The JFK League is the oldest documented touch football league of its' kind in the country. It was formed in November of 1963 in veneration of President John F. Kennedy's and his tragic death. The Kennedy family was known for their love of the touch game and 40 years later the mission of the JFK League remains the same with the continued promotion of this style of football.
The League is composed of mostly ex-college players, some semi-pro and an occasional retired professional player. Each team can have as many as 35 players with most teams coming from around the proximal Buffalo New York area. It focuses on 8 man, linemen eligible as pass receivers with a regulation size field and 15 minute running quarters. It is a hybrid league by most standards, where the style of play is generally more physical than 7 man touch, but more finesse than 9 man flag.
In the last decade the League has expanded its' playing base at the tournament level with the hosting of numerous sponsored invitationals in the early 90's and culminating in the facilitation of a National Tournament by another organization in 1994 and 1995. At the competitive level all JFK teams routinely finished in the top 20-25% with one team being ranked in the top 10% of finishers. This was primarily in the flag category.
The typical season is from July to November, with 12 to14 games, making it also one of the longer playing seasons around the country. Most games are held on Saturday evening or Sunday mornings at various playing sites throughout Buffalo and the surrounding area. Games are occasionally available for broadcast media coverage. The weekend scores are published in the local newspaper.
The future of JFK centers on the continued pursuit of quality football locally, with an awareness of the need to promote the game at all levels. Testimony to that end is the JFK League's recent associate membership in the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), whose mission it is to, amongst an extensive agenda, elevate the game of amateur football to the Olympic level. The IFAF's direct lines of communication to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and NFL Europe are a means to that end.
Further particulars on the JFK League's 40 year history and/or additional information about the League can be obtained by contacting the John F. Kennedy Football League, P.O. Box 192 West Seneca N.Y. 14224.
