Fort Wayne Flag Football Corp is happy to welcome all 9 to 14 year olds to try out for & participate in the NFL sponsored Regional & National Tournaments.  Our Tournament Team tryouts & information session will be held on Saturday, August 28th & Sunday, August 29th at the Plex up on the game fields - times to be announced.  (Not all who try out will make a tournament team)

REGIONAL Tournaments

• Typically Regional tournaments are held in or near large cities that have an NFL team that sponsors the tournament

• These Regional tournaments can be all across the US, with some sites as close as Indianapolis & Chicago and as far away as Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans and many others.

• Tournament games are held typically on a Saturday during the months of September through November for 1 day and can start as early as 7am in the morning.   These games are a set-up as pool play, with usually a minimum of 3 games played.  Only 1 team in each age division can advance from each Regional site to the National Tournament.  (Age divisions are:  9-11 Coed, 12-14 Boys, and 12-14 Girls)

• Parents, Children & Coaches are responsible for their own travel costs, including transportation, hotel and food. (We will make an effort to offer some type of fundraiser to assist you in raising funds, but can not provide this activity unless we have enough interest & responsible participation)

• A copy of a valid BIRTH CERTIFICATE MUST be turned into the league before a child can tryout or participate.  (The NFL requires validation of players names and dates of births.  Age cut-off date is as of September 1st of the current year.)

• A signed NFL Tournament Waiver will be required to be completed & turned in to the league immediately once your child has been selected for a Tournament Team.  (The NFL requires this document before anyone may participate in any tournament).

• There will be a $40 fee per individual to participate & play on a Tournament Team.  (The fee covers cost of team registration & jersey.  This cost may vary, dependent on how much, IF ANY, the league can raise from various fundraisers).  The designated cost MUST be paid for in CASH at tryouts or your child will be unable to tryout.  (Any child not making a tournament team will have their fee refunded to them).

• Our Tournament teams will practice at least once a week with their tournament coach. 

BEFORE trying out please be aware of the following:

*  You, as a parent, and your child MUST be fully committed to a Tournament team to be eligible. 

• Being part of a Tournament Team will require extra practices (outside of the child’s normal team practice & game schedule).

• Again, you, the parent, will be responsible for all travel costs associated with the Regional tournament.

• If your child and their team would win at the Regional Tournament and advance to the National Tournament, you must be committed to have your child continue on with their team to the National Tournament.

• Travel & hotel costs to the National Tournament is covered by the NFL for 1 coach & up to 10 team members.  (Parents wishing to attend must make their own arrangements and cover their own costs. )

FWFFC Tournament Team Tryout Guidelines

*There is a $150 NFL registration fee (2009 fee) for each tournament team wishing to register to participate in an individual regional tournament.  Each individual participant will be required to pay $40 to participate.  These funds will be expected to be collected AT TRYOUTS on AUGUST 28th-29th in CASH only. (Anyone not selected for a tournament team will have their tournament team registration fees refunded / returned to them.)

*Tournament locations are determined by the NFL.  This year our league will opt to participate in at least one of the listed locations, if not more.  The league will determine which teams will participate at which location.  You can not join a team specifying to which regional tournament location you will go.  By trying out you are committing to a team, REGARDLESS of WHERE they travel.

*Our desire is to not have more than 1 team in each age division represented at 1 location so that our own teams do not have to play against each other at this level.  However, this may not always be avoided. 

*All children ages 9 to 14 are eligible to tryout.  Not all children trying out will be selected for a tournament team.  Any child that has been suspended from the league will NOT be eligible to participate.  The child’s age is based on the NFL cut-off date of September 1st of the current year.  All interested participants MUST bring a copy of their Birth Certificate to tryouts.  (If you do not have a copy of your birth certificate you will not be able to tryout - no exceptions!  The NFL requires this documentation at each regional tournament and we MUST have this for the child to participate.)

(*Our league has received approval to have any 11 year old GIRLS compete in the 12-14 year old Girls Division )

*If a child is chosen for a tournament team, then the parent MUST complete an NFL Tournament Waiver & sign it before the child can participate at the tournament.  This documentation MUST be turned into the league prior to attending a regional tournament.

*All parents & children MUST understand, accept & commit to the requirements & responsibilities of participating on a tournament team.  This includes parents & players being responsible for their OWN transportation, hotel, food and any other associated costs in travel to a Regional Tournament site and the actual travel time associated with participating (ranging from 2-3 days).  This also includes parents & players understanding and participating in extra practices leading up to the Regional Tournament, attending any meetings that may need to be held prior to the Regional Tournament.  And also committing to allowing their child to continue on to Florida for the  Tournament of Champions if their child’s team advances from the Regional Tournament.  (This will also require more practice time & travel time for the children, and may also require these teams to miss some days from school).

*Only coaches that are coaching in the current age divisions will be considered for coaching & taking a tournament team.  All interested coaches must submit their name to the league for consideration prior to tryouts.  Coaches will be selected based on several factors, but will not be limited to - the possible number of teams we may form to attend multiple regional sites and the coach’s ability to display & follow our mission statement, but especially by showing good sportsmanship, integrity & responsibility.  All tournament coaches will be required to attend and assist in tournament tryout evaluations.  (All other coaches in these age divisions will be encouraged to attend also to assist in evaluations & input).   Coaches must also remember that any associated travel costs to a regional tournament will be their own responsibility.

*Once tryouts are completed, team selection will be based on the following criteria / procedure, but will not be limited to:  

•  child’s ability, effort & sportsmanship ethic
• a draft-like procedure will occur and will focus on each tournament team’s needs and abilities and number of team members,
• board members & coach input

*Our league’s goals are to:

• Represent our league well in BOTH abilities and how we conduct ourselves at tournament
• To provide the chance for as many children as possible to attend Regional Tournaments  - this is a great experience for these kids!
• To avoid playing against our own teams at the Regional level (when at all possible)

**As always, any changes or final decisions will be at the League’s Board of Directors Discretion.