USA Football Introduces Largest National HS Team-Based 7-on-7 Program

Source: USA Football

USA Football will lead the largest national 7on7 high school team-based program in the United States this summer, setting a new standard for offseason football events benefitting student-athletes, high school programs and the country’s most popular participatory sport of high school boys.

As the sport’s national governing body and a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Football supports high school coaches and players with resources that drive development through partnerships with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), the NCAA, college football conferences and the NFL.

Teams competing in USA Football’s 7on7 program are school-based, fostering better opportunities for high school teams to prepare for the upcoming season. Participating schools may use the same offensive and defensive philosophies, formations and playbooks that they employ during the regular season. Plays and formations prohibited by NFHS rules are not permitted.

Participating against high-quality competition in a school’s state or geographic region inspires greater cohesion among teammates and classmates within a high school program’s unifying atmosphere. The school-based structure also gives participating high school coaches more opportunities to determine their student-athletes’ strengths and areas for improvement before the traditional football season begins.

“Supporting and protecting high school coaches and their student-athletes are top priorities,” said USA Football CEO SCOTT HALLENBECK. “We’re as concerned as many leaders across college and high school football regarding 7on7’s direction away from the scholastic coach and we’re doing something about it. A school-based structure delivers an exciting and healthier experience for student-athletes, coaches, our schools and the sport.”

More than 350 high schools and nearly 11,000 coaches and players are expected to participate in state-based and regional 2016 USA Football 7on7 tournaments this summer, which will be conducted in the following locations:

CITY - DATE
Atlanta, Ga. - June 11
New Orleans, La. - June 18
Spartanburg, S.C. - June 23-24
Marietta, Ga. - June 24-25
Washington, D.C. - June 25
Hoover, Ala. - June 30
Chicago, Ill. - June 30-July 1
Middletown, Del. - July 9
San Francisco, Calif. - July 14

USA Football’s 7on7 national championship will be held in Hoover, Ala., July 14-16. High schools can learn more information and register for USA Football 7on7 tournaments at www.usafootball.com/7on7.

All USA Football 7on7 competitions employ state association-certified game officials and on-site certified athletic trainers.

USA Football, an NFHS coaching education partner, works with leading experts spanning medicine and sport to offer programs and resources rooted in the best available science.

About USA Football: USA Football (www.usafootball.com) evolves and grows 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. Follow USA Football at www.facebook.com/usafootball or on Twitter @USAFootball.