DAKOTA RIDGE FOOTBALL   Articles, Rules & Regulations 

Article I - Name of the Organization: The name of the organization shall be the Dakota Ridge Football Association, hereafter referred to as DRFA.

     Article II - Geographic Boundaries: Dakota Ridge Sports Association's goal is to provide and develop quality and excellence in all we do.  We will accept any player and any team from anywhere in our entire sports program looking to achieve the same goals.

      Article III – Purpose: The purpose of the DRFA is to make a positive impact in the community and the lives of our children and area youth by providing a quality football developmental program for the Dakota Ridge area and high school. The goal is to create an environment of leadership and role models, and to understand the importance of shaping the lives of our future leaders. DRFA is committed to the Jefferson County Public Schools mission statement.  DRFA is committed to the ideals of good sportsmanship, ethical behavior and integrity for all members of our athletic community.  In perception and practice, good sportsmanship shall be defined as those qualities of behavior, which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others. The Mission of the Dakota Ridge Football Association is to make a positive impact in the community and the lives of our children and youth.

     Article IV - Objective: 1. Offer the opportunity for youth in our community to play football. 2. Teach sound fundamentals and good sportsmanship in the game, as well as teamwork. 3. Recruit and retain competent coaches to help achieve the goals of the DRFA. 4. Emphasize the importance of practice as a means to master the sport of football. 5. Instill a sense of community pride as well as display respect for those from other communities.

      Article V - Members and Responsibility:  Members shall consist of: 1. Parents and/or legal guardians of all registered players. 2. Approved head and assistant coaches. 3. Volunteers active in the DRFA, as recognized by the DRSA Board of Directors and DRFA Football Directors. 4. The DRSA Board of Directors reserves the right to refuse any player, coach, parent, team or member to participate in the association.    Responsibilities of Members: 1. Support the program and comply with all bylaws, rules, regulations and guidelines as established by the DRSA Board of Directors and DRFA Football Directors. 2. Provide transportation (parents and/or legal guardian). 3. Respects property of others and the authority of those who administer the competition. 4. Treat coaches, teammates, opponents and officials with respect and integrity. 5. Exhibit good sportsmanship at all times, especially by being gracious in defeat and humble after winning. 6. Conform to the regulations and rules of play as set forth by the JYFA. 7. Realize your attendance at the games is to support the teams involved. 8. Appreciate the skills of all players participating. 9. Cheers positively for their team, does not chant at, or get in exchanges with opposing fans. 10. Leaves the venue respectfully and accepts the outcome of the game.    Responsibility of Student-Athletes: 1. Accept seriously the responsibility and privilege of representing your school and community. 2. Treat opponents with respect. 3. Respect the integrity and judgment of sports officials. 4. Display modesty in victory and graciousness in defeat. 5. Play hard within the rules and maintain self-control.    Player Removal from a Game or Team: 1. Players/Parents in violation of these expectations may result in game suspensions, code of conduct penalties, and/or removal from the team at the discretion of the DRSA Board of Directors and DRFA Football Directors. 2. Players should arrive promptly at scheduled practice and game times and at timeframe provided by the coach unless given approval from the coach to come at a different time. 3. Players/Parents must exhibit good sportsmanship at all times. This includes not using abusive language, yelling and arguing at officials, teammates, opponents or opponent’s fans. 4. Players should take proper care of equipment; this includes the throwing of any equipment in anger. 5. Players must not be disruptive at practices or games. 6. Any player participating in a game who flagrantly violated the rules of good sportsmanship should be removed from the game immediately by the coach. 7. Any player ejected from a game for committing any unsportsmanlike act must leave the playing field and will be ineligible to participate in the next scheduled game. If the player is ejected from a second game for an unsportsmanlike act they will be ineligible to participate in the next two scheduled games and the player and parents must meet with the Football Director.  Any player ejected from a third game due to any unsportsmanlike act will be removed from playing with the team for the remainder of the schedule. 8. There will be “zero tolerance” for assault upon, hazing, disorderly conduct toward, harassment of, intimidation of, discrimination against, or any criminal offense against another player or damage of property of another student. 9. Before a player is removed from a team the coach must meet with the player and parent(s). This meeting and the specific violation must be documented and signed by at least the parent(s). 10. If there is a second violation the Football Director, coach and parent(s) will meet and discuss the violation. Any further violation(s) the Football Director with the DRSA Board of Directors may elect that the player meet a code of conduct plan; have game suspensions or removed from the team. At the conclusion of the season the Football Director will determine if the player will be placed in the draft for selection on another team, and the DRSA Board of Directors will determine if the player will be allowed to continue to participate.        

