LAKEVILLE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION – "FOOTBALL…JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT!"

The Lakeville Football Association provides boys and girls the opportunity to participate in organized 1st & 2nd grade FLAG Football, and 3rd - 6th grade TACKLE Football. The purpose is to create a fun, positive experience where children learn the fundamental skills, the concepts of the game, and the requirements of teamwork while developing sportsmanship, self-confidence, and respect for others. League rules and coaching philosophy puts the safety of the players first and foremost. All positions within LFA are unpaid volunteer positions from coaches to board members.

League Format
The league is divided into two levels

1st & 2nd Grades Flag Football

3rd Grade through 6th grade Tackle Football (Each grade is a separate division)

Play is governed by LFA rules with LFA officials at each game. If a team is unable to field eleven players, the other team will match the number of players but no less than nine.

Players are required to wear full equipment – Helmet with chin strap, shoulder pads, pants with pads and mouthguards. Rubber cleated shoes are recommended but not required. Additional protection such as arm guards, neck guards, gloves are allowed.

Shoulder pads are available for use from LFA. Mouthguards will be provided free by LFA. Helmets with chin straps and football pants with pads must be purchased by the parent/guardian.

Team Selection (3-6th grades)
Each player is evaluated to determine skill level at the end of the first week of practice. Through a point system, each player receives a point total which is used in the team selection process. The goal is to create equal teams within the distinct grade levels. Players are evaluated on several different football related skills.

Individual point totals are kept confidential and used by the LFA board for the team selection process. The Team Selection is done by a computer generated – round to round - point based selection process through each weight group. All players at each level are listed from the highest point totals to lowest point totals. LFA Level Directors and the LFA Commissioner conduct the team selection process.

The selection process begins with the assignment of the son/daughter of the Head Coach and one Assistant Coach to each team. Each Level is divided into two weight groups first. The teams are assigned selection spots randomly  and team 1 gets the first player listed, team 2 gets the second player and so on until each team completes the round. Following each round. Rounds are completed until all players are assigned. Each team typically has 14-16 players.

If players sign up after the team selection process, they will be assigned to the team that was to select next as determined by the selection process. Team assignments will be posted on our web site at the beginning of the second week of practice.

Position Assignments
Coaches on each team will determine the positions that each player will play. It is the intent of the League to give each player the opportunity to play multiple positions on offense and defense throughout the season. For the safety of all players, weight limitations restrict certain players from playing specific positions. 

3rd Grade - A player weighing more than 80 lbs.

4th Grade - A player weighing more than 90 lbs.

5th grade - A player weighing more than 105 lbs.

6th grade - A player weighing more than 120 lbs.

All players will be weighed on official LFA scales at equipment pick up or first day of practice.

Playing Time
All players will play at least one half of the game on either offense or defense. Players may choose not to play because of injury or personal reasons. Chronic absence from practices is cause for coaches to limit a player's time on the field.

Conduct
Cheering and positive encouragement of players, coaches and referees embodies the spirit of athletics and the LFA. Any conduct that is in direct conflict of good sportsmanship, by players, coaches and fans will not be tolerated and can result in ejection from the game and sporting area. Physical, verbal abuse or yelling obscenities by any player, coach or fan is cause for dismissal from the LFA program.

LFA IN THE COMMUNITY

In addition to administering the largest youth football association in the State of Minnesota, LFA is involved in many activities within the Lakeville community.

LFA annually sponsors the "Coach T" football fun camp each summer. This camp is conducted for our Kindergarten thru 2nd grade community members and has been proven to be a big hit with the younger members of our community.

LFA also is sponsoring, for the second year in 2010, a Pre-Season Fall Preparation Camp for our 7th & 8th grade community members. We are hoping that this camp will help prepare these community members for their Middle School football season.

LFA sponsors an annual scholarship for a senior at Lakeville North and a senior at Lakeville South each year. The scholarship is a memorial scholarship in honor of Bob Kuhr, a former LFA member and volunteer who left us in 2006.

LFA has donated countless hours and dollars to assist the ISD 194 Middle School football program in our community. In addition to donating uniforms and equipment, many LFA members dedicate a great deal of time to help promote this program for the youth in our community.

LFA donates time and dollars each year to both the Lakeville North and Lakeville South Football Booster clubs. Items such as speakers at the stadium, flags at the stadium, field covers and other needed items have all been donated by LFA for the benefit of the programs in our community.

LFA has partnered with ISD 194 and the City of Lakeville to improve the fields in our community for many years, including items such as winter field covers for all of the middle school fields and a donation in 2009  and 2010 to the City of Lakeville to help improve the fields in our community.

In 2010, LFA, along with other youth sports organizations, was asked to make a donation to the school district for the specific purpose of saving 9B sports in our community. LFA helped to sponsor a community event for this purpose and also made a financial donation.

In 2010, LFA has partnered with the Institute for Athletic Medicine to offer Impact Concussion testing to all of the high school age football players in our community. The Impact test is designed to diagnose proper recovery times for athletes with an emphasis on safety.
 

For more information contact:
League Commissioner: Jeff Zellmer-