Unleashed Flag Foundation Gauntlet Series: Head Top Energy

HEAD TOP ENERGY — ZORTS EVENT DESCRIPTION

HEAD TOP ENERGY is the FINAL OPENING EVENT of THE GAUNTLET — Unleashed Flag Foundation Event Series, coming to Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, January 29–30, 2027.

This is the LAST OPEN INVITATION for teams to enter The Gauntlet during the 2026–27 series.

After Head Top Energy, the Opening Event stage closes and the series moves into Qualifiers → Nationals → Worlds. Teams that have not competed in at least one official Gauntlet Opening Event will no longer have an open pathway into the Qualifier stage.

For organizations that have been waiting to enter the series, this is the final opportunity.

For teams already inside The Gauntlet, Head Top Energy provides another opportunity to compete for a championship, earn advancement benefits and strengthen their position heading into the Qualifiers.

Inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Head Top Energy carries a simple message:

HONOR THE DREAM. PLAY WITH PURPOSE.

Every game matters. Every finish matters. Survive the Gauntlet.

EVENT DETAILS

Dates: January 29–30, 2027
Location: Hardin-Simmons University — Abilene, Texas
Venue: Shelton Stadium / Parramore Field
Format: 5v5 Flag Football
Entry Fee: $400 per team
Roster Maximum: 12 athletes
Coaches Maximum: 2 per team
Game Guarantee: 4 games
Age Cutoff: August 1, 2026
Rules: Official Unleashed Gauntlet 5v5 Flag Football Rulebook + Official Gauntlet Series Rules

Girls and boys divisions may be intermixed throughout Friday and Saturday based on the final tournament schedule. Divisions are not guaranteed to compete exclusively on one specific day.

Teams and families should plan accordingly and remain available throughout the tournament until the final schedule has been released.

GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISIONS

8U | 10U | 12U | 14U | 16U | High School

The Girls High School division is a TRUE ENROLLMENT DIVISION.

Athletes participating in the High School division must be actively and academically enrolled in high school during the 2026–27 school year. Current enrollment documentation may be required for verification.

SELECT BOYS DIVISIONS

6U | 8U | 10U | 12U

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

All divisions compete in 5v5 flag football under the Official Unleashed Gauntlet Rulebook.

Each registered team is guaranteed a minimum of 4 games, barring circumstances covered by the Official Gauntlet weather and cancellation policy.

Standard tournament format:

3 POOL PLAY GAMES + MINIMUM 1 BRACKET GAME

Pool-play results determine bracket positioning, followed by single-elimination bracket play.

All athletes must satisfy the required registration, roster and player-verification requirements.

THE FINAL OPEN INVITATION

Head Top Energy is the third and FINAL Opening Event of the 2026–27 Gauntlet Series.

This distinction is important.

To be eligible to advance into a Gauntlet Qualifier, a team must have actually competed in at least ONE official Gauntlet Opening Event.

Head Top Energy represents the LAST OPEN OPPORTUNITY for a new team to satisfy that requirement.

After the completion of Head Top Energy, the open-entry portion of The Gauntlet closes.

From that point forward, the series transitions to teams that have earned their place through the Opening Event stage.

NO OPEN INVITATION AT THE QUALIFIERS.

NO SKIPPING THE OPENING STAGE.

NO ENTERING THE SERIES AT NATIONALS.

You must enter The Gauntlet before you can advance through it.

THE GAUNTLET ADVANCEMENT PATH

OPENERS → QUALIFIERS → NATIONALS → WORLDS

Head Top Energy is an official Gauntlet Opening Event.

The TOP 8 TEAMS IN EACH DIVISION automatically qualify for the Gauntlet Qualifier stage and receive preferential seeding consideration.

