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NEW CANAAN, Conn. New Canaan will be the flag football capital of the Northeast this weekend.
The National Football League will hold the New York regional flag football tournament Sunday at James Dunning Field and the nearby Water Tower Field at New Canaan High School.
New Canaan this year will be the only NFL regional flag football tournament not being held at an NFL stadium, NFL team practice facility or college venue.
Its a pretty huge event. Its creating a lot of buzz and its great for the town of New Canaan and people whove never been up here before, said Phil Davis, organizer of the New Canaan Flag Football League. We have the perfect facilities for this event.
The New York regional event was originally planned for the New York Jets practice facility in Florham Park, N.J. But scheduling issues from the 130-day labor dispute between the NFL and its players created an opening for New Canaan to host the tournament. Davis had pitched the idea of New Canaan as host in previous years.
We can run more games at a time than the Jets facility, Davis said. Theres more space, and its not as cramped.
Theyll need it, too. A total of 50 teams from throughout the Northeast will participate in the daylong tournament, playing in three divisions. New Canaan will field a team of boys ages 9 to 11 and a team of boys ages 12 to 14. Davis said it will be nice for the New Canaan teams to play in front of their parents and other supporters. Last year, New Canaan teams traveled to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, home of the Baltimore Ravens.
New Canaan Board of Education member Nick Williams, who helped promote New Canaan as host, hopes families will enjoy the day at Dunning and visit the downtown area for shopping and dining. I think this is a win-win for flag football in New Canaan, Williams said. It brings people to town (that) have never experienced this charming New England community on a beautiful day.
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