GVSU to host regional flag football championship

More than 100 students from universities across the Midwest will come to Grand Valley November 6-8 to compete in a NIRSA Regional Flag Football Championship. 

About 12 teams, including two teams from Grand Valley, will participate in the two-day competition to qualify for the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) national championship at the University of West Florida in January. 

Registrations starts November 6, matches will take place on November 7 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at the outdoor athletic turf fields on the Allendale Campus, and bracket games will take place November 8. Spectators are welcome and admission is free.

Flag football is a type of touch football during which the player carrying the ball is stopped when the opponent removes the player's flag, which is typically secured to at the waist. 

Eric Garvelink, assistant director of competitive sports, said hosting regional tournaments at Grand Valley is very collaborative and focuses on student development. A team of 13 students will help run the tournament by officiating the games. 

"For students who want to pursue a career in campus recreation, having this extramural experience on their resume is very beneficial because it gives them an opportunity to meet other student officials and professional staff," said Garvelink. 

In October, Grand Valley hosted another regional tournament, the Women's Midwest Alliance Soccer Conference (W-MASC) Regional Club Soccer Tournament, which brought 250 students from across the region to Grand Valley. 

The tournaments are organized by GVSU Recreation. 

For more information, contact Eric Garvelink at [email protected] or (616) 331-2345.