HEAD TOP ENERGY → QUALIFIERS

1st Place — PAID ENTRY to a Gauntlet Qualifier

2nd Place — PAID ENTRY to a Gauntlet Qualifier

3rd Place — 50% ENTRY BID to a Gauntlet Qualifier

4th Place — 50% ENTRY BID to a Gauntlet Qualifier

5th–8th Place — Automatic Qualification to a Gauntlet Qualifier

The Top 8 receive preferential seeding consideration at the Qualifier stage.

WHAT IF YOUR TEAM ALREADY EARNED A BID?

Teams that competed at Pop the Flags Volume 2 or Snatch Fest are still eligible to compete at Head Top Energy.

Organizations can use the final Opener to compete for another championship and strengthen their position entering the next stage of the series.

However, qualification status and financial awards may only be earned once per team, per division, per advancement stage.

If a team already holds a paid bid and earns another paid bid at Head Top Energy, the duplicate paid bid will roll down to the next highest-finishing eligible team that does not already hold an equal or greater award.

The same principle applies to duplicate half bids.

Bids belong to the team in the specific division in which they were earned and cannot be transferred between divisions or organizations.

YOU MUST ENTER THE GAUNTLET TO ADVANCE

Teams must actually participate in at least ONE official Gauntlet Opening Event during the 2026–27 series to be eligible to compete in a Gauntlet Qualifier.

Simply registering for an Opening Event without participating does not satisfy this requirement.

With Head Top Energy serving as the final Opening Event, teams that have not previously competed at an Opener must compete here to establish eligibility for the Qualifier stage.

Once this event concludes, the Opening Event pathway is closed for the 2026–27 series.

You cannot skip the journey and appear at the finish line.

SERIES PATHWAY

Opening Events establish the field.

QUALIFIERS → NATIONALS

Up to the Top 12 teams in each division, subject to available Nationals capacity, advance from the Qualifier stage to Nationals.

1st–2nd — Paid Bid to Nationals

3rd–4th — Half Bid to Nationals

5th–12th — Qualification to Nationals, subject to available capacity

Qualifier finish also provides preferential Nationals seeding consideration.

NATIONALS → WORLDS

The Top 8 teams in each division at Nationals advance to Worlds.

1st–2nd — Paid Bid to Worlds

The Top 4 Nationals finishers receive preferential seeding at Worlds.

OPENERS → QUALIFIERS → NATIONALS → WORLDS

NATIONAL EXPOSURE & ATHLETE IDENTIFICATION

Head Top Energy is not only an opportunity for teams to advance through The Gauntlet.

For our female athletes, tournament competition also provides an opportunity to get evaluated, get identified and get noticed.

Athletes will have an opportunity to garner attention through the national recruiting and scouting pathway led by the National Director of Flag Recruiting & Scouting.

GIRLS 12U THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL

Special evaluation attention will be given to athletes competing in:

Girls 12U | 14U | 16U | High School

Selected division MVPs and other standout athletes who demonstrate elite prowess and ability may garner additional attention through the national scouting and recruiting pathway.

MVP IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO GET NOTICED

Athletes do not have to win the tournament or be named MVP to get identified.

Evaluation may include:

Athleticism • Positional Ability • Football IQ • Competitiveness • Leadership • Effort • Decision-Making • Technique • Game Impact

An elite athlete can get noticed regardless of whether her team reaches the championship game.

Every game is an evaluation opportunity.

NO COMBINE — TOURNAMENT COMPETITION IS THE EXPERIENCE

Unlike select other Gauntlet Opening Events, Head Top Energy will not include a separate Combine Experience.

There is no additional Combine registration required.

Athlete evaluation and identification opportunities associated with Head Top Energy will take place through actual tournament competition.

Show up. Compete. Perform.

CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS

Division champions will receive:

🏆 CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS

🚩 CHAMPIONSHIP FLAGS

Teams are also competing for their position within The Gauntlet and the opportunity to continue toward Qualifiers, Nationals and Worlds.

ROSTERS & ELIGIBILITY

Teams are permitted a maximum of 12 athletes per roster and a maximum of 2 coaches.

