Safety

AW SAFETY PROGRAM
 
AW is committed to ensuring a positive youth football experience and advancing player safety this fall by providing league-wide coaching education and teaching resources that benefit players, parents and coaches. AW does this through a variety of activities including USA Football’s Heads Up Football program. Our program includes the following:
 

·         USA FOOTBALL HEADS UP PROGRAM

·         EDUCATION & INJURY MONITORING PROGRAM

·         ON-SITE SAFETY

 
We do this knowing nothing is more important than the health and safety the children participating in our league. All of these programs are implemented, monitored and enforced by our Director of Player Safety. For more information on these efforts or any questions about player safety then please contact try1pres@gmail.com
 
Detailed information on each of the topic areas above is provided below.
 
USA FOOTBALL HEADS UP PROGRAM       
USA Football is the official youth development partner of the NFL and its 32 teams. Every AW coach is trained in Heads Up Football techniques before leading their teams season. All AW head coaches and assistant coaches will complete USA Football’s accredited Level 1 Coach Certification Course, which includes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concussion recognition and response protocols; proper helmet and shoulder pad fitting; and Heads Up Tackling techniques, which aim to take the head out of the line of contact.

Through Heads Up Football, a Player Safety Coach/Player Safety Coaches will be trained by USA Football to implement, evaluate and monitor Heads Up Football player safety protocols within the organization. Player Safety Coaches work with league commissioners, coaches, parents and players throughout the season to provide on-site clinics and mentoring to ensure that coaching and player safety best practices are used.

Adopted in 2013 by AW and by youth leagues on a national level, Heads Up Football requires five primary elements:

 
USA Football’s Heads Up Tackling technique was developed with contributions from USA Football’s Tackle Advisory Committee, which includes Northwestern head coach PAT FITZGERALD, UCLA head coach JIM MORA, former NFL running back MERRIL HOGE, Miami Christopher Columbus High School head coach CHRIS MERRITT and sports psychologist DR. DAVID YUKELSON.

About USA Football: USA Football, the sport’s national governing body, leads the game’s development, inspires participation and ensures a better and safer experience for all youth, high school and other amateur players. The independent nonprofit is the official youth football development partner of the NFL, its 32 teams and the NFL Players Association. USA Football manages U.S. national teams within the sport for international competitions and provides more than $1 million annually in equipment grants and youth league volunteer background check subsidies. Endowed by the NFL and NFLPA in 2002 through the NFL Youth Football Fund, USA Football (www.usafootball.com) is chaired by former NFL team executive Carl Peterson.
  
 

EDUCATION & INJURY MONITORING PROGRAM
 
Football is a contact sport. Accordingly it is our job to make is safe for all participants. A significant effort to achieve that objective is educating players and parents alike about the potential injuries inherent to football (and all sports in general). We believe there is much incorrect or anecdotal information available in the media today about football. Education is key to understanding the risks that come with the game.
 
In addition to education, AW also actively monitors injuries and their severity throughout the season. We do this to ensure that we are continually improving the safety conditions of our league...and because, as a Board, our children participate as well. See “On-Site Safety” below for more information. 

Here are some useful educational references about football:
 
http://portlandtribune.com/lor/49-opinion/242681-109622-high-school-footballs-benefits-outweigh-the-risks

http://www.sayfco.org/images/Mayo_Clinic_Study_Summary.pdf

For more information about football and injuries then please contact us at try1pres@gmail.com

AW Trojan Youth Football General Information

All practices and Most/All Home games are played at Stoney Creek Sports Park at 500 North Wales Rd in Blue Bell, PA.  Our tackle teams play in the Keystone State League which is the premier youth football organization in Eastern PA.

Equipment Hand-Out

After you have registered you will be contacted in July and informed as to what date(s) in July we will have equipment hand-outs.  If you have not heard from us by mid-July please contact your sons coach or Tim Young at 610-420-3806 as it is possible we processed your email address incorrectly.

Flag Football

Participants can be up to 5 and in some cases 6 years old with no real minimum age requirement.  There are no weight restrictions for flag. 

Practice will begin mid-August and will last until mid to late October.  The Kids will have 1-2 practices per week and inter squad scrimmages on the weekend. 

