Who We Are
Team Zone Athletics was founded in January 2023 by Jeana Bain, a lifelong advocate for youth sports and community development.
Jeana has volunteered in youth tackle football and cheerleading for nearly 10 years and brings both academic and real-world experience to everything Team Zone represents. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a minor in Recreation Administration from University of St. Francis, where she also played women’s soccer all four years. She later completed her Master’s degree in Leadership Studies from Lewis University.
While raising her family over the past 18 years, Jeana also spent 14 years working in the fitness industry at the Joliet Park District. Through her professional work and extensive volunteering in youth sports, she identified a growing need for organized, inclusive flag football opportunities within the community.
As her own children began aging out of youth tackle football, Jeana decided to combine her education, leadership background, and passion for sports to build something bigger—an organization designed to support youth athletes, strengthen local programs, and give back to the community as a whole.
Today, Team Zone Athletics creates a one-of-a-kind game-night experience where athletes from youth tackle football programs, cheer organizations, and area high schools across Joliet and surrounding communities come together to compete in one stadium. The result is a competitive, exciting atmosphere unlike anything else in the area.
Team Zone also provides valuable off-season opportunities for coaches and athletes. Coaches from local youth organizations can work directly with athletes to develop skills, evaluate talent, and—most importantly—have fun. Team Zone welcomes athletes who are not currently affiliated with a program, with the goal of helping them build confidence, make connections, and ultimately choose to join local tackle football or cheer organizations.
Another priority from the very beginning was creating custom game shirts that athletes would be proud to wear beyond game day. By incorporating each organization’s team logo, players can continue representing and supporting their programs long after the flag season ends.
Team Zone Athletics is about more than sports—it’s about opportunity. Students from Joliet Catholic Academy are hired as paid sports announcers for all Spring games, giving them hands-on experience in sports announcing and broadcasting in a real-game environment. Team Zone proudly employs High School Football and Girls Flag Football Athletes as paid referees. This provides them with real-world job experience, leadership development, and a deeper understanding of the game — on and off the field.
Giving back is one of Team Zone’s core commitments.
- Spring 2023: Over $14,000 donated back to youth organizations and $2,500 to the Joliet Park District
- Spring 2024: Over $18,000 donated
- Spring 2025: Over $18,000 donated
To date, Team Zone Athletics has donated over $55,000 to youth organizations, schools, and the community. Our goal is simple: athletes benefit from playing, organizations benefit from growth, and the entire community thrives.
In just three years, Team Zone has grown into the largest flag football program in the area, with 247 flag teams having competed—and we continue to grow each season.
As Girls Flag Football continues to gain momentum and is now recognized as an IHSA sport, Team Zone Athletics is deeply committed to providing girls with year-round opportunities to learn, grow, and compete. We have partnered with Oswego School District 308 and Lewis University to offer a Girls Junior High Fall League. In the spring, we partner with the Joliet Park District and Burr Ridge Park District to offer Girls Flag Football from 3rd grade through high school. During the winter season, the Go Pro Sports Dome is home to Girls Flag Football.
Our mission is to continue expanding opportunities for girls to play with teammates in the off-season, develop their skills, and confidently prepare for high school tryouts and beyond.
At Team Zone Athletics, this is more than a game.
It’s about confidence. Community. Opportunity.
And helping every athlete GET IN THE GAME.
