Brad Garrett knows that enhancing the future of football is a team effort. That’s why he’s bringing together all the key players.

Garrett, the assistant executive director of the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) is spearheading the inaugural Oregon Youth Football Summit on Sunday, April 9.

The one-day event will assemble representatives from the OSAA, the Oregon Youth Coaches Association, the Oregon Athletic Officials Association, USA Football and various youth leagues from around the Beaver State.

The goal of the event is simple but profound.

“We're having a conversation about football in this state with football leaders, to try to understand where we want the game to go and how we're going to get there,” Garrett said.

The OSAA does not implement policy that affects youth and middle school football. As such, it’s less familiar with how the sport exists at the lower levels, and how coaches and commissioners handle things such as game scheduling, booking referees and implementing practice guidelines.

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The summit will allow key stakeholders to come together to learn and share ideas.

In total, nearly 100 registered attendants representing 63 different youth football leagues will participate in what Garrett is calling a “leadership summit.”

“That's who were convening: the decision-makers. That's who we're appealing to,” Garrett said. “Go back and have this conversation amongst your board and coaches.”

Garrett hopes that the summit can begin to build conversation around a framework USA Football is creating that provides youth leagues with ideas for how they can deliver an age-appropriate player pathway that includes flag, rookie tackle and 11-player tackle with the goal to enhance athlete development and the enjoyment of football. 

Gauging success in that area will be simple.

“If we can all buy into that, our metric will be, are we seeing rising numbers in our youth leagues? Are we retaining more high school football players?” Garrett said.

The summit is a starting point, and there will undoubtedly be different voices, with different viewpoints, shaping the discussion.

However, what will unite everyone in the room is the most powerful factor of all, the passion for the sport.

“We all know, understand and respect the things that the game can do for kids,” Garrett said, of everyone who will be in attendance on Sunday. “We all buy into the fact that this is a great game. Now can we work together to establish a statewide footprint of what football should look like around Oregon?”

To learn more about the Oregon Youth Football Summit, click here.