The Olympics are not like every other sporting competitors on the planet. For 16 days, over 300 occasions representing 35 sports activities and each nation on the planet compete to take home their prized medals, and I’ve appeared ahead to watching the Summer season Olympics each 4 years since way back to I can bear in mind. However there’s at all times been one thing lacking. One of many United States hottest sports activities, and a high 10 sport all through the world, it appears to be like as if deal with and flag soccer might be Olympic sports activities by the 12 months 2024, however subject obstacles nonetheless stay for that to grow to be a reality. First we’ll stroll by way of some the explanation why the highway to getting American Soccer included into the Olympics has not been a simple journey, adopted by why we consider flag soccer to be the logical answer and selection as a future Olympic sport https://www.koobit.com/indigo-unified-comms-saints-sinners-race-night-e5341
WHY ISN’T AMERICAN FOOTBALL ALREADY AN OLYMPIC SPORT?
In response to an article by NFL.com, the most important logistical issues dealing with the game of American Soccer being included within the Olympics are similar to that of Rugby. With the big numbers of members on every group, the “gender equality” codecs the place each men and girls take part in each sport, and the compressed 3 week schedule that might be powerful with a extra bodily game like soccer and rugby. Moreover for American Soccer, the barrier to entry is excessive as a consequence of it is value to equip all gamers with pads and kit, and therefor has additionally been gradual to undertake in lots of overseas nations, particularly of the poorer selection.
Realizing all this, it is arduous to see how both sport could be a very good match for the Summer season Olympics. Rugby is so much like Soccer in that little or no is required to play the game by way of gear and observe at it is base degree, and has a a lot bigger worldwide following. This amongst different causes has just lately allowed Rugby to be cleared for the Olympics beginning in 2016 by altering the standard type to a much less conventional “sevens” format which is quicker paced with much less folks, which might assist carve the same path for American Soccer, or flag soccer extra particularly.
TACKLE SAFETY CONCERNS
Even increasingly more highschool, faculty and professional groups are beginning to scale back the variety of contact practices, nonetheless sporting the likes of soft-padded headgear and shoulder pads for added safety. However what if we might restrict the contact gamers see earlier than highschool and center faculty whereas additionally addressing a number of the considerations for the game associated to it being absolutely accepted into the Olympics?There’s numerous discuss just lately revolving across the safety of deal with soccer, and never simply within the NFL the place concussions are a serious concern. Beginning way back to the youth soccer degree, latest proof has surfaced supporting the concept even short of a concussion, repeated head impacts and collision can manifest in related mind accidents later in life for kids examined between the ages of 8-13. Many researchers are suggesting kids should not be taking part in soccer in any respect, suggesting that kids’ heads are “a bigger a part of their body, and their necks are usually not as robust as adults’ necks. So kids could also be at a higher danger of head and mind accidents than adults.”
DREW BREES BELIEVES FLAG FOOTBALL CAN SAVE FOOTBALL
As of 2015, research present that flag soccer is the quickest rising youth sport in the USA, significantly outpacing the expansion of conventional deal with soccer. Many particular person excessive colleges are making the change to flag soccer over deal with, getting different colleges of their areas to observe swimsuit creating organized leagues and divisions. It is even an formally acknowledged varsity sport in lots of states, and with girls particularly flag soccer is a technique to permit simpler participation versus the bodily nature of deal with.And he isn’t the one one. Just lately Drew Brees was interviewed by Peter King for NBC’s pregame present and had some robust phrases on why he believes flag soccer is the reply. “I really feel like flag soccer can save soccer,” Brees mentioned. Brees coaches his son’s flag soccer group, and performed flag soccer himself by way of junior excessive, by no means taking part in deal with soccer till highschool. “I really feel like (flag soccer) is a superb introductory technique for lots of kids into soccer,” Brees talked about. “In any other case I really feel it’s totally simple to go in and have a nasty expertise early on after which not wish to ever play it once more. I really feel like as soon as you set the pads on there are simply so many different components to the game, and also you’re on the mercy of the coach in numerous circumstances too. And to be sincere, I do not suppose sufficient coaches are well-versed sufficient regarding the true fundamentals of the game particularly when the pads go on on the youth degree.” Many different professional athletes and coaches have expressed related sentiments as properly, singing praises for the game of flag soccer, and the rise in reputation of the game echoes that.
Flag soccer is not a fluke or only a leisure development tool that feeds into deal with soccer, it is a full-fledged motion that has it is personal identification and goal and it is time we acknowledged that distinction.
Internationally it’s gaining reputation as properly, a lot quicker it appears than conventional American soccer the place the barrier to entry is way larger with the necessity for full pads and kit. In Mexico as an example, flag soccer is booming in reputation, the place most think about it to be the #2 sport to soccer and shutting quick, with and estimated 2.5 million kids collaborating simply on the elementary faculty degree. Worldwide groups are beginning to make the journey to a number of the extra widespread American flag soccer tournaments, with illustration from Panama, Indonesia, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada and extra a typical prevalence.
In every single place you look, participation and curiosity within the sport flag soccer is exploding.
