What to Expect as a Bartlett Raider
Communication – ALL Raiders communication is electronic so please visit the Raiders Website frequently at www.bartlettraiders.org and sign up for our e-mail list.
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Equipment & Uniform Pick-Up in Summer - Attendance with your child is mandatory to pick up your equipment/uniform that will be sized for your child.
· Any balance due must be paid in full at time of pick up.
· A security deposit is required (credit card or check), that is returned when the equipment/uniform is returned after the end of the season.
· Parental sign-off of received equipment and uniform is required.
· A mandatory "$30 Inconvenience Fee" will be charged for any late pickup of equipment
· YOU are responsible for keeping it clean and returning it on time after the season is over, in the same condition it was received in.
FOOTBALL
· Tackle Football includes: a helmet with full face guard, shoulder pads, rib guard, practice pants, game pants, belts, a girdle with hip and tail pads, knee pads, and thigh pads.
· Flag Football includes: a helmet (non-faceguard type is used), game pants, practice pants, knee pads, and belts.
· A game jersey with your child’s name on it will be handed out by the team mom/coach after the season starts, numbers are assigned randomly and requests for specific numbers can not be honored.
· REQUIRED BUT NOT PROVIDED: Football spikes, game socks, hard cup supporter, a non-clear attachable mouth guard and a practice jersey. At equipment pickup, practice jerseys, black game socks, and mouth guards will be available for purchase.
CHEERLEADING
· The full uniform is included for each cheerleader, and is sized at equipment pickup, first come, first served based on availability. A black Raiders warm-up is also included, however if a returning cheerleader’s warm-up fits, they have the option of taking the current years shoes instead at no charge.
· REQUIRED BUT NOT PROVIDED: Competition Cheer shoes and socks are required, and must be purchased at equipment pickup. Silver briefs (spankies), and a white bodysuit (leotard) are also required and will be available for purchase at equipment pick-up.
Football practice scheduling is always subject to change due to weather conditions and resource availability. During the first few weeks, the practices will be every night for tackle football, and focus on fundamentals, conditioning, drills, teamwork, and learning the game. The practices will be hard work, and are designed to get the players ready for playing games. Tackle football is a rough TEAM sport that requires a lot of practice with TEAM mates. It’s extremely important that all players get to practice on time, each and every night. After school starts, the practices will only meet three nights a week. If your child is going to miss practice for any reason, inform the coach as soon as you know. Flag football isn’t as rigorous, and 70lb tackle is considered “instructional tackle” with the rules adjusted for this purpose.
Cheerleading practice follows a different practice schedule than football, and is based on the level they are in, the availability of coaches, and the availability of indoor facilities later in the year. Cheerleading practice includes learning cheers, and learning a routine that will be performed at halftime, and at two competitions, and a showcase event during the year. Because the routine is also heavily dependant on every member learning and performing their part, it is equally important that cheerleaders attend every practice they can to work together on the cheers and especially the routing. Coaches provide additional information regarding practices throughout the season for each team.
Games – Preseason scrimmages will be held before the first real game of the season. Players are expected to get to the games before gametime to warm up and run drills, and practice plays. The games usually last about two hours. For each game, team moms will assign parents from each team to help with the down markers, announcing the game, and to bring snacks and drinks for halftime and after the game for the entire team. The full schedule of games for all football teams and cheer squads will be posted on the Raiders website as soon as it is finalized by the BGYFL. Your Head Coach will let you know what time to arrive before each game.
Cheer Competitions, Homecoming, Bowl Games, Playoff Games, etc – As the season gets underway, each team will have a Team Mom or two, that will communicate individual team information regarding team events, and general information is updated regularly on the website.
Additional Costs – At the start of the season, one of the parents will “volunteer” to be the Team Mom. It’s customary for the team to collect money for a team gift for the Team Mom, and for the Head Coach for gifts to be purchased and given out at the year end party. It’s up to each team to decide what they want to do for these things.
Other Events – During the season there will be other events to attend. These include a Pool Party, a Pep Rally, a Homecoming game and festivities, and possibly playoff games, followed by an end of the year team party. At the end of the year party, every player will get a trophy at a team get together.
Safety and Injuries – Safety is a primary concern of the Bartlett Raiders. Football is a rough sport and injuries sometimes occur. The Raiders buy high quality protective equipment for football, and each team is supplied with a safety gear bag that includes a variety of medical supplies. Please keep in mind that the coaches are NOT trained medical professionals, and will do their best, but it is always best if a parent is present at all practices and games. If your child has any type of injury, you should contact the coach immediately to let them know. Any injured player that requires medical attention will be required to present a Doctor’s release when returning to practice. Cheerleaders can also get injured and a number of safety policies are in place to keep our kids safe.
What the Raiders Expect from you
Volunteering - Do I have to volunteer?
YES!!! Every family is required to volunteer for at least one activity during the year, but we welcome as much help as you are able to give. The entire organization is run by non-paid volunteers, and if paid employees were required, the costs would be much higher for everyone. There are a lot of committees and events that you can help with, and no prior experience is needed. We realize that you have a busy life, but every person you see volunteering has other commitments in their life just like you do; a job, a family, a house, school, other activities, etc. We all need to find the time to help make this program great for our kids.
Serious Commitment Expected - Football and Cheerleading are not for everyone and being a part of these team sports requires a serious commitment on the part of the children and the parents. If practice time is missed for any reason, it can have a significant effect on your child’s game playing time or cheer competition role. All practice time is critical! Regardless of the reason, missed practices means that your child will not be ready to compete physically or mentally, and this causes both a competitive disadvantage and a potential safety issue for your child and for the rest of the team. If too many practices are missed, the head coach has the right to have your child sit out of games or competitions.
Lead by Example - Adhere to the Zero Tolerance Policy
Parents and spectators are required to abide by all policies posted on the website, and by requests from Board members at all times. Please take the time to visit the website and read all policies, everyone is responsible for prober behavior, and violations will be dealt with accordingly. Remember, the kids are the ones who are most affected by your behavior, so make their program great by setting the example.
We need your feedback to improve, but please be respectful of all volunteers.
Remember that every person is a non-paid volunteer helping for the sake of the kids in the program, so before criticizing, ask if you can help. If you see something that isn’t going well, let us know, but offer up your help to improve it. The Raiders program is always looking to improve. Speak up if you are unhappy, or are unfamiliar with things going on around you, but please be courteous of the volunteers you see who are devoting a great deal of their time to your child’s program. If you encounter a situation or issue that requires the Board to be involved, please bring it our attention immediately by contacting a board member.