CITY DUCKS YOUTH FOOTBALL
THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE LOS ANGELES CITY DUCKS YOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB
'ONCE A DUCK'
'ALWAYS A DUCK'
SERVING LOS ANGELES & THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES
'YOUTH FOOTBALL RUN BY PROFESSIONALS'
Frequently Asked Question's
When do sign-ups open for the 2021 Fall season? Paid registration is open now for the 2021 Fall season.
Where do you practice & play? As you probably know, we have practiced at Culver City HS in the past and played our home games primarily at Notre Dame HS in Sherman Oaks. Now, with so many protocols at public parks & public High Schools, we have partnered with Crespi High School in Encino as our home field for practices and home games. This decision will guarantee that we will have a place to play this season. As much as we would like to keep our practices at Culver City HS, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to use their facilities. We know that some of you might not be able to make the drive to Encino, but we can assure you that we will make every concession to make it work. Early registration has not reflected an issue. In the end, this is a new world with Covid and we had to make these logistical changes to make sure we continue to thrive. One thing we can guarantee, is that your exposure to the Independent/Private schools in the Valley will be excellent and we will continue to place a large amount of our Ducks Alumni at these great schools with generous financial assistance should you qualify.
What are the boundary areas? The are no boundary restrictions. Any child can play for the City Ducks.
Do you offer Flag Football? No.
Do I need to show a school report card? No.
What is the youngest and oldest age groups for the Ducks and how is age determined? The Ducks will field four teams that range from 9-14 years old. Age is determined on July 31st, 2021. If you are 9-14 years old on that day you can play for us. If you are 8 or younger, or 15 or older, you CANNOT play.
When do the official mandatory practices begin? July 19th, 2021.
How much & how often do you practice? Practices will be from 6-8 pm, M-F, for the first four weeks during the summer. Starting in mid-August we will practice from 6-8pm on Tuesdays & Thursdays. For one, two or three weeks of Play-offs, we will might have 3 practices a week. All games will be on Saturdays. Please visit our google calendar and sync it to your mobile device for up-to-date events and alerts. Game schedules will not be released until closer to the season.
What is the reason for your younger teams only practicing 2 days a week during the regular season? We strongly believe that physical back-to-back practices during the regular season are not in the best interest of the younger children. The most important component to a young athletes growth is body regeneration & rest after contact. Additionally, we feel limited contact will be beneficial to the children as they mature and grow in to the sport. Times have changed regarding football preparation and we are changing too. Also, since we do not have geographical boundaries, we have players that come from all over. One or two less practices a week when school starts, makes this possible.
If we go on vacation and my child misses practice(s), is that a problem? Youth tackle football is a big commitment as well as a true team sport. It is highly recommended not to schedule any vacations. Also, it's very important for every child to make it to practice and maximize their potential. We only practice 2 days a week once the regular season begins, while most of our competition practices 3-4 days a week. So, early practices are an integral part of our teams growth. We want to field competitive teams and make sure your children are safe and prepared to play to the best of their ability. Usually, newer players that miss any amount of practice will end up being minimum play children or quit. This is a fact.
What is the total cost for the 2021 season and what is included? The 'Standard Registration fee' is $895. The 'Financial Assistance' fee is $355 (see below). The standard & FA fee both include the use of a custom painted new or reconditioned/certified Riddell helmet with a hard cup chin strap and Riddell shoulder pads as well as a new mesh practice jersey and new game pants. Also included to keep, is a custom game jerseys*, game socks, athletic wicking t-shirt & shorts. Our expenses have tripled over the past four years and our donations & grants have decreased. Therefore, to provide our children with quality gear & to cover: insurance, field space, coaches gear, referee fee's, uniforms, field equipment, league fee's, practice lights, medics for home games and more, we need to raise our fee's slightly. Replacement gear will be charged at the retail price at the time of purchase.
What is the 'Financial Assistance Fee'? This plan is for those who have been paying this fee previously with the Ducks or at other tackle chapters and those who need a little break on the cost. This $355 'FA Fee' includes everything that the 'Standard Registration Fee' includes. However, this plan is "need based" only. If you feel that you might qualify, please fill out the '2020 Player Info Form' and YES next to the Financial Assistance request. All communication will remain confidential. We would really appreciate if you only request this option if you really & truly need it. We do not check your finances. We use the honor code.
If I own my own helmet or I want to buy one, what color should I have it painted for the 2021 season? For the 2021 season our helmet color will be Riddell Flat Dark Green (color code #5751). We will use a (black) face mask and (black) hard cup chinstrap. If you want to buy your own Riddell helmet, please use the link here https://teamstores.riddell.com/store/LACITY. They will apply our team discount. If you want to recondition your existing helmet, please call Riddell directly at (888)681-1717 or go online at content.riddell.com/reconditioning-new/. If players want to use or buy their own equipment, it must be the exact proper team colors and be 2020 certified according to NOCSAE standards. For more info please visit nocsae.org. Safety is paramount.
What conference do we play in? We are a member of the Gold Coast Youth Football League (GCYFL). The GCYFL is regarded as one the most organized and one of best youth football conferences in the country.
Are the players responsible to bring their own water to practice? Yes. Please make sure to send your child to practice with water. Especially, since Covid protocols have been implemented. No sports drinks will be allowed on the turf fields.
