Frequently Answered Questions

--------- FOOTBALL PROGRAM QUESTIONS ----------

Q: Can you explain the different football programs the Mustangs offer?
The Massapequa Mustangs offers football at various levels – Travel, Town and Flag - for all players and families. Travel: Our most competitive level is the Travel Program, which runs from ages 8-13. While it can vary from year to year, the Mustangs travel teams typically play in Nassau County Youth Football League (NCYFL), and abide by their rules – which can be found on at www.ncyfl.org.

Travel football is a 4-day a week commitment during the season (August 1st thru mid November). It is therefore STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that your child does not play any other sports during the travel football season.

For the 10, 11, 12 and 13 (senior) teams, the Mustangs conduct a weekend training camp towards the end of August. The Mustangs have been using Camp Pontiac, located in Copake, NY (about 2 hours upstate), for over 30 years! The cost of camp is not included in basic registration – and is generally ~$250 per player. Click the following to learn more about the amazing facilities at the camp … http://www.camppontiac.com/

Town: Our in-house Town program is the heart of the Mustangs organization, and is a big differentiator between our town and other towns. Most towns do not have a Town program at all. We typically have more kids in the Town program than we do in the Travel program. We run tackle football leagues from the ages 7-13.

· The 7 year olds play in their own division, as it’s their first exposure to full tackle football.

· For the 8-13 year olds, we typically combine two age groups to create divisions (such as, 8/9, 10/11, 12/13). However, groupings may differ from one year to the next depending on the number of players registered at each age group.

· At a minimum, we will have four (4) teams in each division for Town football. Each team plays at least 6 games in regular season, followed by a 4-team playoff held over 2 weekends.

Flag: Beginners, ages 5-6 can compete in full equipment in our Flag Football Program. While there is no “tackling” in this program, players will be taught basic fundamentals to prepare them for full contact tackle at the age of 7. These fundamental skills include: stances, ball carrying, blocking, shedding blocks, and pursuit. At a minimum, we will have four (4) teams in Flag. Each team plays at least 6 games in regular season, and there are no playoffs for Flag.

Cheerleading: Cheerleading, which is not a competitive sport within the organization, does allow girls to cheer, also at the Travel and Town levels. Although not competitive, the cheerleading skills and practices are just as intense and hard as the football side.

---------- REGISTRATION QUESTIONS ----------

Q: I sent in my child's registration. When will I find out what team he is on?
A: For players aged 8 – 13, you will be contacted by the travel coaches for your child’s age group regarding player evaluations. Travel evaluations are conducted week nights in July (typically 2-4 evaluations are offered), and conclude during the first week of August. If your child is not placed on a travel team roster they will be put in to the Town program’s draft.


For the Town Program (including 5/6 Flag, 7-year-old tackle, and 8-13 town teams) players will be evaluated and drafted in early to mid-August. You will be contacted at that time,

Q: When does Football start? What is the time commitment? When and Where are the games?
A: Travel Football: For Travel teams (age 8 – 13), football practice begins on or near August 1st. How often a team practices is left up to the coach but it is most common that teams practice 4x per week during August, and 3x per week for 1-2hrs per session once this season starts in early September. Practices are typically held at Burns Park (with an occasional practice at Field of Dreams)

Travel games are usually on Sundays, but there may be some weeknight and/or Saturday games. This makes travel football a 4 day a week commitment during the season (August thru mid November). It is therefore STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that your child does not play any other sports during the travel football season. Typically there are 8 regular season games, including a BYE week. The 9 week regular season is then followed by 4 team / 2 week playoff. Trophies are awarded to the division (regular season) and league (championship game winner) champions. The championship game is typically played the 3rd week of November.

The travel teams play home games on Gillespie Field at John J. Burns Park in Massapequa and away games in towns throughout Nassau County. Typically, the team, and cheerleaders, travels together on a team bus to away games (and back). The bus leaves from Burns Park 1.5 to 2 hours before game time (depending on location).

