football faq
The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) are listed with answers to help our customers better understand Warriors Football. Find your question and scroll down to that number on the page. If you have other questions not answered here see question #21.
1. Who may participate in Warriors Football?
Any child grades 1st thru 8th, (ages 6 to 14), excluding high school students. In some limited situations we do allow K grade (5 year olds) to play up to 1st grade (age 6). This situation requires a discussion with a Warriors Football representative.
Warriors are a 50+ year old Member Club of the Arapahoe Youth League (AYL) and as a result have a specific geographic territory that we serve. We serve the Highlands Ranch, Acres Green, Lone Tree, Littleton (some parts), Sterling Ranch, Castle Pines North (some parts) and Roxborough areas. However, players from outside this territory can still play within the Warriors football program but are subject to a few additional requirements. Should you wish to play Warriors Football or you are unsure as to which Club Territory you live in, please contact one of the Warriors football representatives.
2. When does football registration occur?
Registration for the Warriors Football opens for 2024 on April 1st. The Warriors utilize a on-line registration system for all our sports and sport Camps. This allows our customers a much more efficient registration process for their players. Please go to our website, www.warriorsyouthsports.com starting 4/1/2024 to register for Warriors Football 2024. Should you have questions about registration please see question 21 below.
3. Why does football registration occur so early for this fall sport?
The Warriors are a member of the AYL which had over 125+ teams participating in youth tackle football in 2023. Each Club must define and commit by the end of July each year as to the number of teams by age and division that will participate in the league. This is required to allow time for the all volunteer AYL Football Board to complete detailed plans for the season including game schedule, number of officials required, game fields, etc. This also provides ample time for Warriors to acquire and train quality coaches to fill any coaching vacancies created as a result of the increase in registrations at a particular age.
4. When does the typical football season run?
Practice begins in late July/early August with a 4 week pre-season practice schedule. This allows ample time for the players to get into "Football" shape, taking hits, tackling, physical conditioning, etc. The regular season starts with the first games being played as early as two Saturdays before Labor Day Weekend. The season is 8 regular season games with the top teams in each age/division of play advancing to the playoffs. Playoffs and our season ending Super Bowl are completed no later than by the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. The season calendar varies year to year by as much as one week. It is best to review the current season calendar listed on our website.
5. How do I go about registering my child for Warriors Football?
Please select the "Register On-Line" button on the Warriors Football Home Page. This on-line system makes it far more efficient for our customers to register their child for football. Further, Warriors has the capability to take credit cards for our registration fees and we eliminated the time and expense of printing and mailing registration forms.
6. What is the cost to play Warriors football?
The cost for Warriors Football can change from year-to-year primarily based on our field provider’s adjustments in field usage fees. The 2024 registration base cost is $600 with an early bird fee until 4/30/2024 of $525. Further after May 1st Warriors assesses a late fee of an additional $75 per child. Registration closes by age group when the teams at that age group are full. Generally registration is open until early to mid-July but Warriors’ encourages everyone to register as early as possible, hopefully prior to June 15th. After June 15th please check the Warriors website for information regarding potential opening at specific age groups.
7. What does the registration fee cover?
The fee covers many items including but not limited to:
Registration costs which are league fees, insurance costs, coach background checks, etc.
Practice costs such as practice field usage & permits, Coaching and practice equipment.
Game costs such as game field usage & permits, including weekly field set up/tear down, official’s costs, website scheduling and score reporting costs, and officials evaluation costs.
Warriors’ Football operating expenses such as bank fees, ongoing coaching evaluations and education, administration costs, copying, misc, etc.
8. What equipment will I have to purchase for my child to play Warriors football?
Each individual player is responsible for his own equipment and uniform.
The required equipment includes a Helmet (Scarlet Red w/ black face mask), shoulder pads, and a cleated shoe. Soccer cleats are workable if you already have them. If purchasing a new cleated shoe please consider purchasing a Football Cleat, which has a better base specific for football action. Warriors and the AYL are extremely concerned about the proper fit of player’s helmets and shoulder pads. Should you plan to purchase used equipment, particularly a helmet, please take the equipment to the Warriors Field House or a reputable retailer to have the prospective purchase reviewed for safety. All current Football Helmets must have a NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) sticker affixed which indicates the useful life of that helmet. Should you be purchasing new equipment we encourage you to shop at the Warriors Field House Pro-shop. We have staff on-site to you to make sure everything is correctly fit, including room for growth. In the Pro-Shop you can purchase helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys, pants, socks, and a variety of accessories.
