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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

If you can't find the answer you are looking for here, contact your child's coaching staff or email us at:  

Amy Nielsen:  nielsenamy27@gmail.com

Nicole Hinkle:  nicolehinkle78@gmail.com  

For information on Flag Football please go to the Flag Football page.  

Forms required for Equipment Checkout
When you check in to get your equipment, please bring your forms with you.  
The following forms are required: 
- Registration Form
- TVYFL Medical Release Form, signed by your doctor, not by a nurse.  Only this form is allowed, no other form provided by your doctor.
- 7th/8th grade plays must have a concussion baseline test.   More details to be emailed out.
To reprint your forms, please follow these instructions:
- Login using the Member Login link in the upper left corner of this website
- Use your email address and password you used to register
- Click on My Registrations
- Click on Print Form

General:

How much does it cost?  
Cost for each player is $400 with $75 going towards fundraising.  Credit card and debit cards accepted, no checks.  We do offer a payment plan of 3 equal payments paid prior to equipment pickup.  Flag football is $95 per player.  

FAMILY DISCOUNTS:  There is an automatic discount of $50 per player if you register multiple kids in the same family at the same time.   This discount applies to Flag as well as Tackle players.

FUNDRAISING: Fundraising will be required by all Mountainside Youth Tackle Football participants.  To ensure league wide participation in our raffle fundraiser, $75 of the initial $400 goes towards the fundraiser.   Players will recieve raffle tickets at the beginning of the season to be sold for $5 each.  The players will keep all the proceeds from sale of the raffle tickets ($75) and thus be "paid back" for the upfront purchase of the tickets. Raffles tickets will be turned in during conditioning camp which is targeted for the second week in August. Fundraising is an extremely important part of our league and gives Mountainside the ability to provide high quality equipment and to cover growing operating costs.

Concussion Baseline Testing
To ensure the health and safety of our players, MYF requires baseline concussion testing. This is a non-invasive procedure (video-game type format) that takes about 15-20 minutes and costs $15-$20. All results are confidential. More information will follow after registration. 

Who can sign up for Tackle Football?
Youth in the 3rd through 8th grades are eligible to sign up if they live within the Mountainside High School attendance boundary or if their private school is located within the Mountainside High School boundary. To find out if you live within the Mountainside High School boundary, click here (Beaverton School District locator).

What is TVYFL?
TVYFL is the Tualatin Valley Football League. It is the umbrella organization that coordinates the play between the 31 individual youth football associations in the Portland Metro area. They provide the rules, the schedules and the officials for the approximately 200 teams and 6,000 players. For more information see the TVYFL website.

What is the time commitment?
Compared to other youth sports, football is a big time commitment. There are ten hours of practice per week before school starts, dropping to six hours per week after school starts. There is one game every Saturday after school starts. For more information see our Calendar section.

Do I have to start playing in 3rd grade?
No. We have many new players at each grade level who do great.

What if I have scheduled a vacation during practice time?
Go and enjoy yourself. Football will still be here when you get back. But please tell your coach as soon as possible that you will be gone.

With that said, if you have ANY flexibility, please try to schedule around the football season, especially in August. With TVYFL conditioning requirements and team division, it is important that your player be there if at all possible.

Can Girls Play?
Yes, we have had several girls play nearly every season.

Registration:

Where do I go to sign up?
Visit our Registration Page to get started for both Tackle and Flag Football.  Registration opens May 1, 2023.

Where can I get information about Scholarships?

 Please contact:  Amy Nielsennielsenamy27@gmail.com or     Nicole Hinkle:  nicolehinkle78@gmail.com  

How late can I sign up?
Registration will close on June 15.

Do I need a THPRD # to register?
Yes because we practice and plays on fields owned and maintained by THPRD, we are required to provide them that number. All players living inside and outside the THPRD boundaries are required to provide a THPRD number. Please contact THPRD to obtain your number. .

Does a Doctor have to sign my Medical Release Form?
An M.D. or a Nurse Practictioner must sign your medical release form. We will not accept a stamped signature. They do need to sign the form provided during registration. (Some medical offices give you their own sports physical form -- we will not accept this form.) Your child's player contract and medical release form were sent to you as a 2 page attachment to your registration confirmation e-mail. (Flag Football will not need a Medical Release Form)

When do I turn in my Medical Release Form? 
Please bring this form with you to equipment issue day. We must have this form completed and signed by both the parent and doctor or nurse practitioner before we can give you your equipment.  Example of the form can be found here.