Article VI - Coaches and Responsibility: Coaches are appointed each year by DRFA Football Directors/Officers and the DRSA Board of Directors. As Football Directors in accordance with the bylaws of the DRFA, he/she has the responsibility to supervise and review the progress, conduct and general coaching ability of all coaches in the sport, to take such disciplinary and administrative action as necessary to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the DRFA. This includes the authority to suspend any coach for continually and/or deliberately violating any of said rules, regulations, guidelines, of the DRFA and bylaws of the DRFA; or in the event that in the Director’s sole opinion a coach’s actions or inactions jeopardizes the integrity of the program or the safety of any child in the program. All such disciplinary actions are subject to review by the Board of Directors of the DRSA. All incidences and resulting disciplinary action will be reported to the President of the DRSA within twenty-four (24) hours of its occurrence. 1. Since coaches (head and assistants) can have a significant impact on the formulation of attitudes and values, they are expected to exemplify high moral character, behavior and leadership standards of sportsmanship and conduct on the field. 2. Know official and county rules of football. 3. Teach fundamentals to the best of their and players’ abilities. 4. Teach and practice good sportsmanship and fellowship at all times. 5. Be a positive role model for all concerned. 6. Respect the judgment of the officials. Abide by the rules of the game and display no negative behavior. 7. Discipline those on the team who do not abide by sportsmanship standards. 8. Treat all athletes with respect. 9. Refrain from the use of disrespectful language or gestures. 10. Strictly follow county and DRFA rules. 11. Maintain proper care and use of equipment, uniforms and facilities. 12. Collect and return equipment as requested by DRFA. 13. Meet with parents of players to discuss plans for the season. 14. Regularly attend a meeting called by the Football Directors. 15. Conform to the “must play” rule. 16. Any Coach ejected from a game during the season must leave the premises and will be ineligible to coach the next game of the season and must meet with the Football Director. Any Coach ejected from a second game during the season will be ineligible to coach the next two games of the season and must meet with the DRSA Board of Directors. Any Coach ejected a third time during the season will be removed from coaching staff of the team. 17. Failure to comply with the above rules may constitute sufficient grounds for dismissal at the discretion of the Football Directors or Board of Directors.    COMMUNICATION CHAIN: If a player or parent has an issue or question during the season the communication chain to resolving or answering that question is a follows: 1. Player to Asst. Coach or Head Coach. 2. Player and Parent to Head Coach. 3. Parent to Head Coach. 4. Player and Parent to Head Coach and Football Director. 5. Player, Parent, Head Coach, Football Director and DRSA Board of Directors.

        Article VII - Officials and Football Board: Following is a list of positions, which may need to be filled as deemed necessary by the DRSA Board of Directors. 1. One Area Representatives. 2. Football Director. 3. Assistant Football Directors. 4. Scheduler. 5. Scorekeeper/Play Counters. 6. Treasurer. 7. Equipment and Uniform Manager. 8. Coaches. 9. Field Coordinator and Supervisor. 10. Sponsor Coordinator. 11. Carnation Bowl Coordinator.      

 Article VIII - Meetings of the DRFA involving coaches shall be as deemed necessary by the President and/or Football Director.

