Eric Mayes was elected to the IFAF Board of Directors as General Secretary at the 2024 IFAF Congress in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Eric joined USA Football, the sport’s governing body in the United States and a recognized sports organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), in February 2019. In his current role as the Managing Director of High Performance and National Teams, he oversees all aspects USA Football’s U.S. National Team Program in both the tackle and flag disciplines of the sport. This includes the development, maintenance, and execution of USA Football’s first-ever High-Performance Plan and program operations leading into the 2028 Olympic Games.
Additionally, Eric is responsible for USA Football’s internal compliance procedures and infrastructure to adhere to International Federation of American Football (IFAF), USOPC and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) requirements as USA Football prepares to lead the U.S. National Teams to the 2028 Summer Olympics.
“I’m humbled to contribute to IFAF’s mission to grow the sport of American football across the globe,” said Eric. “My experience working with national and international governing bodies in the areas of policy development and governance will help elevate IFAF to meet the needs of football’s growing global footprint as we reach new milestones, including flag football’s Olympic debut in 2028. I’m excited to give back to this great game and its athletes as General Secretary.”
Eric began his career in sports after graduating from Trinity International University, where he played along the offensive line, and earning a Master of Professional Studies in Sports Industry Management from the prestigious Georgetown University.
Eric worked at the National Colligate Athletic Association (NCAA) from 2012 to 2019, providing rules analysis and interpretations to NCAA Division I member institutions, conferences and internal departments in the areas of coaching personnel, recruiting and playing/practice seasons legislation. He also served as a liaison to several NCAA governance committees, including the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee and NCAA Division I Football Competition Committee.
“I know the incredible life lessons, relationships, and opportunities football provides from my time playing the sport from a young age and throughout college,” said Eric. “I want athletes of all ages, from grassroots programs to elite National Teams, to have access to those memorable experiences.”
The U.S. National Team has experienced many successes since Eric joined USA Football. The U.S. Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams both won gold at the past two IFAF Flag Football World Championships and the first-ever IFAF Americas Flag Continental Championship in 2023. The men’s team won gold when flag football debuted at The World Games 2022, and the women’s team won silver.
In 2022, Eric helped assemble a star-studded coaching staff led by Callie Brownson of the Cleveland Browns to coach the U.S. Women’s Tackle National Team to a gold medal finish in the 2022 IFAF Women’s Tackle World Championship.
Also in 2022, USA Football launched the Junior International Cup, a flag football tournament between national teams at the 15U and 17U levels for boys and girls meant to foster global competition while expanding the National Team’s athlete pipeline. The 15U and 17U Boys’ and Girls’ National Teams have claimed 11 out of 12 possible gold medals during the event’s three editions.
“It’s inspiring to see so many athletes worldwide embracing football in all its forms,” said Mayes. “We have the opportunity to raise the bar for football and positively impact generations of athletes as global interest in the sport reaches new heights. I look forward to working alongside other passionate members of the Board to support football’s international growth.”
