Welcome to the KYFCL 2024 season!

As the season starts, there are several facts you should know about the Keystone Youth Football and Cheerleading League (KYFCL) and what we have to offer to your youth football player or your youth cheerleader.

*Child-oriented and focused. There’s so much more to youth sports than winning football games or cheer competitions.

*Games are held in local communities.

*Run an organized and functionally viable league.

*Our Cheer program is an essential part of our league. It combines traditional sideline cheer with competition. The SPORT of cheerleading is not an afterthought. We offer advanced skills and stunting without the travel and expensive financial and time commitments of competitive traveling cheer groups.

*Our CHEER for CHARITY CheerFest Competition has been copied but never replicated. It offers a unique competitive environment that is unmatched.

*EVERY Head Coach in cheer is NFHS Cheer and Dance safety certified BEFORE coaching your cheerleader. This is a nationally recognized, “gold standard” in the sport of cheer.

*EVERY cheer coach is NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) certified in Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Concussion in Sports BEFORE coaching your child.

*Mandatory plays. Why? All players deserve playing time and that tenth play may be the spark that drives your player to stick with the sport and expand their athletic talents in the future. This also provides for more real-game experience.

*Special JV rules to allow player development – While some may say “it’s not real football”, providing protected opportunities for JV players during punting and PAT plays allows necessary skill development. Ask an 8-year-old if it is “real football”.

*All KYFCL players are “A” level. We do not discriminate based on an athlete’s ability by creating secondary teams that may or may not play games. EVERY CHILD IS IMPORTANT!

*Lopsided score policy – fairer for all involved; promotes PLAYING over winning with a blowout score.

*The KYFCL is a leader in both youth football and cheerleading. We are progressive and “ahead of the curve” –
*Mandated coach clinics (both football and cheerleading) with training from recognized experts in how to be a better youth coach.
*In-depth concussion training. This training and exposure for football and cheer coaches has been in place long before “football concussions” were buzzwords.
*Our age-appropriate levels keep athletes properly grouped together. We don’t allow 7-year-olds to play with 13-year-olds. Football Smurf – 5 to 7 years old, JV – 7 to 9, MV – 10 to 11 and VARSITY – 12 to 14 years old, additionally with age-focused cheer squads.
*The KYFCL was first in the area to have a specialized Smurf program.

SAFETY POLICIES –

*Limited player to player contact practice time, NO head-to-head drills.
*Conditioning requirements that EXCEED PIAA and other recommended pre-season heat acclimation procedures.
*Heat index guidelines implemented this season.
*Helmets are REQUIRED to be re-certified every two years
*Injuries are REQUIRED to be reported to the league.
*Heavier players are placed with others of the same age-based developmental group while providing position limitations for safety. We’ve reviewed youth-football-specific data and studies from as far back as 2002. The decision was made to provide the safest environment as possible.
*EVERY coach in football is USAFootball.com certified BEFORE coaching your child.

WE MAKE IT SAFER AND FAIRER FOR THE KIDS…. BECAUSE THEY ARE KIDS!

They will grow up soon enough. We want them to learn and have a chance for all players and cheerleaders to develop themselves for the next level while having fun! We love to see kids smile!

If you have any concerns or questions, please email or contact me or any other Executive Officer or Club Representative.

I am looking forward to another GREAT Year! Always feel free to contact us at any time!

Sincerely

Bryant East

KYFCL President

It’s Recommended that:

At heat index (feels like) of 95 degrees or greater, practice is cancelled or postponed until it drops below that number. At heat index of 93 degrees, no helmets or shoulder pads are allowed and there must be a water break every 15 minutes.

Team Directions

Thank you to DICK”s Sporting Goods for sponsoring the clubs of the KYFCL

Keystone Youth Football and Cheerleading League is located in south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland

NFHS National Coaching Credentials – Cheer and Dance Safety Certification

Edited By Tiffany R Roberts