**Age Groups and Eligibility**: What is the age range for different teams, and what are the eligibility requirements?We use even numbered age groups, so 6U Flag, 8U Tackle, 10U Tackle, 12U Tackle, and 14U Tackle. Cheer uses the same age groupings, but those athletes have more flexibility to move between age groups or cheer for multiple teams. Age is determined by your child's age as of July 31 of the calendar.
As an example, if your child's birthday is 01 AUGUST 2017, They will play on 8U in 2025. If your child's birthday is 30 JULY 2017, they will play on 10U in 2025. There are no waivers or circumstances by which an athlete can play down an age group.
**Practice Schedule**: How often do practices occur, and what days and times are they scheduled?
During the summer, our schedule is Monday through Thursday from 6-8 pm. During the school year, we reduce the practice schedule to Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 6-8pm. Games are almost always Saturdays, but may move due to field availability and/or weather.
Attending practice is essential for athletes to understand how the game is played, their position on the field, and how their assignment impacts the rest of the team.
**Games **: How many games will the team play in a season
In the fall, there are 10 games; one per week. In the spring, there are typically six games. If your athlete's team makes it to the playoffs, that can add 2-3 weeks to the end of the season. Please note that we do travel to games that can be over an hour away. Usually half of our games are home games, and the other are away games. Also on some occassions, our age groups may be split at different fields. If you have athletes playing on different teams there is a chance they could be in 2 different locations. We do not make the game day schedule, PYFCO does.
**Costs**: What are the registration fees, and are there any additional costs for uniforms, equipment, or travel?
Registration is $250 in the fall and $175 in the spring. You will receive the game uniform that you are able to keep. You will also receive a helmet and shoulder pads that must be returned at the end of the season. Additional costs include mouthguards, cleats, and practice pants/jersey. WYFCL also has a $100 dollar fundraising requirement per family and 3 hours of parent volunteer requirement to facilitate game day requirements.
**Parent Involvement**: What is the expected level of involvement from parents, and are there volunteer opportunities?
Parents are expected to attend practices, games, and support the volunteer requirement. Due to the physical nature of football, it is essential for a parent to be present in the event of injury. Gameday volunteer opportunities include chain crew, concessions, apparel table, and set up/tear down.
All our board members and coaches are unpaid volunteers. If you are interested in either of these opportunities, contact
[email protected].
**Communication**: How does the team communicate with parents about schedules, updates, and other important information?
All team communication is done through GameChanger. This is an app that can be downloaded to your mobile device that will contain all your practice and gameday information in addition to a group/individual chat functionality.
**Coaching Credentials**: What qualifications do the coaches have? Background checks, etc - IS THIS SOMETHING WE NEED on the site?
All coaches are volunteers and are required to submit to a background check and must obtain at least a Level 1 USA Football Tackle Football Safety certification at their own expense. Additionally, all coaches are required to attend WYFCL coaches training at the start of each season.
While many coaches have their children on their team, that is not always the case. WYFCL currently has coaches on each roster that does not have a child on the active roster of their team.