serve as our own NFL combine to work on basic skills for everyone, and then the second week we will separate everyone into their official teams to play preseason games and begin our season.
Once registered through Hill House, players complete the online NFL Flag player participation agreement by selecting the Hill House Boston NFL Flag league from the drop down menu.
 |
Registration for the 2023 season is now open! |
Location and Transportation
The Boston NFL Flag Football home will be Clemente Field. Next to Emmanuel College in the Back Bay, this recently renovated all-weather NSCAA regulation turf football field is easily accessible via car and public transportation. The field is located on Park Drive, Boston, 02215. Through public transportation, the fields can be accessed via the green line (Museum of Fine Arts stop), orange line (Ruggles stop) and commuter rail (Yawkey Way stop).
Safety first!
The growth of Flag Football has been partly due to the expanded knowledge of concussion in football. This will be a non-contact version of the sport with all the passing, catching and strategic skills intact. We highly recommend the use of mouth guards to players as well as championing fair play and sportsmanship. All coaches must pass a concussion awareness certification (as well as background checks) and trained CPR and First Aid staff will be on site at all time. Players should also opt to wear sneakers over cleats for this turf field.
Game format (Fall 2023 season)
- All games will be 5-on-5, with 8-10 players per roster.
- There will be two 20 minute halves with a 2 minute half time.
- Fields will be approximately 20x60 yards.
- Referee decisions will be final.
Get involved... Interested in coaching a team to success this fall? We are looking for volunteers to coach teams, if you think you can be a positive role model, please contact our Athletics Manager, John King, at jking@hillhouseboston.org.
Positions as game day staff (coach, oversight, and referees) are available. Please apply to our Athletics Manager, John King, at jking@hillhouseboston.org.
Fall 2023 Supplementary Flag Football Programs:
Please note these programs are separate from the leagues and occur on Fridays at Teddy Ebersol's Red Sox Fields
Friday Night Flag Football (7-12 years)
End your week with some backyard flag football at Hill House! Work on honing your skills for next fall's Boston NFL Flag Football League, or jump in to begin learning the game in a fun and safe environment with our awesome Hill House athletics coaches.
Register: Fridays 5:30
Pre-K Patriots Practice (4-6 years)
Flag Football is a great way for your child to end the week with some fun drills and scrimmages playing with their friends. After some initial skills clinics that will cover the basic skills and processes of football, players will then get split up each week into different teams and play fun instructor led games. The program promises fun and instills good sportsmanship and teamwork.
Register: Fridays 4:30
Interested in all of our athletics offerings?
Visit our athletics page to see all of our classes!
Questions?
Email our Athletics Manager, John King, at jking@hillhouseboston.org.
