David Phipps Appointed Head of Officials for Global Flag Football League

Las Vegas, Nevada – April 3, 2025 – The Global Flag Football League is thrilled to announce the appointment of David Phipps as its new Head of Officials. With a distinguished career spanning decades in officiating and coaching, Phipps brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this pivotal role as flag football prepares for its Olympic debut in 2028.

Phipps's officiating journey began in the early 1990s in Colorado, where he honed his skills officiating AAU Basketball, Pop Warner Football, and Softball. His passion for sports extended to coaching, notably leading a high school basketball team to four consecutive Final Four appearances. After relocating to Chicago, Phipps returned to officiating, focusing on high school football and baseball. He furthered his training at "Blue School Umpire Training" and worked in independent baseball and NCAA/NJCAA games in the Chicago area.

Upon moving to Florida, Phipps continued to impact the local sports scene by coaching both boys' and girls' basketball, achieving finals appearances and numerous district and regional titles. Recognizing a need for enhanced sports broadcasting, Phipps partnered with Joe Skladany to create SWFL Game of the Week on ESPN and FOX Radio in Southwest Florida. This led to further education at "Sport Management Worldwide" in broadcasting and data analytics. Together, they formed ELITE Productions, livestreaming prestigious events such as the City of Palms Classic, SWFL High School Sports, NFHS/FHSAA State Finals, and semi-professional games.

Phipps has recently returned to his officiating roots, participating in various officiating camps and serving on the training committee for a regional high school football association in Southwest Florida. He is a certified FHSAA official for men's football, women's flag football, USA Flag Football, and NFL Flag, and he officiates numerous AAU flag football and 7-on-7 events. Additionally, he is a certified NFHS coach.

Phipps is also set to launch his new podcast and YouTube channel, "Flags, Fouls & Strikes," which will delve into all facets of officiating in basketball, baseball, soccer, and football, featuring rule discussions, on-field reviews, and game mechanics with top officials from high school, college, the NFL, MLB, and NBA.

“Global Flag Football brings the game of flag football to a higher level and flag will debut as an Olympics in 2028, one thing we will do is educate our fans, players and coaches moving forward the rules of the game and differences between tackle football we see on the field now,” said David Phipps. “Thanks to the Global Flag Football League for the opportunity to lead the officials during this exciting season of growth in Flag Football.”

Phipps and his wife, Amy, reside in Southwest Florida and enjoy spending time with their dog, Sam, and traveling on cruises. They are dedicated to mentoring young athletes and have had a significant impact on numerous exchange students who have pursued careers in college and professional sports, including Larry Chen (Sports Marketing - China), Kai Cleary (Pro League - France/England), Wes Oba (Masters student Missouri State/England), and EJ Dambreville (Pro League - Denmark/USA).

In addition to his extensive sports background, Phipps is a Surgical Tech III and Surgical Supply Specialist at Healthpark Medical Center and Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.

The GFFL is confident that Phipps’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in elevating the officiating standards of the league as it continues to grow and prepare for the Olympic stage.

Media Contact:

Jay Lawrence

jay@gffl.pro