For 2024 the uniform jerseys for teams stays the same as last season.
Additionally you will need game socks (color based on team and coach preference), athletic supporter with a hard cup, and mouth guard – we suggest two should be purchased and fit to your child initially (Please understand that if your child does not have a mouth piece at a practice or game they will not be allowed to participate - so keep a spare one with you). Optionally you can consider the purchase of a practice uniform or other additional item such as gloves and forearm pads.
9. Where do we purchase Football uniforms?
When you wish to purchase uniforms please shop at the Warriors Field House Pro-shop, the only retail provider that will have availability of our uniforms. We have staff on-site to you to make sure everything is correctly fit, including room for growth. In the Pro-Shop you can purchase helmets, shoulder pads, jerseys, pants, socks, and a variety of accessories.
10. Where do we purchase football equipment?
We strongly suggest you utilize our own Warriors Field House Pro-Shop for all of your football equipment needs, except cleats. While the Warriors does not have a preferred retail equipment partner as such you can order Football Helmets at Dick's Sporting Goods. Though the Scarlet color of Warriors Helmets may be an issue at Dick's and other various on-line retailers. Most retail outlets carry a full line of football equipment and accessories as well.
11. How is a new player assigned to a team? Are there tryouts?
A football player is assigned to a team based upon age/grade and experience. Age is determined as of June 1st of the current year and grade is defined as the grade in the Fall of the current year. We attempt to place a new player on a team with similar experience level. Then if there are multiple choices we will try to match the new player with a team that has other players from the same school the new player attends or within the middle school feeder system. Priority for placement is based on the actual registration date and time from our on-line system.
New Warriors football players may request to play with a friend or a particular coach. This can be noted on the registration form. If a team preference is indicated on the registration form Warriors will endeavor to grant that preference however there are other factors such as team level of competitive play, specific team roster openings, etc, that affect that placement. Generally there will be a conversation between the Parents and a Warriors Football representative to ensure correct team placement if a specific team preference is indicated.
For the 2024 season all returning Warriors Teams at 4th grade (age 9) and above may hold Tryouts during the months of February, March and April. Please select the "Player Evaluations (Tryouts)" button on the left hand navigation bar above for specific team tryout schedules and contacts. Note Team Tryouts are generally for experienced players wishing to move up in competitive level. Players new to tackle football do not need to tryout.
12. How are returning Warriors Football players placed on teams?
Returning players who are registered and paid in full by April 30th of the current year will automatically be assigned to the same team they played on the previous season. The player’s jersey number used by that returning player is also maintained for that player as long as the registration is completed by April 30th of the current year. Should a returning player fail to register by the April 30th cutoff they will be placed on a team in the same manner and in the same priority as any player new to Warriors Football. Should a returning player wish to change teams for any reason, please contact one of the Warriors Football representative as soon as possible so we can advise and assist you in making the requested change. Please understand that a returning player that wishes to change teams must still register by April 30th of the current year. If registered prior to April 30th, the returning player requesting to change teams will be given priority over any new players requesting that same team. Priority for placement for the returning player requesting to change teams is based on the actual registration date and time from our on-line system.
13. How many players are on a team?
Team size can vary depending upon the number of kids registering to play. Warriors’ has target roster sizes, varying by competitive division of play to ensure minimal financial requirements are met. Those roster size targets are 18 – 22 players for the 11-man program at 4th grade and above. Our Rookie football, at grades 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, we will limit the rosters to no more than 14-16 players.
14. How are jersey numbers decided?
Warriors will take requests from new players for a specific jersey number on the registration form. We attempt to honor those requests if at all possible. Returning players wishing to make a jersey number change must work that out with their Head Coach. All jersey numbers are the responsibility of the team's Head Coach who must ensure no numbers are duplicated. We strongly suggest you make sure your Head Coach agrees with your number request before you have game jerseys numbered.
15. Where, when and how often is practice?
The Warriors pay for permits for practice fields from South Suburban Parks and Recreation, Highlands Ranch Metro District, Douglas County Schools, Douglas County Parks, and other private schools and organizations. All of our practice fields are in the Highlands Ranch, Acres Green, Littleton or Lone Tree area.
