FAQs

The following Frequently Asked Questions have been put together to help provide you with information you may need for this upcoming season. Any other questions or concerns that are not addressed here can be answered by speaking with a Board Member.

Who’s working behind the scenes?
What is a General Meeting?
What are the HPBFA & BGYFL Organizations?
How is my son or daughter placed on their team or squad?
What is the criteria used to place my son or daughter on their team or squad?
What is the striper rule and how does it apply to my son or daughter?
What is a Sports Physical? Why is it required? When is it due?
When is Registration?
What are the Registration fees?
Are there any other fees that are required?
What is Field Day duty?
What if I need to request a refund?
What football equipment is provided and when is it received?
How do I take care of my football equipment?
When does my son or daughter get their practice gear?
What will I need to purchase for my daughter to cheer?
What happens if I lose or break something?
What is the Equipment Deposit?
When do practices start? Where are they?
Where are the games played?
What are the game rules that the Hurricanes follow?
When will the games be played?
How can I get a game schedule?
How do I find another team’s playing field?
How is information distributed?
How can I get involved with the Hurricanes?
What else does the Hurricane program offer?
How can I find out more about the program?
How do I reach the 2010 Board of Directors?

Who’s working behind the scenes?

The Board of Directors is elected by the voting members in December of each year. The Directors meet as a Board twice a month; the second Tuesday after the General Meeting and last Friday of each month to discuss the direction of the program and plan the events that lead to the success of your organization.

What is a General Meeting?

General Meetings are open to the public and are held every second Tuesday of the month at Streamwood Bowl on Irving Park Road. During the season, August through October, meetings start at 8:30 p.m. During the off-season, November through July, meetings start at 8:00 p.m. You will hear monthly updates on events within the program and learn about decisions affecting the program and ways you can contribute. We encourage all parents/guardians to attend and actively participate in the management and development of your great football program. These meetings are mandatory for anyone coaching or being a team parent.

A little information about the HPBFA & BGYFL Organizations

The Hanover Park Boys Football Association (HPBFA) was formed in 1970 as a self-sufficient, not-for-profit youth football program in 1970 and is a member of the Bill George Youth Football League (BGYFL). We firmly believe that the structure of youth football and cheerleading provides a strong bridge as your children move on to high school athletics. Our traveling tackle football program competes in a league made of up 14 towns from South Elgin to Downers Grove. The top teams in each weight class play in a "Super Bowl" game. Despite being one of the smaller towns in terms of population, Hanover Park continually ranks at the top of the Bill George League in victories each year. Throughout the last 39 years, the Hurricane football program has grown into one of the premier youth programs in the state of Illinois. Over that same period of time 21 of our travel teams have won a BGYFL Super Bowl for their level. An unprecedented feat!!!

We pride ourselves in having one of the lowest registration rates for our league and surrounding communities. We strive to continually equip our players and cheerleaders in top quality equipment and uniforms from head to toe. All of our coaches are NYSCA certified and spend approximately 12 hours each year at mandatory coaching clinics and seminars. Last season our head coaching staff had well over 70 years of combined coaching experience. We believe, overall, there is no better youth football and cheerleading experience for your child than the Hurricane Program.

The HPBFA is divided into two philosophies of football; an instructional flag program and a tackle program. Some team limitations to which we must adhere include age, weight, number of rostered players. There are no tryouts for any of the teams. There is a maximum team size for both Flag and Tackle. Once the maximum is reached, names will be put on a waiting list to try and form a second team at that level.

How is my son or daughter placed on their team or squad?

Traditionally, football placement is based upon the player’s age as of August 1 and then weight; cheer placement is based upon grade in fall of the current year and age as of September 1. The criteria for team placement are currently being reviewed by the BGYFL Board of Directors. At this time, we will place children based upon traditional methods. If BGYFL requires we make adjustments we will do that prior to the start of the season.

The following chart demonstrates the method of placement the BGYFL has followed. This may or may not change for 2010. The HPBFA Board will keep you informed as to any updates

What is the criteria used to place my son or daughter on their team or squad?

		FOOTBALL	CHEER
LEVEL	AGES (Prior 8/1)	WEIGHT LIMIT	GRADE
FLAG	6 & 7	up to 75lbs.	K & 1^st Grade
Instructional	7 & 8	up to 70lbs.	2^nd & 3^rd Grade
80lb.	8 & 9	up to 80lbs.	4^th Grade
90lb.	10	up to 90lbs.	5^th Grade
100lb.	11	up to 100lbs.	6^th Grade
115lb.	12	up to 115lbs.	7^th Grade
130lb.	13 & 14 (not 15)	up to 130lbs.	8^th Grade
VARSITY	13 & 14 (not 15)	130lbs. or more	8^th Grade

Experienced 7 year olds should play Instructional Tackle. Some 8 year olds are eligible to play, if they so desire, providing they meet the requirements after review by the HPBFA Board.