    Article IX - Placement and Draft: 1. Establishment of Rookie and 3rd grade teams is determined by JYFA geographical area with the recommendation to keep the number of players on each team in balance. All teams shall be numerically balanced at the time of draft, this shall mean within 15%. Any player registering after the draft shall go to the team with the fewest players in the grade as stated in Section I Rule 6. (JYFA By-Laws) 2. All new players and returning players wishing to change teams must be placed by draft when there is more than one team in a grade level. 3. 3rd grade through 8th grade returning players must remain on the same team, this includes players who do not play for one year but wish to return unless they wish to transfer to another team in their area with county approval. Former JYFA players who have not played for two years or more are considered new players to be placed in the blind draft, see restrictions. 4. Players from another area must return to their home area. New players or those desiring to transfer to another team (after county approval) will be used to numerically balance out existing rosters or to form new teams. 5. Selection should be accomplished by players remaining unidentified with the exception of grade and backfield eligibility. This constitutes a draft. Draft Cards may contain the following information: 1. Grade. 2. ‘P’ if the player is over the backfield limit in the age group. 3. A random player identified # known only to those administrators conducting the draft. 4. High school identifier - Only if the area builds Rookie and 3rd grade teams along high school lines. 5. ‘1', ‘2’ or ‘3’ - Only if the child is a returning player and has requested, in writing to the Area Director, a specific Division  placement. 6. Draft procedure may be done in one of the following ways as determined by the Area Board. All age groups in the Area’s draft will be done the same way. 7. The team with the most returning players will select first, each team in the age group will make one pick in order, until rosters are full and all children have been selected. 8. The team with the worst record/seed will select first, each team in the age group will make one pick in order, until rosters are full and all children have been selected. 9. Rookie teams will select first, then the longest standing teams in order, each team in the age group will make one pick in order, until rosters are full and all children have been selected. 10. Information that may be given to individual coaches at the time of the draft - confidential and may not be shared with any other coach. 11. A ‘Do Not Pick List’ - given only if a parent has requested in writing to the Area Director that a child be moved from a team for personal reasons. The Area Director and the County President must approve and sign this request. 12. ‘Recruit list’ of new players - Given if: 1. The coach has submitted a list of specific NEW players to his Area Director at least two (2) days prior to the draft; and 2. The parent has confirmed in writing to the Area that the child has been recruited. 13. No child is guaranteed placement on any particular team regardless of any recruiting or draft requests. Each area must give notice of the date, time, and place of any impending draft to the JYFA president, with a minimum of five (5) days’ notice, so as to allow a JYFA officer(s) (not affiliated with the area conducting the draft) to be in attendance for purposes of monitoring the draft as deemed necessary. Players not rostered by areas will be placed on a county-wide waiting list and placed as needed.  Proper Rostering by Grade: It is the policy of the DRFA that players will be rostered at their current grade level if a team is available. If a team is not available a player may play up a year with Director approval. If a player plays up due to a lack of a team at their grade level it is DRFA policy that they should return to their grade level if a team eventually becomes available. If a player wishes to continue playing up (or wants to play up for any reason) they will have to petition the DRFA Football Directors and DRSA Board of Directors for approval. At no time will a player be allowed to play down. Examples where a player may be permitted to play up: 1. There is no team currently available at their grade level. 2. They have previously played up and moving them down would cause their current team to disband due to lack of participants. 3. Playing up is determined to be the best and safest fit for the individual player.

 Article X - “Must Play” Rule: Each coach is asked to abide by the DRFA “must play” rule - everybody pays, everybody plays. The rule being that each player must play a minimum as set forth: 1. Players participating in JYFA shall participate in every game including playoffs and the Carnation Bowl. The JYFA has very specific minimum play rules that must be met for every player, for every game. 2. Reasons for not participating in mandatory play are: a. Illness..... b. Injury.... c. Unexcused absent one practice (or more) per week without cause.... d. Poor school performance as related by the parent... e. Attitude (justifiable)…. f. Official ejection.

    Article XI - Amending Rules & Regulations Changes to these rules & regulations may be done through due process and proper channels. 1. The proposed amendments(s) shall be in writing and submitted to the Football Directors. 2. The DRFA Football Directors will vote upon the measure with a majority vote needed to approve all amendments. 3. The DRSA Board of Directors must then approve the changes. The Rules & Regulations of the Dakota Ridge Football Association are hereby amended and adopted this 5th day of July 2018, as evidence by a vote of the membership on that day and is hereby certified to be correct by the Officers of DRFA and the DRSA Board of Directors.