Flag Football Coach Resources

Welcome to Coaching Flag Football

Congratulations, and thank you for stepping up. Coaching flag football is one of the most rewarding ways to spend a season. You do not need a football background. You just need a plan, a positive attitude and the right gear. This page gives you all three.

Welcome, Coach

Your job is simpler than you think. Help every player feel safe, included and excited to come back next week. Skills and wins follow from that.

What great flag football coaches do

Make it fun first. Kids who enjoy practice keep playing.
Keep everyone moving. Short drills, small groups and few lines mean more touches for every player.
Teach one thing at a time. One skill, one coaching point, then play.
Include every player. Rotate positions and make sure everyone gets the ball.
Communicate with parents. A short message before the season sets the tone.

Your first week roadmap

Get the league rulebook, schedule and roster from your league director.
Order belts and footballs so every player has gear for the first practice.
Send parents a welcome message with practice times, location and what to bring.
Plan a simple first practice focused on fun, flag pulling and basic throwing and catching.
Learn names fast. Use name tags or color-coded belts if it helps.

Welcome message you can send to parents

Hi families, I am excited to coach this season. Our first practice is [day, time, place]. Please bring water, a mouth guard and athletic shoes (no cleats with metal studs). We will keep things fun and active. Reach me anytime at [contact]. See you on the field!

Getting Started

Learn your league's rules. Flag football rules vary by league and age group, including field size, players on the field, rushing rules and scoring. Ask your league director for the rulebook before your first practice.
Keep it simple. Teach three or four plays well rather than a full playbook. Younger players learn best with short instructions and lots of reps.
Get parents on board early. Send a short welcome message with practice times, what to bring and how to reach you.
Make sure every player has a belt and flags before the first practice so nobody sits out.

TEYS Practice Drills

Eight ready-to-run drills for practice. Each one is built to keep every player moving. Mix and match them into your weekly plan. Wherever a drill calls for gear, it is the same Teys equipment you will use on game day. In the diagrams, blue circles are offense or players, red circles are defenders, orange triangles are cones.

1. TEYS Flag Pull Challenge

Skill: Defense, flag pulling
Time: 8 to 10 minutes
Players: Pairs
Gear: Teys flag football belts, cones

How to run it: Mark a 10-yard box with cones. One player is the ball carrier wearing a Teys belt, the other is the defender. On your whistle, the carrier tries to cross the end line and the defender tries to pull a flag. Switch roles after each rep.

Coaching point: Get low, keep your eyes on the hips, and pull with two hands.

2. TEYS Belt Up Relay

Skill: Warm-up, listening, speed
Time: 5 minutes
Players: Whole team, split into two or three teams
Gear: Teys flag football belts

How to run it: Lay a belt on the ground for each player. On "go," each team member runs to a belt, puts it on correctly, runs to a cone and back, then removes it for the next teammate. First team finished wins.

Coaching point: Flags go on the hips, not the back, and the belt must be snug.

3. TEYS Quick Snap

Skill: Center, quarterback exchange
Time: 8 minutes
Players: Groups of 3
Gear: Teys footballs, sized for your age group

How to run it: One player snaps, one is the quarterback, one is the receiver. Run five reps, then rotate. Quarterbacks take the snap, drop back two steps and throw a short pass.

Coaching point: Eyes up, thumbs together, and secure the ball before throwing.

4. TEYS Target Toss

Skill: Throwing accuracy
Time: 8 minutes
Players: Pairs or small groups
Gear: Teys footballs, cones or hula hoops

How to run it: Set up a hoop or cone gate 5 to 8 yards away. Players score a point for each ball thrown through the target. Move the target back as accuracy improves.

Coaching point: Step toward your target and finish the throw with your hand pointing at it.

5. TEYS Route Runner Ladder

Skill: Receiver routes and catching
Time: 10 minutes
Players: Groups of 4 to 6
Gear: Teys footballs, cones

How to run it: Set cones at the start and a route end point. Each receiver runs one of three simple routes (straight, slant, out) and the quarterback throws on time. Rotate every rep so everyone plays both spots.

Coaching point: Make a diamond with your hands and catch the ball away from your body.

6. TEYS Rush Line Reaction

Skill: Defense, reaction and rush timing
Time: 8 minutes
Players: Groups of 4 or more
Gear: Teys belts, down indicator (optional)

How to run it: Mark a rush line. On the snap, a rusher counts to the league's required rush count aloud (for example "one Mississippi, two Mississippi"), then goes for the flag while the quarterback throws. This builds good habits for leagues with a rush clock.

Coaching point: Respect the count, then close fast with your hands up.

7. TEYS Down and Distance Dash

Skill: Game awareness
Time: 10 minutes
Players: Whole team
Gear: Teys down indicator, cones, footballs

How to run it: Set a first-down line with cones. The offense gets four downs to reach it. Use the down indicator so players learn to track the count. Reset after each series and swap offense and defense.

Coaching point: Know the down, know the distance, and pick the play that fits.

8. TEYS Scrimmage Showdown

Skill: Putting it all together
Time: 15 minutes
Players: Small sides (3v3 or 4v4)
Gear: Teys belts, footballs, flip scoreboard

How to run it: Play short, fast games on a small field. Keep score on the Teys flip scoreboard so players practice game-day routines. Rotate teams every few minutes so everyone plays with different teammates.

Coaching point: Celebrate hustle, good sportsmanship and teamwork, not just points.

Sample 60-Minute Practice Plan

0-10 min	Dynamic warm-up, then TEYS Belt Up Relay
10-20 min	TEYS Flag Pull Challenge
20-30 min	TEYS Quick Snap and TEYS Target Toss
30-45 min	TEYS Route Runner Ladder, then install and run two or three plays
45-55 min	TEYS Scrimmage Showdown
55-60 min	Team huddle, one highlight per player, reminders for the next practice

Swap in TEYS Rush Line Reaction and TEYS Down and Distance Dash in later weeks as your team gets comfortable.

Game Day Checklist

Roster and player check-in complete
Flag belts on every player, flags checked and tucked correctly
Mouth guards in
Footballs sized correctly for the age group
Water, first aid kit and sunscreen
Play cards or coaching board ready
Scoreboard, down indicator and markers if you are officiating or helping with the game

Coaching Tips

Praise effort and specifics. "Great job getting low on that flag pull" beats "nice job."
Rotate positions. Let every player try quarterback, receiver and defense.
Teach flag guarding rules. No stiff-arms, no covering the flags and no diving.
Use a simple play signal system. Colors, numbers or hand signals work well for young players.
Keep the fun up. The best coaches leave kids wanting to come back next week.

Coach Gear

Everything you need to equip your team and run a smooth game day is in one place.

Shop Flag Football Coach Gear

Flag Football Belts - bulk packs for the whole roster
Official Game Football - sizes for every age group
Electronic Coaching Board - diagram plays on the sideline
Flip Scoreboard - portable manual scoreboard
Down Indicator - keep track of downs
Mouth Guards 5-Pack - protection for the team
Championship Rings - reward a winning season