Most teams will practice 2 -3 evenings per week in the preseason and have one practice on Saturdays. The start and end time for practices is determined by the Head Coach and generally takes in to account the Coaches work schedule as well as the school schedule our players are under. For the most part the younger the age of the team the shorter practices run, for example at grades 1st and 2nd (ages 6/7) the practice may only run 60 to 90 minutes while at grades 7th and 8th (ages 12/13) the practice may run 2.5 hours.
The number of practices per week is regulated by the AYL. The AYL allows up to four playing periods per week in pre-season up to and including the first game. All playing periods may include exercise and/ or contact however player contact (live contact) is limited per week based on age of the team. Warriors’ coaches generally manage the weekly number of practices in accordance with their team’s age. After the first game, teams are still allowed four playing periods per week however one of these playing periods must be a no contact – no exercise "chalk talk". Optionally for any team at 4th grade (age 9) and above they can replace their "chalk talk" with an on-field non-contact walk-thru practice.
Again for the 2024 season the 13/14 year old 8th grade teams will have the option of practicing four days a week plus the addition of an optional "Chalk Talk" of "Walk-thru" during both the Pre-season and Regular season practices. This change was approved to help our older players begin to develop their time management skills and to better prepare them for the High School practice environment.
16. How many games are played? Where and when are they scheduled?
The AYL regular season generally consists of eight games. Teams can qualify for post season playoffs. The number of games played during the playoffs can vary based upon the number of teams in an age division.
The AYL is comprised of Member Clubs establishing teams in the South Metro area communities of Littleton, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, SE Denver, South Aurora, Parker and Castle Rock. Games can be played in any of these locations at specific parks.
Regular season games are scheduled for Saturdays with the earliest game at 8:30 or 9:00 am and the latest game generally scheduled for 2:30 or 3:00 pm. On some fields we may have later games being played under the lights starting at 5:00 and 7:00 pm as well. The first regular season game for 2024 will be scheduled for Saturday, 8/24/2024, two Saturdays before Labor Day weekend. The regular season runs through mid October. Post season Playoffs begins immediately following the conclusion of the regular season and continue with the AYL Super Bowl that always is completed no later than the weekend before Thanksgiving. Please understand that Games may be postponed by weather, field issues or other problems resulting in game cancelations. Games are typically rescheduled on Sunday the week following the cancelation, eight days later. Also some playoff games may need to be scheduled on Sundays to be certain the entire playoff schedule can be completed prior to the mandatory end of the season.
17. What if we have a family vacation scheduled during the season?
Football requires significant preparation and practice as well as a strong commitment to the team. Family vacations during the season are highly discouraged. Depending upon team rules, playing time may be impacted because of the time your player misses because of the vacation. You are encouraged to schedule your vacations prior to or after the season to avoid playing time impacts. If you must schedule a family vacation during the season please inform your Head Coach as soon as possible to understand how your team and your child will be impacted.
18. What if my child decides after signing up that he does not like football and wants to quit. What is the refund policy?
Generally all registration fees for Warriors Football are non-refundable. If you feel you have an unique situation and wish to discuss this policy please contact one of the Warriors Football representatives.
19. Who can be a coach?
Anyone can apply to coach to be a Head Coach or an Assistant Coach. All coaching candidates will go through a pre-certification process. The process involves filling out an online application, undergoing a criminal background check and completing an interview with the Warriors Football representatives. All Warriors coaches are required to become USA Football, Tackle Football Certified, as well as attend any mandated yearly AYL coach training, including Concussion Management Training and are encouraged to attend any local coaching clinics if they can as well. Specific Coaching training and skill/drill information is available to any authorized Warriors Football coach through a contract Warriors has arranged with an outside firm. All Warriors Football Head Coaches are evaluated annually both by their Parents/Players on their team as well as the Warriors Football representatives. Retention as a Warriors Football Head Coach is offered on a year to year basis based on these evaluations. If interested in coaching Warriors Football please contact the Warriors Football representatives directly.
20. How can I help?
There are many volunteer opportunities with your team as well as with the Warriors organization. Your Head Coach will be soliciting their Parent group directly for volunteers for the many team and game day responsibilities. If you are interested in volunteering your time to the Warriors organization, please contact one of the Warriors Football representatives directly.
21. If I have additional questions who do I contact?
If you have any question regarding the Warriors Football program that has not been answered above please contact the following VOLUNTEER listed below:
Questions: Contact our volunteer football director click here