FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question: When will I find out what team my player is on and the 
practice schedule?
Answer: all teams will be formed after registration closes (July) and an e-mail will be sent from the 
Head Coach/Parent Rep by mid July informing you of your players assigned team and updating you on
when the mandatory parent meeting/equipment handout will be held.  

Question: Where are the fields located?
Answer: Click here for field locations for both home and away games.

Question: I'm interested in coaching, how do I become a coach?
Answer: The Big Lake Youth Football Association is always looking for new volunteers to help 
coach.  If you are interested, please contact the League Director in the age group you are 
interested in (click here for the "Coaches" page) with a brief explanation who you are and 
what past coaching experience you may have. However, past coaching experience is not 
necessary to coach in our association. Each coach must complete mandatory training through USA Football on a yearly basis.


Question: Can I request that my son/daughter play on the same 
team as his/her friend(s)?
Answer: We hold a player draft in divisions where enrollment is high enough for multiple teams, so we are not able to accommodate special requests on these levels. Coaches and parents are great about doing ride 
shares, so transportation should never be a problem.

Question: What equipment is provided by the The Big Lake Youth
Football Association, and what equipment do players need to 
provide?
Answer: The association provides players with the following for all tackle  
players:  helmet and shoulder pads.
The association provides flag football players with a t-shirt. 

Players are responsible for purchasing a jersey (through our BLYFA vendor), football pants, cleats and it is 
recommended to purchase a quality mouth guard that straps to the players helmet.

Question: When does the season start, and when does it end?
Answer: Practices begin the first week of August and run through mid to late October.  
Starting dates and times are included in the handbook.

Question: On what nights are practices held?
Answer: During the month of August, coaches like to take advantage of the pre-season by having 4 nights of practice. This allows for teams to work through the heat-acclimation process safely with plenty of practices remaining for conditioning, reviewing basic fundamentals and learning plays before games begin. After school begins practices drop down to 3 nights a week, depending on game schedules. It is possible that games will be held on Tuesday or Thursday evenings during the week once the season begins. 

Question: Is football a safe sport for my child to play?
Answer: Any sport has risks of injury. BLYFA is committed to ensuring our players are taught safe techniques and that our coaches are fully trained on football safety before they step on the field for their first practice. We partner with USA Football to train all of coaches. 

USA Football FAQ Football Safety for Parents