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FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who can sign up?

K-4th Grade (Flag) & 5th through 8th graders (Tackle) are eligible to sign up if they live within the Sunset High School attendance boundary or if their private school is located within the Sunset High School boundary. To find out if you live within the Sunset High boundary, click here.

What is TVYFL?
TVYFL stands for Tualatin Valley Football League - the umbrella organization that coordinates the play between the 31 individual youth football associations in the Portland Metro area. TVYFL provides the rules, the schedules and the officials for approximately 200 teams and 6,000 players. For more information see the TVYFL website.

What is the time commitment?
Compared to other youth sports, football requires a substantial time commitment. There are ten hours of practice per week before school starts, dropping to six hours per week and one game every Saturday after school starts.

Does my child have to start playing tackle in the 5th grade?
No. Players are welcome to start at any level.

What if we have a vacation scheduled during practice time?
Go and enjoy yourself! Football will still be here when you get back. We just ask that you let your player's coach know which dates you'll be gone as soon as possible.

With that said, if you have any flexibility, please try to schedule around football - especially in August - so your player can meet his/her TVYFL conditioning requirements quickly and his/her skills can be thoroughly evaluated to ensure a balanced division of teams.

 

REGISTRATION

How late can I register my child?
Anytime during our registration Period (5/1 - 8/31) as long as registration is still open.

Does my child need a THPRD # to register?
Yes. If he/she don't already have one, see the SYF "Registration" section for instructions on how to get one.

Concussion Baseline Testing
To ensure the health and safety of our players, TVYFL requires baseline concussion testing for JV & Varsity Players. This is a non-invasive procedure (video-game type format) that takes about 15-20 minutes and costs $15-$20. All results are confidential. More information will follow after registration. 

Does a doctor have to sign my medical release form?
An M.D. or a Nurse Practitioner must sign your child's medical release form. We will not accept a stamped signature and we require the form that Sunset Youth Football/Tualatin Valley Youth Football League (TVYFL) provides. (Some medical offices have their own sports physical form - we will not accept this form.) Your child's player contract and medical release form will be sent to you as a two-page attachment to your registration confirmation e-mail.

If you need another copy of a blank medical release form, click here to download.

If you need financial assistance please contact registrar@sunsetyouthfootball.org 

When do I turn in my child's medical release form?
Please bring the medical release form to your player's equipment fitting. Equipment cannot be issued without a signed medical release form. If you are unable to provide the signed form at the time of your player's fitting, you may proceed with the fitting and your child's gear will be held until the medical release form is submitted.

Does my child need a physical?
This is at the discretion of your child's doctor. If your player has been seen by his/her doctor recently enough, many doctors will sign the release form without requiring an office visit. In this case, you may be able to fax or email the form to your doctor's office for his/her signature and request that it be returned to you.

EQUIPMENT

What equipment is provided?
SYF provides almost everything your child needs to play, including helmet, necessary pads, practice pants, game pants (white pants not to be worn during practice), and game jersey. Players will not be allowed to practice in their white game pants or current year game jerseys. One of your player's game jersey are yours to keep after the season ends.

What equipment do I have to supply?
Football cleats (see information below regarding cleats), mouth guard and an athletic cup/supporter (if desired - these are not required). Also, a practice jersey is needed and can be purchased from Team Uniforms (12965 NW Cornell Rd, Portland, OR 97229). If your child has played for SYF in the past, they can wear previous year jersey's for practice (game jersey's are not allowed to be worn during practice).

Mouth Guard Requirements: 

TVYFL’s stance is based on NFHS guidelines and PFOA’s input as follows:

(a) A tooth and mouth protector (intraoral) which shall:

(1) include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) portion;

(2) include a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion; and

(3) cover the posterior teeth with adequate thickness.

(b) It is recommended that the protector be properly fitted protecting the anterior (leading) dental arch and:

(1) constructed from a model made from an impression of the individual's teeth, or

(2) constructed and fitted to the individual by impressing the teeth into the tooth and mouth protector itself.

(c) It is recommended that the protector be of any color other than white and should not have a “teeth” design to help easily identify that the mouthguard is in on every play.

