Youth Football Association Earns USA Football Gold Level
The Greater Grand Forks Youth Football Association has earned Gold Level recognition from USA Football for the second straight season.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
Live Poll
Do you think youth sports programs in your community are worth the investment?
The Greater Grand Forks Youth Football Association earned Gold Level recognition from USA Football for the second straight season. Teams from eleven communities took part in the program's most recent season.
Why it matters
The recognition reflects the association's growth and its emphasis on certified, background-checked coaching for young players in the Grand Forks area. It also shows how youth football programs are being organized across a multi-community region.
Participation grew from fewer than 450 athletes in 2018 to 1,150 athletes this past season across eleven communities. More than 250 coaches are background-checked and USA Football certified, though the source does not detail the Gold Level scoring criteria.
The players
Greater Grand Forks Youth Football Association
The youth football association based in Grand Forks that runs Tackle, Rookie Tackle, and flag football programs for players across eleven communities.
USA Football
The national governing body for amateur football in the United States, which awards Gold Level recognition to youth programs that meet its standards for coach certification and player safety.
The details
The association offers Tackle, Rookie Tackle, Flag Football, and a girls-only flag football division. It has expanded the levels of football it offers since 2018, and it requires coaches to be USA Football certified and background-checked.
Timeline
2018: The association began expanding football levels and growing participation.
This past season: 1,150 athletes participated across eleven communities.
Second straight season: The association earned USA Football Gold Level recognition.
Season Trajectory
The association's second straight USA Football Gold Level recognition extends a pattern of meeting the national governing body's youth standards. Its growth from fewer than 450 athletes in 2018 to 1,150 this past season places it among the larger multi-community youth programs in the region.
Families considering youth football in the Grand Forks area can look for Tackle, Rookie Tackle, Flag Football, and girls-only flag options. Coaches in the association are background-checked and USA Football certified.
The takeaway
Youth players in Grand Forks now have access to a program that has more than doubled its participation since 2018 while requiring certified, background-checked coaches. Families weighing youth sports options can compare program levels and coaching standards before enrolling.
Further reading
For more on local youth programs, see Football coverage in Grand Forks.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KROX | The Voice Of The Valley - Your Award Winning Source For Sports, News & Weather in the Crookston Area.
Live Poll
Do you think youth sports programs in your community are worth the investment?
