FAQ | Marshfield Youth Football

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Marshfield Youth Football
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Marshfield Youth Football?

Marshfield Youth Football (MYF) is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3), non-profit organization, dedicated to offering a full-contact football program for children in grades 2nd - 8th living in Marshfield, Massachusetts. MYF participates in the Old Colony Youth Football League (OCYFL). MYF is committed to providing a positive football experience for the youth of Marshfield.

What is the Old Colony Youth Football League (OCYFL)?

The Old Colony Youth Football League is an independent youth football organization that prides itself on being a local league and not being affiliated with any national organization.

The OCYFL is local league that has grown from modest beginnings. The league began in 1965 with just 6 teams from around the South Shore of Massachusetts. The OCYFL now includes 22 teams from Southeastern Massachusetts. Teams are split up into 5 divisions based primarily on their K-8 school population. For some of the larger towns the OCYFL added an additional division 6 that allows these towns to play age and grade appropriate football.

The OCYFL is now the largest independent youth football league in Massachusetts. The League is well run and closely governed by an Executive Board and five vice presidents who are all voted in by the member towns. The organization is closely bound by their own By Laws which are updated annually as voted by all member towns.

You can learn more about the OCYFL at: http://www.ocyfl.com

What are the playing levels, age and weight requirements?

It is important to note that MYF plays against age, grade and weight based competition. It is mandatory that each player appear for the official weigh-in at the time and date decided by the OCYFL (usually the Saturday after Labor Day) to be eligible to compete during the season. If a player’s weight exceeds the maximum during official weigh-in, the player will be provided the option to move up to the next weight level. After the player makes the weight at the official weigh-in, 1 pound growth allowance is added to the limit each week of the season. Maintenance of weight during the season is monitored prior to each game.

D6 Mite

Age - No Division 6 Mite player shall attain the age of nine (9) prior to June 1st but must attain the age of seven (7) by September 1^st.

Grade – A player must be in the 2nd or 3rd grade to be eligible to participate as a D6 Mite.

Weight - At the official, scheduled weigh-in, the maximum weight will not exceed 105 pounds. If the player misses the weight but weighs under the season ending weight of 115 pounds they will be allowed to stay on the roster and work their way into eligibility as the season progresses.

D1 Mite

Age - No Division 1 Mite player shall attain the age of ten (10) prior to June 1st.

Grade – A player must be in the 4th grade to be eligible to participate as a D1 Mite.

D6 Pee Wee

Age - No Division 6 Pee Wee player shall attain the age of eleven (11) prior to June 1st.

Grade – A player must be in the 5th grade to be eligible to participate as a D6 Pee Wee.

Weight - At the official, scheduled weigh-in, the maximum weight will not exceed 130 pounds. If the player misses the weight but weighs under the season ending weight of 140 pounds they will be allowed to stay on the roster and work their way into eligibility as the season progresses.

D1 Pee Wee

Age - No Division 1 Pee Wee player shall attain the age of twelve (12) prior to June 1st.

Grade – A player must be in the 6th grade to be eligible to participate as a D1 Pee Wee.

D6 Midget

Age - No Division 6 Midget player shall attain the age of thirteen (13) prior to June 1st.

Grade – A player must be in the 7th grade to be eligible to participate as a D6 Midget.

Weight - At the official, scheduled weigh-in, the maximum weight will not exceed 165 pounds. If the player misses the weight but weighs under the season ending weight of 175 pounds they will be allowed to stay on the roster and work their way into eligibility as the season progresses. Note: If a player exceeds 175 pounds, he/she will be dropped from the roster as there is no higher weight level to advance.

D1 Midget

Age - No Division 1 Midget player shall attain the age of fifteen (15) prior to November 15^th. However, no player, regardless of the aforementioned requirements, shall participate in the league if he or she is in the ninth grade of school.

Grade – A player must be in the 8th grade to be eligible to participate as a D1 Midget.

What about equipment?

