Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Who are the Walnut Creek Jr Broncos? Its Walnut Creek Youth Football & Cheer is organization is a non-profit corporation Section 501-(c) (3) of the Federal Internal Revenue Code and 100% volunteer driven and run. We are affiliated with Norcal Youth Football and Cheer (NCYFC) League and has been committed to providing a positive football/cheer experience to the youth of Northern California for over 10 years. Who can play? We have football and cheer programs for the following ages: Starts: 6, 7, 8, & 9 year olds Rookies: 8, 9, 10 & 11 year olds Junior Varsity (JV): 10, 11, 12 & 13 year olds Varsity: 12, 13, 14 year olds Please note that there are weights that would make a child an X-Man on the field. Each level is described more on the website. Found here: http://walnutcreekyouthfootballandcheer.siplay.com/site/clientsite/article/973991 Do I have to live in Walnut Creek for my child to participate? No. You may live anywhere in the Bay Area to participate in Walnut Creek Football and Cheer. What is the regular season? The first day of practice will be the Second Monday in July. For the upcoming season that is July 15th. Our season will end in October, but can extend into playoffs until November. Why is registration so early when the season doesn t start until July? The player counts for each grade need to be finalized well in advance of the season. By doing this the Association can insure there will be sufficient equipment and team jerseys. Risking insufficient equipment or number of jerseys would have a significant impact on the quality of season for the players. What are the registration fee and what are they used for? Total Registration for the season is Football $375, Cheer $475. Plus a $200 equipment deposit will be either handed back to you or destroyed once ALL your equipment is turned in and in good condition at the end of the season. Equipment deposit is for Football only We will be doing a team wide mandatory fundraising, if you do not wish to have your child participate please write a $150 fundraising donation check to the team. The registration fees go towards the purchasing and maintenance of equipment, officials for each game, field use, league insurance and league dues.
Cheer registration fees go toward your uniform, warm up, shoes, camp shirt, and bows that you get to keep at the end of the season. Early registration fee of $50 if registered by March 31st. Sibling discounts apply at $50 for the 2 nd and 3 rd child registered regardless of program. What is required for registration? Registration requirements Forms (all forms can be found in the documents section of our website): medical consent, waiver, medical clearance, photo release statement, participation contract. In addition to the forms a copy of the player birth certificate a copy of the player most recent report card are required. $200 deposit for equipment (will be returned or destroyed at the end of the season provided ALL equipment is returned in the same condition it was issued). Applicable to only football players, Cheer has no equipment deposit. $375 or $475 registration fee. Parent Particpation Deposit of $100 which will be returned back to you if you commit to 5 volunteer jobs in the season. All registration materials MUST BE HANDED IN BY THE FIRST PRACTICE or your child will NOT be able to practice! REFUND POLICY It is important that there is a mutual understanding between parents and Walnut Creek Youth Football and Cheer regarding the no refund policy. In order to run this league we have to prepay for insurance, field usage, refurbishment of the football gear, and other required administrative items. We prepay for most things prior to the season starting and can't recoup them in the event your child decides he/she doesn't want to play. It is for that reason Walnut Creek Youth Football and Cheer has a no refund policy. When and where do we pick up our shoulder pads/helmet and other equipment? We equip each player with a fitted helmet and chin guard, shoulder pads, padded pants, socks and game jersey. Equipment will be handed out at a designated time before the season starts. Helmets will be fitted to each child s head on the equipment day. All equipment MUST be turned in at the end of the season in order to get your $200 deposit back. What are the uniform/attire requirements? Cheer A uniform will be provided and yours to keep, including shoes Bow,and briefs are purchased from us at our fitting in June No show socks (white, can be purchased anywhere) NO JEWELRY- jewelry of any kind is prohibited for safety reasons
Does my child need to be present to receive equipment? Yes. To properly fit a player with equipment they MUST be present. What equipment do we need to purchase? Football A pair of molded football cleats (no screw in spikes) - required Athletic supporter (cup) optional Mouth guard optional we do have one that we will give out but if your son does not like it you will need to purchase another type. Chinstraps are provided but many players choose to purchase a more padded option optional Scheduling, Practices, and Games Each child is REQUIRED to have 10 hours of conditioning training prior to receiving pads and having contact with one another. We will be implementing a 20 hour conditioning, so the first two weeks the kids will be conditioning and learning the fundamentals and proper techniques. These hours are mandatory and must be coach supervised. If your child misses any time during this conditioning period, he/she MUST make it up prior to having full pad contact practice NO EXCEPTIONS!!! The first few practices will be required conditioning training. NO pads or equipment will be worn or issued until the required 10-20 hours has been completed. During this time players should wear loose comfortable clothing (shorts/t-shirt) and cleats. Since this train is done in the heat of the summer it is imperative to bring LOTS AND LOTS of WATER (no soda, sports drinks etc.). You may also want to apply sunscreen prior to taking the field. What do the players need to bring to practice? Water, water, and more water- hydration is key. We will have a water cooler for those who run out of water, or forget. After the two weeks of practice; helmet, shoulder pads, practice jersey, mouth guard, cup, cleats, and pants with pads will be required. Any necessary medical supplies, i.e. inhalers When are practices and what should I expect from practices? Practices begin the second to last Monday in July and are held at Northgate High School Walnut Creek. For the summer (while kids are not attending school), practice will be held 5 nights a week from 5:30-7:30 (the exact days and times are at the discretion of the head coach and may vary by team). Once the kids start school practices will drop to 3 days a week, generally Tues Thurs 5:30-7:30.
