Junior All American Football Rules (2023 Update)
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Registration fees for tackle football are $400- this includes the use of a helmet, shoulder pads, practice uniform, game pants, and a 7-piece pad set (if applicable). Also, game jerseys (yours to keep), pictures, secondary insurance, league fees, referee fees, game field fees, light fees, certification of equipment, snack bar, multiple pre-season clinics, and city permit fees.
Junior all American football rules
Your player will need to wear spirit wear that was included with your registration. They should also wear football cleats (rubber molded, no screw-on or metal) and must check in at the equipment shed to be cleared to play.
Practices will be held Monday thru Friday from the first day of hell week through the entire month of August. Practices will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. Players are encouraged to arrive by 6 pm and are expected to attend EVERY practice. Per Conference rules, no player will be allowed to play in the Southern California Junior All-American Football Conference until he/she has passed a physical performed by a qualified Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Osteopathy, Nurse Practitioner, or Physicians Assistant.
Physicals performed by a Chiropractor or Registered Nurse will NOT be accepted. Physicals that are not stamped by the performing doctor will NOT be accepted.
The SCJAAF-approved physical form must be signed, stamped, and dated, no sooner than March 25th, 2022, or four months prior to the first day of practice. No other forms will be accepted. Forms can be downloaded on our website from the “forms” link located at the top of the page, or you can pick one up at one of our walk-up registrations (see calendar for registration dates).
ANY PLAYER WHO DOES NOT HAVE A PHYSICAL WILL BE SENT HOME.
Players will be placed on division teams in accordance with the weight and age eligibility chart. Any player weighing 5% or more over maximum weight at the time of official physical examination will be assigned to the next higher division if age permits.
Any player weighing more than the certified weight but less than 5% may be assigned to either division at the discretion of the Chapter Commissioner.
HELL WEEK
The first week of practice is hell week and each division will practice together. There will be no contact during the first week, only conditioning. Your child must complete 10 hours of conditioning before he/she may participate in contact drills. If your child misses a day of hell week, he/she will NOT be allowed to dress in pads and participate in contact drills until his/her lost conditioning time is made up and a total of 10 hours of conditioning is completed. This is a Conference rule and must be followed.
The following week the players will put on pads and go through drills involving contact. You will need to provide your child with an athletic supporter and cleats. All other protective equipment will be issued to you by the league. Usually, on the 3rd day of contact, the American football coaches will hold the draft.
Once your child has been drafted, an announcement will be made as to which team your child will be placed in. Your child will be running, exercising, and running some more! Welcome to HELL WEEK. Here are a few tips that will help your child SURVIVE!
- Drink plenty of fluids. Water and Gatorade are the best, stay away from sodas and especially NO ENERGY DRINKS!
- Eat a light meal prior to 5:00 pm. Greasy foods are heavy and your child will GET SICK.
- Get plenty of rest- your child is going to be exhausted!
REFUNDS
Registration refunds are available until 7:00 p.m. on player draft day (the first Wednesday after the completion of the regularly scheduled tackle football hell week). After this date, there will be no refunds.
Refunds must be requested in writing and all refunds will be subject to a $30 administrative fee any/all incurred fees and/or late payment fees that were added to the account will not be included in the refund. There are no refunds for participant physicals or funds used in accordance with fundraising efforts.
All refund requests will be reviewed by the board of directors on a case-by-case basis. All equipment must be returned in good condition to the equipment room before any funds will be released.
EQUIPMENT
No player will be issued equipment if there is an outstanding account balance associated with that player and/or without a parent/guardian present to sign the equipment contract – NO EXCEPTIONS! Each player will receive equipment when their team is scheduled. Any player who misses their scheduled time WILL have to arrange a time with the equipment manager, to receive equipment.
Your child will be issued a helmet, one mouthpiece, one game uniform (jersey and pants), one practice uniform (jersey and pants), shoulder pads, a belt, and hip, knee, and thigh pads from the equipment room. Parents are responsible to replace mouthpieces as needed and purchase athletic supporters and cleats (rubber molded, no metal or screw).
Each team will ask for additional funds to cover the cost of team socks and nameplates. Your child is not allowed to wear GAME pants or a jersey to practice. Please have your child wear his/her practice uniform to practice and game attire to games. Any equipment that is broken during the course of the season MUST be returned to the equipment shed for repair or replacement. Failure to do so might result in injury to your player. The game jersey is yours to keep but all other equipment is to be returned to the equipment room so that it might be reused next season.