MYF provides each player a helmet, shoulder pads, thigh pads, knee pads, practice shirt, practice pants, game shirt and game pants.

Player is responsible for his own cleats (molded rubber bottom), girdle with hip and tail pads, athletic supporter/cup, mouth guard with attached tether and any other optional equipment (rib protector, forearm pads, gloves, etc.).

MYF equipment distribution days are scheduled prior to the start of the season. Equipment distribution will take place at Stor-It facility, 330 Old Oak Street, Pembroke, MA. There is a refundable deposit check required to receive equipment. The deposit check is held and returned/destroyed upon receipt of the equipment at the end of the season. The MYF website will provide more specific information regarding equipment distribution as the season approaches.

Equipment Fitting: It is essential that every player has a properly fitted helmet and shoulder pads. League administrators, coaches and parents should be able to recognize equipment that fits properly and check the fit of equipment throughout the season. Improperly fitted equipment can place an athlete at greater risk for injury. Learn the proper equipment fitting techniques to ensure optimal protection at: http://usafootball.com/health-safety/equipment-fitting

Note: MYF follows recommended guidelines for equipment reconditioning and recertification. Reconditioning and recertification is the process in which equipment is cleaned, sanitized, buffed, painted, inspected, repaired and National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) certified. MYF has partnered with Riddell to complete this process. Please visit the following link to learn more about Riddell's reconditioning and recertification process: http://team.riddell.com/reconditioning/

When does the season start?

According to rules of the OCYFL, the first official practice can be held 30 days prior to the first scheduled game, usually in the middle of August. The first game is usually held on the first Saturday or Sunday after Labor Day. Practices are scheduled 4 to 5 times per week during preseason (before first scheduled game), and 3 times per week during the regular season. There is usually 2 scrimmages scheduled against other towns during preseason. Practices usually run approximately 1 ½ to 2 hours in duration during the evening hours. Coaches will provide you team specific information regarding practice schedules/times. Note: Although we don’t expect parents to make wholesale decisions regarding their vacations and conflicts with preseason youth football, it is important to remember that this is the time that coaches spend on conditioning, evaluating the skills of their players, installing offense, defense, and special teams.

What about the games?

MYF is part of the Old Colony Youth Football League which is a competitive league. MYF works hard to keep Varsity level teams competitive but we strive to make football fun for all our players. MYF has never used tryouts or roster cuts as a tool for managing team/roster size. As a way to provide the most playing time possible for each child in our program, MYF has committed to participate in Junior Varsity (JV) games. JV games allow less experienced and/or less developed players to gain game experience to improve their skills and realize the benefits of their participation in practice. This developmental approach is particularly important with the younger players as they are still learning about playing full contact football and can gain valuable experience playing in these games. A player may move between Varsity and JV throughout the season depending on the needs of the team and the abilities of the player. This format gives our players the most opportunity to get playing time and to develop as football players against age and weight matched competition.

Game schedules are determined by the OCYFL. MYF fields teams in the OCYFL Division 1 and Division 6. MYF has 3 teams participating in each division (6 total) at the Mite, Pee Wee and Midget levels. The 1^st game of the season is usually scheduled the first weekend after Labor Day. Each team plays 8 regular season games and potentially a playoff and championship game. The season is usually completed by the 2^nd weekend of November.

JV games are usually played on Saturday’s during the regular season. Mites - 8:00am: Midgets – 9:00am: Pee Wees – 10:00am.

Varsity games are usually played on Sunday’s during the regular season. Mites – 11:30am: Midgets – 1:00pm: Pee Wees – 2:30pm.

Note: MYF plays home games at Marshfield High School.

Why do we need to register so early?

A lot of planning goes into a youth football season but more specifically, the OCYFL request all participating towns to conduct player registrations and reservation dates of their home playing fields, before May 15th of the current year.

Who will coach my child?