Town Program: Town football practice begins in late August. How often a team practices is left up to the coach but it is most common that teams practice 2x per week for 1-2hrs per session. Practices are generally held at Field of Dreams or Burns Park.

Games are usually on Saturdays, but there may be some weeknight and/or Sunday games. Typically there are 6 regular season games, followed by 4 team / 2 week playoff. Trophies are awarded to the division (regular season) and league (championship game winner) champions. The championship game is typically played the 1st or 2nd week of November.

For the town teams (5/6 flag, 7 year old, and 8-13 town), all games are played at Gillespie Field at John J. Burns Park in Massapequa.

Q: How are teams picked in the town program? What if I want my child to play for a specific coach?
A: All players are re-drafted each year in the town programs. We do NOT honor special requests unless a child has a specific need essential to his health and safety. The Commissioner has final approval on all player placements.

Q: My son is very small for his age / My son is old for his grade. Can't he play down one age level? What if he only misses the cutoff by one day because he has a November 30th birthday?
A: No, there are NO exceptions to the age or weight limits for each division, except that a heavy player unable to make the weight in his proper age division may play up one (only one) age division. Remember the weights are MAXIMUM weights, not minimum weights - so players are eligible if they are UNDER the weight, but not over.



Q: What is the refund policy for registration fees?
A: refunds are only offered if we are informed your child is not playing BEFORE September 1st.

Q: What are acceptable proofs of birth for the NCYFL Weigh-in to make a travel team roster at the beginning of the season?
A: ORIGINAL Passport, ORIGINAL Birth Certificate, or an ORIGINAL government document denoting proper birth date (such as an immigration document). If your son played in the NCYFL before, the league will also accept official laminated player registration cards from prior years. You can check with your Head Coach to see if he has one for your son.

---------- EQUIPMENT QUESTIONS ----------

Note: Any alteration to the basic uniform by a coach or parent is prohibited by the NCYFL Football League rules. Rules regarding permissible equipment are regularly checked at the weigh-in on game day and players found in violation are not allowed to play in the game.

Q: What cleats should I buy for football?
A: NO screw-in "chock" style cleats or metal cleats of any kind are allowed. League rules require that cleats must be molded rubber or plastic. When this violation is caught at the game weigh in or during the game the player is suspended from the game.

============================================================= PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING REMINDERS:

REMINDER: NO SCREW-IN CLEATS IN MUSTANGS FOOTBALL. ONLY MOLDED PLASTIC OR RUBBER CLEATS ARE ALLOWED.

If a player weighs in wearing screw-in cleats he is NOT allowed to play in the game. If he is caught wearing screw-in cleats during a game he is thrown out of that game and suspended for the next game.
Q: What are the rules about mouthpieces?
A: Mouthpieces must be colored (i.e. not clear) so they are easily visible for the referees, and they must be attached to the facemask of the helmet. If the referee notices an unattached mouthpiece in a game it is a penalty. There is one exception: if a child needs a special orthodontic mouthpiece because he wears braces AND he has a prescription from his dentist (of which we would need a copy), he can wear a mouthpiece that is not attached. Also, the dentist must write in the prescription that the child may play football.

Q: Can a player wear a plastic visor on his helmet facemask?
A: Visors are allowed only with a doctor's note from the player's doctor and must be CLEAR, NOT TINTED.

Q: Can my son wear extra elbow, hand or kneepads in the games without violating the uniform rules?
A: Yes, but if he is in danger of exceeding the max weight at the game day weigh-in because of the extra pads, be aware that he is allowed to weigh-in without the extra pads, then put them on so long as it is done at the weigh-in area in the presence of the opposing coaching staff.

Q: Can I modify my son's equipment to help him make game weight, like cut down his knee or hip pads, have him wear lacrosse shoulder pads, etc?
A: No. Any illegal modification to equipment for any reason compromises the players safety and will result in the player being ejected from the game and the players Head Coach being suspended for the season even if the Head Coach was not aware of the situation. So please, don't put your son's safety or your Head Coach at risk.