What size football does your conference play with? Freshman plays with a Pee Wee ball. Sophomore and Junior play with a Junior ball. Senior plays with a Youth ball.
Can my son play organized soccer or lacrosse and football for the Ducks at the same time? No. Youth tackle football is a full-time commitment.
Is there a minimum weight requirement? No. The GCYFL is one of the few conferences that does not restrict smaller children. The conference leaves that decision up to the individual families and the chapters.
What mandatory equipment do I need to buy? Each player is responsible to provide their own:
*Football cleats (no blue, red, orange, brown or purple cleats allowed)
*Black padded practice pants/game pants- (Fully integrated pants are highly recommended) Nike Recruit style recommended 5-piece girdle & 2 knee pads
*5-piece girdle & 2 knee pads
*Mouthpiece
*Optional items-(padded compression shirt, shoulder pad back plate, cup, gloves, clear helmet visor, personal helmet, etc...)
What is the actual amount of practice time required to play in a game? The conference rules mandate that a child must condition for at least 10 hours before putting on full gear. During the first 10 hours,
players are permitted to wear helmets at the chapters discretion. A child must wear full gear for an additional 10 hours before they can have full contact with another player. However, contact with bags is permitted during this time. These rules are in place to protect your children and the their teammates that line up next to them.
Will I need to show a birth certificate or passport to certify my child to play? If you played in the GCYFL in 2019, you will not need to show proof of age. New players will. The Gold Coast must view an official document that shows your child's date of birth. They will only accept an official birth certificate or a valid passport. No photo copies will be accepted. If you cannot find it or do not have one, please apply for one as soon as possible.
Do I need a medical physical to play? Yes. We recommend that you schedule your medical exam asap. , before practice begins, so you do not miss any practice time. This form can be downloaded on our site under the "2021 PHYSICAL FORM" under the more tab soon. No child can participate without a signed physical form on file with us. If you do not have a primary physician or your doctor is not available, CVS pharmacy Minute-Clinics offers youth football physicals. The form must be signed & stamped by the practitioner.
Besides our family physician, are there any other places to get a quick physical exam? Yes, the Minute Clinic at some CVS pharmacies. Please remember that physicals are due before the first practice. No physical, no play. Call before you go. Here are the closest locations.
Inside CVS/pharmacy®
10889 WELLWORTH AVENUE
LOS ANGELES, CA 90024
Inside CVS/pharmacy®
2505 SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD
SANTA MONICA, CA 90404
Inside CVS/pharmacy®
13171 MINDANAO WAY, MINDANAO AND THE 90 FREEWAY
MARINA DEL REY, CA 90292
Inside CVS/pharmacy®
14735 VENTURA BOULEVARD
SHERMAN OAKS, CA 91403
When can I check out my football gear? Football gear will be handed out as we move through the early practices to all paid in full participants who have turned in all of their paperwork. New City Ducks players must bring their original birth certificate with the official seal or a passport. No photo/color copies.
How long is the 2021 regular season? 7-8 regular season games. Play-offs may last an additional one, two or three games depending if your team qualifies and wins. The season usually ends in mid November.
How are the children put on teams? Teams are determined by a combination of age, weight, skill and experience.
Does everyone get to play in the games? Yes. The minimum play requirement is 12 plays a game for player's that do not miss practice. Unexcused or frequent absences may result in a player sitting out of a game or longer. We will handle these issues on a case-by-case basis. Coaches will have the final say.
Is there game travel involved? We usually play 50% of our games at home during the regular season. However, this can change slightly due to scheduling issues & field space availability.
Can a parent, relative and/or child be dismissed from the City Ducks? Yes. We reserve the right to dismiss anyone that we believe is not acting in the best interest of the City Ducks Youth Football Club or that exhibits any conduct that we deem as detrimental to our club, whether or not they have signed or read the Code-of-Conduct policy. Please see the "Code-of-Conduct" in the 2019 FORMS section under the 'MORE' tab on the tool bar above for more details. THERE WILL BE A STRICT "ZERO TOLERANCE" RULE IN EFFECT FOR THE 2019 SEASON AND WE WILL ENFORCE IT. NO EXCEPTIONS. IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOURSELF, PLEASE SAVE YOUR CHILD THE EMBARRASSMENT AND FIND ANOTHER TEAM.
What is the refund policy? 100% minus Paypal fees through March 31st, 2021. 75% minus Paypal fees from April 1st through April 30th, 2021, 50% minus Paypal fees from May 1st through June 15th, 2021, 25% minus Paypal through the first day of practice and No Refunds after July 19th, 2021 for any reason including COVID.
How does the wait-list work? Wait-listed players can be added based on positional need if a roster spot becomes available.
Are there any volunteer requirements? No. However, volunteering is recommended and essential. There are many ways to help out with your team and/or the City Ducks organization. We rely on volunteers and donations to make this program a success. All coaches are volunteers. So, please don't complain to, or about them. Especially, if you have not volunteered yourself. Without volunteers and personal funding, the City Ducks would not exist.
How is your club classified by the Internal Revenue Service? The City Ducks Youth Football Club is a California Non-Profit organization & 501(c)(3) corporation. We have NO paid employees. Our EIN # is available upon request.
-INFORMATION PROVIDED CAN CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE-