Please note that age and weight are not the final determination of which level your child will play or cheer at; placement is also based on the number of children that register each year.

Non high school students who turn 15 between September 1st and the day after championship day can only play at the Varsity level.

What is the striper rule and how does it apply to my child?

The BGYFL adopted the "striper rule” in 2008. This means that players who exceed the divisional weight limit, but not the maximum weight limit for that level will be deemed a “striper” and will be eligible to player under certain conditions. We are not the first program to adopt this weight strategy, some of our surrounding leagues use the striper rule for those players that exceed the weight limit for their level.

The following is the “striper rule” - A player exceeding a class weight limit by no more than 10% will be designated a striper. A Striper shall be identified by affixing a stripe of contrasting color to the front and back of the player’s helmet. All Stripers must be defined no later than week two of the BGYFL regular season and will be designated as such on the final team roster. Once a player is designated a Striper, that player shall remain a Striper for the balance of the BGYFL regular season and post season playoffs. Weekly growth allowance for Stripers follows the same guidelines as for non stripers. On offense, a Striper must play an interior line position from tackle to tackle within the Free Blocking Zone (IHSA rules) in a three (3) or four (4) point stance. Since a Striper is not an eligible receiver, he need not be covered. On defense, a Striper is restricted to line positions, must line up in a three (3) or four (4) point stance and must take a forward charge at the snap of the football. A Striper may not drop back from the line of scrimmage or stunt to an outside position and cannot line up more than one yard outside of the offensive tackle. At no time may a Striper advance the football and if a Striper ever gains possession of the football the play shall immediately be blown dead. Stripers shall not be allowed to punt or kick. This may also change with the weight changes being proposed by BGYFL.

What is a Sports Physical? Why is it required? When is it due?

It is required that players and cheerleaders get a sport’s physical and be cleared to practice and play football and cheer before the Hurricanes begin practice. This ensures your son or daughter is in the right condition to participate in two very demanding sports. The Doctors’ Certificate is available on this website and is due by the first week of practice. It must be signed by a certified physician to be valid.

When is Registration?

Anytime that’s convenient for you. But to make all our lives a little easier, the following dates and times have been set aside for registration:

The Hurricanes accept registration through the first day of practice, typically the first week in August. Should a player miss the registration sessions, the player may sign up by contacting the Hurricane Hotline at 630-830-3186 or emailing info@hpcanes.com.

What are the Registration fees?

Are there any other fees that are required?

Yes, the mandatory fundraiser. This is new to Hanover Park Hurricanes this year and could potentially reduce your registration fees to $0 and your child could play for FREE! At the time of registration, you will sign up your child and pay the registration fee and you will receive three raffle ticket books to sell to family and friends at $5 per ticket. Two books will have 20 raffle tickets and one book will have 10 raffle tickets for a total of $250. One book of 20 tickets totaling $100 is due at Equipment Handout; this is your mandatory fundraising amount. The second book of 20 and the one book of 10 can be sold and you keep the ticket sales That’s how your child could play for free; it’s based on the number of raffle tickets you sell. You just turn in the ticket stubs and any unsold raffle books. You are only required to sell one book of 20 raffle tickets.

We will be drawing the raffle winners at the Kick Off Pep Rally in September. Prizes are as follows:

^nd

^rd

^th

^th

As an added bonus, if you turn in the money from the additional raffle ticket sales, players and cheerleaders will be eligible for Premier Prizes, like merchandise credits or gift cards. The football player or cheerleader who sells the most raffle tickets in the league will win an I-Pod Touch. In the event of a tie, one winner will be drawn for the prize.

What is Field Day Duty?

Each team is assigned specific Field Day(s), at which time a parent or guardian will be required to work the chains, grill or concession stand at a home game. The Field Day deposit of $50 is a separate check collected after teams are formed in August and is held by the Team Mom for the duration of the season. This check will not be cashed and is returned to the parent/guardian at the end of the season when they have completed their required field day responsibility.

The Hurricanes ask that the Equipment Deposit and Field Day deposit are in the form of two separate checks payable to H.P.B.F.A.

What if I need to request a Refund?

Refund requests are accepted only in writing by mail or email. All refunds will be reviewed by the H.P.B.F.A. Executive Board on an individual basis and the Parent/Legal Guardian notified following the discussion. No refunds will be considered after Week 1 of the BGYFL Season. All refunds will be made in the form of a check and will be subject to the following criteria:

Equipment/Uniform Deposit and Field Day Deposit checks will be returned and the refund issued after equipment or uniform has been turned in to the appropriate Equipment Manager.

Refund requests must be dated and include:

What Football Equipment is provided and when is it received?

Safety is our first priority.

