Sports Leagues
Join in the STOP Sports Injuries movement and become an official participating sports and recreation organization by downloading a brief agreement and filling out the form below. This form signifies that your organization meets the designated criteria and that your organization will promote the activities to help address sports trauma and overuse prevention.
There are four categories of involvement for sports organizations, including:
- National Governing Bodies – An organization responsible for overseeing and coordinating a sport on a national level.
- Sports Leagues – A federation of sports teams, generally affiliated with an NGB in that sport. Sports Leagues can be national, regional, professional, scholastic or amateur.
- Sports Teams – Amateur, scholastic, recreational or professional teams participating in a sports league.
- Recreation Programs – National and community recreation and fitness programs that sponsor events, camps or other activities that are formally affiliated with an incorporated entity.
The outlined/downloadable participation agreement provides a basic foundation upon which sports and recreation organizations can promote athletic safety as part of their activities. Review the starter list of involvement activities and ideas and then develop additional ways to promote injury prevention as a part of youth sports.
Become an official supporter of STOP Sports Injuries today!
View or download the STOP Sports Injuries participation agreement to get started.
Fill out the STOP Sports Injuries official supporter form to get involved.
Current Sports Leagues
Click on the sports leagues below for more information.
Youth Football Coaches Association
Youth Football Coaches Association (YFBCA.org) is the vehicle that links resources required to successfully provide a positive environment for a youth football program. YFBCA.org welcomes any Pop Warner, AYF, PAL, and Parks & Recreation leagues to use its resources to support the core fundamentals for teaching youth football.
Youth Football Coaches Association provides a national certification program to ensure that the proper football techniques and practices are utilized by volunteers across the country. In addition YFBCA.org offers a free football drill of week along with a monthly newsletter of information to the youth football community.
Dixie Softball, Inc.
Dixie Softball, Inc. (DSI) began in 1975. Dixie Softball was established to offer a fun, competitive, wholesome recreational softball program for girls that would always put the girls first regardless of playing ability. DSI requires that every player play at least two innings in every game they participate.
DSI offers play for six age divisions: SweeTees (6 & under), Darlings (8 & under), Angels (10 & under), Ponytails (12 & under), Belles (15 & under) and Debs (18 & under). DSI is played in 11 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
DSI is governed by a National Board of Directors elected by affiliated leagues in each state. Unlike many similar organizations, DSI does not have a single paid official. All district, state and national directors are elected by the affiliated leagues.
Local leagues elect its own officers, make its own schedule and in general, tends to its own business. Its only responsibility to DSI is to abide by the general playing and eligibility rules stated in the DSI rule book.
While the main focus of DSI is the season play that is offered to all the girls there is a series of tournaments (district, state and World Series) offered each league? There is never an entrance fee for any DSI tournament and the host league keeps all profits made.
Safety and health of the players has always been the leading factor in DSI play. DSI pioneered limitation on innings pitched by pitchers and number of games played in a day. DSI was the first youth softball program to require face guards on helmets of batters and base runners and throat protectors for catchers.
DSI was one of the first youth organizations to offer scholarships toward college education.
US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse (www.uslacrosse.org) is the national governing body of men's and women's lacrosse, which have become two of the fastest-growing sports in the country over the last decade. The nonprofit provides a leadership role in virtually every aspect of lacrosse, offers numerous programs to support the sport's healthy development, and provides growing services and value to more than 320,000 members in 64 US Lacrosse regional chapters across 43 states. US Lacrosse established the certification program and educational resources necessary to enable coaches and officials to teach the sport safely. The organization also has been recognized within the national medical community for the work of its Sports Science & Safety Committee, which is comprised of some of the most respected sports medicine experts in the country.
National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association
National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (theNCATA.org) is the governing body for the sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling at the collegiate level. Responding to millions of participants in competitive cheer and all disciplines of gymnastics, the NCATA evolved a sport that applies the skill set in a controlled, regulated and safe competitive environment. As an independent non-profit, the NCATA has pioneered a format that is safety conscious, audience-appreciated and NCAA sport rules compliant. The NCATA has taken this leadership role in providing hundreds of new athletic opportunities for females at the collegiate level.
In addition to the millions of scholarship dollars NCATA member institutions have offered to date, the organization is committed to the success of the sport through implementation of enforceable rules, regulations, competition standards and quality training for its athletes, officials and coaching professionals. The continued advancement of the sport is further ensured by the quality of the organization by requiring mandatory background checks, advanced and ongoing safety certification and a high standard of conduct mandated by the Code of Ethics.
The NCATA fully embraces the STOP Sports Injury Safety Initiative and is pleased to promote and support this message across all sports at every level of participation.
Rhode Island Interscholastic League
The mission of the RIIL is to provide educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletics and to provide governance and leadership for its member schools in the implementation of athletic programs.