FAQ
Who are we?
When does the season begin?
My son or daughter has never played football or cheered before. Can he or she still participate?
Where do I have to live in order to play on DHYFA?
What do I need to bring when I sign up?
When will our head coach contact us?
How long does the season last?
How many days/hours do the players practice?
Where are practices held?
What if we already have a vacation scheduled for August?
How many games will be played?
When and where are games played?
I have heard that football coaches are constantly yelling at the players. Is that true?
Who does the scheduling of the games?
Is there a refund policy if my player changes his mind and decides not to play?
Why must I furnish a copy of my child’s report cards?
Is a baptismal or hospital birth certificate sufficient to prove my child’s age?
Why must my child have a physical & release form?
What is Certification?
What equipment must I supply?
Does my son or daughter have to return their equipment at the end of the season?
What fees are involved?
What does my registration and association fees cover?
How can I make a donation to the program?
How much volunteer time is expected from parents?
Why must parents participate so much?
Can anyone be a Head Coach?
Can I request a certain Coach or Team?
What happens if my child misses practice?
Is it mandatory to fundraise?
Who can I talk to if I have a question about football registration?
How are volunteers screened?
I would like to view a copy of DHYFA's budget
Who can I talk to if I have a complaint?
When does the season begin?
August 4, 2008.
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My son or daughter has never played football or cheered before. Can he or she still participate?
Yes. There is no prior experience required. On the younger aged teams, many of the players have had no prior football or cheerleading experience. As the age of the player increases, generally the players or cheerleaders with no experience will decrease.
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Where do I have to live in order to play on DHYFA?
Football players and cheerleaders must come from within the DHYFA boundaries. The following areas are included in those boundaries: Anthem, Desert Hills, New River, Black Canyon City and Tramonto.
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What do I need to bring when I sign up?
Check our home page for all the registration details.
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When will our head coach contact us?
Sometime in July.
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How long does the season last?
4 ½ months (includes August—preparation month). The season opens August 4, 2008 to begin conditioning the participants. The first game of the season is Saturday, September 6, 2008 and continues into November for up to 10 games.
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How many days/hours do the players practice?
4 or 5 days a week during August (10 hours per week maximum). After the Labor Day holiday, it goes down to 2 to 3 days a week (6 hours per week maximum).
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Where are practices held?
At the Anthem community fields, Boulder Creek High School practice fields and local Anthem schools.
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What if we already have a vacation scheduled for August?
Please discuss this with your Head Coach as soon as possible. Regular attendance is crucial during August due to the fundamental instruction and mandatory conditioning that takes place during the first 2 weeks of August.
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How many games will be played?
10 games will be played for the season to include playoff and/or bowl games. Additional games will be played if the team makes playoffs for Jr. Pee Wee levels and above.
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When and where are games played?
All games are on Saturdays. Home games are played at Boulder Creek High School. Away games will vary by location -- our conference covers South East Valley, Cave Creek/Carefree, Chandler, South Mountain, Gilbert, West Valley, Gila River, Pinal Mountain, Scottsdale, Desert West, Paradise Valley, Laveen and Buckeye.
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I have heard that football coaches are constantly yelling at the players, is that true?
No. We insist that the coaches make playing football a positive experience for the players. The use of profanity is absolutely forbidden, and coaches are never allowed to address a player in a belittling fashion. Any violations by coaches which are reported will be investigated and handled by our Board of Directors.
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Who does the scheduling of the games?
Central Arizona Youth Football League.
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Is there a refund policy if my player changes his mind and decides not to play?
No, DHYFA does not give refunds. In very rare cases due to injury or illness (only during the first two weeks of practice), a credit voucher for the following season may be issued. Approval of said voucher will be determined by the Board of Directors. All requests for refunds must be submitted in writing with a live signature to P.O. Box 74203, Phoenix AZ 85027.
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Why must I furnish a copy of my child’s report cards?
It is a National American Youth Football rule that each participant provide proof of scholastic fitness in order to be rostered. It also qualifies those eligible to participate in local and national award ceremonies. Report cards must be turned in by the first day of practice. Be sure to save all current school year report cards.
