FOOTBALL FAQs
Warwick Valley Youth Football and Cheerleading
Football Information and FAQ’s
Warwick Youth Football and Cheerleading is an affiliate of the Orange County Youth Football League, and as such, follows National Federation of High Schools and Section 9 football rules with some age appropriate modifications or exceptions to these rules.
How old does my child have to be to participate?
All players must be at least 6 years old on or before Nov. 30th, but not 14 before August 1st of the current season.
Mighty Mites: 6 or 7 years old on or before 11/30
Division 1: 8 or 9 years old on or before 11/30
Division 2: 10 or 11 years old on or before 11/30
Division 3: 12 or 13 years old on or before 11/30 and 14 year olds who turn 14 on or after August 1st (**No player shall enter the ninth grade during the season)
Is there a weight limit?
There are weight limits for each division except Mighty Mites and they are as follows:
Mighty Mites: No weight limit
Division 1: 120 lbs
Division 2: 135 lbs
Division 3: 158 lbs
Players who exceed the maximum weight for their division, may play up at the next division. Players must weigh within 10 pounds of the maximum weight for each division in order to start contact practice at the beginning of the season. All players will be weighed in before each game. Any player not making weight will be ineligible to play for that entire game.
What equipment is needed?
All players must wear the following league issued equipment in order to be eligible to play: helmet, mouthpiece, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, hip pads, pants and jersey. At no time is any piece of league equipment to be altered or modified in any manner. All equipment must be returned at the end of the season in good condition.
Players must also wear sneakers or rubber cleats (screw in cleats are allowed, no metal) and an athletic supporter and cup which are not provided by the league and must be purchased separately. Rib pads and other protective pads are optional.
How long are the games?
Games are about one hour in length. There are 4 quarters that are 12 minutes in length. There is an 8-minute break between the second and third quarters. Mighty Mites have three offensive and three defensive possessions.
How are games scored?
Scoring will be as follows for all divisions:
•Touchdown = 6 points
•Field Goal = 3 points
•Safety = 2 points
•Kick PAT = 2 points
•Run PAT = 1 point
How are teams chosen?
Following registration, all candidates will be placed in a draft. Players not moving up a division will remain with the same team as the prior season. The head coaches will select their team members in a round robin fashion. Players will be notified sometime in June as to their team placement.
When do practices start?
Practice may begin on August 1st. The first 3 practices will be Non-Contact.There will be a minimum of three non-contact and six contact practices for every player in each division before they can play in a game.
How often does the team practice?
Before school starts there is no limit to the number of days a team may practice. The practice schedule will be set by the head coach. While school is in session, there will be a maximum of three practices a week for division 1 and four practices a week for divisions 2 and 3. In warm weather, practices will be scheduled for early evening. There will be several water breaks at every practice with water being available. Practice should not exceed two hours.
How many plays will my child be in?
Playing time is based on team roster size, practice attendance and player ability. The mandatory playing time rule will be determined by roster size at the start of the game:
Roster of 25 or more: minimum of six (6) plays per player per game
Roster of 19-24: minimum of eight (8) plays per player per game
Roster of 18 or less: minimum of ten (10) plays per player per game
How long is the season and when are the games?
The regular season is nine weeks long and begins after/or around Labor Day weekend. Each team will have eight games and a Bye week. There are four home games and four away games that are usually played on Saturday or Sunday. The home games are played at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Forester Avenue. The away games are played on the home field of another Orange County team. The schedule is determined by the Orange County Youth Football League. In the event that a team makes the playoffs, the season may be extended 1-3 weeks. ***All teams participate in a OCYFL scrimmage day, usually held on Labor Day weekend.
