Members of the WMMFA
Since we sent out the 2012 registration flyer, we have been bombarded with questions about the Flag Program and the cost increase for the 2012 season. Everyone should know by now that the WMMFA holds a general membership meeting on the last Monday of every month and all of these topics were discussed in the last meeting. We will do our best to explain everything as we know it today in this email. Because of the overwhelming amount of e-mails and limited time board members can volunteer, we will not be responding to any further individual e-mails on this topic. Please attend the next General Membership Meeting on Monday, February 27th at 7:00 PM at the Hillcrest Community Center if you require more information.
For many years the WMMFA has participated in the NJYFL (North Jersey Youth Football League). At the end of the 2011 season, Sparta, Lenape and Wallkill Townships announced they were pulling out of the NJFYL to play in another league. This sudden departure left the NJYFL with just West Milford, Vernon, High Point and Kitattiny, certainly not enough teams remained for the 2012 season. The NJYFL Executive Board and the 4 remaining team League Representatives have worked tirelessly to find another football league for us to join as a group of 4. This extensive search resulted in a merger that was finalized on February 8th with the United Counties League which consists of Butler/Bloomingdale, Totowa, Little Falls, Woodland Park, Ringwood, Manchester, Lincoln Park and Mahwah. An official announcement about this was sent out to all WMMFA members on February 9th. This merger is the driver for the costs increase and two significant changes in the WMMFA which are:
1. 7th and 8th grade teams to combine
2. A new tackle division will be opened at the 6 and 7 year old levels which were formerly part of our Flag program.
The 3 most FAQ we have received are,
Q: Why is the registration increasing so much?
A: The biggest cause for the price increase is the formation of a 6 and 7 year old tackle team. This is going to require us to purchase a large number of complete tackle uniforms. The next cost driver is the fact that West Milford will no longer be playing with black jerseys since other teams in the United Counties league already use black jerseys. The WMMFA will be required to convert all of our jerseys to gold which is just another expense that has to be covered. All of the games in the United counties are required to be played on a 50X100 yard field which means all of our home games will be at the turf field. As of now we will be without a concession stand which is further lost revenue for the WMMFA. The total cost of these items combined is much larger than the WMMFA can absorb without raising the registration fees that have been the lowest in the NJYFL for many years. Even with this increase we are still lower and offer more than many other towns.
Q: Will there be a Flag teams this year?
A: As mentioned above 6 & 7 year old players will now be playing tackle football. For several years now the Flag level has also been open to 5 year olds but at this point in time we are not certain whether or not the there will still be a 5 year old only Flag division. This topic will be heavily discussed at our next Executive Board meeting February 21st and again at the next general membership meeting.
Q: Is the price for Cheer going to increase as well?
A: Yes, the cost of Cheer will also increase. After full inventory was taken, Cheer will also require additional uniforms and accessories for the overall program, as well as the 6 and 7 year olds which were previously part of the Flag Program. We've consistently seen increases in registrations over the past two seasons and do need to boost uniforms inventory. Additionally, the loss of concessions during the 2011 season combined with overall increases of equipment, insurance and a poor economy has led to a revenue loss for the WMMFA as a whole. With the change in our league and the necessity to play on a 50x100 field further concession revenue loss is anticipated for the 2012 season. The WMMFA is not in a position to absorb without raising fees.
I cannot stress enough the importance for anyone who has additional questions or requires a more detailed explanation to attend the next General Membership Meeting. Please remember these meetings are not open to children and anyone under the age of 18 cannot be left outside in the hallway without adult supervision. Thank you for your understanding and we hope to see you at the next meeting.
