The UP Championship Series

The UP Championship Series is a three-day destination flag football experience presented by Legend2Legacy Foundation Inc. and UpStart Sports Marketing Science LLC. The event is designed to bring athletes, teams, families, coaches, community leaders, educational partners, and sports organizations together for a weekend combining competition, professional athletic testing, education, family engagement, and community impact.

The tournament will primarily feature 5v5 flag football for boys and girls at the elementary school, middle school, high school, and adult levels. Depending on participation, we may also offer separate 7v7 boys’ flag football divisions and an adult Masters division. Our 7v7 competition is flag football, including flag belts, running plays, and flag-specific rules. It is not a traditional passing-only 7-on-7 tournament.

We anticipate hosting approximately 60 to 150 teams, depending on the destination, facility capacity, regional participation, and local partnerships. Teams and families will travel from throughout the host region and surrounding states, generating hotel stays and economic activity for local restaurants, retail businesses, attractions, transportation providers, and other community businesses.

Friday will serve as the official arrival and check-in day. Activities may include team registration, roster verification, coaches’ meetings, officials’ orientation, welcome activities, field familiarization, sponsor engagement, and limited practices or skills sessions.

Saturday will feature pool-play competition throughout the day. The tournament schedule will be organized by age group and division to provide a competitive, safe, and family-friendly experience. Saturday may also include vendor activities, sponsor activations, food trucks, community organizations, livestreaming, photography, entertainment, and family-engagement opportunities.

A major part of the weekend will be our regional combine testing experience featuring our strategic partner, Zybek Sports. This is the same professional testing company that has timed the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis since 2011 and provides performance data to all 32 NFL teams.

The regional combine will be open to athletes participating in the flag football tournament as well as student-athletes from across the surrounding region who are not playing in the event. Athletes do not have to be members of a participating flag football team to register for the combine. The testing will serve both flag and tackle football players, expanding the event’s reach beyond the tournament teams and attracting additional athletes and families to the host destination.

Participants will complete professional combine testing using Zybek Sports’ fully automated technology. Testing may include the 40-yard dash, 5-10-5 shuttle, L-drill, broad jump, vertical jump, and other position-specific measurements. These are important measurables used by coaches and evaluators to assess speed, agility, explosiveness, power, and overall athletic performance.

Each participant will receive verified testing results and an individual athlete profile containing their measurements. Athletes will also receive a personalized, baseball-style digital player card displaying their photograph, information, and combine statistics. The athlete or parent can use this card and profile when communicating with coaches, promoting the athlete, maintaining recruiting information, and tracking athletic development.

The verified results will allow athletes to see how they compare with other tested athletes from around the country through Zybek Sports’ national database and leaderboard system. Each athlete will receive a performance benchmark showing where they currently rank, the areas in which they perform well, and the areas that require additional development.

This transforms the combine into more than a one-day testing opportunity. Athletes and parents leave with verified information they can understand, share, and use to establish a baseline for future development. When athletes participate in future testing, they can compare their new results with their previous measurements and document their progress over time.

The national credibility of Zybek Sports gives our regional combine a significant point of distinction. The same professional testing standards associated with elite football evaluation will be made accessible to elementary school, middle school, and high school athletes within the host region. This creates an opportunity for local athletes to receive credible testing without having to travel to a distant national event.

An optional OL/DL Trench War may also be offered for offensive and defensive linemen. This creates an additional opportunity for athletes whose positions are not always fully represented in flag football tournaments or traditional combines. The competition would feature safe, position-specific drills and skill-development activities.

Sunday will include the conclusion of pool play, playoff rounds, semifinals, championship games, and awards presentations. Our goal is to create a championship atmosphere that recognizes athletic performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, character, and leadership.

The experience will continue after the final game and combine test. All tournament and combine participants will be eligible to attend a virtual educational Town Hall during the following week. The Town Hall will connect student-athletes and families with our strategic partners and experienced professionals in areas that affect their development on and off the field.

Educational topics may include academic preparation, NCAA and NAIA eligibility, college recruiting, NIL literacy, financial literacy, mental wellness, life skills, social media responsibility, anti-bullying and hazing, and support for students with IEPs and 504 Plans. Our goal is to provide families with trustworthy information, practical resources, and access to professionals who can help them make informed long-term decisions.

