FOOTBALL PARENT CHALK-TALK
I MAY WANT MY CHILD TO CHANGE SJSA TEAMS OR DIVISIONS NEXT SEASON. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?
Common questions asked each and every off-season relate to what options are available for players to change teams or divisions if they do not wish to return to their prior team, or if their prior team does not return. Here are a few of the more common questions and an explanation of who each is handled per JMFA and SJSA rules.
Scenario 1: "My child wants to return to his team."
Procedure: Easy. Done. Just register once registration opens up in 2012 and indicate he's a returning player and he's automatically guaranteed to be back on his current team. Also, since it's been asked, no coach can change this and if a coach refuses your child an opportunity to return, it is a 365 day suspension for that coach once reported and substantiated. (See JMFA Rule 6.3, below) This is the only scenario when a player is guaranteed placement on a particular team, when he is simply returning to his current team.
Scenario 2: "My child wants to return, but I don't think he's playing in the appropriate competitive division. Can we move up or down divisions?"
Procedure: When you register next season, you can indicate that you do not wish to return to your old team, and there is another space on the registration material where you can request placement on a Division 1, Division 2, or Division 3 team. Your child will enter the Blind Draft, and if any South Jeffco team in the division you request has room on its roster, every effort is made to accommodate that request. There are no guarantees (See JMFA Rule 6.8, below, among others), however every effort is made to properly place kids in the most appropriate competitive divisions.
Scenario 3: "My child wants to play with his friends, who all play on Coach A's team. Can we request Coach A or can you place him on Coach A's team next year?"
Procedure: Absolutely not. "Team shopping" is prohibited by JMFA Rules, and if a player does not wish to return to his prior team, he will enter the Blind Draft, with the only other possible choice being a requested division assignment (see Scenario 2, above, and JMFA Rule 4.3, et al.) All rostering decisions are based on numerical team availability, and there are no guarantees of placement whatsoever.
Scenario 4: "I heard through the parent grapevine that one of our assistant coaches is going to be head coach next year, and he's taking half our team with him. Now what?"
Procedure: We're not sure why we seem to hear this every year, but we do. It's impossible on a number of levels, the biggest being that no coach can "bring" any players with him to a new team, with the sole exception of his own son, if he has one in the program. Second, he cannot "recruit" any player who has appeared on a JMFA roster in the past 2 years. A violation of this is a 365 day suspension under JMFA Rules. All new head coaches above the 2nd grade level will have their roster filled 2 ways, and 2 ways only: 1) through recruits he signs who have not been on any JMFA roster for the past 2 seasons, and 2) through players selected in the Blind Draft. Period. End of story. No other options.
Scenario 5: "My child wants to return, and I don't care who his coach is, as long as it's not the coach we just had!"
Procedure: If a player does not wish to return to his prior team, he will indicate so on his registration form and will enter the Blind Draft. To assure he does not return to that prior coach, a parent can complete a "DNP" or Do Not Pick request, also available at the time of registration, indicating under no circumstances do they wish to return to that prior coach, even through the Blind Draft. The only other possible choice available is a requested division assignment (see Scenario 2, above, and JMFA Rule 4.3, et al.) Again, all rostering decisions are based on numerical team availability, and there are no guarantees of placement whatsoever.
If you have any questions not addressed here, just email us at
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Here are the official JMFA rules pertaining to rosters and registration, which can be accessed at www.jeffcofootball.com:
4.3 No area registration forms can have a space for requesting a different coach or team for returning
players. For returning players wishing to change teams it will be clear that the players will be
entered into the blind draft at the parents request, no guarantee of movement will be made.
6.2 All new players and returning players wishing to change teams must be placed by draft when there is more than one team in a grade level.
6.3 3rd grade through 8th grade returning players must remain on the same team, this includes players who do not play for one year but wish to return unless they wish to transfer to another team in their area with county approval. Former JMFA players who have not played for two years or more are considered new players to be placed in the blind draft.
6.8 No child is guaranteed placement on any particular team regardless of any recruiting or draft requests. Each area must give notice of the date, time, and place of any impending draft to the JMFA president, with a minimum of five (5) days notice, so as to allow a JMFA officer(s) (not affiliated with the area conducting the draft) to be in attendance for purposes of monitoring the
draft as deemed necessary. Players not rostered by areas will be placed on a county-wide waiting list and placed as needed.
6.9 RESTRICTIONS:
6.9.1 A. No coach may recruit returning JMFA players.
6.9.2 B. No coach may recruit players from other teams or areas.
6.9.3 No coach may select a player before the draft or official rostering.
6.9.4 No coach may take part in team assignments.
6.9.5 No player may choose a team assignment.
6.9.6 No player may be placed on a predetermined team.
6.10 Recruiting: Coaches may recruit new players to their specific team. (New players are defined as any player who has not been rostered on a JMFA roster for 2 years.) Placement of recruited player must be accomplished through the draft and teams must remain balanced. Area directors must set the number of recruits each team is allowed prior to the draft as determined by the overall numbers and the requirement to maintain balanced numbers on teams.
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