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Practice times and game schedule Information
Football:
Practice begins on July 25th. The first 10 hours of practice is required to be without pads.
Practice is held 5 days a week for 2 hours a session (10 hours maximum per week), until Labor Day, September 4th. After Labor Day, practice will be cut to 6 hours a week. Practice times vary per coach, but practice generally starts around 6 or 6:30 PM. According to National Pop Warner Rules, breaks do not count towards the allotted practice time!
Practice locations vary, but have recently been at one of the following locations: Fire Lake Elementary, Alpenglow, or Homestead Elementary.
The jamboree, which is historically held at the Anchorage Football Stadium, is usually the Sunday that follows the first three weeks of practice.
The game schedule begins after the Jamboree. The league guarantees a minimum of 8 games. Although games can be mid week, the majority have been, and are expected to continue to be, on Sundays.
Historically, teams have been required to make one trip to Soldotna or Homer for a game.
If your team finishes in the top 6 for your division (including all other Alaska Pop Warner Leagues), you qualify for the playoffs (Tiny-Mites excluded). The playoffs are single elimination. The winner becomes Alaska State Champions.
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Uniform and Equipment Requirements
Q: What does the football uniform consist of?
A: The basic football uniform consists of pants with thigh pads, knees pads, hip pads, and a tail bone pad. Each player also wears shoulder pads under a jersey and a helmet with mouth guard. Cleats and socks finish off the basic uniform.
Q: What additional equipment should my child wear?
A: Beyond the required uniform items, most kids wear some kind of insulating layer under their pads. This can be a simple t-shirt, or it can be Under Armor, or other compression clothing. This is particularly valuable during cold weather play. Football is played in ALL weather so, players can get cold if not properly dressed. Gloves are another common accessory. There are two basic types: Ball carrier and lineman. If you have questions, ask your coaching staff. Players may NOT wear any kind of cap under their helmet.
Q: What kind of care will my uniform need?
A: Different parts of the uniform need different kinds of care. Here are some general guidelines for helmet and uniform care:
Helmet Care: Try keeping your helmet clean and free of debris. You can do this by simply wiping with a damp cloth. NEVER use abrasive cleaners or solvents to clean the helmet. The ERPA Equipment Manager has a special helmet cleaning solution if a damp cloth will not work. Always inspect your helmet – paying particular attention to the fasteners that attach the facemask and chin strap. If the helmet appears damaged in any way – IMMEDIATELY show your Coach or the ERPA Equipment Manager. NEVER play or participate in contact drills with a damaged helmet
Integrated Pants (pants with pads built in)
Washing Pants - ALWAYS WASH IN COLD WATER
DO NOT remove the belt.
COLD WATER WASH - separate from other garments.
DO NOT DRY CLEAN OR PRESS the pants, this will discolor them.
Do not allow perspiration soaked or muddy garments to lay in a pile or rest on top of each other for any period of time. Launder them immediately if they need it. However, it is not necessary to launder after each wearing. Simply hang them on a plastic or wooden hanger until the next practice. DO NOT OVER-WASH these pants.
Fasten D-ring belts before washing to keep the belt from snagging in the washer.
DO NOT use chlorine bleach and do not soak these pants. DO NOT use fabric softeners. Softeners deteriorate garments with spandex. They also restrict the effectiveness of Dri-Fit technology and act as a magnet for dirt.
Use mild detergent. Detergents with pH under 10 are recommended for athletic uniforms.
REMOVE garments from the machine immediately after washing. Hang the item from the leg openings if possible. DO NOT DRY IN A MACHINE. This will cause rapid deterioration of the pants. Be sure the garment is COMPLETELY dry before storing and store away from direct sunlight.
Finally: COLD wash and AIR dry. This is the key to keeping them looking and performing properly.
Pants Inspection
Always inspect your pants for damage. Pay particular attention to the D ring belt. Look for warping of the rings, fraying of the belt. Check the knee, thigh, hip and tail pads. If your pants appear damaged in any way, report it to your coach IMMEDIATELY. Never practice or play in damaged pants.
Shoulder Pads
Try keeping your shoulder pads clean and free of debris. You can do this by simply wiping with a damp cloth. NEVER use abrasive cleaners or solvents to clean shoulder pads. The ERPA Equipment Manager has a special shoulder pad cleaning solution if a damp cloth will not work.
Jersey Care
Your issued game jersey is yours to keep – please take care of it. Always wash the jersey in COLD WATER and never use bleach. Jerseys should be allowed to AIR DRY. If you must dry them, do so on the LOWEST setting. Line Drying is recommended, particularly with these garments.
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Practice and Games and Games
Q: Is practice cancelled because of weather?
A: No. Practice is almost never cancelled due to weather. We will practice in the rain, cold, heat, or snow, as long as it's safe for our players.
Q: What should my child bring to practice?
A: Our League by-laws require that each child have ten hours of conditioning prior to wearing the full uniform. For this conditioning period they should wear shorts, a t-shirt, cleats, and their helmet. Once they have satisfied the conditioning requirement, we will wear full uniform every practice. This consists of helmet with mouth guard, shoulder pads, practice jersey, pants with all pads, and cleats. Finally, every player should bring PLENTY of water to each practice. We CANNOT over-emphasize the importance of this. We recommend at LEAST 1/2 gallon or more. This will be especially important on hot days.
Q: How should my child prepare for practice?
A: Drinking plenty of water prior to practice is key, especially in warm weather. We do not recommend that they eat heavily before practice. It's also a good idea to skip sugary drinks or soda on practice days. Once school starts, it's a good idea to make your child responsible for their gear and to set it up at night before they go to sleep. We see players show up at practice missing gear all the time. If they aren't fully dressed, they can't practice and this is detrimental to the team. The most commonly forgotten items are mouth guards.
Q: How long is a game?
A: Typically, you can expect your player to be at the field for 3 hours. We require players to show up 1 hour before game time, and most games take 2 hours to play.
Q: Are games cancelled due to weather?
A: As with practice, we do not cancel games for weather unless there is a significant safety risk. We play in rain, snow, heat, and cold.
Q: Are there covered seating areas at all fields?
A: No, most fields don't have ANY seating at all. Ask your coaching staff if you have questions.
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