Youth Football Resources

USA Football believes in the passion, intensity, joy, confidence and sense of community football brings to those who play, coach and love it. From practice to playoffs, we work to make the game better and safer, ensuring that nothing stands in the way of a player's excitement for the sport.

We evolve and grow the sport through innovative standards and best practices to advance coach and player development, participation and safety within the fun of the game and its inherent values. As the sport's national governing body and member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Football partners with leaders in medicine, child advocacy, and athletics to support positive football experiences for youth, high school and other amateur players.

Our dedication to football pushes us to provide the best certifications, resources and programs, keeping the spirit and integrity of the game alive for the millions of athletes who enjoy the fun and benefit of playing.

The Browns are proud to work in conjunction with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and the Cleveland Football Officials Association (CFOA) in offering a third Officials Certification Course this Fall. The Cleveland Browns Officials Certification Course is designed to train and certify students in officiating all levels of football. Completion of the course certifies you to operate as a licensed official in the state of Ohio. To learn more about officiating opportunities, click here.

Click here to read about how the Browns are partnering with the Cleveland Football Officials Association and the Ohio High School Athletic Association to encourage students to take officiating courses in Northeast Ohio.

From health and wellness information to youth, middle and high school football materials, find it all in USA Football's Parent Resource Guide.

University Hospitals (UH) is a proud partner of the Cleveland Browns, and their Sports Medicine program is paving the way for a revolutionary approach to sports medicine care. UH's multifaceted sports medicine program offers comprehensive specialty and subspecialty care for athletes of all ages and every skill level.

Learn more.

College-bound student-athletes preparing to enroll in a Division I or Division II school need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center to ensure they have met amateurism standards and are academically prepared for college coursework.

Register here.

The American Development Model (ADM), created by the United States Olympic Committee and first introduced by USA Hockey, serves as a framework for long-term athlete development. USA Football will use a similar blueprint to develop and pilot a new pathway for youth players and coaches. The ADM joins Heads Up Football in USA Football's ongoing commitment to advancing the sport for millions of young athletes across our nation.

Learn more here.

The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program is a partnership of the National Football League Foundation, which provides funding for the Program, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), which provides technical assistance and manages the Program. The goal of the Program is to provide non-profit, neighborhood-based organizations with financial and technical assistance to improve the quality, safety, and accessibility of local football fields. The NFL Foundation Grassroots Program provides grants of up to $250,000 for capital improvement projects.

More information here.

Heads Up Football is the safer way to practice and play. USA Football has worked with leaders in both medicine and sport across the country to create a full-featured program that any league or school can use to address key safety issues – and ensure that every coach understands and knows how to implement each component of the program.

Learn more here.

Powered by USA Football, the sport's national governing body, NFL FLAG is the country's leading flag football program, with unmatched standards of safety, education and support. We believe football imparts great lessons and provides kids with skills that serve them well throughout their lives.

Learn more.

NFL FLAG-In-Schools is penetrating a new population of potential players, namely girls and young children, who have never played football! The program received positive feedback overall, with 85% of participants indicating they love or like the program.

NFL FLAG-In-Schools was developed by GENYOUth in 2014 as a solution to the physical inactivity crisis, supporting Physical Education (PE) Teachers. The program provides NFL FLAG-In-School kits, valued at $395, and include the following resources:

• Equipment: To replace outdated or non-existing equipment
• Curriculum: High-quality resource developed by SHAPE America
• Interactive NFL FLAG-In-Schools course from SHAPE America's Online Institute