Garden City Athletic Association
GC THUNDER FOOTBALL SAYS WELCOME
That’s right it is that time of year again. You heard it loud and clear, THUNDER, SET! The GC Thunder program which starts at age 7 welcomed their newest additions. All 7 year old players got together this past Sunday along with all returning 8 year old players. They all received their new helmets and other equipment for the upcoming season. It was their first time to see who their teammates could be and who else will be going to battle with them this year and fighting in the trenches for inches, yards, first downs, and touchdowns. The coaches who attended were also excited and could not resist seeing what some of the new boys could do. So we held our annual players clinic putting the new and old players through some drills. It was nice to see some of the older players helping out the younger players. Many of the coaches that were there to help out with the drills jumped right into action. Excitement filled the air for the entire time the kids were running around. It sure looks like it is going to be an exciting year. Once again on behalf of the GC Thunder program we welcome all of our players into The Thunder Family. GO THUNDER!!!!!!!!
We have successfully concluded our 2009 Equipment Days and Players Clinic and will soon begin the process of selecting teams. You will be notified in early July by your sons coach regarding next steps, practice times, etc.
As a courtesy to your friends and neighbors if your son has registered and has now decided that he will not be playing, please let us know immediately. We would like to know before selecting teams to avoid having boys placed on a team and then realizing they will not be playing.
If your son plans to play this season but has not registered, your registration must be received by Monday June 22nd.
The following is a status for each age group;
7s: Open
8s: CLOSED, any new applications will be placed on a wait list, if a player drops we will pull in order of receipt of application from the wait list
9s: Limited spots available
10s: Limited spots available
11s: Limited spots available
12s: Open
Consists of helmet, shoulder pads, mouthpiece, white football pants, cup with athletic supporter, cleats (molded plastic or rubber cleats only - no screw in or metal cleats), 2-thigh, 2-knee, 2-hip and 2-tailbone (butt) pads are required. The approximate equipment cost will be $200.00. Cleats, cup with Athletic supporter are not offered at the Equipment Day.
Football Jerseys New players Will require a check, made payable to GCAA, for $48.00 which will cover the cost of your child’s Home and Away jerseys. Each player will be assigned a jersey and a number that they will keep throughout all of their years of participation in the GCAA Thunder Football Program.
Football Helmet Policy & Helmet Inspection
Only Riddell and Schutt football helmets that are up to 2 years old are permitted in the Thunder program. See the Helmet Policy letter posted on www.gcthunder.com website for more details. For the 2009 season: if your helmet has a”09” sticker on the rear of the helmet it is GOOD for the 2009 season. If you do not have such a sticker or are unsure, bring the helmet in to the June 7th or June 14th Equipment Day to be checked.
Go Thunder!!!
*** 2009 Football Application and 2009 Player Registration Document("PRD" form) ARE NOW AVAILABLE!
Click "Applications/Forms"
Note the identifying information on the Medical Form MUST BE TYPED.
REGISTER EARLY! TEAMS ARE CLOSED OUT BASED ON APPLICATIONS POSTMARKED ON MAY 29th 2009!
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
*Thunder Football Equipment Days will be held on June 7th and June 14th in the morning (exact times TBD). For those new to the program, these are dates/times in which you can purchase football equipment from a Riddell representative (helmets, shoulder pads, pants and pads, etc.).
*June 14th will be the date for our annual Thunder Football Clinic, again time TBD.
*This year the Thunder program is attempting to field a 12 year old team, for those interested in having their son participate applications are being accepted to all interested.
*Be on the look out for more updates coming shortly regarding the 2009 Summer Football Jamboree as well as Thunder Football merchandise!
Click on "Accepted Applications 2009" on the left tabs to see if your player is registered
GO THUNDER!
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PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING REMINDERS:
REMINDER: NO SCREW-IN CLEATS IN THUNDER FOOTBALL. ONLY MOLDED PLASTIC OR RUBBER CLEATS ARE ALLOWED.
If a player weighs in wearing screw-in cleats he is NOT allowed to play in the game. If he is caught wearing screw-in cleats during a game he is thrown out of that game and suspended suspended for the next game.
REMINDER: GCAA SPECTATOR CODE OF CONDUCT APPLIES AT ALL THUNDER GAMES, HOME AND AWAY
1 - Support and contribute to the coach's and organization's effort to create an environment in which children and adults have fun with sports.
Encourage all players on the team and the opposition team. Engage in only positive cheering and cheer effort as much as outcome.
2 - Cooperate with efforts to teach the basic skills, rules and strategies of the sport.
Insure that your child is able to attend the majority of practices and games. Become familiar with the basic rules and strategies of the sport and the coach's plan of instruction. Inform the coach of any ongoing scheduling conflicts in advance. Refrain from sideline coaching. Practice with your child and help them identify how they can contribute to their team as well as setting personal goals.
3 - Model appropriate fan behavior and good sportsmanship.
Encourage through positive cheering competitiveness within the bounds of good sportsmanship. Show respect for the officials all the time, especially when you disagree. Acknowledge good plays of the opposition. Treat players of the other teams as members of our community first and as opponents secondarily. Refrain from actions or words that undercut the self-esteem of players on the other teams. Don't make negative comments about the other team as a means of encouraging or cheering for you child's team.
*** SPECIFIC RULES FOR GCAA THUNDER FOOTBALL ***
1) All spectators (even parents with cameras) are required to stay behind the ropes at all times, home and away. Only tagged coaches, chain gang operators or league officials are permitted inside the ropes. THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER - YOUR TEAM WILL BE FINED IF YOU VIOLATE THIS RULE.
2) All spectators are expected to conduct themselves in the appropriate manner at all times and show respect for your Garden City team and its coaches, the opposing teams and coaches, and most of all the referees.
It is a new league rule for 2008 that any spectator (including parents, relatives, etc) ejected from a field for inappriopriate behavior by a referee or a Field Director MUST ALSO REMOVE THE PLAYER THEY ARE SUPPORTING FROM THE FIELD. That player is then punished for their parent's behavior by being suspended for the following game also. If a team does not give the player's name, the league will look into the matter and force the team to forfeit each succeeding game until the player is properly suspended for the following game. This rule may seem unfair, but the rule exists as a result of the negative trend in parent behavior at youth sports events.
Be sure to check this site or your head coaches "Bulletin Board" periodically. Have a Question? Check the "Thunder FAQs"
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