As children, before we learn to run, we have to learn how to walk. Before we learn how to walk, we have to learn how to crawl. Youth sports are no different.

In baseball, young athletes play an altered version of the game where players move from tee ball to coach-pitch to player-pitch, while basketball allows younger players to shoot on a lower hoop.

A majority of America’s most popular sports offer some sort of refined version to allow young players to adjust and develop within the sport in a manner that is appropriate for their size and age level.

Football is now taking steps to join their ranks.

In 2015, USA Football developed a modified version of tackle football designed specifically with younger athletes in mind. The program is rooted in the idea that young players can take a gradual path to learning the sport: from flag football to modified tackle football to traditional 11-man tackle.

In 2016, USA Football and the Cleveland Browns came together and hosted scrimmages offering youth teams the opportunity to experience this slightly-altered version of tackle football. 

The bridge game between flag football and traditional 11-on-11 tackle football features:

• Seven-man teams
• A smaller playing field measuring at 40 yards-by-35 yards
• Every player starting in a two-point stance
• No special teams
• All possessions starting with the ball on the 40-yard line regardless of whether there was an interception, fumble, touchdown or turnover on downs, with the football returning to the 40-yard line to start each new drive
• Players rotating positions every quarter
• Coaches coordinating the rotations to make sure players are lined up against players of equal size
• Two coaches being allowed on the field to organize and quickly provide guidance to their players

In addition to the scrimmages with the Browns, the Westfield (Ind.) Youth Football League has been piloting the program this fall.

League director Jake Gilbert, who also coaches the local high school team, believes it’s a solid starting point for young people to be introduced to the game.

“There is a natural progression for a young player to move from flag to modified (tackle football) to true, 11-man football,” he said. “Following this pathway is in the best interest of the player and therefore the game overall.”

The benefits of introducing the modified game to young athletes after they have played flag football and feel they are ready to advance to the next stage of football are many.

The smaller field and number of players allow for the game to be scaled down to the appropriate size and speed of the youth players.

Transitioning from flag football to modified tackle football is a jump from five players on the field for each team to seven.

It’s a manageable transition and allows coaches to focus on the two new skills that the modified tackle game introduces that is absent in flag football: blocking and tackling.

With fewer players on the field and the appropriate use of rotations, all members of the team will be able to get what USA Football refers to as “meaningful snaps”—downs where the players are actively involved in the play and influence its outcome.

The increased level of player involvement is something that USA Football is working to track and study, thanks to technology from Catapult Sports.

Catapult Sports monitors metrics such as total distance covered, contact load and top speed for modified tackle football, NFL FLAG and traditional 11-man football. The goal is simple: a much deeper understanding of the physical experience of playing football in different capacities.

"This opportunity to work with USA Football to help them better understand what the youth football player is experiencing when they play the game through objective data is at a level of progressiveness that truly helps the sport at all levels,” said Alex Paluka, sports performance associate at Catapult.

With modified tackle football, USA Football has relied heavily on research and advice from medical and youth football experts to create an experience where young players can learn tackle football in a controlled, less complex manner that matches the size of the athletes and continues to grow as they do.

In addition to the developmental benefits afforded to players, modified football will provide some logistical perks as well. With games contained in 40-yard sections of the field, two games can take place at once, allowing leagues to maximize their time on the field and minimizing the time that athletes spend waiting for their turn to take the field.

The overall aim of the modified game is to create a bridge that will allow young athletes to have a successful and fun experience while being introduced to the fundamentals of tackle football.

“Ultimately, our goal is to create a better experience for the kids. More fun, more engagement, and an increased activity level is huge for us,” said Andy Ryland, USA Football senior manager of football development. “We want young athletes to have a quality experience so they’re eager to come back year after year, simply by asking players to do only what they are able to do at their age level.”

USA Football senior director of football operations Nick Inzerello and other members of the USA Football staff will be doing a demonstration of modified tackle football in January during the National Conference in Orlando. For more information on the USA Football National Conference, click here.