West Park Jr Panthers Football Frequently Asked Questions
Who can sign up to play West Park Jr Panthers football?
West Park Jr Panthers will welcome any youth athlete in the age groups below, whether they have years of football experience or have never played football before. We are a feeder program for West Park High School and definitely encourage future West Park High School players to sign up, but do not have any residential boundary requirements for registration in our youth program.
Which football team will my player be on?
We have 4 teams, and teams are based on age as of August 1 of the current year.
8u Team - ages 6, 7, & 8. 108lbs+ will be considered X-Men.
10u Team - ages 9 & 10. 157lbs+ will be considered X-Men.
12u Team - ages 11 & 12 (no 8th graders, 8th graders must play 14u). 180lbs+ will be considered X-Men.
14u Team - ages 13 & 14 (no high schoolers). No X-Men rule.
X-Men can only play along the offensive and defensive lines.
See information on the head coach at your players level on the “football” tab of our website.
What league will our teams play in?
The West Park Jr Panthers organization is a member of SYF (Sacramento Youth Football). SYF has multiple divisions each year, and division placements can change each year. Specific division placement will be announced when it is released by SYF. Check out www.sacyouthfootball.com for more information about SYF.
What kind of time commitment can I expect from the football season?
The exact dates can change each year when the official SYF start dates are released, but below are some general informational items that you’ll find useful. Youth football is a substantial time commitment and we want to make sure our families are aware. Once the calendar is finalized and announced, it will be very specific and detailed.
* We encourage players to play other sports in the football off-season, but will announce any football skill development or strength and conditioning opportunities that we would suggest. *
All of our practices and official camps will be held at West Park High School, (times TBD)
Our season will kick off with a Jr Panthers camp in mid-July, registered for separately.
The season will officially start in late-July with 4 practices per week (M - Th).
Once our games begin in late-August, practices will decrease to 3 days per week (T - Th).
We will have at least one weekend jamboree/scrimmage day, approximately 8 regular season games on Saturdays, and potentially playoff & championship games on Saturdays.
Organization and team events (fundraising events, parent meetings, opening day, team banquet, etc.).
Home games will be at West Park High School and away games will be at various locations in the region.
Game times are as follows: 8u - 10am, 10u - 12pm, 12u - 2pm, 14u - 4pm.
Games usually last approximately 2 hours, and coaches generally ask athletes to arrive approximately 90 minutes prior to game time for pre-game meetings and warmups.
The season will end in late-October or early-November, depending on playoffs & results.
** Any changes to the schedule will always be communicated as soon as possible. **
Are practices mandatory?
Yes. Football is a team sport and practices are important for players to learn to work as a team on their offensive, defensive, and special teams schemes and plans. It is important to have all players at practices. In the event that a situation arises where you will not be able to attend practice, please contact your head coach and team parent as soon as possible. Depending on the situation, there may be gameday consequences for missed practices.
Can parents stay to watch practice?
Yes. There will be specified areas at practice for parents to stay and watch (bringing a folding chair is recommended). It is helpful for parents to watch practice to see what skills, schemes, and techniques are being taught and what role their player has on the team so the parent can support and supplement these things at home. It is very important for parents to understand their role as a spectator at practices and allow their child to be with their team and coaches without parental interference during practice time, which allows our coaches to focus on coaching and our players to focus on getting coached by their coaches.
What equipment is included in registration, and what do we need to provide?
Your registration includes a spirit pack for you to keep (t-shirt, shorts, practice jersey, mouthguard), and also includes use of a West Park Jr Panthers helmet, shoulder pads, and game uniform during the season. Equipment handout dates will be in July.
Note: players may use their own personal helmet and shoulder pads, provided they meet all California NOSCAE equipment certification laws.
Families should provide football cleats, practice pants, and lower body pads for their players (all of which can be purchased at a discounted price through West Park Jr Panthers vendors). All athletes will also need to bring a large jug of water to each practice and game.
What safety measures do we employ within our organization to ensure our athletes are safe?
EMT professionals will be present at every game.
We have a dedicated Board Member for equipment and medical needs. This board member or another assigned and trained adult will be present at all practices and is responsible for monitoring any possible equipment or medical need.
All coaches at all levels are CPR and First Aid certified, and must pass a full background check in order to become an SYF certified coach.
Our teams will have a systematic approach to practice scheduling to keep the focus on technique, skill, and knowledge development to improve technique and confidence prior to contact. Football is a physical sport and nobody can ever guarantee an injury-free experience, but all of our practices at all levels will focus on developmentally appropriate drills and progressions to maximize development and minimize unnecessary contact and risk.
