2023 Flag Football Program
Overview
In 2023 NEYSA will again participate in the YCJFA Youth Flag Football Program with teams being assigned and commencing practices in March and games commencing in April. Games will be played 5-on-5 and will last approximately 1 hour (2-20 minute halves with halftime and limited clock stoppage). We expect practices to be 2 weeknights per week for an hour each practice, with games on Saturdays or Sundays. Final practice schedules will be distributed once teams have been assigned, and game schedules will come out from the league in late March.
Eligible Players
The Flag Football Program is open to boys and girls who are age 5-14 as of January 1, 2023, and who meet one of the following residence criteria:
- Currently reside in the North Eastern School District; or
- Do not reside in NESD, but NESD is the closest participating program to the player’s home (for example, players residing in Central School District are eligible to participate with NEYSA). The other participating programs at this time are West York Boys Club and Dover (additional programs may be added throughout the winter months and this list will be updated).
Any questions regarding eligibility for a specific player should contact Chris Jackson prior to completing registration.
Timeline
- January 10 - Registration Opens
- March 1 - Late Registration Begins ($10 Late Fee)
- March 3 -Last Day to Register
- March 4 - Player Evaluation Combine
- March 5 - Team Draft (Coaches Only) and Team Announcements
- Weeks of March 7 & 14 - Practices Begin
- Weekend of April 1 & 2 - Regular Season Starts
- Early/Mid-June - Playoffs and Championships
Costs
Registration fee is $100.00 per player. The registration fee includes the player's personalized jersey with name and number for them to keep. For families with multiple players, there is a $10 off discount for siblings, which should be automatically applied at checkout.
Team Information
Teams will be fielded in each of the following age divisions:
- 6U - Players ages 5 and 6 as of January 1, 2023
- 8U - Players ages 7 and 8 as of January 1, 2023
- 10U - Players ages 9 and 10 as of January 1, 2023
- 12U - Players ages 11 and 12 as of January 1, 2023
- 14U - Players ages 13 and 14 as of January 1, 2023
Birth Certificates and School Records are Required for Participation!
Teams will be comprised of 5-10 players, with NEYSA fielding as many teams as possible in each division, with each division containing multiple teams from each of the local participating organizations.
New for 2023 – In divisions where the league has a sufficient number of total teams, we will now be dividing the age level into two divisions with teams based on skill level to better ensure competitive balance and improve the overall experience for kids of all skill and development level. We anticipate fielding multiple teams at each competitive division and in each age level so as to accommodate players of all skill and development levels.
At all age levels, players will be evaluated via our combine to provide coaches with as much information as possible when selecting their teams. All players should plan to attend the combine. Failure to attend the combine does not mean your player cannot participate, but it may impact their team assignment as the player will be assigned based solely on whatever information available at the time. Following the combine, NEYSA will draft individual teams, with teams at each level being drafted with the intent of having balanced teams within each age level and division. Players may not request to be paired together and no requests for assignment to a specific team or coach will be honored. Other than siblings wishing to play on the same team, there will be absolutely no exceptions to this policy.
Coaching Information
Each team will be assigned a Head Coach and, to the extent volunteers are available, an Assistant Coach. Individuals wishing to volunteer as Head or Assistant Coaches should identify that during the registration process along with the division or divisions they are interested in coaching. Once the number of teams being fielded in a division is determined, Head Coaches will be selected by NEYSA prior to team assignment of players to ensure each Head Coach is paired with their child and assistant coaches will be assigned after teams are separated, to the extent possible.
If you would like to volunteer to coach a team other than your child’s, that is absolutely allowed, just please reach out to Chris Jackson directly so we can coordinate it during team assignment.