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Is a baptismal or hospital birth certificate sufficient to prove my child’s age?
No. The only acceptable proof of age is a certified county birth certificate or a passport.
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Why must my child have a physical & release form?
CAFL (Central Arizona Football League) rules mandate that each participate is physically cleared to participate in our program. Please be sure to discuss any medical issues (ie asthma, allergy to bee stings, etc.) with your Head Coach prior to the season starting.
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What is Certification?
Certification of all participants takes place after the second week of conditioning in August (8/16/08). A CAYFL official will conduct an official weigh in where each player must weigh in at a weight within the limits for the division that he/she is participating in. If he/she is not within their division limits then they will be moved to the appropriate division. Each team has a book that houses all player information (contract, proof of age, picture, medical release, etc.) in individual sleeves. The book is checked and approved by a CAYFL official at a later time in August. The last piece of Certification is scholastic fitness (report cards). All participants must be scholastically eligible to participate (2.0 GPA).
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What equipment must I supply?
You must supply acceptable football cleats and an athletic supporter (hard or soft cup).
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Does my son or daughter have to return their equipment at the end of the season?
All equipment given to your son or daughter, except for their game jersey and spirit pack, must be returned, otherwise funds will not be released for year-end parties and trophies.
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What fees are involved?
There are two fees involved with DHYFA. The registration fee is standard for all Central Arizona Youth Football League participants and is due at the time of registration. The association fee is set based upon the costs involved with operating our football and cheer programs. It will be due by July 26, 2008. These fees are used to offset the costs associated with uniforms, games and field costs. The association fee can be paid outright or there are 2 fundraisers that you can participate in to offset the cost of the association fee.
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What does my registration and association fees cover?
Our League is assessed fees by CAYFL to cover expenses such as insurance, national charter fees, referee fees, etc. There are also equipment refurbishing and replacement costs, field usage fees and general operating expenses that the registration and association fees cover.
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How can I make a donation to the program?
We have a sponsorship program designed to recognize individuals or businesses for donations. For more information please contact the Business Manager of your team.
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How much volunteer time is expected from parents?
Each player's family is expected to assist during game days: chain gang duty, field set up/take down, spotter duty, etc. A minimum of 10 hours per 'player' is the norm for each season.
Much like many other youth sports programs, volunteers are critical to the success pf the Wolfpack program
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Why must parents participate so much?
DHYFA is run exclusively by volunteers. All parents are expected to help out in some capacity.
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Can anyone be a Head Coach?
No. Anyone wishing to participate as a head coach is required to submit an application and successfully pass an interview conducted by the Board of Directors.
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Can I request a certain Coach or Team?
No. Individuals will be placed on a team according to their weight and age.
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What happens if my child misses practice?
If a child misses one or more practices during the week, they may have limited or no play time in that week’s game. This is a safety and commitment issue not only for your child, but for the rest of the team. However, each Head Coach sets their own policy and commitment on absences.
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Is it mandatory to fundraise?
Each team decides how they want to fundraise. Any fundraising at the team level goes towards each team’s individual account. For more information click here.
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Who can I talk to if I have a question about football registration?
Please contact our Associations Player Agent, Alex Oorin at agent@deserthiglandsfootball.com.
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How are volunteers screened?
CAYFL rules dictate that all volunteers (coaches, team moms, and anyone who will have direct contact with the children) must pass a background check. These checks are run annually prior to the start of the season.
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I would like to view a copy of DHYFA's budget
We are a non-profit organization. Our budget is always available upon request. You can email the treasurer to request a copy @ treasurer@deserthighlandsfootball.com
Who can I talk to if I have a complaint?
There are plenty of people who are willing to listen! Always start with your Head Coach. The Head Coach has the final authority on how his team is run provided that he is operating under the rules of the local Conference and Nationals. If you are unable to discuss the issue with your Head Coach, the League Player/Coach Representative can be contacted, as well as our Executive Board members (President, Vice President, Treasurer & Secretary). Their contact information is located on our website under the Staff tab.
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Association phone number: 623.780.1099
