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Peabody Flag Football Festival is a huge draw!!!6/27/07
PEABODY — For a guy who spent the first 26 years of his life in England, Austin Bradshaw
certainly has a good feel for the needs and wants of Americans.
The 30-year-old Bradshaw moved to Peabody four years ago and immediately thought that
a flag football league would flourish. Apparently his idea was a good one as this past
Sunday more than 1,000 people and 26 teams from all over New England participated in the
second annual Peabody Youth Flag Football Festival at Peabody High.
“It’s really incredible,” said Bradshaw, who still speaks with a pronounced English accent.
“To think that this league had just 30 kids the first year we did it and now we’re attracting
kids from all over. It just goes to show how great a sport it is.”
Hope Pare looks to gain yardage after making an interception during her team's game at
the Second Annual Flag Football Festival on Sunday.
Sunday’s event began at 9:30 a.m. and the final gun of the final game didn’t end until 8:30
p.m. Three division winners were crowned with the Jets of Peabody winning the 6 to 8 year
old title, the Raiders from Plymouth were crowned the 9 to 11-year-old champs while the
Bengals from Yonkers, N.Y. took home first place in the 12 to 15-year-old division. More
than 250 boys and girls participated in the tournament and trophies were presented to all of
the finalists.
In addition to the actual games, a bouncy castle and a football toss were set up. The New
England Patriot cheerleaders and mascot also made an appearance, as did the
cheerleaders and mascot from the Manchester, N.H. Arena Football League.
The Peabody Youth Flag Football League started in 2004 and is played twice each year,
once in the fall and once in the spring. After drawing 30 kids in the inaugural season, the co-
ed league is now 530 strong, including 40 girls.
“The great thing about it is that it’s a low commitment,” said Bradshaw, who moved to
America after meeting his future wife, Janel, who is from Lynn, in New Hampshire. “There’s
only 10 kids on each team so everyone plays. It’s not like other sports where you have kids
doing a lot of standing around. And some parents don’t like the physical part of Pop Warner
so this is a great alternative. Plus, I don’t think we’ve had one major injury.”
Peabody’s league is sponsored by the National Football League, which provides the
uniforms, the footballs and the flags. Bradshaw, who teaches English and business at the
Community High School in Peabody. developed an extensive website to help run the league
(www.peabodyyouthflagfootball.com) and in a very short period of time the league began to
flourish.
“Sunday was a long day, but it was well worth it,” he said. “It was a great I think for everyone
involved. I would expect next year to be even bigger and better.”
by Gary Trask
PEABODY — For a guy who spent the first 26 years of his life in England, Austin Bradshaw
certainly has a good feel for the needs and wants of Americans.
The 30-year-old Bradshaw moved to Peabody four years ago and immediately thought that
a flag football league would flourish. Apparently his idea was a good one as this past
Sunday more than 1,000 people and 26 teams from all over New England participated in the
second annual Peabody Youth Flag Football Festival at Peabody High.
“It’s really incredible,” said Bradshaw, who still speaks with a pronounced English accent.
“To think that this league had just 30 kids the first year we did it and now we’re attracting
kids from all over. It just goes to show how great a sport it is.”
Hope Pare looks to gain yardage after making an interception during her team's game at
the Second Annual Flag Football Festival on Sunday.
Sunday’s event began at 9:30 a.m. and the final gun of the final game didn’t end until 8:30
p.m. Three division winners were crowned with the Jets of Peabody winning the 6 to 8 year
old title, the Raiders from Plymouth were crowned the 9 to 11-year-old champs while the
Bengals from Yonkers, N.Y. took home first place in the 12 to 15-year-old division. More
than 250 boys and girls participated in the tournament and trophies were presented to all of
the finalists.
In addition to the actual games, a bouncy castle and a football toss were set up. The New
England Patriot cheerleaders and mascot also made an appearance, as did the
cheerleaders and mascot from the Manchester, N.H. Arena Football League.
The Peabody Youth Flag Football League started in 2004 and is played twice each year,
once in the fall and once in the spring. After drawing 30 kids in the inaugural season, the co-
ed league is now 530 strong, including 40 girls.
“The great thing about it is that it’s a low commitment,” said Bradshaw, who moved to
America after meeting his future wife, Janel, who is from Lynn, in New Hampshire. “There’s
only 10 kids on each team so everyone plays. It’s not like other sports where you have kids
doing a lot of standing around. And some parents don’t like the physical part of Pop Warner
so this is a great alternative. Plus, I don’t think we’ve had one major injury.”
Peabody’s league is sponsored by the National Football League, which provides the
uniforms, the footballs and the flags. Bradshaw, who teaches English and business at the
Community High School in Peabody. developed an extensive website to help run the league
(www.peabodyyouthflagfootball.com) and in a very short period of time the league began to
flourish.
“Sunday was a long day, but it was well worth it,” he said. “It was a great I think for everyone
involved. I would expect next year to be even bigger and better.”
by Gary Trask
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