Project Launch:

There are currently five active flag football teams in Southeastern Morocco. The teams formed and began competing against each other in 2010, with the support and encouragement of local Peace Corps Volunteers. Enthusiasm and participation has gained significant momentum since 2010, however, so much so that community leaders are ready to establish and grow a sustainable flag football league.

The goal of this project is to work with local leaders to transform a group of informal flag football teams into an official sports association in Morocco. The players themselves are the driving force behind the Moroccan Youth Flag Football League. They will be actively involved in the planning and organization of the league in the short and long-term. The communities that will be impacted have already eagerly embraced the project, and the regional delegation of the Ministry of Youth and Sport in Morocco is so impressed by the players' enthusiasm and determination to establish their league that it has already pledged its support.

Beyond the obvious exercise and health benefits, participating in organized sports allows young people to learn strategy, discipline and teamwork, and to build constructive relationships with teammates and coaches. These skills, cultivated at an early age, help youth succeed later in life in school and in their careers.