It wasn’t NFL Sunday, but the Eagles, 49ers, Packers and Ravens still took the field on Saturday in Swampscott for an evening packed with youth flag football games.

Almost 200 children across four age groups are playing in the Swampscott Flag Football league this fall, taking over the turf at Blocksidge Field each weekend.

“We’ve grown it the last three years,” said Tom Layte, who runs the league. “We have a lot more girls, which is great. We even put a full girls team together.”

For the younger levels like 6U, coaches are very hands-on, often lifting players up and placing them in the right stop, or telling ball carriers to turn around because they were running the wrong way.

In youth flag football, there are five players on the field for each team at a time. One major difference between flag and tackle football, apart from the contact, is that each of the five players on offense is eligible to catch and run the ball on any given play.

Layte said the way the game allows everyone to get involved and have a chance with the ball in their hands is great for the children.

“It’s growing and I think everyone is having fun,” said Layte. “I think it’s really important because it’s bringing the community together and getting the flag football word out there.”

Layte said he believes in ten years, every high school and college will have flag football teams. The sport will be played at the Olympic level in 2028.

“I think there are a lot of opportunities for girls in flag football,” said Layte, who coaches the 8U 49ers, a team made up entirely of girls. “Boys too, but you also have tackle football teams.”

Layte hopes to run a league in the spring as well, and thinks there is potential for an all-girls division.

“I think we’ve got 17 to 18 girls in the 8U division now,” said Layte. “If I can get that to 32-24 girls, we could have four teams. I really want to promote the girls’ side of the sport.”

As the years have passed, Layte said it’s been good to see parents want to volunteer to coach and learn more about the game, but that the league could sill use more volunteers to help out.