Culpeper Football Association (CFA)

 

By-Laws

 

 

 

General Information

This organization shall be known as the Culpeper Football Association, INC. hereinafter referred to as “CFA”.

The following guidelines will be adhered to by CFA. 

This document expires annually at the end of the calendar year and must be reviewed annually. 

These By-Laws set specific ground rules for all coaches, parents, spectators, volunteers and participants.  

Participants are defined as both football players and cheerleaders.

 

Team Sportsmanship

Participants should be taught to be competitive, but to learn how to win and lose graciously.

Unsportsmanlike comments or actions will not be tolerated.

Both teams will shake hands in a sportsmanlike fashion at the end of each game; this includes the cheerleaders, football players, cheerleading coaches and football coaches.

All coaches, parents, spectators, volunteers and participants are encouraged to display and maintain a positive atmosphere at any CFA functions.

 

Code of Conduct

Codes of Conduct are essential in youth programs and the adoption of the following codes is a method devised to help develop sportsmanship, character, safety and fair play.

Football and Cheerleading Coaches: All football and cheerleading coaches should refrain from:

1.        Use of foul language.

2.        Abusing participants.

3.        Harassing the officials.

4.        Riding of opposition of fans by word or gesture.

5.        Permitting an injured player to enter or re-enter a game.

6.        Disobeying or attempting to circumvent rules and regulations or the intent thereof.

7.        Use of tobacco, drugs, or intoxicants while going on or coming off the field of play or while on the field of play, be it at practices or games.

8.        Misconduct resulting in ejection.  Any coach who is ejected (removed) from a game is automatically suspended from the next game his team plays.  This rule is not subject to protest or review.  Removal from a game shall be interpreted to include the playing field and spectator area.  A second offense by the same person will result in suspension from all future team activities.

All football and cheerleading coaches will uphold the rules and regulations of the League By-Laws and decisions of the CFA Board.  Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action or suspension.

Parents, Spectators and Attendees: All parents, spectators and attendees shall:

1.        Conduct themselves in a sensible manner at all games and practices.  Riotous, boisterous, threatening or indecent conduct or the use of abusive, threatening or indecent language at all games and practices will not be tolerated. 

2.        Never harass the officials, the opposition or the coaching staff.

3.        Refrain from the use, consumption or presence of drugs or intoxicants at all games and practices. There is NO SMOKING anywhere in the Culpeper County Complex.  This is a County rule.

4.        Refrain from any unauthorized presence on the playing field or practice field.

5.        Refrain from interacting with the participants and coaching staff during the course of the game.

6.        Obey the league established sideline boundaries.  Failure to comply may result in a penalty up to 15 yards for the team the infraction is on.

7.        Obey the CFA officials if asked to keep the end zones clear during play.  Failure to comply may result in a penalty up to 15 yards for the team the infraction is on.

All Parents, Spectators and Attendees will uphold the rules and regulations of the League By-Laws and decisions of the CFA Board.  Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action or suspension.

Participants: All participants shall not:

1.        Refuse to abide by an official’s decision.

2.        Show disrespect to any official, any coach or any other participant.

3.        Use unnecessarily rough tactics in the play of the game against the body and person of an opposing participant.

4.        Use tobacco, drugs, or intoxicants while going on or coming off the field of play or while on the field of play, be it at practices or games.

5.        Use of abusive or profane language.

6.        Alter equipment to gain a competitive advantage or to inflict injury to an opponent.

If a participant is ejected from a game, for any reason, they must sit out the next game.  A second ejection will result in the suspension from all future activities for current season.

All participants will uphold the rules and regulations of the League By-Laws and decisions of the CFA Board.  Failure to comply will result in disciplinary action or suspension.

 

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities

·         All participants are expected to be on time and in proper uniform for all practices and games.  Parents/Guardians are responsible for transporting children to and from all practices and games.

·         If transportation arrangements have to be made with someone other than the parent/guardian, please provide to the Head Coach in writing who will be picking up and/or dropping off your child.

·         Please escort your child to and from the practice and game locations.  We do not want children to be left unattended.

·         Games could be played in inclement weather, so please dress your child appropriately.   This includes all participants, Football Players as well as Cheerleaders.

·         If your child has special medical needs or allergies, please provide written instructions to the Head Coach.

·         Playing Time –

o        Excessive tardiness/absenteeism will result in limited participation, at the discretion of the Head Coach.

o        Mighty Mites and Midget divisions’ minimum playing time is 6 plays per half.

o        Bandit minimum playing time is 10 plays per half.

·         If your child has officially quit the team/squad, please notify the head coach and return all uniforms and/or equipment to him/her within seven (7) days.  Failure to return uniforms/equipment within the seven (7) days will result in you being charged for the actual cost of all the uniforms/equipment plus a $50 service fee.

