September 2009
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the 2009 Hingham Youth Football season!
The coaches and the Board have been working hard to prepare for this season and look forward to building on the past successes of the program. This year Hingham Youth Football has a new look with new team colors. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the kids in the program who are very excited to play in the new team colors.
Attached at the end of this letter, please find the Hingham Youth Football (HYF) Philosophy statement and the HYF Team First Policy which covers playing time.
HYF is part of the Old Colony Youth Football League which is a competitive league and unlike some other youth sports, playing time is not equal. As a way to provide the most playing time possible for each child in our program, HYF has committed to participate in Junior Varsity (JV) games so that players who don't start on Sunday will receive as much playing time in "game conditions" as possible. The JV games, which are played on Saturdays, are a great chance for the players who practice all week, often as the scout team for the Varsity, to play in their own game with their Varsity teammates cheering them on.
This developmental approach is particularly important with the younger players as they are still learning about playing full contact football and can gain valuable experience playing in these JV games. Ultimately, the most important thing is that every child in our program, regardless of their current skill level, feels that he is a valued member of the team and that his hard work is recognized and appreciated by his coaches & teammates.
Here are a few key things to know as we start our season:
· The Hingham Youth Football (HYF) website - www.hinghamyouthfootball.org This is your primary place for information. Please note the Team tab on the left side of the welcome page. E ach team has its own tab which contains information specific to your child’s team – contact info, game & practice schedules etc.
· Mandatory Weigh-In - Saturday, September 12th is the Mandatory weigh-in. All players should be at Lynch field by 11:30 AM and must weigh-in to be eligible to play. We will have team buses take the teams from Lynch Field to the weigh-in and back to the field. Because of the later time this year we will be doing a send off to weigh-in instead of an after party. Details to follow soon.
· 24-hour rule - No parent should address a coach on the field for any reason. (Outside of an emergency) If there is an issue, the parent should wait 24 hours and call the coach to discuss. If the issue cannot be resolved, please contact Bill Genovese, VP of Football Operations.
· Team Parent – Each team has a team parent that will help the Head coach coordinate volunteer activities, disseminate team information and field general team questions. Please introduce yourself to your team parent and be as helpful as you can.
· Concessions – We have a fully stocked concession stand running during practices and we have had a good response from parent volunteers to staff the stand – thank you. However, the season is young and we will need parent volunteers to staff concessions on game days as well as practices. Please volunteer at some point this seas on when you are contacted.
· HYF Program Book – We have a program book for home games that will have team rosters, game schedules and advertisements. Lori Shoyer is directing this effort & we are looking for local businesses to show their support for HYF by purchasing ad space in the book. Families can also support HYF by placing personal messages in the book. Please visit the Fundraising tab on the website for more information.
· Online merchandise – We are offering online capability to purchase all Hingham Youth Football merchandise – t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats etc. Please take a look and show your support of Hingham Youth Football.
· Please put bug spray on your child before practice.
On behalf of the coaches, I want to thank you for the opportunity to work with your child to help them learn and love the game of football.
Brian O’Hearne, President
Hingham Youth Football
