Welcome to GROWTH Athletics, where our mission is to inspire young athletes to discover their potential, build character, and develop lifelong skills through the power of team sports. Founded on a passion for youth development, GROWTH Athletics provides the platform for young players to not only compete but thrive. Every season, camp, and tournament we run is crafted with a commitment to excellence, fostering a community where young athletes feel safe, motivated, and excited to grow.
GROWTH Athletics was created with a vision: to offer high-quality, structured, and engaging youth sports programs that leave a lasting positive impact. Our founder, a lifelong advocate for youth sports, launched GROWTH Athletics to share a love of flag football and rugby while instilling growth at the building-block level. At GROWTH, we believe that sports are one of the best vehicles for teaching life skills—discipline, resilience, and teamwork. By providing an encouraging and challenging environment, we help young athletes explore their strengths, overcome their limits, and learn the true meaning of effort and respect.
At GROWTH Athletics, our core values guide everything we do:
As part of our mission, GROWTH Athletics proudly operates the Under Armour RISE Flag Football League and our seasonal camps, where young athletes of all skill levels can participate, learn, and excel. RISE is a place where multisport kids, beginners, and experienced players alike find an atmosphere that respects the game, prioritizes development, and keeps the focus on fun and progress. Our camps provide intensive skill-building sessions, with hands-on coaching and drills that sharpen fundamentals while cultivating a love for the game.
Quality is at the heart of every season we produce. From team assignments to field management, our focus is to deliver a well-organized and positive experience for players and parents. While we recognize that perfection may be out of reach, we are committed to a standard of excellence that aims to get as close to it as possible. Every decision we make, every game we plan, and every camp we design is done with this commitment in mind, to ensure that our players not only have fun but grow in a meaningful way.
GROWTH Athletics is about more than just sports; it’s about cultivating champions in life. Whether you’re joining us for a season, a camp, or a tournament, know that you’re becoming part of a community that believes in the potential of every child and works to nurture it with care and integrity. We’re excited to have you with us on this journey. Together, let’s nurture potential and achieve greatness.
Evan Papel is a lifelong sports enthusiast and natural born dad and camp counselor. Evan played CIF tackle football in Los Angeles, Rugby for University of Colorado and 15 years of adult flag football. He currenly coaches in a local youth flag football league and is the U10 Head Coach for the Carlsbad Thunder Rugby Club. Father of three boys and most importantly, husband to Debbi