INGLEWOOD, CA — The Rams and cornerback Trent McDuffie launched a flag football league for elementary and middle school students in the Inglewood Unified School District, the team announced Thursday.
The Inglewood Unified Flag Football League will provide opportunities for 240 students at all eight elementary and middle schools in the district, according to the team. The Rams will provide footballs, flags and other equipment, while each participant will receive a Rams jersey featuring the student's school logo.
McDuffie, a Southern California native who played high school football at St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, also donated backpacks filled with school supplies to participants.
"The first sport I played when I was five years old was flag football. When I was a kid, I was out here doing these same camps," McDuffie said. "A lot of these kids will grow up together, play football together, be in high school together. You create a lot of bonds and a lot of memories when you're out here."
McDuffie said returning to Inglewood and connecting with young athletes held particular meaning for him.
"Being able to come back to Inglewood and be an inspiration to some of these kids, have them talk to me and ask me questions, is all I want to do," he said. "I think sports are a way everybody can come together and do something bigger than themselves."
McDuffie played in the same youth football program now coached by Inglewood High School head football coach Mil'Von James.
"This is the first time that we have had a competitive inter-district league," James said. "It's exciting to watch our students want to compete in athletics as well as develop school pride and district pride."
James said the Rams have helped facilitate the expansion and remodeling of Caroline Coleman Stadium and supported girls flag football and other athletic programs in the district.
The Rams have reached nearly 120,000 youth and high school football participants through clinics, tournaments, donations, character programming and other efforts since 2016, according to the team.
In 2026, the Rams donated $1 million in equipment and grants to more than 130 youth and high school football programs across Southern California, reaching more than 15,000 players, team officials said.
"The launch of this flag football league within IUSD is about so much more than sports," Rams Senior Director of Social Justice and Football Development Johnathan Franklin said. "It's about creating opportunities, building confidence, and giving young people in our community a safe and positive environment where they can learn teamwork, leadership, and resilience."
The new league builds on the Rams' existing involvement in Inglewood youth sports.
In 2019, the team adopted the Inglewood Parks and Recreation Flag Football League and renamed the program the Inglewood Rams. That league includes four divisions, 26 teams and more than 360 participants ages 7 to 13, according to the team.
The Rams' youth football efforts also come ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, when flag football will make its Olympic debut. The team said it aims to create pathways for local athletes to pursue the sport at the highest level.
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