The division of teams will fall in line with conference structure of the National Football League, to the best of the EAYF Commission’s ability. The EAYF alignment and schedule will be announced at the time of the draft, and it will be consistent with the previous seasons, to the best of the EAYF Commission’s ability.
PRACTICE
A practice week is from Sunday to Saturday. Each team may assemble four (4) times a week for no more than two (2) hours each time prior to the end of the opening game week. The first two practices must be non-contact conditioning practices. At these first two practices, player may dress in full uniform, but there will be no contact of any variety. Contact includes, and not limited to, blocking of any type, tackling of any type; form touching of any type; and the use of any apparatus. All games count as team gatherings and after the end of the opening game week, each team may assemble no more than three times per week. A team may not warm-up for more than an hour prior to the start of a game. If a team has two (2) games in a week, that team may have an additional non-contact, two (2) hour gathering.
A violation of these rules will be a suspension of the head coach for the next game and a 15-yard penalty assessed on any play from scrimmage at the opponent’s choosing during the violating team’s next game. All practice locations and times of the scheduled practices must be sent to the league representative before the end of the first week of practice. Practices are not allowed al Elizabethtown High School. Teams may not scrimmage other teams until after the first eight team practices and may only scrimmage twice before league approved scrimmages or games. The commission has the right to make any team found in violation to forfeit its next game.
PLAYING TIME
All football players will have a starting position on offense and/or defense. Players will play each series on offense or on defense, unless injury occurs, for each of the first three quarters of the game. In the fourth quarter and any overtime, the coach can play players at their discretion. Disciplinary action could result in forfeit of that game. Each coach will notify the league representative or Commission member on site if disciplinary action will be in effect that day for any player. This rule applies for any games, including playoff games and Super Bowl.
SCORING
When a team is 18 points or more ahead of its opponent, the head coach of the leading team must change all backs on its next offensive possession. The team that is ahead by 18 points or more does not have to change the starting quarterback; however, the starting quarterback can not advance the ball forward. He may move the ball laterally at the line of scrimmage or behind the line of scrimmage. The starting quarterback can not forward pass the ball. If the starting quarterback finds himself in a broken play, the player should kneel or fall down, and the official will mark the play dead at the final point of movement. The offensive team can change its starting quarterback and can run its normal offense. Regardless who plays quarterback, the leading team must not run any trick plays as a way to accelerate the scoring process. No attempt will be made purposefully to run up the score. No players that were in the starting backfield after the backfields have been changed may advance the ball at anytime while that team is on offense. No trick or pass play intended to score quickly should be used when a team is 18 points ahead of the other team.
If the other team closes to within 18 points, the team that is in the lead may return its starting backfield to its normal positions. At the point an offense must change its backfield, the offense will be given a 60- second “free” timeout to make the proper substitutions. The league representative will warn a coach if he does not comply with this rule. A 15-yard penalty will be assessed if, after a warning, a coach continues to use impact players in attempt to score. This rule will not apply during the Super Bowl games.
TEAMS
Each team will be designed to have an equal number of players. Amongst that, the Commission will assign the number of players each team will have by age group and it will announce it to the coaches prior to the beginning of the draft of players. The EAYF will create an equal balance for all teams based on the number of players by age on each team. In the event of uneven numbers by age, preference will be given to the teams that finished at the bottom of the standings during previous season. The total number assigned to each team will be kept in the range of 14-18 players per team. The Commission, at its discretion, may have teams “skipped over” for a round or rounds of the draft, however, no team will be required to be “skipped over” in consecutive rounds. Teams might be required to be “skipped over” more than once during the annual players draft. The purpose of the “skip over” is to help teams with fewer returning players to have an equal advantage to gain overall balance in the league during the annual player’s draft.
TEAM ASSIGNMENTS
Once a player has been assigned to a team, that player will remain with that team until the player moves to an older age group or if the team is dissolved. Players new to a division can request a team, but there are no guarantees that player will be placed on that team. All coaches will be notified of all players’ desire to play for a specific team; however, the coaches are under no obligation to honor the request. Once a player is assigned to a team, that player will be expected to remain with that team. A formal request to the Commission can be made regarding the relocation of a player to another team. The Commission will consider each request and issue a ruling. The acceptance of a request by the Commission should not be construed as an approval for the player’s relocation. All players that need team assignment will be required to attend Tryouts.
Players that do not attend tryouts will be selected by a blind draw during the draft. Those players can not be selected until all other players within that age group that attended tryouts have been selected. Any expansion team added to the league will draft up to the minimum number of players of returning players per age group on a team. This supplemental draft will occur prior to the regular draft. Once the expansion draft team has drafted up to the minimum number of players returning on another team, it will then select last within the normal draft.
TEAM SPONSORS
The EAYF will work diligently to ensure that each football team and cheerleading squad has a primary sponsor. In the event that a team does not have a primary sponsor, the EAYF will request the team without a sponsor to help in the efforts to secure a primary sponsor. Once a team has a primary sponsor, it then can seek a secondary sponsor to help the team acquire approved accessories. If a team obtains a secondary sponsor to obtain approved accessories, and it does not have a primary sponsor, the team will be forbidden from using those accessories. Continued use of these accessories without a primary sponsor could force the Commission to refuse the team from participating in post-season activities. Teams are limited to $45 per player on secondary expenses.
TEAM PARENT
Each head coach shall seek a team parent and report the name and telephone number to each league representative. The Team Parent will be required to have an adult participation card. The Team Parent should be notified of her responsibilities to the EAYF. Those include, but not inclusive too:
a) helping the head coach coordinate concession stand schedules;
b) ensuring that those assigned to the concession stand report to duty;
c) help coordinate communication from Commission to Team to Parents, in any form;
d) assisting the coach in helping relay problems associated with the team to the Commission;
e) attend or assign a team representative to attend any Commission meetings associated with any impact to the teams.
UNIFORMS
All league teams will wear uniforms that conform to the styles selected and approved by the EAYF. Football teams may have decal helmets and issue performance stickers to players, but the coaches are responsible for the removal of all decals and stickers at the point of helmet returns. Any additions, alterations or deficiencies to the uniform style, selected by the EAYF, must be presented to and approved by the Commission. All players and cheerleaders will be allowed to keep their uniform jersey at the end of the season.
CONCESSION WORKERS
Each team will be assigned an equal number of responsibilities to operate the concession stand. It is the responsibility of the Head Coach of either the cheerleading or football team assigned concession duty for their assignments to provide four (4) adults to work the concession stand. If the team fails to provide for (4) adult workers when scheduled, the head coach of the football or cheerleading squad assigned duty will be suspended for the next game. If the team fails to provide workers for the second time, the head coach will be suspended for the next two games.
A team responsible for Concession Stand duty can contract the assignment to a responsible group to perform the duty of working the Concession Stand. However, if the assigned group fails to perform, then the assigned team will still face the defined penalties mentioned above. Responsibilities at the concession stand will include: collection of money and issuance of tickets; stocking shelves; operating a grill; serving customers; basic cleanup.
Teams need to report at the time assigned; not at the conclusions of games or team meetings associated with the conclusion of games. It will be the coach’s responsibility to communicate with those parents working the concession stand of any information relayed during team meetings following a game.
Teams that are assigned the first and last games of each day need to be prepared to conduct basic preparations to open the concession stand or help clean the concession stand at the conclusion of the day.