Parents interestied in coaching or for more information concerning Flag Football please contact Colin Dougherty at 610-220-0565.

Instructional Tackle Football (Referred to as 55’s by the KSL)

Participants must be at least 6 years old by the end of the calendar year.  6 and 7 year olds who weigh a maximum of 70-75lb* in their game pants and shoes are eligible to play.  In addition 8 year olds born between July and December are also eligible to play at the same weight.

Practice will begin on August 3rd.  The kids will practice 2-3 days a week until school starts and 1-2 days a week after school starts.  We usually play 2-3 preseason games between mid-August and mid-September.  Our regular season starts in mid-September and last till early November. 

Parents interested in coaching or for more information concerning Instructional Football please contact Rodney Shamberger at 215-687-6666.

Peewee Tackle Football (Referred to as 65’s by the KSL)

Participants to old/big for Instructional up to 9 years old who weigh 85-90* in their game pants and shoes are eligible to play.  In addition the KSL allows kids who are older but smaller to play at this level.

 A 10 year old born between July and December can weigh 75-80*

A 10 year old born Between January and June can weigh 65-70*

Practice will begin on August 3rd.  The kids will practice 2-4 days a week until school starts and 2-3 days a week after school starts.  We usually play 2-3 preseason games between mid-August and mid-September.  Our regular season starts in mid-September and last till early November.  At this level the KSL has playoffs and this can add a week or two to the season for teams that qualify.

Parents interested in coaching or for more information concerning Peewee Football please contact Billy Bates at 484-213-2052.

Midget Tackle Football (Referred to as 75’s by the KSL)

Participants to old/big for Pewee up to 11 years old who weigh 105-110* in their game pants and shoes are eligible to play.  In addition the KSL allows kids who are older but smaller to play at this level. 

A 12 year old born between July and December can weigh 90-95*

A 12 year old born Between January and June can weigh 80-85*

Practice will begin on August 3rd.  The kids will practice 3-4 days a week until school starts and 3 days a week after school starts.  We usually play 2-3 preseason games between mid-August and mid-September.  Our regular season starts in mid-September and last till early November.  At this level the KSL has playoffs and this can add a week or two to the season for teams that qualify.

Parents interested in coaching or for more information concerning Midget Football please contact Tim Young at 610-420-3806.

Junior Tackle Football (Referred to as 90’s by the KSL)

Participants to old/big for Midgets up to 12 years old who weigh 120-125* in their game pants and shoes are eligible to play.  13 year olds who are born between July and December are also eligible to play at the same weight.  In addition the KSL allows kids who are older but smaller to play at this level. 

A 13 year old born Between January and June can weigh 110-115*

Practice will begin on August 3rd.  The kids will practice 3-4 days a week until school starts and 3 days a week after school starts.  We usually play 2-3 preseason games between mid-August and mid-September.  Our regular season starts in mid-September and last till early November.  At this level the KSL has playoffs and this can add a week or two to the season for teams that qualify.

Parents interested in coaching or for more information concerning Bantam Football please contact Dwayne Wilmot at 203-430-4272.

*The KSL allows the kids to gain a pound a week after week one up until week 6.  That is why all weights are listed with a 5lb range. 

AW Trojans Cheerleading

Participants can be between 5 (maybe 4) and 14 years old.  Practice begins on August 3rd kicking off our Cheer Camp Week.  Cheer Camp will run Aug 3rd to Aug 6th from 6-8pm at our home Field Stony Creek Skate Park off of North Wales Rd. Practice after Cheer Camp will go to 1-2 days a week depending on availability of girls and Coaches.  The girls will receive a Cheer Shirt and Bow which is theirs to keep.

Attire/Needs for Camp:

-         Sneakers,

-         T-Shirt (Camp Shirt is required on Thursday)

-         Shorts/Capri Pants

-         Hair in Pony Tail

-         Water!!!!!

Cheer Uniform hand-out will be around the end of August prior to school beginning.  A deposit check is required in the amount of $100.00 dated 12/31/2015.  This check will be attached to your file and will be returned to you once you hand back in your child's uniform.

Parents interested in coaching or for more information concerning Trojan Cheerleading please contact Lieu Barrett at 301-704-9594.