By Nathan White
Published in the Telegraph-Journal on Thursday June 18, 2009
Appeared on Page B7

Football New Brunswick hopes an opportunity to travel to a national championship will help spread enthusiasm for flag football in the province.

The provincial association has put together a seven-person team to compete at the 2009 under-15 national championship in Ottawa from July 24 to 27. Larry Harlow, president of Football New Brunswick, said each province's representatives will have their expenses paid, which includes travel, hotels, most meals and National Football League-style jerseys for all competitors. He hopes the experience will lead to the creation of youth flag leagues next year.

Harlow said flag football's popularity "is just exploding all over the country," and he wants New Brunswick to get in on the action.

All seven players from this year's team hail from the Fundy area, so far the only one to show interest. Marcus Whittingham is the head coach.

"We asked all the minor associations if they wanted to put a team in and Fundy came up with a team, so that's the team we're going to send," Harlow said. "We didn't have a great response to it, but it's coming."

Minor programs have flag football in the fall for players nine and under. New Brunswick also has some senior touch teams. There's a large gap in between for a fun, safe brand of football.

"I think people just have to realize that flag is a great alternative to play at all ages. I think we focus too much sometimes on 12-man football," Harlow said.

Harlow hopes to see youth flag football to grow into that gap. Teams play five-a-side, blocking is illegal and all players are eligible to catch passes. All equipment is provided.

"Once it's established, there would be an under-13, an under-15 and an under-17 division," Harlow said. "It's pretty exciting if we can get it going. All the gear is provided (by Football Canada), so it's very easy to get a league up and going."

As interest grows, there could also be opportunities to go to an under-17-national tournament and a senior national tournament for players 18 and up. Harlow said he'd like to encourage touch leagues to switch over to flag to have a chance at the senior tournament.

"It takes a little bit more athleticism to grab a flag than it does to touch somebody," Harlow said.