The official Gauntlet age cutoff is August 1, 2026.

Eligible athletes may participate in different age divisions; however:

THE GAUNTLET WILL NOT ALTER, DELAY OR REBUILD TOURNAMENT SCHEDULES TO ACCOMMODATE DUAL-ROSTERED ATHLETES.

If games overlap, the athlete and organization assume that scheduling risk.

An athlete may not compete for two different teams within the same division.

Coaches are responsible for ensuring that all athletes are properly registered, verified and eligible for the division in which they compete.

ROSTER CONTINUITY FOR ADVANCING TEAMS

A team advancing to the next stage of The Gauntlet must retain at least 50% of the roster that earned the advancement position, unless otherwise approved by Gauntlet Administration.

This requirement protects the integrity of the series and ensures organizations are advancing the teams that actually earned their position.

OFFICIAL RULES

Head Top Energy will follow the Official Unleashed Gauntlet 5v5 Flag Football Rulebook for gameplay.

The Official Gauntlet Series Rules govern eligibility, rosters, tournament format, seeding, advancement, bids, payments, refunds, conduct, protests, weather and series administration.

Coaches are responsible for reviewing both documents before tournament competition.

REGISTRATION & REFUND POLICY

Teams may secure their tournament spot by paying the required deposit or paying the registration fee in full.

14+ Days Before Tournament — 100% Refundable

9–13 Days Before Tournament — 50% Refundable

8 Days or Fewer Before Tournament — NON-REFUNDABLE

Refund eligibility is determined by the date a written withdrawal request is received by Unleashed Flag Foundation.

Beginning 8 calendar days before the tournament, deposits and registration payments become final and non-refundable.

Team-initiated withdrawals involving schedule conflicts, travel issues, roster availability, injuries, disqualification, failure to attend or similar circumstances do not create an exception to the refund policy.

WEATHER & EVENT CANCELLATION

Player, coach, official and spectator safety takes priority.

Weather delays do not automatically cancel the tournament or create a refund.

Tournament Administration may modify start times, game lengths, pools, brackets, field assignments or other operational details when necessary to safely continue competition.

If the event begins but weather or another uncontrollable circumstance prevents completion, Tournament Administration will determine whether the tournament can be resumed, rescheduled, completed using a modified format or concluded based on games already completed.

If Unleashed Flag Foundation cancels the entire tournament before play begins and does not reschedule it, registered teams will be offered either:

100% REFUND OF TOURNAMENT REGISTRATION FEES PAID

OR

100% CREDIT TOWARD ANOTHER GAUNTLET EVENT

Unleashed Flag Foundation is not responsible for third-party travel, lodging, transportation, meal or other expenses.

HONOR THE DREAM. PLAY WITH PURPOSE.

Head Top Energy carries a purpose beyond the scoreboard.

Inspired by the enduring legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we challenge our athletes to compete with purpose, lead with character, respect the opportunity in front of them and understand that the platform created through sport can extend far beyond the field.

This is also the moment when the door to the Opening Stage closes.

For new organizations:

THIS IS YOUR LAST OPEN INVITATION.

For returning Gauntlet teams:

THIS IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A STATEMENT BEFORE THE QUALIFIERS.

Come to Abilene ready to represent your organization, compete for a championship, earn your position and continue your journey through The Gauntlet.

$400 ENTRY • 5v5 • 4 GAMES GUARANTEED • GIRLS & BOYS

TOP 2 PAID ENTRY TO QUALIFIER

3RD & 4TH HALF BID TO QUALIFIER

TOP 8 ADVANCE

CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS + CHAMPIONSHIP FLAGS

NATIONAL-LEVEL ATHLETE EVALUATION

LAST OPEN INVITATION.

SURVIVE THE GAUNTLET. EARN YOUR BID. REACH WORLDS.

UNLEASHED FLAG FOUNDATION

Building athletes. Developing leaders. Strengthening communities.