Game Day: Reminders from league commissioner, Ken Kruthaup

HYDRATION begins during the week.  Most water consumed on Saturday goes straight to the stomach. You need to hydrate your blood, muscles and internal organs, not your stomach. See USA Footballs article on Heat & Hydration http://usafootball.com/health-safety/maintaining-balance-key-heat-and-hydration.
 
 Weigh in 101.....

  • Weigh-ins must be completed 30 minutes prior to game time. 
  • A player arriving after scheduled game time will remove shoulder pads and helmet, be marked as ineligible for the game and participate as a water boy.
  • A player who does not make the minimum or maximum weight in pads MAY opt to “strip weigh”, but is not required. IF they choose not to “strip weigh” they will remove shoulder pads and helmet, be marked as ineligible for the game and participate as a water boy.
  • A player requesting a “strip weigh” will stay at the scales while the remainder of BOTH teams complete their weigh-ins.  Following that the scale will immediately be removed to a private location (in most cases a bathroom) where all players requesting strip weight will then be weighed.  At no time will the players leave the weigh-in area and return to be weighed.  Leaving results in one assumption, and that is they are trying to do something illegal to that player so he may participate.  My experience has seen kids being forced to run (in this heat), forced to vomit, as well as other despicable things.
  • Suggesting that you were forcing a player to drink water to hydrate is incorrect, see hydration note above.  Anything drank on game day at BEST will maintain the hydration begun during the week. This is not to be done in order to assist the player in achieving the minimum weight.
  • Who should be at the scale? The Business Managers of both teams. You may also have the spotter/checker to keep the participants together after the weigh-in.
  • A Board Member on Duty at the home field may be there to help facilitate the weigh-in; however, the actual process of checking weights is the responsibility of the Business Managers.
  • Team A’s Business Manager checks the weight listed on the scale for Team B and marks on the ID Card if they have Passed, are Injured, or held to the side if the participant requests a “strip weigh”. Team B’s Business Manager completes the same process for Team A.
  • No Coaches are allowed at the scale and no association may conduct a weigh in for their own teams.  
  • Please print a copy of the Business Managers’ Training to have on hand, along with a copy of the Palomar Policy Manual.

Mandatory Play Form
The form itself may have caused issues last week, there are two lines indicating the number of plays required.  The upper line is for JPW-Midget (between 6 & 10 plays). The bottom line is for Mighty Mite (between 8 & 12 plays).

  1. The number of players to be checked on either of those lines reflects the number of eligible players at kick off, not your roster size.  In addition, this number does not change once the game begins.  Meaning if you start with 26 players and one gets injured on the first play (or anytime) you still have to meet the requirements for 26 players even though you are now at 25.
  2. When you go to the opponents sideline you are the checker.  You will take responsibility/be in charge of the MPR form for your opponent’s team and together with their spotter (usually the Business Manager). During the game you will verify their players’ participation in the game by checking the boxes as they complete plays. 
  3. The best way to do this is to draw a back slash (\) when the player enters the field, and completing with a forward slash (/), (forming an X) when the play completes without an accepted penalty.
  4. The only time there should be two MPR type papers on a sideline would be in the form of a cheat sheet used by the BM to help spot players for the checker.  One Example would be, a color coded MPR type paper indicated players, on say a red offense and a blue offense or similar for defense.
  5. All players shall receive their MPR by the end of the 3rd QTR, or they shall enter the game at the start of the 4th QTR and remain in the game until they have received their MPR – regardless of the play (special teams, kick-off, etc) Does not apply to Flag
  6. Spotters and checkers are two of the most important positions on your team and needs to be respected as such. The MPR is one of, if not the only form that does not require a due process for action.  National views the MPR as an accurate account of the game and those participating.  It used to be required for our head coaches to sign the form after the game.  At some point it became an annoyance for the head coach to sign the form because he was anxious to be with his team.  Perhaps we need to revisit this part of the process since it ultimately affects the head coach.

TURF FIELDS
WHEN visiting another field check with the Board Members on Duty as to what types of food and/or drink are allowed on the field. MOST LIKELY, WATER ONLY. Please make sure you respect the rules of the hosting association so that they may continue to have access to the fields allotted.
 
Thank you all for your time and consideration!

J. PackComment