Hi all,
We're very excited about MOT Football and Cheer leading in for 2010!
MOT will unveil an In State Football Program for 2010! It will be first class in all areas.
Our league will now offer No traveling, and less overall expense for families. Our main focus will continue to be MOT Football Family. We want to make this the best possible youth football experience for any child that steps their cleat on a football field.
Here's our new Structure:
Structure:
NFL Team Names:
Eagles - Green Jersey
Steelers - Black Jersey
Dolphins - Aqua Jersey
Cowboys - White Jersey
Colts - Colts Blue
Cardinals - Red
Helmets: will be white with a grey face mask. Team Logo, and team strip if appropriate will be placed on the helmet.
Pants: White: with MOT embroidered on the left front area, 4 inches below the belt
The Cowboys will wear blue pants, and have MOT embroidered in white.
Socks: Team matching colored socks like the NFL
Jersey - Color of the team they represent as mentioned above
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Divisions
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Tiny Pro's
Age 5
Weight for this age group will be unlimited. Our 5's will play with only other 5's to maximize a positive experience for them. Based on our sign up numbers this division will play 8 on 8. Our goal is to have 4-6 teams in this division and they will play a 9-10 game schedule. No playoffs, not keeping score. No refs.
12 plays Offense/Defense per half
40 yard field
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Little Pro's
Age 6-7
Unlimited weight
Max. weight to advance the ball on offense/Special Teams: 90lbs
6 team division: 10 game schedule
16 Total plays per quarter (does not include extra point)
80 yard field
W/L's losses count - Playoffs
2 Refs
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Freshmen
Age 8-9
Unlimited weight
Max. weight to advance the ball on offense/Special Teams: 105
6 team division: 10 game schedule
10 minute quarters
100 yard field
2 refs
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Junior Varsity (JV)
Age 10-11
Unlimited weight
Max. weight to advance the ball on offense/Special Teams: 135
6 team division: 10 game schedule
Game time: 12 minute quarters
100 yard field
3 refs
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Varsity
Age 12-14
Unlimited weight
Max. weight to advance the ball on offense/Special teams for 12-13 160lbs
Max. weight to advance the ball for 14 year old in 8th grade: 145. Heavier 14 year olds in the 8th grade have to play tackle to tackle.
Max weight for a 14 year old in High School to advance the ball 140. 14 year olds in High school, must be under 165 to be eligible to play.
Game time: 12 minute quarters
100 yard field
3 refs
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Rules: (work in progress, not all set in stone)
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Players may play up in age. Players can not play down in age.
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Max. amount of teams in each division can not exceed 8 teams.
Roster size: we'd like to stay around 20-22.
If we need another team/s: Chargers: Powder Blue jersey and Raiders Silver and black jersey will be the next teams.
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Draft:
Each player will have to participate in a combine/tryout.
Draft will be determined the first year: Each round by lottery pick
Following year: reverse order of finish
Combine:
Coaches rate the player = pick players based on the coaches scouting report
No Cuts
Players not participating during the combine will go into to pool and randomly placed on teams.
For example: The week of Aug. 10 three new players sign up: those players will go into a random pool and placed on teams at random with coaches present.
If Team A has 21 and Team B has 19, doesn't matter, random pool takes precedence.
Goal is to not have any draft manipulation.
If a team roster is decimated for any reason - 16 or under - coaches with more players would have to make players available for supplemental draft to even out rosters. Parents to be made aware of this upon sign ups. Rule is just in place in case of emergency, do not foresee us having to do this that often. Coaches manage your roster, keep parents in the loop, we shouldn't have too much of a problem.
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Players protection rule:
Head Coach: Child/Children would not go into the draft
Asst. Coach: Only 1 child protected. That player has to be chosen in the first round'
(Asst. Coach must be chosen by the Head Coach and communicated to the VP of Football or Football Commissioner prior to the player combine)
Sibling Rule: If a brother is picked, the other brother must be picked in the very next round, unless the parent decides they do not care if the brothers are on the same team.
If they want them together on the same team, brothers must be picked consecutively.
*Asst. Coach rule: once you pick the assistant coaches son as a protected player, as long as that player is on your team, the head coach can not pick another assistant coach the following year and protect his son. The Head Coach can chose another assistant coach, but would not get another protected player.
Draft: Division: All players drafted to a certain age group (JV - 10-11) are on that team the following year unless the parent chooses to place that player back in the draft. For example the Eagles draft Johnny age 10 in 2010, Johnny automatically goes back on the Eagles roster the following year and does not have to participate in the combine.
Now the players moving up and coaches moving up: everything starts over:
*combine at each level
*New draft at each level
* Head Coach now on a new team would be eligible to pick another asst. coach
* New Head Coach to the team will also have a partial roster from the players playing on that team the year before.
Players drafted to a team must play on that team. Parents can request a team. Parents can request a player not play for a team. But again, if a player is drafted to a particular team - that player must play for that team. Refunds will be granted until Aug. 10th
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18 point rule will be in effect. Starting backfield will be determined prior to the start of each game. If a team goes up by 18 points, the backfield must come out. Those players can not advance the ball on offense or special teams. They can advance the ball on defense in any way: example by fumble, interception or lateral.