Football Players will be issued the following at Equipment Handout in July:

The following items will be issued the first two weeks of the season:

Each player at every level is required to supply the following equipment in order to play football:

Other allowable equipment includes the following, but is not provided by HPBFA:

How do I take care of my football equipment?

When caring for equipment, please follow these guidelines:

When does my son or daughter get their practice gear?

Practice gear will be given to football players at Equipment Handout in July. All players are required to wear their practice uniform and helmet to all practices unless notified by the Head Coach. Practice gear should be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure good health.

What will I need to purchase for my daughter to cheer?

Cheerleaders will be issued the following items by the Hurricane program in June. Cheerleaders will only be required to return the shell and skirt.

The other pieces of the cheer uniform that are required and provided by the program, but must be purchased by the parent or legal guardian are:

Cheerleaders practice in shorts or sweatpants and a t-shirt and gym shoes. They are required to keep their hair up away from their face and no jewelry is allowed at any time during practices or games unless it’s a medical bracelet.

What happens if I lose or break something?

The Hurricanes take great pride in the equipment that they provide and go to great expense each year to make sure that equipment is in good condition. We ask you to take care of your equipment! You will be required to exchange your damaged, worn out or incorrect size/fit item for a new one. Let the coaches know if your equipment needs repair. If an item is lost or damaged, do not purchase any replacement gear yourself, as the Hurricanes will not accept it. The Hurricanes will replace all items as necessary. (You will not be responsible for normal wear and tear, but a fee may be applied for some equipment.) Parents are ultimately responsible for any unreturned or damaged equipment or uniform piece. This may result in forfeiting all or part of the Equipment/Uniform Deposit.

Is there an Equipment Deposit?

A separate check turned in at Equipment Handout that is held by the Hurricanes for the duration of the season. This check will not be cashed and will be returned to the parent/guardian at the end of the season when the child’s uniform or equipment is returned in good condition. The equipment deposit is:

When do practices start? And where are they?

Cheer starts practice on Monday, July 26, and Football practice starts Monday, August 2. Participants will be notified about practice dates, times and location at Equipment/Uniform Handout in July. Football practices are five (5) days per week, prior to the start of the school year, three (3) days per week after the Labor Day weekend. Cheerleading starts out with 4 days per week and drops to three days also. Parents are required to drop off and pick up their child(ren) on time for games and practices.

Where are the games played?

Home games for all teams will be played at Lavelle Field in Hanover Park on Barrington and Irving Park Roads. Away games can be as close as Streamwood or as far as Hinsdale. Parents are responsible for transporting the child to away games or for making travel arrangements for them. Car pooling is encouraged when possible. If your child is unable to make it to a game or practice, please contact your head coach at least 24-48 hours prior so that game plans can be adjusted.

What are the game rules that the Hurricanes follow?

The BGYFL abides by the Illinois High School association youth sports guidelines. This may vary from other leagues in our area. Please refer to the IHSA or BGYFL websites for the rules and guidelines.

When will the games be played?

The football and cheer season starts in late July and runs through November. Pre-season games are in August, season games are 8 weeks and occur in September and October and are played on Saturday or Sunday. Playoff games are scheduled in late October as well as the BGYFL Cheer Competition. The BGYFL Super Bowl and a second cheer competition are typically scheduled in November.

How can I get a game schedule?

Game schedules are made available about the third week in August and are posted on the BGYFL website. Due to the large number of teams, and the margin for error, we will never publish a schedule on the Hurricanes website. It will be linked from our website and it is recommended you check the BGYFL website on a weekly basis to ensure there hasn’t been a schedule change for your team.

The Flag program is run under a different set of rules and guidelines. Subsequently their game schedule is developed after the Tackle schedule and is distributed to the Head Coaches at the end of August.

How do I find another team’s playing field?

Directions are provided to each town’s field on the BGYFL website. In addition, team moms or coaches may provide game scheduling and directions.

How can I get involved with the Hurricanes?

The Hurricanes are a non-for-profit organization. As such, the volunteers in the organization are the BACKBONE of the organization. Without volunteers, we would cease to exist. The Hurricanes require that parents participate in a Field Day responsibility coordinated by the Team Mom. This is done at the beginning of August.

There are many other jobs that require volunteers to help the program run smoothly. Some of them are described below. Your help is always appreciated. If everyone could offer 1-2 hours of service to the program, it would help keep our prices down and increase your child’s positive experience with the program. If you are interested in helping with any event contact any Board Member today. If you would like to volunteer to be a Head or Assistant Coach, click here to get an application.

