VAA Tackle 3rd thru 8th grade Equipment Handouts

At the VAA Fieldhouse (Hayes Community Center)

14603 Hayes Rd. Apple Valley, MN 55124

July 31st - August 3rd,   2023

Flag & Tackle Clinics - Apple Valley Head Football Coach Pete Usset and his awesome varsity staff, along with AV varsity players, and our devoted VAA coaches, lead the way. We at VAA Football thank them for them for their time & dedication to our youth and their families!!

On the Varsity field @ Apple Valley High School

July 31st - August 3rd,   2023

The schedule that week will go as follows...

TACKLE players have equipment handouts on certain nights, and will also be attending clinics on certain nights...

Tackle- 3rd thru 5th Grades

Monday July 31st - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm 

Tuesday Aug. 1st - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm 

Wednesday Aug. 2nd - Equipment (Hayes fieldhouse) 5:30-8pm

Thursday Aug. 3rd - Equipment (Hayes fieldhouse) 5:30-7:30pm

Tackle- 6th thru 8th Grades

Monday July 31st -  Equipment (Hayes fieldhouse) 5:30-8pm

Tuesday Aug. 1st - Equipment (Hayes fieldhouse) 5:30-7:30pm

Wednesday Aug. 2nd - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm

Thursday Aug. 3rd - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm 

_____________________________

FLAG players will be attending football clinics on certain nights...

Flag- thru 5th Grade

Monday July 31st - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm

Tuesday Aug. 1st - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm

Flag- 6th thru 8th Grades

Wednesday Aug. 2nd - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm

Thursday Aug. 3rd - Clinic (AVHS) 6pm-8pm 

Items VAA will provide for Tackle Football: helmet, shoulder pads, game jersey (you MUST bring a $200 deposit check to equipment handouts). You will not get equipment without a check no exceptions. Game jerseys will be handed out the first week of practice

Items players must provide:

• mouth guard
• protective cup
• cleats
• practice jersey/pants – we will have gold pants new and used for sale at equipment hand out.

Players will also need to purchase game pants (these will be for sale at equipment handouts).  If you have used pairs, bring them along for a $5 per pair credit!  We will have other items in limited quantities and sizes, practice jerseys, AV swag.

Tackle Teams

Your Head Coach will be emailing you sometime next week with information on practice times and locations starting the following week of Aug. 7th. We are still working to finalize all the grade level coaching staffs, rosters, and practice locations and getting that information to the Head coaches. The field maps and final grade level rules will soon be %100 updated on the website as well.

Apparel

We have team store open for you orders!  Support your team, and know that a portion of that money goes right back into the VAA Youth Football program.  You can find the store at this link.

More to Come…

We are finalizing some additional dates (Pictures, VAA Night and a new event we will share more details about soon).  When those dates are set, we will post them to the VAA Football Website and send an email communication.

Go Eagles!!!

Now Closed.

Registration: CLOSED

Week of July 31st: Equipment handouts at Hayes fieldhouse and Pre-Season Clinics at AVHS varsity field -  Mon-Thur evenings 

Week of Aug 7th: Practice Begins

Games Begin: (schedule coming soon)

Picture Night: TBD

VAA Night at AVHS: Friday, September 8th

Season Ends: Saturday, October 14th

    3rd, 4th, and 5th Grades    

   Tackle and Tacklebar Hybrid    

During the 2019 off-season, a group made up of area high school coaches, as well as representatives, began meeting with the goal of changing some of the basic philosophies with regard to their youth football programs, primarily in grades 3-5.  The main goals of these changes were to:

• Simplify the game to assist in better skill building
• Give kids more chances for kids to be on the field
• Increase participation

With these goals in mind, program changes were made using the Football Development Model and Rookie Tackle Program, both of which were programs offered through USA Football (a national governing body for amateur football in the United States).  Nearly all youth associations in the SSYFL have now moved to versions this model.

PROGRAM UPDATE for the 2023 Season!!!

3rd Grade: 7v7 TackleBar (see links at left for more information about this type of football)

4th Grade: 7v7 TackleBar/Tackle Hybrid -This grade level will start transitioning as the season progresses into playing tackle football. The first two games of the season will use the Tackle Bar system and the remainder of the season will be tackle.  (see links at left for more information about Tacklebar football)

5th Grade: 9v9 Tackle Football

Each of these grade levels will be playing on a 40-yard field, and given the team sizes, we will most likely have multiple teams at each level!

If you do have questions about our program offerings, please email us at football@vaasports.org

GET EXCITED FOR THE 2023 SEASON
All teams are limited to no more than four practices per week prior to the start of the regular season. During the regular season, a total of four games/practices are permitted each week. All contact football players need to complete 3 clinic days/practices before beginning full pads (weather permitting) practices.

The season schedule will be released in late July.  We are playing in the Sub-Group of the South Suburban Youth Football League (SSYFL) for the 2023 season and will potentially face teams from Eagan, Eastview, Farmington, Lakeville North, Lakeville South.

Teams will play 7-8 regular-season games and playoff games. Playoff games will be held in October.  All home games are at Hayes Field or Valley Middle School. (Note: toward the end of September, the game times change from 6PM to 5:30PM due to lack of daylight.)

Head coaches have been interviewed and selected by the VAA Football Board.  Coaches were selected based on that interview as well as reviews from last season. Coaches must pass a background check, complete concussion and trusted coaches training, and attend a clinic covering issues such as playbooks, rules, position/skill play. A coach must have patience, be a teacher, and a leader. Each team is allowed 4-6 coaches – 1 head coach and 3-5 assistants. The head coach will choose his or her own assistant coaches with VAA Football Board approval.

PLAYER CONDUCT – All players must adhere to a strict rule of conduct while playing in our program. They must be passing all classes and be current on all homework; they must conduct themselves in an adult manner in the community at all times; and they must show good sportsmanship on and off the field. If they do not live by these rules, it is up to the coaches and the commissioners to enforce these rules. Violations could result in the player being benched during games, suspensions or ejection from the program.

ATTENDANCE – Play is in direct proportion to attendance. A player must be at practice in order to play in games. No practice, no game. If you are going to miss a practice or a game, you MUST let your coach know or it is an unexcused absence.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION – All conflict with players, parents and coaches are to try to be resolved with the coach. If it cannot be resolved at that level, then the commissioner will get involved. If after that point it cannot be resolved, then the VAA board will help in a final resolution.

PARENT CONDUCT – Parents must conduct themselves in a manner that is calm and conveys good sportsmanship. The referees are instructed and have the authority to eject a parent if out of hand during a game. Coaches also have this authority during games and practices. It is up to the individual coach to allow or restrict attendance based on unsportsmanlike conduct. Please respect the coaches' time by arriving to pick up your player before the end of practice. Coaches are not allowed to leave until all of the players have been picked up from a game or practice. Remember they are volunteers!!!      

Did you know that a portion of the registration fees is used for a variety of purposes such as to purchase new equipment, field maintenance, garbage removal, trophies and to compensate the refs? We strive to keep our youth safe.  Because safety is our #1 goal, our coaches must complete concussion training every year. Our coaches must also go through a background check in addition to attending a clinic covering issues such as playbooks, rules and position/skill play.

WE HAVE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT DONATIONS TO THE VAA YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM. IF YOU KNOW OF A BUSINESS, ORGANIZATION, OR PRIVATE PARTY THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION TO OUR PROGRAM, PLEASE CONTACT US. IT WOULD MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

BE SURE TO "LIKE" OUR FACEBOOK PAGE LISTED UNDER VAA FOOTBALL TO RECEIVE ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND INFORMATION.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO A GREAT SEASON!

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