Players/Parents are responsible for the upkeep and safety of all issued equipment. Parents will be responsible for the cost of lost or abused equipment. Any player that does not turn in issued equipment will not receive a trophy at end of the season. Failure to return issued equipment WILL result in the chapter filing a civil lawsuit against any parent who has not turned in players’ equipment.
Some people may choose to buy their own equipment. If you choose to do so, please stop by the equipment room so it can be safety checked by the equipment managers. Additional protective equipment is available for purchase at any sporting goods store.
MANDATORY WEIGHT CERTIFICATION
Each player MUST be at their division & age-appropriate certified weight by the first conference weight certification date. Any player that is overweight will be noted on the team’s red ink roster and shall have until the second conference weight certification date to make the appropriate weight. If the player fails to make weight by the second conference weight certification date, that player will be ineligible to play for the remainder of the season.
Weight certification attire consists of shorts, a T-shirt or jersey, and socks. Shoes or cleats are not required. Once a player passes weight certification, they are certified for the remainder of the season. Once a player has been paper and weight certified, they may not change teams for any reason.
PAPER CERTIFICATION
You will be expected to provide your Athletic Director with an ORIGINAL birth certificate and a 1×1 recent photo of your child. The AD will need to keep your child’s birth certificate for 2 weeks until the team is paper certified. Your birth certificate will be returned! An AD from another chapter will paper certify each team and ensure the eligibility of each player.
SCHOOL COMES FIRST
We require that all players maintain their school grades during the football season. If a player needs to complete their homework, we ask that they bring it to the field and sit on the sidelines to finish.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Your coach will expect your child to attend EVERY practice and be on time! It is possible their season could last from August to December!! We ask that you schedule your vacations accordingly. It is important to remember that you and your child have made a commitment to football.
For your child to get the best experience, he/she should attend every practice on time and be prepared to play. Any player who will miss practice must contact the Head Coach or the Head AD prior to practice. Unexcused absences from practices may result in disciplinary action. Practices will be held in the rain, wind, or sunshine! The only time we will not practice is in the event of lightning.
WATER BREAKS
During water breaks the players are to stay with their team on the field. They will not be allowed to go to the snack bar or visit with others. We encourage this in order for the players to get to know their teammates and to grow together as a team. Your child should bring his own bottle of water or Gatorade. NO SODA AND NO ENERGY DRINKS!!
ATHLETIC DIRECTORS
Each team has a designated Athletic Director and an Assistant Athletic Director. They are responsible for the welfare of every player on their team, are in charge of team paperwork, are responsible for crowd control at practices and games, and they are to ensure coaching ethics are being followed.
They have been certified in first aid and CPR and tend to all injuries on their field. The Athletic Director is the liaison between the parents and the coaches, therefore all concerns and complaints must be directed to the Athletic Director.
TEAM PARENTS
The team parent is the event planner, volunteer coordinator, team fundraising coordinator, and team treasurer. This person plans all team events such as pizza parties, potlucks, and the banquet. They will be asking each player for money to cover the cost of snacks for the season, game socks, name plates for jerseys, and cheerleader gifts. They will ensure that the team has water, Gatorade, fruit, and snacks for all games and scrimmages.
ADDITIONAL STAFF
Each team has additional staff members including assistant coaches, statisticians, water staff, photographers, and an assistant AD. All staff members are also in volunteer positions and each team will need your assistance to ensure a successful season. All team volunteers must have a SCJAAF-issued ID badge to be on the field.
SCRIMMAGES
Each team will be allowed 3 preseason scrimmages. They will be held either at our practice field or at another location. Scrimmages will be set up by the Head Coach and Chapter officials and might take place on varying days. Players will weigh in for each scrimmage scheduled before weight certification is completed.
Players can weigh a MAXIMUM of 5 lbs over the certified weight for scrimmages scheduled before weight certification day. If any player exceeds 5 pounds they may not participate. All SCJAAF and Norco JAAF rules must be adhered to and will be enforced during scrimmages.
GAMES
Games are every Saturday (beginning in September) at varying times throughout the day. Our home field is Norco High School. Our away games can be in many places, some as far as Palm Desert or Murrieta. If your child’s team makes the playoffs, it is possible that your child will have games every Saturday through the first week of December (THIS INCLUDES THANKSGIVING WEEKEND). It is also possible that your child’s team will have a bye week.