·         In case of injury, it is highly recommended for a responsible adult to be present during all practices and games.

 

Coaches

Head Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Athletic Directors of all teams/squads in CFA shall be annually reviewed, selected and approved by the Board at a duly constituted meeting. Only those persons who are in good standing with Culpeper Football Association shall be eligible for appointment to a Coaching position.

 

Selection of coaches for football and cheerleading shall be based not only on knowledge of football or cheering but on leadership, character, communication skills and sportsmanship.

Head Coach – overall responsibility and organization of the team/squad must be 18 years of age. Must go through interview process as outlined by the CFA Coaches Committee, must uphold rules and regulations of the CFA By-Laws, as well as the decisions of the CFA board.

Assistant Coaches – maximum of 3 per football team; maximum of 2 per cheerleading squad

Athletic Director – football team only; the person in charge of ensuring that all players have received their minimum number of plays and provide any other assistance to the coaching staff.

 

Coaches’ Meetings/Responsibilities:

All Football and Cheerleading Head Coaches are expected to have representation at the following meeting:

·         Pre-Practice meeting to be held in late July/early August.

All Football Head Coaches are expected to have representation at the following meeting:

·         Player evaluations

·         Player draft

·         CFA Coaches Clinic to be held in the July/August time frame

·         Pre-Season meeting to be held in September

·         CFA Jamboree

·         Scheduled Anklebiter referee duties

·         Scheduled Field Manager duties

·         Scheduled Field Maintenance duties

·         Pre-Playoff meeting to be held in October

 

All Football and Cheerleading Head Coaches are expected to:

·         Communicate any information passed on to them by the CFA board to their team/parents.

·         Provide at least one email address (accessed frequently) in order for CFA to communicate with their team.

·         Be responsible for the overall organization of their team.

·         Go over the Code of Conduct with their parents and participants at their initial meeting with their team/squad.

·         Carry all participants’ Registration/Medical Release forms at all times when their team/squad is practicing or playing.

·         Be responsible of his/her sideline, fans and coaches throughout their game. Should any problems arise that the head coach cannot handle, they should consult with the designated Field Manager for assistance.

·         Ensure sidelines/bleachers are clear of any trash after their game is over.

·         To be responsible to collect all equipment in the event that a participant quits.  Contact the equipment manager to schedule to get the equipment back to CFA headquarters.  Contact the league information officer to update the league records with the name and the date that the player quit.

·         Contact the insurance director in the event of player injury that results in medical attention.

·         Signing for and picking up all team uniforms/equipment and to hold a team meeting immediately to distribute the uniforms/equipment.

·         Refrain from:  

1)       Use of Foul language

2)       Abuse of participants

3)       Harassing the officials

4)       Harassing opposition by word or gesture

5)       Permitting an injured player to enter or re-enter a game

6)       Disobeying or attempting to circumvent rules and regulations or the intent thereof

7)       Use of tobacco, drugs, or alcohol while performing duties for CFA, be it at practices games or CFA functions.

8)       Misconduct, resulting in ejection. Any coach who is ejected (removed) from a game is automatically suspended from the next game his/her player team plays. This rule is not subject to protest or review. Removal from a game shall be interpreted to include the playing filed and spectator area. A second offence by the same person will result in suspension from all future team activities for that year

 

All Football Head coaches are expect to:

·         Be responsible for the score board operations for their game, when scheduled as the home team.

·         Be responsible for finding a crew to operate the chains for their game, when scheduled as the visiting team.

·         Be responsible for accuracy and completion of the playing time sheets for all of their team’s games. This sheet must be signed by the Athletic Director of the team and must be given to the Field Manager at the end of the game.

 

 

 

Chain of command for any team/squad issues are:

  1. Head Coach
  2.  Division Director
  3. Coaches Committee Chairperson
  4. Vice President of Program (Football or Cheerleading)
  5. CFA President
  6. CFA Board

 

Coach Selection Process:

·         Fill out Coach’s application form.

·         Read and sign the Coach Duties form.

·         All applications will be evaluated and background checks will be performed by the Coaching Committee.

·         An interview with the Coaches Committee

·         All Coaching recommendations will be presented by the Coaches Committee to the full board for a vote.

·         The Coaching Committee will contact all applicants with the board decision.

 

 

Registration

CFA will guarantee any youth the right to participate.

The number of participants per team per league will be determined by a board decision each season.

League breakdown:  

All ages are based on the participant’s age as of October 1st of the current year.

·         Anklebiters – ages 5+6

·         Mighty Mites- ages 7+8

·         Midgets – ages 9+10

·         Bandits – ages 11 – 13

·         Cheerleaders – All ages are based on the participant’s age as of October 1st of the current year.

        ·         Mighty Mites- ages 5+7*

        ·         Midgets – ages 8+9*

        ·         Bandits – ages 10+13*

*Subject to change based on registration numbers. Sibling and other requests will be honored ONLY within age division for safety reasons.

