Flag football has grown considerably in recent years and its origin is one that involves the U.S. military.
During World War II, flag football was born at Fort Meade, the Army base in Maryland, as service members decided it was best not to play tackle football in order to stay safer in advance of a potential deployment overseas.
Fast-forward decades later, Baltimore Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton teamed up with Toyota to host an NFL FLAG clinic for military kids and their families at the team’s facility in Owings Mills, Maryland — just a short drive from where the version of football originated.
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Hamilton spoke with FOX Business just before hitting the field with children from Our Military Kids, an organization he’s worked with before that funds activities for eligible military children.
“I’m super excited,” he said. “It’s a little bright spot in a season that’s not going so great of the Ravens right now. But I can come to the facility and have something else to do. Being with these kids today, I’m sure will be a great time, and the whole NFL FLAG football perspective, I’ve recently learned that flag football was created at Fort Meade close to here during World War II.”
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Hamilton has history with Our Military Kids, having used them as his charity of choice for the NFL’s annual “My Cause My Cleats” last season.
“My grandfather, my mom’s dad, served in the military and that’s actually how he met my grandmother. My mom was already born at the time, but my grandfather was stationed over there, and he married my grandmother, and they moved back to the states together. So, thanks to the military, I’m here today, I guess, by default,” he said.
Hamilton also noted how his perspective on these military kids changed when he went to Camp Humphreys in South Korea last year to participate in a separate camp.
“Meeting the kids over there and knowing they don’t have the opportunity to choose the life they’re given, but they’re super happy,” he said about the experience.
For this camp, Hamilton assisted the kids in warm-ups, drills and skills challenges before they ended the night with a fun scrimmage.
Hamilton discussed his excitement about partnering with Toyota, the official automotive partner of his Ravens and the NFL, as they became the presenting partner of NFL FLAG, which is the world’s largest flag football organization.
To date, Toyota supports more than 300,000 youth NFL FLAG players nationwide.
“It’s super fun, and I’m honestly thankful for Toyota allowing me to be a part of it,” Hamilton said. “I know Toyota’s been a big proponent of NFL FLAG and helping 300,000 people. I know there’s a slogan they like, “All in, all season,” and I think it’s very true with what they’ve done with this program and the NFL in general.”
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