What equipment should a flag football league require?
Require what your rulebook and insurer require, and write it down in one list. This is a starting point; your format's official rules and your insurance policy come first.
| Item | Typical rule | Where to set it |
|---|---|---|
| Flag belt | Required. Same belt style for every team, flags in contrasting colors. | Rulebook; buy in bulk for fairness |
| Mouthguard | Common in youth rulebooks. Check your format's official rules. | Rulebook and registration acknowledgment |
| Footwear | Cleats or sneakers, with no exposed metal. | Rulebook |
| Headgear | Required in Georgia high school play. Otherwise the league decides. | Rulebook, with a named rating |
| Jewelry | Removed before play. | Rulebook; referee check at check-in |
| First aid kit and ice | At every field, every game day. | Emergency action plan |
Should your league require headgear?
It is your call unless a state rule applies. As of November 5, 2026, the only statewide rule we found is Georgia's, for GHSA high school play. If you require headgear, name the standard so families know what to buy: for example, "Virginia Tech 4 or 5 stars", which matches the lab's own recommendation.
Send families to the Virginia Tech flag football headgear ratings and check your state on the headgear rules by state page. Never tell families a product prevents concussions.
What should registration and waiver language cover?
Put every safety acknowledgment in registration, so it is signed before the first practice and stored with the player. Have a lawyer in your state review the final wording.
- The equipment list, and that the family agrees the player will wear it at every game and practice.
- Your headgear rule and the minimum rating, if you have one.
- That the family has received your state's concussion information sheet, if your state law requires one.
- That a player removed for a suspected concussion returns only with written clearance from a licensed health care provider.
- Emergency contacts and any medical information the family chooses to share.
In Flag50 registration, waiver language goes in event settings and parents sign during checkout, with the signed copy stored on the player's record. A custom field can hold the equipment acknowledgment.
How do you reference your state's concussion law?
Link to it; do not rewrite it. Every state has a youth sports concussion law, and the details differ: who it covers, what training it requires, and who can clear a player. Each state headgear page links the official text where we have it. Our youth flag football concussion protocol guide walks through removal and the return-to-play steps, and the CDC HEADS UP youth sports training is free for coaches.
How should a league log incidents?
Write every injury down the same day, on one form: who, when, where, what happened, what was done, and who was told. Keep the form with your insurance records. Start from the youth sports incident report template, track clearances on the return to play log, and keep an emergency action plan at every field.
Sources
- GHSA, flag football approved headgear requirement.
- Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, flag football headgear ratings.
- CDC HEADS UP, youth sports.
Starting from scratch? The Start a League hub covers insurance, fields and policies in order.