Positions Available for Volunteer Services
Position	Description
Head Coach	Responsible for play calling, parent communication, player management, practices, record keeping and coach management. Reports to President.
Assistant Coach	Assists head coach in play calling, running practices, parent communication and team management. Reports to Head Coach.
Team Parent	Works with coaches to make sure that team communications get to parents; such as weekly newsletter, maps, game time changes or team functions. Team parents are also responsible for homecoming and end of the season party planning. Reports to Head Coach.
Concession Committee	Helps open or close stand. Sell food and beverages at a game prior to or following child’s game. Reports to Concession Director.
Field Committee	Responsible for setting up down markers, field markers and chains. Takes down field equipment at the end of the day. Assists with lawn maintenance as needed. Helps with striping the game field as required. Reports to Field Director
Fund Raising Committee	Responsible for working with community to secure donations to be raffled at homecoming, parent/youth dance or banquet. Reports to Fundraising Director.
Sponsorship Committee	Responsible for finding businesses to sponsor the Hurricanes. Reports to Sponsorship Director.
Homecoming Committee	Develops plans, decorate field and assist with homecoming events and outings. Helps set up and tear down field decorations. Works with Cheer Board and Team Moms.

How is information distributed?

This is the year that the Hurricanes will “Go Green”. Will be trying to use less paper and utilize different forms of communication, like email, internet and phone blasts. We will do our best to keep you informed of upcoming events. You can keep up with our current events by attending our General Meetings, visiting our website or reading our online newsletter The Football Fumbles.

What else does the Hurricane program offer?

The Hurricane program prides itself on the number of events that occur for the children and parents of our organization.

Pool Party – The Pool party is free of charge and usually held at the local park district water park and is for registered participants only, no siblings please.

Kick Off Bonfire and Pep Rally – New this year! Come and see what’s going to happen!!

Hurricane Nation Nite - A night for the parents to gather and get to know each other better without out kids around. J Usually at a local pub or sports bar. The fun begins with raffles, karaoke and continues with dancing and socializing.

Jamboree Games – Usually occurs the third weekend in August. This event is a controlled scrimmage to help the football player’s work on their plays. There will be three teams from each level of our league participating in a 1.5 hour scrimmage. The cheerleaders will be required to cheer for their team. This is a great way for the girls to practice their sideline cheers they will use during the season. All football players will get playing time and a great workout. There are no scores kept at any level.

Hurricane Bowl01 - Usually the last weekend Of August. Another BGYFL town is brought in for a series of games. All kids will get playing time and a good workout. This is a great opportunity to practice plays in preparation for Week 1. At the end of the game the winning team and an MVP from both offense and defense are awarded a trophy.

Homecoming -A very important and fun event for the kids and usually occurs on the fourth or fifth week of the season schedule. Homecoming is organized by Cheer with football team moms and parents assisting. All are welcome to participate.

Pep Rally

TP-ing

IMPORTANT TP RULES

Parade

Banquets - At the end of the year, the children are treated to a complimentary dinner and each participant awarded a trophy. Parents attend for a small fee. It is a chance to dress up (no jeans) like young ladies and gentlemen and have a nice time with your teammates. All children receive a year end banquet book to commemorate their year as a Hurricane. Each football team (excluding Flag) has awards given to the Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player. The 80# through 130 # football teams have a special award at each level and cheerleaders can also received the I Can, I Will, I Believe Award from 80# through 130# squads. We award our coveted Javaun McDonald Award as well as honor our sponsors for their generosity. It’s a great way to end a great season!

How can I find out more about the program??

The Hurricanes Board of Directors will hold a mandatory Parent’s Meeting in August. You will be notified of the actual date at Equipment Handout in July. Please plan to attend since you will be given important information about the upcoming season. You can always come to a General Meeting or by bookmarking the website.

With all this in mind, we would like to thank you for allowing your child to participate in one of the premier youth football programs in the State of Illinois. If you have any questions, feel free to contact any Board member or send us an email.

How do I reach the 2010 Board of Directors

Football
Executive Board
Phil Rizzo Sr., President	847-612-1651	prizzosr@hpcanes.com
Julie Kaneshiro, Vice President	630-417-2875	jkaneshiro@hpcanes.com
Julia Flores, Treasurer	847-321-0571	jflores@hpcanes.com
Dan Agosta, Secretary	630-213-2775	dagosta@hpcanes.com
Directors
Eric Vaeth	630-607-2833	evaeth@hpcanes.com
Ron Seibert	630-289-1283	rseibert@hpcanes.com
Dawn Bell	630-229-3636	dbell@hpcanes.com
Larry Mead	847-885-8055	lmead@hpcanes.com

Cheer
Lisa Dzik, Cheer President	630-217-9760	ldzik@hpcanes.com
Tammy Sawtell	630-888-0579	tsawtell@hpcanes.com
Marge Roberts	630-234-3477	mroberts@hpcanes.com
Judy Rizzo	847-278-2550	jrizzo@hpcanes.com
Kathy Kaske-Wyatt	847-899-0071	kkaske@hpcanes.com