Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do we register to play MYF?

Online registration begins March 1st

NOTE: Registration CLOSES July 31st

2. What is Flag Football in MYF?

Effective 2024, Missoula Youth Football adopted the USA Football Flag rules and regulations for 3rd and 4th grade divisions.  Our players will still prepare for tackle by using shoulder pads and soft helmets during games.  

3. What if the program is full or we have missed the registration deadline?

You are encouraged to register early; participation for our program is on a first come, first serve basis. Once registration closes, your child's name will be placed on a waiting list and added to a team at a later date if possible.

4. How much does it cost to play for each player?

The total fee for each player is based on the date you register and the grade you will be in the Fall.
We encourage EARLY registration to minimize the fee for TACKLE football. Payment plans are available.

FLAG FOOTBALL (Grades 3-4)

• $150.00 if registered by from 3/1 through 7/31
  
  Cost includes the use of equipment.  The equipment is owned by MYF and is returned at the end of the season.
  

TACKLE FOOTBALL (Grades 5-8)

• $225.00 if registered by from 3/1 through 5/31
• $275.00 if registered from 6/1 through 6/30
•  $325.00 if registered from 7/1 through 7/31

The tackle football fee registers your player with MYF and includes use of sanctioned and certified equipment that will be distributed to players near the beginning of the season. Equipment is owned by MYF and is returned at the end of the season.  Players must use MYF-issued equipment.

As 2021 marked our 10th anniversary, we are very proud to have the community partners, volunteer coaches, officials, parents and athletes committed to our program and our mission. In order to organize, create, promote, foster and sustain this league player fees may increase from time to time.

5. Is financial aid available?

Financial aid may be available for those families that qualify. To apply you must fill out the scholarship application package, provide proof of household income and submit the application by the July 1st deadline. Application packages can be emailed to: [email protected]

6. Who is eligible to play?

For any season, players entering 3rd through 8th grade in the Fall are eligible to play in MYF.

• 3rd through 4th grade is FLAG football
•  5th grade through 8th grade is TACKLE football

7. Are there age limits or ranges for players?

Yes:

8. Does MYF impose weight limits on ball carriers?

No, we do not impose any weight limits in MYF

9. If equipment is included in the registration fee for football, why do we pay an equipment deposit?

The sanctioned and certified equipment distributed to each player is owned by MYF. A great amount of our yearly budget is utilized purchasing and re-certifying the equipment we own to keep the kids safe. The equipment security deposit fee (a separate $250 check or money order) is held, NOT CASHED, until the equipment is returned to MYF. Security deposit checks are then destroyed (or returned upon request) to the issuer upon equipment return.

Having the proper equipment, in many cases, is the difference in making the game of football not only safe but fun. Equipment expenses often exceed the funds generated by player fees and this expense does not end after the original purchase. In order to maintain safe gear, MYF must follow a replacement and recertification process at a considerable expense each season. The cost of protecting our athletes on the field is immeasurable.

10. How are teams formed?

Teams are formed based on the grade your child will enter in the fall, then by their elementary school district and then by high school district they live in. When having to combine the elementary schools, we do everything we can to keep them within the high school district they live in. The formation of teams is done on a first come, first serve participation policy regardless of previous year placement. Each child must be afforded the opportunity to be taught the game of football regardless of their ability. MYF does not form "Select" teams.

11. Is my child guaranteed to play on the same team as last year?

No. Many factors determine teams including but not limited to elementary school, number of athletes registered by elementary school, and date of registration - all of which vary year by year.

12. What if my child goes to school a Private school or is home school? Is he/she eligible?

Absolutely! Simply indicate on your registration what school your child attends and he/she will be assigned to one of the teams.  Note - they will play with the school they attend, not the school boundary they live within. 

13.  What equipment does MYF provide to each player?

TACKLE football (grades 5th through 8th):  helmet, shoulder pads, mouth guard, pants with padding in thigh, hip & knee and game day team jersey.

MYF does not provide cleats or practice jerseys however a MYF logo practice jersey can be purchased or an old t-shirt can be used.   Please do not use game day jerseys for practice as they will wear out quickly.

15. Where will practices be held?

MYF's goal is to make sure each player is assigned to a team that allows players to play near their homes at local parks or elementary school fields thereby reducing the stress of trying to transport their children all over the city. Practices will be conducted in the early evenings. 

Each team is different and you must check with your coach for exact times and days of the week. The first week of practice, teams can practice daily for up to two hours. The second week of practice, teams can practice 4 days for up to 2 hours. Starting the third week and the remainder of the season practice is limited to no more than 3 days per week for 3rd - 6th grade and 4 days per week for 7th - 8th graders. Practices will last no more than an hour and half. Flag practices will vary according to grade and team.

16. Where & when will games be held and what times are the games?

Games will be conducted on Saturday mornings or Sunday afternoons, for the most part, and will be held centrally at Sentinel High School. With limited exceptions, your player's team will be playing at either 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m time slot on Saturday and 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm or 4:00 p.m. time slot on Sundays. On occasion, your team will have the opportunity to participate in a game held in Frenchtown, Florence or Hamilton as those communities will have teams represented in MYF.

