FAIRFIELD YOUTH TACKLE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS

Overview

The Fairfield Youth Football Giants organization offers 2 programs depending on grade for padded football.  Tackle for 5th-8th Grade and Modified Flag for 3rd and 4th Grade.  All of our programs are focused on character first, and then, athletic development of Fairfield's young athletes.  Our goal is to teach the fundamental concepts and techniques of football, promote sportsmanship and adhere to a safety first approach. All of our coaches are certified through USA Football which requires extensive football fundamental course work and safety training.  We require all coaches to attend continuing education clinics as well as CPR and First Aid certification.  Our board maintains strict oversight and quality control to ensure your young athlete has the opportunity to learn, safely compete and take pride in their football development path.

The Fairfield tackle program competes in the Fairfield County Football League (FCFL) which is comprised of schools in the FCIAC conference.  Games will be played on either Saturdays or Sundays and any away games are within a short drive.

We tap into the resources from our local high school football programs when possible and benefit from the community outreach.  The vision is to further develop Fairfield's football pride and teach them that game of football that rewards those who commit to it like no other sport.

USA Football's Heads Up Program Was Adopted by FCFL in 2013. For complete details, click here.

2024 Fall Tackle

As you register for Fall Tackle football, it is important for parents and players to understand the commitment that will be required over the coming months. Football is a preparation sport, not a pick-up sport, and these requirements will ensure the safety of your child and teammates, as well as ensuring the best possible experience and competitiveness for our players:

1.  Pre-season practice starts on Monday, August 12th for all Tackle grades.  It consists of 10 sessions over a two-week period and it is expected that your athlete will be present at all 10 practices.  We understand there may be circumstances that make this difficult and should there be a conflict, you need to contact FYF Tackle Coordinator, Joe Corselli ([email protected]) immediately so that he, along with the Grade Head Coach, can assess whether your child will be able to play and compete safely. The pre-season preparation will culminate in a Jamboree, which will include all of the teams in the FCFL. During the Jamboree, we will play three 30 minute scrimmages against other FCFL teams. If your child has not attended our preseason, or has not had enough days of live tackling drills, he will not be eligible to participate in the Jamboree.

2. Fall practice starts August 27th and will be 3-4 nights per week (including a film night) plus a game during the season.  Attendance at all practices is mandatory.

Tackle football is a contact sport!  Injury risks do exist, especially for players at the 7th and 8th grade levels, where they and the athletes they compete against, begin to get faster, bigger and stronger.  We do not have ‘cuts’ or ‘A & B’ teams but we do have to field athletes who can practice and play safely.  Should there be an injury risk concern for your child, your Grade Head Coach will be in contact about opportunities to continue to practice with the team until that safety concern has been rectified or alternatively to develop in our FYF Flag program

3. Commitment is more than just attending practice.  Players are expected to show respect and discipline – listening and learning from coaches.  Furthermore, playing tackle football includes work that needs to be done at home. We expect each player to take time at home to review their playbook and watch the game tape that we will provide each week. We expect our players to show respect and discipline on and off the field to their teammates, coaches, opponents, teachers and members of their community.  

4. Finally, tackle football is not a sport to combine with another Fall sport.  As you can see from the above, the commitment is significant, and this should be your child’s primary sport for the Fall season. As we mentioned earlier, football is a preparation sport. It is, however, difficult to prepare when a player does not attend every practice, or attends only some practices and some games - or worse, when a player cancels their attendance at a game at the last minute.

Tackle football is a big undertaking. We recognize this. However, we feel it is important that both parents and players understand what is expected of them from the outset.  If you are unable to make this level of commitment, or if your child faces a safety concern, we hope you consider competing in our grade specific flag programs.

Cost: $TBD per player plus a $50 town fee (total $TBD)

Registration is opening soon!

2024 Tackle Summer Camp

Our week long FYF Tackle Camp for rising Grades 5-8 will ensure our players are more than ready for the upcoming Fall season! The camp will be run with a combination of FYF and local high school coaches.  Kids will be grouped by grade and will be in full pads (provided by FYF) with controlled full contact to get them ready for the upcoming season! Each camper receives FYF Summer Camp SWAG. 

Grades:  5th-8th based on child’s fall 2024 grade year

Dates/Times: One week (Monday, July 15th through Friday, July 19th) / 9:30am – 12:00pm each day

Location: Warde High School Turf Field

Cost: $225 per camper for the week plus a $25 town fee (total $250)

Registration is now live! See below

2024 Spring Tackle Clinics

Tackle Clinics are available to all of our current 4th-8th graders in our community. The focus will be on refreshing players skill set from the previous season while also providing a great opportunity for potential new players to try tackle football in a full contact/controlled setting. This will provide a base of knowledge and comfort should they decide to try tackle in the fall, as well as a chance to get to meet their coaches and teammates (Grade 8 will get to meet High School coaches). A mix of positional, conditioning and team drills is an important springboard to the fall. 

Division/Schedule

Rising 5th & Rising 6th Grade: Sunday evening’s from 6pm - 7:30pm @ Warde High School Turf

Rising 7th & 8th Grade: Monday evenings

Tackle Programs will start Sunday 4/8…off for spring break…then back the following week and end 5/19-5/20. Fields and times will be announced once fields are assigned and will typically work with Spring Sports like Baseball and Lacrosse to avoid conflicts when possible.

Spaces are limited, so please register your player as soon as possible. Once we have reached capacity, we will run a 'waitlist'.