At an grownup degree, it was a file 12 months for the game of flag soccer. New main tournaments are popping up internationally, seeing hundreds of groups competing throughout all age teams, codecs and kinds. Money prizes have been at an all time excessive, anticipated to eclipse over $100,000 in group giveaways within the subsequent calendar 12 months. Sponsors have began taking discover as properly, with the likes of EA Sports activities, Nerf, Accommodations.com, Crimson Bull and different main manufacturers seeing the worth and progress from flag soccer as a technique to successfully attain their target market in giant numbers. Ladies’s participation is at an all-time excessive as properly, mirroring it is reputation on the youth degree, and is the popular format of play for American soccer in most Central to South American nations.
So how does this all lead again to the Olympics and getting American soccer included as an official sport? First, let’s assessment a little bit historical past on the place the game stands at present with the Worldwide Olympic Committee, or IOC.
Traditionally, In an effort to be included into the Olympic games as an indication sport, you must have an Worldwide Federation and have held a World Championship competitors. This should happen a minimal of 6 years earlier than a scheduled Olympic games. The Worldwide Federation of American Soccer, primarily targeted on deal with soccer however consists of flag in it is match lineup, met this commonplace and was accepted in 2012, and gained provisional recognition in 2014. This might pave the way in which for American soccer to be included as an official sport, and flag soccer as presumably a self-discipline of mentioned sport, nonetheless the IFAF has since confronted setbacks as a consequence of alleged scandal, occasion mismanagement and misappropriation of funds that can’t bode properly for the sports activities inclusion short time period. Fortuitously in 2007 the IOC adopted a brand new, extra versatile rule set permitting packages to be up for assessment after each Olympics beginning in 2020, clearing a path for all sports activities to current their case for being included by successful a easy majority vote.
So the chance is there for American soccer to be included in probably the most prestigious sporting occasion all over the world, however how will we overcome the obstacles introduced by the construction of the game to suit the mould of a profitable Olympic sporting occasion?
FLAG FOOTBALL IS THE KEY TO OLYMPIC INCLUSION
For each means deal with soccer does not match the mould as a logical alternative for the IOC, there’s flag soccer. Listed below are the highest 4 causes flag soccer must be thought of to be included as the following Olympic sport.
1. It is Much less Bodily Demanding than Deal with Soccer
As we have already established, flag soccer is a a lot safer various than deal with soccer. Much less hits and collisions equal fewer accidents, and flag soccer is already a confirmed success model that is being praised for preserving the game for future generations. However in relation to the Summer season Olympic Games, safety is only one facet of the bodily calls for of the game, contemplating you may have lower than a 3 week window to slot in all ranges of competitors, and the year-round exercise wanted to observe and qualify. Think about taking part in 6-7 full contact soccer games with a restricted roster all inside a span of ~16 days, to not point out different potential qualifying occasions all year long. For flag soccer, it is not unusual to play 6-7 games in a weekend or typically even a day, so the game is greater than geared up for this type of match play.
2. Worldwide Flag Soccer Curiosity is Exploding
As talked about above, this can be a main subject when figuring out whether or not a sport is match to be thought of, and whereas conventional American type deal with soccer is extraordinarily widespread worldwide as properly, flag soccer appeals to extra nations. It is a decrease barrier to entry so far as value and tools go, do not require full size and striped soccer fields to take part, and is simpler to carry bigger match competitions and leagues to encourage native curiosity.
3. It Requires Fewer Contributors
Relying on which format could be used (our guess is both 5v5 or 7v7), flag soccer requires far fewer members than conventional deal with soccer. A part of this is because of it being a much less bodily demanding sport and the necessity for much less substitutions, and one other half is because of needing much less specialist gamers, corresponding to kickers, punters, particular groups, offensive lineman, and many others. The place every conventional deal with soccer group would most likely carry 50+ opponents, flag soccer would wish most likely 15 gamers at most, reducing that quantity to lower than a third. That is vital as a result of the Olympics cap their whole members to 10,500 athletes and coaches. It additionally once more permits extra nations to compete, particularly poorer nations, the place fielding a smaller and fewer financially demanding group coupled with the explanations above makes extra sense.
4. It is Not Only a Men’s Sport
Gender equality is a serious emphasis for the IOC. The 2012 Summer season Olympics marked the primary time all sports activities included competing girls of their class. Right this moment, any new sport that’s added to the Olympic Games should embrace each female and male members. For deal with soccer, there’s simply not practically sufficient curiosity from girls participators for it to make sense. Whereas there are some feminine gamers, and even some feminine deal with soccer leagues and organizations, it simply does not match the mould, particularly with the opposite points regarding physicality and barrier to entry. For flag soccer this isn’t an issue as detailed above, with feminine participation booming internationally.
NEXT STEPS FOR FLAG FOOTBALL AND OLYMPIC INCLUSION
So how will we take the following steps to trip the momentum of flag soccer straight into the following obtainable Olympic games? The IFAF has already helped start the method of getting the game of American Soccer in entrance of the IOC in recent times, however with their public points and seemingly no motion since 2014 extra must be finished to maintain shifting ahead. What we do know is that flag soccer is being taken critically in any respect ranges for actually the primary time in historical past, with main organizations making strikes to get extra into the flag soccer house and the creation of larger and extra worldwide occasions to gasoline the game. We consider that both on it is personal, or as a self-discipline of deal with soccer, flag soccer WILL be included within the Olympics at some degree within the subsequent 10-20 years.
If that occurred, what do you suppose that might do to spice up the recognition and legitimacy of the game of flag soccer long run? Tell us within the feedback under!