Head coaches are selected by the MYF board. Interested candidates need to notify the MYF board that they are interested in being a head coach, present an overview of their experience and coaching philosophy. Qualified candidates will be interviewed by the board for the head coach position. After this process is completed, the board will discuss and vote on the candidates. Once a head coach is approved by the board, the head coach will select individuals that they want to be assistant coaches on their staff. All coaches, including assistant coaches, are required to undergo a CORI check. The board takes the selection of coaches very seriously, and tries to make the best choices for the program. The coaches put considerable time and effort into the program, including practice plans, game preparation, as well as numerous staff meetings outside of practice to review strategies and break down game film. You can view a current list of team head coaches by visiting the team contact link on the MYF website.

Note: Each year, since its implementation in 2014, all MYF coaches are required to complete the tackle level 1 certification program through USA Football.

MYF Refund Request Policy

All refund request forms must be submitted to the MYF treasurer.

All refunds are subject to the following conditions:

Full refunds will incur an $8.00 processing fee, per child. Deposit refunds will incur a $1.00 processing fee, per child.
Request submitted prior to the official OCYFL weigh-in will receive a full refund.
Any player unable to participate as a result of a weight disqualification at the official OCYFL weigh-in will receive a full refund.
A player who is sick, injured or has a medical condition that does not allow his/her return to participation can request a prorated refund upon submission of medical documentation supporting the players claim that he/she can't return to participation. All medical refund request must be submitted prior to week 5 of the season to be eligible.
All refund requests are subject to the return of MYF uniforms and equipment.

What is USA Football's Heads Up program?

The Heads Up program is USA Football’s national initiative to help make the sport of football better and safer. Introduced in 2012 by the NFL's youth development arm, USA Football, and funded entirely by the NFL, Heads Up is now employed by over 5,500 youth organizations. The program teaches concussion recognition and response, heat and hydration protocols, sudden cardiac arrest, proper equipment fitting instructions, blocking, but its central tenet is the Shoulder Tackling program. When executed properly, Shoulder Tackling literally takes the head out of the game. Players are taught to keep their heads up and lead with their shoulders when tackling.

USA Football’s Shoulder Tackling is a step-by-step protocol to teach the core principles of the skill and sets a new standard in player safety. The program utilizes five fundamentals through a series of drills to reinforce proper tackling mechanics and teach players how to properly tackle with a focus on reducing helmet contacts.

You can learn more about USA Football's Heads Up program at: http://usafootball.com/headsup.

In 2014, MYF became the first town of the OCYFL to become certified through USA Football's Heads Up program and adopted the Heads Up Football initiatives, including their "Return to Play" program that monitors the return of any athlete who has suffered a concussion. MYF has confirmed the concussion numbers declined over prior years. Since it's the fourth year MYF has implemented this program to closely monitor concussions in an across-the-board effort (grades 2-8), long-term results will be more indicative of its effect on our league.

USA Football, the sport’s national governing body, commissioned its Youth Football Player Safety Surveillance Study in February 2012 with Indianapolis-based Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention - http://datalyscenter.org/. The independent scientific study monitored leagues in six states (Arizona, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia) and is believed to be the first of its scope in youth football’s 80-plus year history. The study, which encompassed more than 4,000 players ages 5-14, documented player health and any sustained injuries during the course of the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

Study findings:

Nearly 90 percent of youth players did not sustain an injury that resulted in missing a game or practice.
Of the 22.4 percent of players who reported an injury, 70 percent returned to play the same day.
Of the 11.9 percent of players who missed a game or practice because of injury, 60 percent returned to play within seven days.
Bruises were the most common injuries (34 percent), followed by ligament sprains (16 percent).
4.3 percent of players in the study sustained a concussion.
Players were more likely to sustain an injury during games than in practices.
No catastrophic head, neck or heat-related injuries were reported among the more than 4,000 players during the study’s two-year span.

Also according to the study, injury risk was lowest among the youngest players – and gradually increased with age. Players ages 5-7 reported three injuries restricting participation. No youth player age 7 or younger sustained a concussion during the two-year study.