Per SCJAAF Conference rules, every child will play 10 plays in each game. There will be a designated volunteer for every team whose job will be to count each child’s plays. Each play of a game counts. The only thing that does not count as a play is a dead ball. Your child might be docked plays by his/her coach as a disciplinary measure for being late, missing practice, etc. This rule changes to five plays per game during playoff season. Exceptions to this rule may include injury, discipline, and/or players’ refusal to participate.
INJURIES
Football is a contact sport and injuries are always a possibility. If your child suffers any type of injury, let the Athletic Director handle it. YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO GO ONTO THE FIELD.
The Athletic Director will explain to you the situation and what steps need to be followed AFTER she/he has evaluated your child. The Athletic Director for your child’s team is to oversee all injuries. Any child that has been directed to see a doctor by the team Athletic Director MAY NOT RETURN TO PLAY until cleared by a doctor. Coaches and parents DO NOT have the authority to clear a player to play.
The team Athletic Director has the final word concerning all injuries. Precautionary measures will be enforced by the Chapter Athletic Director to ensure your child’s safety. Any player who leaves the practice or game field due to an injury must return with a doctor’s release before the child will be allowed to participate in any practice or game. No player will be allowed to participate in a game or practice with a cast of any kind on any of his/her extremities.
ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES
If any player has asthma or allergies, immediately speak with your team’s Athletic Director. If your child has a food allergy, the team parent should also be notified so that appropriate snacks will be available for your child. If an inhaler or epi-pen is required for your child, they must be in the possession of the Athletic Director at all times, labeled with the prescription (cannot be expired), and the player’s name.
The player MUST administer the medication themselves with the supervision of the Athletic Director. Parents are not allowed to give players their medication. If your child needs his/her inhaler, they must sit for a minimum of 10 minutes to reduce their heart rate, and once their heart rate is reduced, they may return to practice/game. If the medication is needed a second time, the player may NOT return to practice/game.
HEAD COACH
The Head Coach is a VOLUNTEER who devotes many, many hours of time to his/her team, on and off the field. He/She will oversee and direct the coaching staff, and together they will teach your child the game of football. The coach’s main objective is to teach sportsmanship, teamwork, and the fundamentals of the game.
As a unit, the staff will make all decisions concerning strategy and positions. Remember that your child is part of a team and the coach will put your child in the position that is best suited for the team. It may not be the position your child has played before and it may not be the position you think your child should play.
During practice and games the coaches are there to coach, so please allow them to do so. All questions and concerns MUST be directed through the team Athletic Director. If you need to speak with your child’s coach, please do so after practice or the game.
PLEASE REMEMBER
It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure their child arrives at the game by the specified time. Failure to do so may result in your child being unable to check in and participate in the game. Check with your team if your child needs a ride and if carpool options are available.
CHEERLEADERS
Our cheerleaders are an important part of each team. They dedicate as much time and effort to football as we do. Cheerleaders are at every game and will perform their halftime routine at each game. On Thursdays prior to each home game, the cheerleaders will host pep rallies to pump up the team’s spirit and exchange small gifts with the players.
In November, the cheerleaders have an annual competition, where they will compete against other chapters from our Conference. We encourage every football player and their family to attend this competition (wearing your game jersey and/or royal blue and white) and show your NORCO spirit.
It is loads of fun watching not only the girls compete but also the different chapter crowds competing. We need to be there to support the girls who have been there to support our teams weekly.
SHOW YOUR NORCO SPIRIT
Show your Norco spirit by wearing royal blue and white. Teams will have t-shirts and other apparel for sale to help raise money for their banquet. GO NORCO!!
We encourage you to bring out your friends and family to cheer on our teams. Just please remind them to behave appropriately as we are all representing Norco JAAF and you as a member are responsible for those that you bring with you.
We also ask that you please leave your pets at home! We encourage all players to wear their game jerseys to school on Fridays and to attend all Norco High School Football games. Remember that you are representing your team, our chapter, and our city and you should behave appropriately at all times.
TEAMS ARE A FAMILY
Remember that you may spend more time with your football “family” than your own! Please be kind and courteous to all involved. Our children look to us to set examples, so let’s show them how to treat others with respect.
Your team may decide to have home game potlucks, pizza parties, or other fun things to participate in! This is up to each individual team. Each team will have its own banquet to recognize the efforts of your team. Your team parent will be responsible for organizing this but will require your help in raising funds to pay for the event!
Many teams will pass around a small can, at games, called a “Touchdown Can” to take donations for the team after each touchdown. These monies will go toward your child’s team for banquet expenses or other items your team wishes to purchase (bags, jackets, etc.).