Do I need a physical?
This is up to your doctor. If they have seen the player for an exam recently enough, many doctors will sign the release form. Many insurance companies will only cover a physical once every two years. Frequently you can fax the form to your doctor's office and they will fax or mail it back to you. It is up to your doctor's discretion whether or not they have seen you recently enough to determine if they can sign the release.

Equipment:

TVYFL Player Registration Contract and TVYFL Medical Release forms must be completed, signed and brought to equipment handout before you player can receive equipment.  Examples of those forms can be found here.

What equipment is provided?
MYF provides almost everything you need to play. Your helmet, mouth guard, needed pads, pants, and game jersey are all provided. Your game jersey and mouth guard are yours to keep after the season ends.

What equipment do I have to provide?
Football cleats that are molded or are internally threaded shoes where no post is extending from the shoe. Maximum size of the cleat is 1/2 inch. No all metal, primarily metal or metal tipped cleats may be worn.

Athletic cups and supporters are not required.  Girdles with pads are optional.

Most players might need an additional mouthguard throughout the season. If you wear braces, you may want to ask your Orthodontist about any special mouth protection that you may need.

My helmet hurts -- can I get a different one?
It is very common for your helmet to feel uncomfortable and even hurt your head for the first couple of weeks. Helmets must fit tightly to ensure a correct fit. Our equipment managers take the necessary time to make sure that each helmet is fitted properly. We recommend that once you get your equipment, that you wear your helmet before practice in order to break it in and get used to how it feels. When you put it on, remember to pull it all the way down, hard. If you continue to have discomfort, please let your coach know and we will have our equipment managers adjust the fit of your helmet.

What kind of cleats do I need?
TVYFL rules require that our players wear football cleats that are designed for youth football. They must be either a molded cleat or internally threaded shoes where no post is extending from the shoe (instead, the cleat post--screws internally into the shoe). Maximum size of cleat is 1/2 inch (measured from tip of cleat to base of shoe). No all metal, primarily metal, or metal tipped cleats may be worn.

What if there is a problem with my equipment?
Many problems can be corrected using the tools and supplies that each team has, so contact your coach for assistance. If they can not resolve the issue, then they will arrange to get you a replacement.

When and Where do I get my equipment?
Please refer to the calendar page of this website.  

How are the teams divided?Do I have to try out?
No. As long as your registration is complete and paid, and you are not on a waiting list, you will be placed on a team.

When there is more than one team at a grade level or division (i.e., 3/4; 5/6; JV; Varsity) the teams are divided by a draft. The purpose of the draft is to ensure that the teams are divided as equally as possible. TVYFL rules dictates that all teams be evenly matched across talent and skill levels, with no "stacked" or "developmental" teams. Each team in an age level will have the same number of players of a given grade level.

Can I request to be placed on a team with a friend?
Unfortunately no. TVYFL requirements are very straight forward. One of the great things about Mountainside Youth Football is that all of the players will be mixed with same-aged players from other elementary and middle schools. All of these schools feed into Mountainside High School, so this helps them develop friends they will eventually go to school with. Siblings are the one exception to this rule.

What if I need to carpool?
Teams of the same grade level generally practice at the same field at the same time. So, if your player needs to carpool with someone on a different team, this should usually not be a problem.

Can I request a specific coach?
No, see above.

How are the coaches picked? 
Applicants for head coaching positions are reviewed and selected by the Mountainside Youth Football Board. Assistant coaches are selected by the head coach, usually from among the parents of their players. All coaches are subject to a background check.

Practices:

When do practices start? 
Practice starts following a week of camp. 

How long are practices? 
Most practices are 2 hours long. Practice time does NOT include water breaks, so plan on two and a half hours for each practice.

How many practices are there per week? 
Between the end of the Mountainside High School Camp and the start of school, each team will practice 5 days a week. Practices may be held on Saturdays. After the start of school, each team will practice 3 days a week. Game day is not considered practice time. 

Games:

How long are the games? 
Games are made up of four 10 minute quarters. With clock stoppages, half time, moving the chains, etc., most games last nearly two hours. In addition, players are expected to be at the field at least an hour before the game to warm up and weigh in. So count on spending 3 hours at a game. 

How many games are there? 
The 3/4 division teams each play 7 scheduled games and then one "Medal" game against an opponent determined at the end of the season.

The other division teams each play 8 scheduled games. Those in the top 4 of their TVYFL league will move on to two playoff games, and those two winners will play a championship game.

