USA Football

Research conducted by USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, shows that approximately 3.223 million American youngsters aged 6-14 played organized tackle football in 2007, up 6.1 percent from 2006 national figures (3.037 million). 

USA Football’s 2007 Youth Football Participation Index Study, conducted in conjunction with independent sports marketing and research firm The Bonham Group, approximates that organized youth tackle football in the United States is comprised of the following with a 5 percent margin of error:

                   2007                                                   2006

 3,223,000 players (ages 6-14)            3,037,000 players (ages 6-14)

 453,100 coaches                                380,700 coaches
 138,600teams                                     122,600 teams

USA Football’s research aids the non-profit in how to best serve the sport.  Six-year-old USA Football directly benefits approximately 2 million youth players through coaching education courses and clinics, coaching insurance, equipment grants, youth coach background check subsidies and other resources.

USA Football’s ground-breaking research was established in 2006 and done again in 2007.  The Bonham Group selected 132 counties (4.2 percent of all U.S. counties) using a stratified random sampling procedure.  Stratification by county population density was conducted to increase data accuracy. 

All youth football administrators and coaches in those 132 counties were contacted by USA Football via phone or e-mail in both years.  The Bonham Group analyzed and projected the findings across America’s 3,141 counties.  This national estimate only accounts for youngsters between ages 6-14 who played organized tackle football.  Casual participants and participants over the age of 14 are not included in this study.