 

 

The league will review all division numbers after registrations each year to determine if another breakdown of ages might be in the best interest of the league.

 

Refund Policy:

If a participant quits anytime between registration and prior to the drafts, 50% of their registration fee will be refunded, contingent upon that the participant is in good standing with CFA.

After drafts, no part of the registration fee will be refunded.

Middle School Football Team:

All CFA participants trying out for the Middle School Football Team will be required to pay the full registration fee.  Refunds will be given, if the participant makes the Middle School Football team, but only at the initiation of the participant. 

Detailed refund procedures will be distributed at all registrations listing which CFA board member to contact regarding their refund.

Middle School Cheerleading Squad:

All CFA participants trying out for the Middle School Cheerleading Squad will be required to pay the full registration fee.  Refunds will be given, if the participant makes the Middle School Cheerleading Squad, but only at the initiation of the participant. 

Detailed refund procedures will be distributed at all registrations listing which CFA board member to contact regarding their refund.

Registration Cut-Off Date:

The 2nd scheduled evaluation date will be the cut-off for all participants who want to register.

Cut-Off/Waiting List/Late Registration

A late fee of $25 will be charged for any participant signing up after the last advertised registration date. The 2nd scheduled evaluation date will be the cut-off for all participants to register at the current registration fee.  Any participants that want to register after the 2nd scheduled evaluation date will be charged a $25 late fee and will be placed on a waiting list.  Completed registration forms and payment must be received prior to being placed on the waiting list.  The board may waive the $25 late fee prior to the drafts, should any division still need players to fill out the set player per team roster number for a division.  The board will determine the need for these players to participate based on the roster availability.  If participants register after the drafts, assignments to teams will be made:

·         To maintain balance of rosters and then

·         Order of the draft

 

Player Evaluations

All new contact players for the Mighty Mites, Midget and Bandit Divisions, all players trying out for the Middle School Football Team and all players waived from previous teams must attend one scheduled evaluation.  There will be two evaluations scheduled.

Any player not attending one of the scheduled evaluations will not be assigned to a team through the draft process.  They will be assigned to a team by drawing the participant’s names out of a hat by the division director.

All contact Head Coaches will be expected to attend all evaluations.

 

Uniforms/Equipment

Equipment Distribution –

·         All equipment and uniforms will be distributed prior to the 1st practice date of the season.

·         A coach must sign for all items received at the league’s designated equipment distribution date.

·         Distribution of the football uniforms/equipment by the coach should happen at a team meeting immediately following the coach receiving the uniforms/equipment.  Any sizing discrepancies should be handled at that time with a board representative

·         Care must be taken to prevent misuse of the League Uniforms/Equipment by Participants.

Equipment Return –

·         All items (except football socks & mouth piece and cheerleading bloomers) must be returned to the league at the league’s designated equipment return date in clean condition.

·         A $5 fee will be charged for each garment not cleaned.  

·         A league representative will go through all items and will check off each item that is returned at the league’s designated equipment return date. 

·         Any items not returned must be paid for at the league’s designated equipment return date.  $50 service fee will be added to a player’s bill in which all uniforms/equipment are not returned at the designated return dates.

·         A price sheet will be displayed outlining the league’s price for all items used for the season.

·         Any participant not turning in all equipment will not be considered in good standing with CFA.

 

If any football player or cheerleader leaves the organization, uniforms and equipment must be turned in to the Head Coach within seven (7) days and the player or cheerleader forfeits the participation award.

 

League/Team Evaluation Forms

All team parents will receive league/team evaluation forms by the middle of October to be distributed to all coaches and parents.  All evaluations should be turned into the Designated Manager at the fields by the weekend before the Championship Games are held.

Each year the CFA Board will review all evaluations and discuss where any improvements are needed.  The strengths as well as the weaknesses will be presented to the board for discussion.

 

League Scheduling 

Jamboree:

Will be held, for all CFA participants and the community interested in attending, at the Culpeper Community Complex at the end of August.

Team introductions, food vendors and scrimmage games will be some of the activities/events planned.

League Pictures will be scheduled for the same day and times will be coordinated with the day’s activities.

 

Game Scheduling and Schedules:

All games will be scheduled by the scheduling committee and will be distributed to all coaches at the Pre-Season Coaches Meeting in late July or early August each season.

All make-ups will be determined by a board decision.

All 4 Leagues (AB,MM, M & B) could be broken down by conferences to help in the scheduling of all games.  The registration numbers will dictate how many or if any leagues need to be broken down into divisions.

Should a game start and then be cancelled because of darkness or bad weather the final score reverts to the last completed quarter played. The team with the highest score in that quarter will be declared the winner.  Any game that has been played less than half of its playing time will be replayed. 

Playoffs