The mission of the Dodgeville Youth Football program is to offer a positive and well structured program for youth in grades 5 thru 8. The objective of our program and teams involved is to provide a fun and exciting football experience while teaching the fundamentals and skills of the game. An emphasis will be placed on good sportsmanship by players, coaches, parents and fans, encouraging effort and a strong work ethic out of the players, and developing positive communication between other programs and ours.

You probably already know that all coaches, administrators, and support staff are volunteers for the Dodgeville Youth Football program. We encourage you to get involved with our program as the more good people we surround our program with, the more positive influence it will be for your children. So, please get involved with your child's team whether it's helping with team meals, concessions for games, or manning the down markers, and most importantly, the pasty sale and baking day as this is our only fundraiser for our program.

Below is a list of items we as coaches would like to make you aware of:

• Absolutely no Jewelry worn during practice or games.
• Player(s) must present written permission from parents the day before a scheduled absence from practice. Parents will then be called by a member of the coaching staff to check up on the player(s) condition.
• Players can be picked up by 6:45 after practice. Small children at practice need to go to the playground area. Practice will be cancelled if lightning or tornado warning is in effect.
• Absolutely no equipment worn except at practice and games.
• Pot luck supper will be held at the end of the season at the Dodger Bowl. Please bring a dish or dessert to pass. Player(s) will turn in their equipment.
• Pasty Sale is the only fund raiser to support the Youth Football team. Please help us keep this organization together!
• Any parents interested in helping during practices, games, fund raiser or any other time should contact someone on the coaching staff.

• The Season shall begin no earlier than a week after the High School Program
• There shall only be one interscholastic game per week.
• Each quarter shall be 8 minutes. The clock will run with normal WIAA rules. - Exception - Punts and kickoffs will be un-timed downs. Clock will stop after the completion of 3rd down, restarted if team elects to go for it on 4th down.
• The WIAA maximum of 7 games is allowed. League schedule has priority.
• Shoes and equipment must conform to WIAA rules.
• A team may practice each day of school until the first game. After the first game, practices may not exceed 3 times a week plus a game for the remainder of the season. Practices may last no longer than 2 hours.
• No kickoff returns. Kickoffs are from the 40 yard line. NO kickoff can start inside the opponents territory. Receiving team will start no deeper then their own 20 or farther than the 50 yard line. If a ball is caught, 10 yards will be awarded to the receiving team. If the kick goes out of bounds, the receiving team has the choice of taking the ball at that spot or at the 35 yard line. Balls downed between the 20 and 40 yard lines will be played from that spot.
• No punt returns. No rushing the punter. Offensive team will announce to the official their intent to punt. The official announces to the defense that a punt is to be kicked. If the punt is caught, 5 yards will be awarded to the receiving team. A ball downed is played from that spot. The ball should be long snapped from the center to the punter with no penalty if the ball hits the ground. No possession will begin inside the 20 yard line on punts.
• Field goals and extra points may be attempted. All extra points rushed or passed are counted as 1 point when attempted from the 2 yard line. A 2 point conversion may be attempted from the 5 yard line rushed or passed. Any conversions kicked are counted as 2 points. The kick should be from the 3 yard line. Field goals are worth 3 points. No rushing extra point kicks or field goals.
• All games that end in a tie shall remain tied. No overtime.
• The 7th grade team may be referred to as lightweights. It is a coach's discretion about moving a 7th grader up to the 8th grade team. An 8th grader under 100 pounds may be moved down to the 7th grade team at the coaches discretion. Any players that move up or down should be reported to the opposing team.
• Offensively, any 8th grader who weights over 150 lbs can not play in the backfield or at an end position - he must play in a down line position. A down line position means in a 3-point or 4-point stance.
• Defensively, any 8th grader who weighs over 175 pounds must play in a down line position. Any 7th grader who weighs over 160 pounds must play in a down line position.
• If a school is not able to divide their 7th and 8th grade teams into two separate teams, then they must platoon. This means start 11 people on offense, and start a different 11 people on defense. Again our goal is to give everyone a chance to play the game.
• It is important to keep the scores down (attempt to keep it within 21 points). If a team is up by at least 21 points, they must go for the 1-point conversion after a touchdown. If a team is up by at least 35 points, the clock will run continuously. The purpose of the league is to allow players to play, learn the fundamentals, and enjoy the sport of football.
• Our goal is to develop equally balanced teams. Some movement between teams may be necessary due to injuries, discipline problems, scholastic ineligibility, etc...
• Coaches will notify their upcoming opponent at least one week in advance or their game. The defensive formations and offensive schemes will be reviewed along with double checking time and location. These calls should be made before Sunday, 9:00 pm.
• Defensively, there will be no blitzing. Inside linebackers must align a minimum of 3 yards deep with no movement towards the line or scrimmage until the snap of the ball. This means not sending any linebackers.
• Coaches at 7th grade level have the option of being on the field when their team is on offense. Coaches at the 8th grade level may not be on the field.
• At the conclusion of the season, coaches will attend a working social to evaluate the concluded season and possible adjustments for the following season.
• Home team should furnish ice, have an emergency plan including a cell phone at the games.