My child says his/her helmet hurts. Can he/she get a different one?
It is very common for helmets to feel uncomfortable and even hurt for the first couple of weeks. Helmets must fit tightly to ensure a correct fit and our equipment managers take the necessary time to make sure that each helmet is fitted properly, so we recommend that you allow some time for your child to become accustomed to his/her helmet. Be sure that the helmet is being tugged all the way down when when your player puts it on. If the discomfort continues, please let your coach know and we will have our equipment managers adjust the fit.

What kind of cleats does my son/daughter need?
TVYFL rules require that players wear football cleats that are designed for youth football. They must be either a molded cleat or internally threaded shoes where no post is extending from the shoe (instead, the cleat post screws internally into the shoe). Maximum size of cleat is 1/2-inch (measured from tip of cleat to base of shoe). All metal, primarily metal, or metal-tipped cleats may NOT be worn.

How do I take care of my child's equipment?
Jerseys and pants may be machine-washed in cold water. Pre-treat stains, if necessary. Do not use bleach. Air dry, if possible, or use low heat in a dryer.

Helmet and pads may be wiped with a clean, damp cloth. Allow to air dry.

TEAMS

Does my child have to try out?
No. As long as your registration is complete  and you are not on a waiting list, you will be placed on a team.

How are the teams divided?
When there is more than one team at a grade level or division (i.e., 5/6, JV, Varsity), a player draft is conducted. The purpose of the draft is to ensure that the teams are as equal as possible. TVYFL rules and Sunset Youth Football policy dictates that all teams be evenly matched with regard to collective skill, with no "stacked" or "developmental" teams. Each team in an age level will have the same number of players in a given grade (or within one) as the other teams at that level.

Can I request that my child be placed on a team with a friend?
In order to meet our goal of balanced teams, we cannot grant requests regarding team placement. TVYFL requirements are very straightforward regarding this issue. One of the great things about Sunset Youth Football is that all of the players will be mixed with same-aged players from other elementary and middle schools. All of these schools feed into Sunset High School, so players will meet new friends with whom they will eventually go to school. Siblings are the only exception to this rule.

Can I request a specific coach?
No. Please see above.

How are the coaches picked?
Applicants for head coaching positions are reviewed and selected by the SYF Board. Assistant coaches are selected by the head coach, usually from among the parents of their players. All coaches are subject to a background check.

What if I need to carpool?
Teams of the same grade level generally practice at the same field at the same time. If your player needs to carpool with someone on a different team, this should be fairly easy to arrange.

GAMES

How long are the games?

5/6, JV, & Varsity Games are made up of four 10-minute quarters. With clock stoppages, half-time, moving the chains, etc., most games last nearly two hours. In addition, players are expected to be at the field at least an hour before the game to warm up and weigh in. So count on spending three hours at a game. If the game ends in a tie, time is available, and the officials allow, there may be a "Kansas Plan" tie breaker to determine the winner.

How many games are there?
5/6, JV, Varsity each play eight scheduled games. Those in the top four of their TVYFL league will move on to play two playoff games, and those two winners will play a championship game. In cases of tied records, there may be a "Kansas Plan" playoff during the week between the end of the season and the start of the playoff games. 

Why do I need to get to the game so early?
Players are expected to get to the game site at least an hour before game time in order to provide adequate time to warm up and weigh in. Being late for warm-ups can increase a player's chance of injury, while being late for weigh-in will cause a player to be disqualified from playing in the game.

How much playing time will my child get?
TVYFL has a minimum ten-play rule. This means that your player will participate in at least ten active plays per game. Depending on his/her position, skill, and willingness to work hard, he/she may play more.

What is the Kansas Plan rule?
The Kansas Plan rule is a way to break ties, usually at the end of a game, but it can also be used as a playoff at the end of the regular season to determine which team makes it into the playoffs. Basically, the ball is placed 10 to 25 yards away from the goal (depending on the division - or age group of the team), and the offensive team is given four tries to score. Then the teams switch sides and the new offensive team is given four tries. If only one team scores, that team is the winner. Otherwise, the process is repeated.