About us
Our History
In 2015, Arthur Blanks and Chris Millmen entrusted Ralph Clinton to create a league dedicated to serving underprivileged youth on the westside of Atlanta. With an objective of providing kids with a secure and nurturing environment to learn flag football, they aimed to break financial barriers and the overly competitive mindset that typically surround youth sports.
In its first year during 2016, 44 children from the Boys and Girls Club learned to play flag football on the historical Bankhead Highway. This location was significant as it was situated in an area where 43% of families had an income of $24,778, which is only half of the average income in the city of Atlanta ($48,405).
Since then, the league has grown immensely, currently serving over 3,000 youths today. Arthur Blank’s Westside Falcons successfully created an atmosphere that fosters the training and development of both young athletes and coaches. Additionally, it established a healthy and encouraging community on the westside, where high rates of drug and violent crimes have historically impacted residents’ quality of life.
Collaborating with remarkable partners throughout the city of Atlanta, this league has emphasized the importance of physical activity, while also instilling valuable life lessons. The program has offered students opportunities to travel within Georgia and even across the United States to participate in NFL flag tournaments, spanning locations such as Las Vegas, Houston, New Orleans, Orlando, and Tampa.
The league’s original intent has always been to ensure that every child on the westside has access to organized sports without the hindrance of financial barriers. But by participating, it’s provided participants with invaluable life experiences and growth. Furthermore, coaches are positively impacted through giving back to the community.
By imparting crucial life lessons on a 70-yard flag football field, the league has contributed to a sense of pride and safety within the community. It has truly become a shining example of how sports can positively shape and uplift the lives of young individuals while enriching the community as a whole.
Volunteers
Players
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to create a youth sports program that makes a visible difference in the lives of families, fostering a positive environment that emphasizes ethics, moral values, and prepares youth to become future leaders.
We believe in removing barriers that hinder young men and women from participating in sports, ensuring that all children have equal access to opportunities regardless of their background, time, or financial constraints.
Our program provides the best possible experience for our participants by offering certified coaches, uniforms, equipment, transportation, and food as needed, all at no or minimal cost. We understand the transformative power of sports and aim to use it as a catalyst to instill life skills in our youth, empowering them to face life’s challenges with integrity, respect, and perseverance.
We are a volunteer organization committed to shaping the lives of young people from diverse backgrounds. Through the medium of sports, we reinforce essential values such as integrity, respect, and perseverance. By starting at an early age and encouraging long-term involvement in the program, we have witnessed substantial improvements in our participants’ interpersonal skills, emotional management, goal-setting abilities, and resilience.
Our vision is to see the Westside Falcons Youth Flag League become a driving force in the lives of young individuals, providing them with the tools they need to thrive—not only in sports but in all aspects of life.
By focusing on principles and causes beyond their own self-interest, we aim to cultivate compassionate, responsible, and well-rounded leaders who will positively impact their communities and society. Together with RCX Sports Foundation, the Georgia Youth Sports Alliance, and BeCompelled, we are determined to create a brighter future for the youth of the communities we serve.
