GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids Join the NFL Foundation to Help School Districts Build Lasting Active, Healthy Environments for Students
NEW YORK, April 21, 2026 — The NFL Foundation announced today the launch of NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions, a new youth health and wellness initiative designed to support school districts in building sustainable, healthy school environments.
This new initiative, powered by national non-profits GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids, rallies school districts to step up, sign on, and become champions for student health, creating active and supportive environments for youth that last during the school day and beyond.
The announcement signals a major new chapter for NFL FLAG-In-School (NFL FIS), a program that has distributed more than 40,000 flag football kits to schools across the country since 2014, reaching an estimated 17 million students nationwide. PLAY 60 Champions expands that impact by equipping individual schools with resources and elevating support to the district level, helping embed movement and physical activity into the school day in a sustainable manner.
In the spirit of NFL Draft Week, when teams across the country select the next generation of stars, the NFL Foundation, GENYOUth, and Action for Healthy Kids are committed to “drafting” every school district in the nation into the NFL FIS PLAY 60 Champions movement.
School educators can apply for an NFL FIS kit for the 2026-27 school year, which serves as the entry point to the PLAY 60 Champions initiative, and join the PLAY 60 Champions movement at flag.genyouthnow.org.
“Flag football is fun, inclusive and accessible to all, making it one of the most effective ways to get kids moving,” said NFL Commissioner and GENYOUth Board Member Roger Goodell. “NFL FLAG-In-School PLAY 60 Champions brings together the full power and platform of the NFL family to help schools create environments that inspire millions of young people to build healthy, active lifestyles.”
Today’s announcement builds on the strategic affiliation between GENYOUth and Action for Healthy Kids, connecting school-level activation with district-level support to extend impact across entire school systems.
“With fewer than 1 in 4 school-aged children meeting daily activity guidelines, the need for engaging and inclusive solutions has never been more urgent. For 13 years, GENYOUth has delivered NFL FLAG-In-School equipment, curriculum, and resources schools need to empower students to be active before, during, and after the school day,” said Ann Marie Krautheim, CEO of GENYOUth. “Now, in partnership with the NFL Foundation and Action for Healthy Kids, we are taking that work to the next level, encouraging every school to apply for an NFL FLAG-In-School kit and join the PLAY 60 Champions movement.”
“Action for Healthy Kids partners with school districts to embed physical activity into the fabric of the school day and sustain it over time. With the NFL’s leadership and GENYOUth’s powerful track record activating schools, PLAY 60 Champions allows us to scale that impact across entire districts—so more kids can move, play, and thrive every day,” said Rob Bisceglie, CEO of Action for Healthy Kids. “And during Every Kid Healthy Week, our annual celebration of the extraordinary work schools are doing to support student health and well-being, there’s no better time to invite districts nationwide to join us.”
School district leaders who are interested in becoming NFL FIS PLAY 60 Champions, gaining access to district-level training, tools, and ongoing support from Action for Healthy Kids, can apply at www.actionforhealthykids.org/champions.
Flag football is a fun, accessible, and inclusive sport for everyone, and is one of the fastest-growing sports globally, with approximately 20 million players worldwide. This includes more than 4.1 million youth participants in the U.S. alone. NFL FIS is a proven, turnkey solution for schools that inspires participation in physical education and activity. The program’s positive impact on girls is especially noteworthy. Schools have reported increased female participation, the growth of all-girls afterschool flag football programs, and a rising recognition of girls’ flag football as a varsity high school sport.
NFL PLAY 60 is the league’s national youth health and wellness program. For nearly 20 years, the initiative has empowered millions of youths to get physically active for at least 60 minutes a day by providing support for programs and resources that help kids live healthy lifestyles. As PLAY 60 approaches its third decade, the new NFL FIS PLAY 60 Champions initiative will bring together existing youth empowerment efforts across the NFL to motivate the next generation of leaders in our country to move, stay active, and have fun.
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About NFL Foundation
The National Football League Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation and its members, the 32 NFL clubs, support the health, safety and wellness of athletes, youth football, and the communities that support our game. Over the past half-century, the NFL Foundation has emerged as one of the leading philanthropic entities in America, contributing to NFL team communities, national and international disaster relief efforts, and societal issues. For more information on the NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.
About GENYOUth
GENYOUth is a 501c3 national nonprofit dedicated to helping school children thrive by living a well-nourished and physically active life. A catalyst for youth health and wellness, GENYOUth has supported over 77,000 U.S. schools to equip them with the resources needed to ensure millions of children have equitable access to nutrition and physical activity. As part of the Action for Healthy Kids Network, GENYOUth convenes a network of private and public partners, including Fortune 100 companies and foundations, to ensure all children are nourished and active to be their best selves. Committed to ending student hunger and promoting physical activity, GENYOUth provides grants that increase access to healthy school meals for food insecure students and empower kids to develop lifelong healthy habits through movement and activity. GENYOUth is the official charitable partner of Taste of the NFL, a purpose-driven Super Bowl culinary experience, and Taste of the Draft, both of which raise awareness and generate funds to fight hunger and food insecurity. To learn more and support GENYOUth, visit www.GENYOUthnow.org.
About Action for Healthy Kids
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) is a national nonprofit that partners with school districts, families, and communities to create healthier learning environments where every child can thrive. Our evidence-based programs support nutrition, physical activity, mental health, and risk behavior prevention. To help schools put these practices into action, AFHK offers professional development, technical assistance, and communities of practice that build local capacity and drive lasting change. Learn more at www.actionforhealthykids.org.
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Eric Slutsky, GENYOUth, Eric.Slutsky@genyouthnow.org, 917-391-6709
Cheryl Koll, Action for Healthy Kids, ckoll@actionforhealthykids.org, 310-866-3277
Ian Martin, NFL Foundation, Ian.Martin@nfl.com, 301-908-3022