Minimal Play Time: 8 plays per game - does not include extra points
Practice Time: unlimited until school starts
Once school starts:
a. 6 hours per week.
b. Does not include team activities.
c. Outside team activities are not mandatory.
d. A player missing more then 50% of practice- play time goes down to 4 plays.
e. A player missing all of the practice week: No play minimum. At the discretion of the Head Coach
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Season:
Opening Day: August 21st
Parade: Pictures
Honor Former Head Coach and Board Member: Dave Lawson
All games will be played on Saturday. If there is heavy rain/lighting - games are to be up the next day: Sunday.
Game 1: Aug. 21
Game 2: Aug. 28
Game 3: Sep. 4
Game 4: Sep. 11
Game 5: Sep. 18
Game 6: Sep. 25
Game 7: Oct. 2
Game 8: Oct: 9
Game 9 Oct. 16
Game 10 Oct. 23
Week 11 Oct. 30 Make up date if needed
Playoffs: Everyone makes the playoffs.
Seeded based on:
a. W/L record
b. Head to Head
c. Points allowed
d. Coin flip
(Point differenial isn't fair, because of the 18 point rule)
Playoffs:
Round 1: Nov. 6th
Semi's : Nov.. 13th
Championship; Nov. 20th - we will focus our efforts on making this day as special as possible for our youth!
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Blue/White Game: Thanksgiving Morning:
In the works at present is an all star game vs. NCCFL. Looks like it will be the two oldest divisions. These games will take place at Caravel Stadium in Glasgow DE.
If that falls through (we're working hard, will not be because of us) and for any other MOT Football player that wants to play Thanksgiving morning MOT will offer a Blue/White game.
Blue/White game will be availble for all the player who want to participate in each age group.
Not mandatory. Again - this is something we like to do for our kids. (Thanksgivining Morning Football)!
Determine the coaches of the Blue/White game in each division.
Players wanting to participate show up on Monday prior to Thanksgiving for practice.
Teams are divided up. Practice M/T - off Weds.
Games will be 9am Thanksgiving Morning - everyone back home by NOON!
Players wiil wear our Cavs jerseys for the game: One team in Cavs White, other in Cavs Blue.
Only rule; players must be able to make both practices with the team (M/T) to participate unless the Head Coach determines otherwise.
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All Star Selection and Tournament:
On November 21st 2 pm: MOT will chose an all star team from each division.
Each coach will have a vote in selecting the top 10 players. The Head Coach then will be able to add 8-14 additional players to the roster.
All Star teams will wear our Tradional Cavs Uniform
Each group will participate:
8 year olds
9 year olds
10 year olds
11 year olds
12 year olds
13 year olds
we will allow OBL's in allstar play: will be similar to HB rules
The All Star teams will then participate in a round robin tournament during the month of December. There will be 4 teams in each bracket.
Dec. 4th Game 1
Dec. 5th Game 2
Dec. 11th Game 3
Dec. 18th Championships
Seeds 1 & 2 A Championship
Seeds 3 & 4 B Championship
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Again, MOT proudly offers all of this and we will do our best to keep cost down as much as possible. We do anticipate a slight increase but overall our goald is to create a great value for our MOT community, based on the lenght of season, games, and our MOT expericence. Overall, total costs will decrease dramatically based on previous years due with decreased travel expenses. The amount of overall time invested for families wanting to see a game will be less too. That's important to folks, working extra jobs, etc, they now may be able to make it out to a game and then go to work. Before, traveling in both directions, and watching the game pretty much consume their Saturday. One parent stated it cost him a $100 week to travel. He explained gas and tolls $30, and dinner for his family on the way home, he was over 100 every time we were on the road.
Don't get me wrong - we have enjoyed being apart of HB, and we were welcomed and wanted again at HB. Circustances beyound our control, and the HB Board's control, those circumstances led to change. Overall we do not feel that the changes created the best overall experience for our MOT community as a whole. The National division we thought was still strong and competitive. The middle division, and Fed division created some concerns. Our 2nd teams would be facing 6 teams 1st teams of those programs. In the middle division, and our 3rd teams would have faced three1st teams.
Overall, we are all one now. No separation of Nat./Cent/Fed. We love the fact of more opportunity for all of our children, and overall more competitive for our children.
We've invested many hours exploring other leagues and options. None presented a good fit for our large program.
Overall we think our In State League will be awesome, and as competitive as every. We'll offer more opportunity for our youth at skill positions. Our rosters will be managable and balanced so that everyone gets as much playing time as possible. Player development we hope will increase also. Maybe a child gets to run the ball where he may have never had an opportunity to do that before. Maybe he decides to stay in football because of it. That's our goal.
There will be some growing pains, and we'll smooth out any rough spots as we go along.
Again, our overall goal is to remain MOT FAMILY. Our focus is on the youth of our community and State. We will take small steps so this is never lost.
Let's all take pride in this together as we step towards a future, and what is and will continue to be the best football program in our State and surrounding areas. We'll take great pride in the being the best youth football and cheer leading program not only in our State, but anywhere.
In ending and in speaking with the Town, Jimmy Reynolds and Jason Faulkner, this concept isn't totally new at all. Back in the 1970's Middletown had a similar league with even pro names. We'd like to bring back some of the traditions from that league as well. There was a dedicated trophy that was passed along each year, things like that is important to us and we definitely want to carry along traditions like that.
As far as our Cheer program we're very happy that our Cheer program will remain with the HB cheer program. This gives our cheer program many options in regarding HB competitions. So it's definitely a "win, win" there as well.