This follow-up educational program is an important part of our model. We do not want our relationship with an athlete or family to end when the tournament concludes. The experience begins with competition and verified athletic testing but continues through education, measurable development, trusted resources, strategic relationships, and access to future opportunities.

We are interested in involving local schools, colleges and universities, tourism partners, chambers of commerce, businesses, youth organizations, coaches, officials, volunteers, healthcare providers, and community leaders. These partnerships allow the host community to become part of the experience while introducing visiting families to the people, organizations, and resources available within the destination.

The event may also provide opportunities for local college students to gain practical experience in sports management, athletic training, communications, media production, hospitality, event operations, marketing, and community engagement. Local volunteers and organizations may assist with registration, field operations, combine testing, athlete services, hospitality, and community outreach.

For potential host destinations, this is more than an opportunity to provide fields for a weekend. We are seeking a collaborative, long-term partnership that can develop into a recognizable annual event. Our goal is to work with the host destination to grow participation, increase overnight visitation, serve local athletes, strengthen community involvement, and establish the destination as an important stop on the road to The UP Cup Flagmania Superfest National Championships.

The UP Championship Series is built around a simple message: Show Up. Level Up. Rise Up. We want athletes to show up for the competition, level up through professional testing and education, and rise up with greater confidence, measurable results, trusted resources, and expanded opportunities.

The description of Zybek’s NFL Combine involvement and standardized tests is supported by Zybek Sports.

The UP Championship Series is planned as a three-day event running from Friday through Sunday. We will require access to the facility before the first scheduled activity to allow sufficient time for field preparation, temporary lining, signage installation, vendor setup, equipment delivery, and operational inspections.

Thursday afternoon or early Friday morning access is preferred for the event operations team and approved vendors. This preparation period will be used to confirm field layouts, establish safety zones, install registration and directional signage, prepare tournament headquarters, test Wi-Fi and electrical connections, and organize athletic training, hydration, sponsor, and livestreaming areas.

Friday will primarily serve as the arrival, registration, and team check-in day. We anticipate needing facility access from approximately 12:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Activities may include team credentialing, roster verification, coaches’ meetings, officials’ orientation, field familiarization, vendor setup, opening activities, and limited practices or skills sessions. The final Friday schedule may be adjusted based on team travel patterns and facility availability.

Saturday will be the primary pool-play day. We will need access beginning at approximately 6:00 a.m. for staff preparation, athletic trainer setup, officials’ check-in, equipment inspection, and team arrival. Games are expected to begin between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. and continue throughout the day.

The regional athletic combine featuring Zybek Sports is expected to take place Saturday afternoon or evening. The combine will be open to tournament participants and regional student-athletes who are not competing in the flag football tournament. The preferred testing window is approximately 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., although the final schedule will be coordinated around tournament games and venue availability. Setup for the combine must begin several hours before athlete testing. If an OL/DL Trench War is included, it may be scheduled during the same general evening window in a separate designated area.

Because Saturday may include games, the combine, sponsor activities, and community engagement programming, we would prefer facility access until approximately 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. Lighted fields are strongly preferred to provide scheduling flexibility, particularly during the combine and any evening competition.

Sunday will feature the final pool-play games, playoff rounds, semifinals, championship games, and awards presentations. Facility access will again be required beginning at approximately 6:00 a.m., with competition beginning between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. Championship games and awards are expected to conclude between approximately 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.

Following the final awards presentation, we will need approximately two to three hours for breakdown. This will include removing temporary signage, event equipment, sponsor materials, tents, registration supplies, and livestreaming equipment. Final Sunday access may therefore be needed until approximately 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.

The event schedule must remain flexible enough to accommodate the final number of teams, age divisions, 5v5 and 7v7 flag formats, field availability, weather conditions, and any necessary game delays. Earlier opening times or later closing times may be required if participation approaches the projected maximum of 150 teams.

The virtual educational Town Hall will be conducted during the week following the tournament. Because it is a virtual program, it will not require continued use of the tournament facility. All tournament and combine participants will receive information explaining how to register and attend.