CAN Flag Football 2007

Following successful coed softball and soccer seasons this summer, the GWC Chapter of USNAAA is interested in fielding a coed flag football team in the Capital Alumni Network league. Games are played Saturday and Sunday on the Washington Mall starting in September. Because we know many local alums have season tickets to Navy Football, we will request the league not schedule games on Saturdays when Navy has a home game.

If you're interested in joining a team of local alumni to play flag football against teams from over 50 university alumni organizations in a very social alumni network, please send an email to David Johnson (USNA '91) at djnamaste@hotmail.com. We are also looking for a dedicated flag football coach to lead the team. David Johnson has experience coaching the softball team in 2 seasons, so can provide the necessary organizational support; however, he is looking for a break from coaching and the opportunity to just be a player in football!

Below is a description of the flag football league from the Capital Alumni Network (CAN) website (www.dcalum.org)

Hope to see you on the field!

Go Navy!
Jerry Farrell
President
USNAAAGWC

CAN Flag Football 2007 - Application Information
It’s game time… are you in?

As undergrads return to campuses around the country, the Capital Alumni Network (CAN) turns its attention toward its eighth season of alumni flag football. Last season, a record 56 teams competed in the league with representation from over seven major division I-A conferences and three 1-AA conferences. This season will be more exciting and even more inclusive, but first, we need to hear from the schools who are interested in having a lot of fun and playing in this year’s CAN Co-ed Flag Football League.

IMPORTANT DATES

July 31 - Applications go online.
August 11 - Applications for league consideration due by 6:00 PM
August 14 –Teams notified about included schools and new divisions
September 8 - Preseason Charity Tournament (hosted by Maryland) and officiating walk through for new teams and new officials.
September 9 - Mandatory coaches meetings for teams selected
September 10 – CAN monthly meeting
September 15/16 Season Begins
November 24/25 – Thanksgiving Weekend No Games
December 9 - Season ends (assuming no rainouts/snowouts)
December 15/16 - Rain date
December 10 - Mandatory tournament meeting
January 5/6 – Tournament play in games
January 12/13 – End of Tournament if necessary

*Oct 28 – Major events will be downtown that will negatively impact use of the National Mall.*

BACKGROUND

In 1998, the Capital Alumni Network expanded beyond alumni softball to include a co-ed flag football season and tournament. We began with as few as eight teams and last season (our seventh), we had 56 teams (54 of which participated in the tournament).

As the CAN softball league continues to grow we have no doubt that our flag football league will continue to keep pace, but as a volunteer league we do have our limits. Please keep in mind that this is the only league of its kind in the United States and it is entirely run by people like you who coach the teams and volunteer to do all of the work that mak es this league so successful.

2007-08 FLAG FOOTBALL SEASON

CAN is requesting that alumni chapters indicate their interest in participating in this year's season and tournament. Interested teams MUST commit to both as tournament participation is required.

Regular season games will begin on September 15/16 and will continue through the weekend of December 9/10. Games will be played each weekend [except Nov. 24/25 - Thanksgiving] beginning at 8am and running every hour and a half until dusk. The game length will be approximately 90 minutes with two 25 minutes halves, a five (5) minute halftime, and an additional seven (7) plays at the end of regulation. We understand that some schools play each other in NCAA football prior to the season opening and we encourage scrimmages, but games played outside the official CAN schedule will not count towards a team’s overall record.

This year , the playoff tournament will be a two-weekend event. We have tentatively scheduled any necessary play-in games for Saturday January 5 and Sunday January 6, 2008. The main event will be the held the weekend of January 12th and 13th 2008. The total number of teams in the league as well as available field space will determine the exact structure of this year’s tournament.

For first time teams, the league is designed to be non-contact with screen blocking and flag belts that completely rip off.