In a small town like Franklin, the “Friday night lights” typically shine on high school football. However, since last summer, Franklin’s youth now have a new opportunity to enjoy the sport of football without the physical contact. The Macon County Flag Football League began its inaugural season in June 2024 and has since taken off to become one of the county’s most popular sports.
When Daryl Oberley first heard someone a few years ago in Swain County mention their local flag football program, he began to wonder what it would take for Macon County to have something similar. In 2023 and 2024, Oberley was a member of the board for the Macon County Youth Football League for tackle football, and he started to think about how much flag football could benefit the county and its football program by helping young players develop basic football skills without the risk of physical tackling.
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Parents asked what it would take to establish a flag football program in Franklin. The interest was there, but Oberley was faced with the challenging task of getting a program started.
Initially, he met with members of the Macon County Parks and Recreation, but he came away from discussions thinking the task was too daunting. The town already had limited field space, so finding places to practice and play games was a challenge.
Oberley reached out to the NFL Flag Football program to learn what was needed to start a new official league. They responded that in order for NFL Flag Football to be involved, it needed to be a program that was already established with at least 150 children. Oberley did not give up. He continued to make calls until the county was on board and a committee was formed.
Challenges overcome
Setting up a new sport is a taxing undertaking that involves finding coaches, players, equipment, and officials, establishing a season timeline, securing practice and game locations, registering players, drafting teams, ordering uniforms and equipment, and figuring out the rules and regulations for all of the age groups. Plus, there is no way to know how many kids will sign up to participate.
It was decided that the season would start right after spring baseball season ends, but before tackle football season officially starts. The original idea was that flag football would be a great precursor to the tackle football season and would build foundational skills, along with being a fun alternative for kids who do not play tackle football.
In its 2024 inaugural season, 189 kids registered to play flag football. It was a learning season for everyone, from kids to parents, coaches, and referees. Flag football is very different from tackle football, with different rules, smaller fields, shorter games, and different regulations to follow.
Oberley eventually convinced the NFL Flag Football League to support the program, primarily to provide official NFL uniforms and equipment.
Growth and appreciation
The program grew significantly for this 2025 season, with 290 kids signing up and the addition of more teams. Many parents have expressed their gratitude for having a summer activity to get kids out of the house, socialize with friends, and stay active.
One parent, Becky Gibson, said “[I am] so thankful for this amazing opportunity for all the young people in Macon County. If you doubt it, just drive by on a game night and see for yourself what an impact it has!”
Louise Hughes noted, that as a grandparent, watching flag football is now her favorite sport. She enjoys watching everyone have fun and spending time together as a community.
Oberley emphasized one of the main reasons he has enjoyed seeing flag football come to life in Macon County is that it does not matter how athletic a child is, he or she can still play and have fun. It is not a school sport, so there is not much pressure to perform. It is also one of the only co-ed sports offered for all ages, which adds an extra element of fun for all.
Sarah Holbrooks said she “has enjoyed seeing so many young girls on the field being competitive with the boys. Our daughter has really jumped out of her comfort zone and had more fun than she anticipated!”
Flag football’s future
Oberley mentioned that the future of flag football looks extremely bright. When asked about his goals for the program, he said he would like to offer two seasons, which would allow more opportunities for additional kids to play. The main challenge is still finding a place to play that is not taken by other sports.
Another idea he would like to see come to fruition is establishing a travel flag football team, which would be similar to an All Stars team.
Overall, Oberley shared that one of his favorite things about flag football has been “seeing kids who might not play any other sports, or might not necessarily be the best athlete, but they’re out here having a blast with other kids. They are getting a few hours of fun in and getting off the couch to go play during a time when most people do not have much going on.”
Coaches and parents are having as much fun as the kids. Jamie Rostallon said, “I’ve coached just about every sport, but I’ve never had as much fun as I have coaching this!”
Flag football games take place at Parker Meadows baseball fields on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The games are open to the public to watch.
For more information on the Franklin Flag Football League, visit the Facebook page, or go to the website: https://leagues.bluesombrero.com. Registration for next year’s teams opens in early spring of 2026.
Pictured Top: AIDEN WOODALL attempts to pull a flag from Jacob Morales.