Is my player guaranteed to make the team? Is my player guaranteed to get playing time in the games? Is my player guaranteed to play their favorite position(s)?
Dependent on various factors including roster sizes and safety concerns, there may be certain situations that require difficult roster decisions to be made. These situations will be clearly communicated and discussed with families as early as possible within the first two weeks of practice.
SYF does not have a playing time requirement. All playing time in games will be at the coach’s discretion and earned during practice. That being said, we as an organization have a developmental philosophy and will make it a priority to get every player on every roster appropriate game experience to help their development. Our desire to develop young players is equal to our desire to win games. If you have any questions or concerns about playing time, please discuss with the head coach at your level.
Position assignments will be made for players with several factors in mind, including team needs and roster makeup, player skill set, and projections of player success on the field. Position preferences may or may not be taken into consideration. It is important to understand that all players will learn a variety of skills to help them become better overall football players regardless of what position they play, and that what position(s) they play this year in youth football will not limit their future position possibilities in our youth program and/or high school.
What are the costs and other financial aspects of youth football?
Registration will be between $350 and $400, depending on when you register (register early to get the early-bird discount).
Payment plans are available in 3 monthly installments.
There will be additional refundable deposit checks requested for equipment ($300) and required volunteer hours (amount TBD), these deposit checks will be destroyed or returned when the equipment is returned and the volunteer hours are complete.
In the event that your athlete is no longer a member of the team, full or partial refunds may be considered before final team placements are made or before July 1, whichever comes first. Extenuating circumstances will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Families will need to purchase some equipment items for themselves as referenced in the equipment section above.
There is a possibility of financial assistance to families that have financial needs. Please email our president at president.wpjp@gmail.com for details.
Our program needs your financial support. Please participate in and tell your friends about our fundraising efforts and events to support our program!
If you own a company, work for a company, or know of a company that would like to support our program, please encourage them to become a business sponsor. More information is on the sponsorships tab on our website.
Are there required volunteer hours for parents?
Yes, our program has no paid staff, and is run completely by volunteers. It is important that each family does their part to help our systems run smoothly. There are several types of jobs to sign up for in order to meet your required hours. Amount of hours required for each football player registered is TBD. More information will be provided by the team parent for your team and our Board Member overseeing volunteer hours.
What documents are required with my registration?
Medical Release/Physical: All athletes must have a medical release (physical) done after April 1st and turned in before any participation. The physician should complete the SYF Physical Form and MUST be signed and stamped by the physician.
Proof of Age: ALL athletes must provide Proof of Age by providing one of the following:
School Registration Information Sheet: Printed from the school information system (Powerschool or similar) for the upcoming school year beginning this Fall. Must include child's name, date of birth, address and grade in the Fall. If enrolled in RCSD, click here for directions on how to print Returning Student Registration.
Letter of School Verification: Letter from school office for the upcoming year beginning this Fall. Must include child's name, date of birth, address and grade in the Fall on school letterhead and must include school stamp and be signed.
TIP: Print out or request letter of school enrollment verification/proof of age requirement prior to June when the school information systems or office is closed.
How do people stay informed about West Park Jr Panthers?
Check our website at www.wpjrpanthers.com often.
Join our West Park Jr Panthers group on Facebook.
Follow West Park Jr Panthers @wpjrpanthers on Instagram.
Once you get registered, check your emails consistently for updates and information.
Talk about West Park Jr Panthers in the neighborhood, and tell your friends. Word of mouth is still a great way to get information out there!
Will the West Park Jr. Panthers be fielding two teams?
- Yes! We plan to field two teams at each division to allow more players to be part of the organization and not have to make cuts and also to provide more opportunities for playing time.
How will families manage game schedules if they have multiple athletes?
- Family circumstances will definitely be considered to avoid separating athletes from siblings and/or parent coaches.
If there are two teams at each level, will one team be better than the other?
- All teams will be thought of and treated with equal respect. The goal will be to create two teams that can both be as competitive as possible in the different divisions SYF places in them.
Can I pick which team my player is placed on?
Can I get a refund for my registration?
Refunds will be honored based on the following schedule:
• Full refund (less payment transaction fees) through June 1
• Refund less cost of spirit pack & payment transaction fees until first day of practice (July 15)
• Post July 15, refunds will be evaluated by the WPJP Board
What if I have more questions? What if I want to coach, become a board member, or volunteer my time or skills in some other way?
Feel free to email any of our board members at any time with any questions, informational needs, or concerns about our program. You can see our Board of Directors along with contact information on the “about us” tab on the website.
Go Panthers!