FORMER NFL COACH PHOEBE SCHECTER VISITS NFL UK FLAG CHAMPIONS AHEAD OF DREAM TRIP TO ORLANDO
Northampton’s Lings Primary School students will represent Team UK in the NFL Flag International Championships at the Pro Bowl in Orlando, United States.
29th January 2024: Ahead of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Orlando to represent the UK in the 2024 NFL Flag International Championships, the students at Lings Primary School were treated to a farewell coaching clinic by Britain’s first female coach in the NFL, Phoebe Schecter.
The former Buffalo Bills coach, Great Britain Flag Football Captain and Sky Sports NFL presenter visited the school to lend a helping hand in one of their final training sessions before jetting out to Orlando on 31st January 2024.
The Northamptonshire school were crowned the 2023 NFL UK Flag Football National Primary School Champions at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last June. The victory secured the team seats on the plane to Orlando to represent Team UK against the top youth NFL Flag teams from around the world at this year’s Pro Bowl.
NFL Flag is a non-contact, inclusive and accessible format of American football and the cornerstone of the NFL’s grassroots participation plans in the UK. Since the birth of the NFL Flag programme in 2017, it has quickly become one of the fastest-growing sports in the UK.
Lings Primary School is one of 500 schools in the UK currently participating in Flag football, with 30,000 players in 26 regions nationwide. Both boys and girls play the game together – with 53% of participants being female – providing a fully inclusive experience.
Speaking at the event, Phoebe Schecter said, “Lings’ involvement at the Pro Bowl is a great example of the opportunities NFL UK is creating at grassroots in the UK. I had so much fun on the field, the passion and enthusiasm the kids have for the sport is infectious. I am looking forward to watching them play out in Orlando; it will be an incredible experience for them all, and I know they will make the UK proud.”
Lings have benefited from the NFL providing free Flag football training and equipment to all primary and secondary schools who wish to take part.
Dr Chris Long, NFL UK Head of Community and Grassroots Development, added: “Lings Primary School are a fantastic example of NFL Flag's positive impact in schools across the country. It’s a diverse sport that allows boys and girls from all backgrounds to participate and have fun together. Congratulations again to everyone involved in the NFL Flag programme here at Lings Primary School, and I hope their story can inspire other schools to follow in their footsteps.”
To find out more about the NFL Flag programme in the UK and how to get involved, please visit https://ww.nfl.com/uk/nfl-flag
ABOUT NFL FLAG
NFL FLAG empowers young athletes, boys and girls, around the world. The non-contact format of the game is fun, exciting, and accessible for all, with women and girls driving some of the fastest growth in the sport.
Flag football in the UK is seeing exciting growth, with 500 schools (including both primary and secondary) and 30,000 players (53% female) participating across 26 regions.
The game provides a structured opportunity for youth to play football whilst discovering the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and friendship both on and off the field.
To find out more about NFL FLAG, please visit here.