Where are games played? 
Our home games are played at Mountainside High School. Most of our away games are played against others in TVYFL's Montavon Division: Aloha, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lincoln, Scappoose, St. Helens, Sunset, Southridge, and Wilson. Occasionally we might play an away game against any other TVYFL team, and while they try to keep us on this side of the Willamette, we can play anywhere from Banks to Sandy.

Why do I have to get to the game so early? 
Players are expected to get to the game site at least an hour before game time. This ensure that there is adequate time to warm up and weigh in. Being late for warm ups can increase your chance for injuries, while being late for weigh in can cause you to be disqualified from the game.

It is important to be on time to the game site. If you are "time challenged", consider carpooling or setting your alarm 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual. You don't want to be hurt, and you don't want to miss a game!

How much will I get to play? 
TVYFL has a minimum 10 play rule. This means that you will play in at least 10 active plays per game (plays ending in penalties, kneel-downs, and for 3/4 division, PAT's are not considered active plays). Depending on your position, your skill, and especially your willingness to work hard, you may play more.

Notice that "position" was the first item on the list: if you insist on playing one of the "skill" positions, like everyone else, you will likely not play as much. There are a lot of people who want to be quarterback and receiver. But if you are willing to learn to play a line position, you will have a better chance to play more often. Think about it: there are nine starting linemen and only one starting quarterback. If ten people can play line well, and only four can play quarterback well, individuals from which group will get more play time?

What position will I play? 
Probably several. Most players will play "both ways", both on offense and defense. And most players will play several positions during the season. Your coaches will observe and work with you to find the best locations for you. We want you to be successful!

The Game Rules:

Football Basics for Youth Football:

Football is played between two teams with 11 players each. The playing field is 120 yards long, 100 yard playing surface with a 10 yard end zone at each end of the field. The field is broken down into 10 yard segments. The field is 53 1/3 yards wide. At the end of each end zone is a set of Goal Posts. The High School Goal Posts are 23’ 4" wide, 30’ tall with a cross bar 10’ off the ground.

The object of the game is for the offense to score points and the defense to stop them. Points can be scored by offense by either running or passing and catching the football in the end zone OR by kicking the ball between the goals posts above the cross bar. The defense can score points by running the ball into the end zone via turnover (A fumble or interception) or via a safety (stopping the offense in the offense’s end zone.

Point Values are: 
Touchdown = 6 Points 
Point After Touchdown = 2 Point for kicking the ball between the goal posts or 1 Point for running or passing/catching in end zone 
Field Goal = 3 Points 
Safety = 2 Points

The game is divided into quarters of 8 or 10 minutes each for Youth Football. Between the 2nd and 3rd quarter there is a halftime period.

The team with the most points at the end of four quarters wins. If a game is tied an overtime period is played using a modified Kansas Plan. In Youth Football, the Kansas Plan starts at the 10 yard line and each team is given four plays to score. If the teams are still tied after each team has been given a possession, the game ends in a tie.

TVYFL Specific Rules:

Maximum Player Weight allowed to carry the football:

  • 3rd and 4th Grade - 105 Pounds
  • 5th and 6th Grade - 125 Pounds
  • JV - 150 Pounds
  • Varsity - 175 Pounds

Tualatin Valley Youth Football League adheres to all other rules and regulations as outlined in the current, official National Federation of State High School Associations rulebook. (NFHS).

Coaches and Board Members:

Are Coaches and Board Members paid? 
Everyone associated with Mountainside Youth Football are volunteers donating hundred of hours year round to help make this program a success.

Who can be a Head Coach or Assistant Coach? 
Anyone with the ability to put in the time commitment. All coaches must register through the TVYFL website every season. Head coaches should have a basic knowledge of football, and can apply it at the youth level. Head coaching experience is desired, but not necessary.  Head coaching candidates are interviewed by the board at the beginning of the year. All coaches are required to undergo a back ground check. All coaches will also be required to help out with equipment fittings and equipment handout prior to the start of the season.

Why are there so many coaches for each team? My son's soccer team only has two.
Football is a very technical sport. Players have to be taught both offensive and defensive skills and positions. Many coaching staffs are made up of a head coach and "experts" in each of the different disciplines. Additionally, because football is a contact sport, the additional coaching staff increases the safety factor at practice while players are learning new skills.

What is the refund policy?  No refunds can be issued after July 13.  Before July 13, withdrawing players can be refunded the amount paid minus $25, to cover registration processing fees.

What is the "modified tackle game"?  USA Football will piloted a version of the game under the working title "The Modified Tackle Game" designed to enhance and strengthen the player development pathway and serve as a bridge between flag football and 11-person full-field tackle.  Click here to learn more                                

                                                                           

 

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