It is VERY important that players are at practice on time and fully suited up as the warm up and stretching portion of the practice is necessary to minimize muscle pulls and injuries. In the event your child(ren) must miss practice, you must notify one of your coaches to inform them (via phone or text). (We are considering an email account/text account general to pick these up as well If a player misses too many practices during a week, they may not be able to play in that week s game, at the discretion of the head coach. Please pick up after yourselves after practice (empty water bottles etc.). If you are dropping off your child to practice, please arrive promptly to pick up your player. Also, please ensure you are aware of the weather as there are many times especially in the beginning of the season practice may be cut short. When are games played? Most games are played on Saturdays (time dependent on your child s division of play). There may be a Sunday game depending on field usage and acceptance. In the event your child(ren) must miss a game, please notify one of your coaches to inform them (via email, phone, text or in person). Please give your coach as much notice of an absence as you can so they can design their plays around it. Players are required to be at the game field at least 1.5 hour prior to the start of the game to warm up and weigh in. Are there sponsoring opportunities? YES! As with any organization, it costs money to run this program. We are a non-profit organization that has limited funds but have expensive overhead. We also provide scholarships so that every child has the opportunity to play in a positive, motivating environment. Our expenses are not limited to; referee fees, field maintenance fees, travel fees, uniforms, equipment, and many others. Hall of Fame - $1,500 Platinum- $1000 Gold- $500 Silver- $300 Bronze- $200 Friend - $50 -$100 Any sponsorship above the silver level will be listed on our banner posted at home games. Sponsorship deadline is July 31 st. Without the help of the local community, we would not be able to provide a safe & enriching program for the children. We are a 501c3, so your donation is tax deductible. Please make checks payable to Walnut Creek Youth Football. Thank you for your time and consideration. For more information please contact Maria Bagley, Fundraising Chairperson NEED THIS FILLED Checks can be mailed to: Coaching
How are coaches selected? Parents or volunteers who show interest in coaching football are initially screened to ensure their backgrounds do not conflict in the safety of the players. Parents or volunteers who do not want to be a head coach, but want to help out whenever they can are also welcome. How are coaches compensated? All coaches and board members are volunteers. There is no financial compensation. As a parent what can I do to help the team? Helpers are always needed! At practice and games, NO PRIOR FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Help holding blocking dummies, filling in holes during a scrimmage or organizing players on the practice field is welcome. There have even been active Moms that assist in these duties! If I m not sure the coach is right about something, when should I talk to him? As a general rule, wait until after a practice/game in person, via phone or email. Before or during a practice or game is distracting from the necessary focus for the activity. *Please remember our coaching staff is comprised of volunteers. In most cases, these individuals are taking time away from their full-time jobs and families. Just like everyone else, the coaches and refs are human and make mistakes. Please treat them with the kindness, compassion, and respect they deserve. Weather There may be times the weather inhibits our playtime. You will be notified of any cancelations or delays as soon as possible. Game Play Will my child play in every game? We make it a practice that every player will play a minimum of 6 plays per game. The amount of game time your child plays depends on many factors including their effort, attitude, and attendance. In the event you have a question about your child, please speak with your head coach and he will address your particular situation. Please DO NOT address these issues during the game. Will my child get hurt during play? In youth football, most of the injuries are very minor. Examples include getting a hand hit by a helmet, getting stepped on or scraping an elbow. In our experience, real injuries are thankfully rare in youth football. Statistically youth football is safer than organized soccer, with 12% fewer injuries per capita among 5-15 year olds. As the kids get bigger and faster, the risk does increase but again, the data and our experience show that most injuries in youth football are minor. Coaches will err on the side of
caution. They try and teach the players the difference between being hurt and being injured, but when in doubt, the coach will sit the player down. All coaches are required to complete multiple certification courses which emphasize safety and concussion awareness. We are the only team in the league that will be giving your child baseline concussion test, which includes a check for concussion symptoms, as well as balance and cognitive (such as concentration and memory) assessments prior to any play. Therefore if we/you believe your child has a concussion we will be able to provide the test and/or another evaluation for confirmation. Other: What can I do to help my child? During the game, be the cheerleader that never stops encouraging them. Ensure they have all their equipment for a practice or a game. This includes a water bottle. Come to practice a minimum of fifteen minutes before the scheduled start time. How can I be a good fan? Be positive, encourage all the players (not just yours) and coaches. It s a good idea to be appreciative of the referees as well. Cheer from outside of the box that is lined alongside the playing field. The box is exclusively for players, coaches, and line crew. Any editorial comments should be reserved for coaches after a game, not during. Organizing and directing players during a game require concentration. Thus, comments during a game can be distracting and unproductive. What are team moms/dads? Team moms/dads are responsible for assisting the coaches during the season mainly with communications to the parents. This usually entails sending out reminders to the other parents on the team, collection fundraiser materials, handing out information, etc. They also will coordinate a signup schedule for ½ time oranges and drinks and after game snacks. If you would like to be a team mom, please notify your coach asap. Do I have to participate in fundraising? Football is one of the only sports where the major personal equipment (helmet and shoulder pads) is provided to the players for their use during the season. This equipment is very expensive. In addition to this, we must pay for, among other things, officials for each game, field fees, league insurance and league dues - the registration fees collected do not come close to covering these costs. Because of this, fundraising is an integral part of our organization. We know that everyone is very busy, but every family is expected to participate in fundraising, in one form or another. This can be accomplished by doing your part selling fundraising materials, working concessions or apparel booth during a home game, working the chains at the games, donating half time fruit and drinks for your child s team, and many more opportunities throughout the season. Again, we expect every family to give back to the program.