17. Why does MYF hold games on Sundays?

In order to ensure a safe, positive game environment, we require appropriate and well maintained fields/equipment and the presence of both MOA officials and MYF Board Members for all games. Unfortunately, appropriate field space is limited in Missoula. Fall is a busy sports season throughout the region with University, High School and Youth athletics - field space is limited and there is a shortage of MOA officials available on Saturdays due to other games. Due to these factors, we cannot hold all games on Saturdays.

MYF does not wish to grossly impose upon family or religious time for its players, coaches or board members nor do we wish to have families travel long distances early in the morning or late in the evening especially on school nights. However, given the size of our organization and the above issues, we are in a difficult situation. Sadly, due to factors outside our control, MYF is unable to accommodate all preferences for all families. Finally, we would note that MYF is similar to other youth sports organizations. Hockey, baseball, soccer and basketball all routinely hold youth games on Sundays. Those programs face similar issues with shortages of facility space and officials.

18. Why are NO PETS allowed at Sentinel Fields during MYF games?

As stated above, field space within Missoula County is limited. MYF leases three (3) Sentinel football fields from the Missoula County Public School District. Part of our facilities use agreement with MCPS is to NOT allow dogs on the fields while we are playing. If we lose our lease we will not have the fields to play on and Missoula would not have a youth football league.

19. I have a "Service Animal"; by law I am allowed to bring my animal regardless of your facility use policy, correct?

MYF board members and officials may inquire about what service your animal provides. Please do not take offense to this request; we are simply adhering to the agreement set in place by MCPS and we do not want to lose our use of the fields. Please take note of the following guidelines as provided by the Department of Justice implementing the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA):

• Beginning on March 15, 2011 only dogs are recognized as service animals under titles II and III of the ADA.
• A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.
• Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the persons' disability.
• Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as a service animal under the ADA.

20. When does the season formally begin?

Roster finalizations will conclude the first or second week of August, at which time your player will be notified by his/her coach. Equipment check-out for football should occur during the third week in August. Specific times and dates will be supplied by your player's coach.

Practices will typically begin formally on the last Monday of August. There will be no practices held on the Labor Day Break. Teams begin game play on the second Saturday of September.

21. What is MYF's policy regarding outdoor air quality during wildfire season?

MYF follows the same guidelines consistent for varsity athletics throughout the country. We utilize the Missoula County Public Health Department's website for determining current air quality. Visit their website here for health effect categories and department recommendations: http://www.missoulacounty.us/government/health-department/home-environment/air-quality/outdoor-air-quality/health-effect-categories

22. Do you offer refunds?

Yes, as long as it is before the first practice. ALL REFUNDS are less a $25.00 processing fee. Prior to the first practice, refunds are 100% less the processing fee. After the first practice there are NO REFUNDS. All refund requests will be honored as of the date they are received and must be made to: [email protected]

23. What is MYF's policies/philosophies regarding concussions?

Without a doubt, the issue of concussion has taken center stage in local and national discussions throughout the media. And for good reason! It is an issue that must be foremost on all of our minds as safety is our number one goal for each and every participant. Therefore, MYF has adopted the following policies:

• MYF supports the Dylan Steigers project that allows kids to participate in baseline cognitive testing prior to a suspected injury.
• MYF has adopted stringent rules that restrict the amount of full speed contact in practices (i.e. no more than 30 minutes of practice) and the distance at which those events can occur (i.e. no full speed tackling/blocking at distances of greater than 3 yards)
• MYF fully supports and mandates a rule that says if a player is suspected of experiencing concussive symptoms during a game or practice, that player is barred from returning without signed physician consent.
• MYF utilizes significant resource support from USA Football that focuses attention on training coaches on the proper techniques for blocking and tackling. No coach is allowed to participate until he/she has registered with USA Football, been subject to their background checks, and completed requisite course work.

24. How does MYF monitor player safety throughout the season?

Heads up Football® is a comprehensive program developed by USA Football to advance player safety in the game of football. All MYF coaches and league administrators are being taught how to fit equipment, understand concussion awareness and teach tackling with players keeping their heads and eyes up. All coaches for MYF must complete Level 1 certification course through USA Football which we enforce compliance. Coaches and parents shall continually inspect and approve the equipment used by each player throughout the season as well.

25. Does MYF require proof of an annual physical for my child?

While MYF cannot require proof of an annual physical exam, it strongly recommends that you have your child examined by a licensed medical professional prior to the beginning of the season to ensure that your child is physically prepared to play tackle football. However, MYF does require proof of insurance upon registration for your child to participate in MYF.

26. Why isn't my child playing more than the minimum mandatory play?

In competitive organized youth sports, there's undoubtedly a wide range of opinion held by parents and coaches regarding playing time. Part of MYF's mission is to ensure that every participant play an active role in each game. MYF's mechanism for mandatory play is based upon a combination of roster size and the minimum number of plays required for each participant, not arbitrary periods of time during a game. We encourage positive, honest and transparent communication between coaches and parents with regards to the overall opportunity that they will afford each child. On most youth sports teams, there is usually a mix of players who are at different stages in their development (age, skill, etc.). For those who are slightly younger, inexperienced, or less skilled, they may initially benefit from smaller roles that don't overwhelm them. As they get older and improve, their playing time will likely increase and possibly exceed that of their newer, younger teammates. With that being said, ALL MYF athletes MUST play an active role in a minimum number of plays based on roster size as follows:

26 or More Players = 11 Plays
22 - 25 Players = 13 Plays
16 - 21 Players = 15 Plays

If we did not adequately answer your question, please email us at [email protected]