1. Review all TYFA behavioral policies and consequences, educate team participants, and inform them there will be fines, and suspensions (to include season ending). Parents need to be told to be in control as it could cost you.

2. TYFA is not a battleground for racism or any other hatreds. While one is free to do as they wish, they are not free of consequences.

3. Please keep in mind that ejections upheld by Compliance and the Senior Executive Board may keep players and volunteers out of playoffs. 

4. Please keep in mind that any ejections at the Spring Bowl will prevent the person from participating the rest of the Bowl.

• Players: who “Come to Blows” (touching in any way) will be ejected. 

• Volunteers: who “Attempt” or “Come to Blows” (touching in any way) will be ejected. 

• Volunteers or Athletes: who “Attempt” or “Come to Blows” (touching in any way) with a Referee will be ejected and indefinitely suspended from TYFA. Texas Penal Code § 22.01 | Class B Misdemeanor: up to 180 days in prison, up to $2,000 fine, or both.

• Volunteers: who aggressively touch an athlete (such as slapping, grabbing their facemask, jerking them etc., regardless of if it is their own relative) will be penalized a Personal Foul (15). A second violation from the same volunteer will be an ejection.

• Spectators: who  “Attempt” or “Come to Blows” (touching in any way) with Referees or volunteers on the field for retribution for a perceived issue with their child, will be ejected from the venue and the team will be penalized Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15). If they actually "Come to Blows", the organization will be charged with a Level IV violation.

• If there is a bench clearing issue that includes any type of touching, either or both organizations will be charged with the Loss of Organizational Control and be severely fined along with potential suspensions and forfeit.

• Compliance may add additional disciplinary action to anyone ejected. 

• Athletes or volunteers that berate, make abusive, threatening, obscene, vulgar, racial, or ethnic comments towards Referees, TYFA staff, other athletes, or volunteers (regardless if they are related), will:

  • • During a game, be penalized Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15) and will be charged with additional disciplinary action after Compliance review.

    • Multiple occurrences from the same volunteer will incur an ejection.

• Perception is Reality. A perceived threat is still considered a threat. 

  • • E.g., a person is angry at another and tells them they better watch out, or meet me in the parking lot.

    • This is a perceived threat regardless if the person talking didn’t say or mean they would hurt the other person.   If this treat can be verified, TYFA will charge the volunteer with a Level IV violation. If this was a spectator, the organization will be charged with the violation.

• If players or volunteers (any number) chant or make gestures from across the field at their opponent, or at the coin toss, the Referees will penalize the team Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15). 

  • • A second time the head coach will be ejected, while a third time the game will be declared a Forfeit. 

• If players or volunteers (any number) walk across the field at any time, prior to the start of a game, halftime etc. and chant, taunt, or make gestures, the game will be declared a Forfeit and the head coach will be charged with a Level IV violation. 

• If a full team or the bulk of the team performs disrespectful acts during the game like pushups on the field, there will be consequences.

  • • Example would be all defenders doing pushups and letting the offense score. This does not include a couple players doing it after a play because they might have screwed up. 

    • The Referees will penalize the team Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15).

• Taunting: TYFA strictly prohibits taunting in any form. This includes any behavior meant to insult, humiliate, or intimidate another team or individual. This rule applies to players, coaches, volunteers and parents alike. Severe consequences will be handed down on offender. This could include suspensions, fines and forfeits.  

• Actions or verbiage designed to confuse the defense into believing there is a problem, and a snap IS NOT imminent (e.g., “wrong ball play”), or planned loose ball plays, are beyond the scope of sportsmanship and are ILLEGAL.  

• Any team caught doing anything within the description of this rule will have their Head Coach penalized with an Unsportsmanlike Conduct (15).

It is the policy of the league to prioritize safety and sportsmanship over any displays of ego or one person's definition of fun. 

All individuals participating in or attending league events are expected to adhere to the following post-game conduct and hosting organization responsibilities.

Team Responsibilities (Home and Visiting):

1. Timely and Expedited Departure:

• Following the post-game handshake, teams shall conduct a brief team debriefing.

• Teams shall efficiently gather their equipment and promptly depart the field in order to not delay the next game.

• Teams shall ensure that volunteers and parents do not linger in the parking lot to engage in taunting or confrontation.

2. Demonstration of Respect:

• The post-game handshake is a time-honored tradition symbolizing mutual respect.

• Overly exuberant field celebrations are deemed inappropriate and disrespectful. Any post-game actions intended to humiliate or disrespect the opposing team are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, performing jumping jacks on stadium logos or engaging in any other behavior deemed to be taunting or disrespectful.

• Taunting of any kind will result in serious disciplinary measures.

• Visiting teams: Should conduct their post-game gatherings at the ends of the field, not the center. Using the home team's midfield space can be seen as disrespectful. 

3. De-escalation of Potential Conflicts:

• Organizations shall ensure that players and supporters maintain composure.

• Organizations shall prevent or attempt to mitigate actions that could lead to verbal or physical altercations.

Hosting Organization Responsibilities:

1. Spectator and Participant Safety:

• The hosting organization is responsible for maintaining a safe environment for all spectators and participants throughout the event, including post-game activities.

• The host organization is responsible for ensuring that fans and spectators are respectful.

• The host organization is responsible for ensuring that violators of respectful conduct are quickly and promptly removed.

• It is highly recommended that hosting organizations have some type of security or police presence to assist in keeping the peace.

• If the host organization has access to a PA system at their field, they should make an announcement prior to the start of each game about facility rules, conduct.

Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to, penalties, fines, suspensions, and other appropriate measures as determined by league officials.

The Post Game Handshake is a long standing tradition intended to show good sportsmanship and respect between the coaches and athletes of each team. There may be occasions where the game became very contentious that just the Head Coaches meet at center field. If some volunteers or athletes do not line up for the hand shake, in the grand scheme of things it may be best for the safety of everyone.

Normal Situation

• All athletes who can walk and all Football Coaches should be in that line. Support staff like Team Managers, Photographers etc. do not have to be in the line.

• Cheer staff, cheerleaders, non-certified persons (adult or child) or certified athletes from another team should NOT be in the line.

• Say "Good Game", stay silent and/or put a hand out.  

• Once through the line, head back to your sideline, pack up and head out.

Contentious Situation

• If both or either Head Coach or a monitoring Black Shirt determines just the two Head Coaches should meet, all other participants from each sideline should pack up their stuff and head out.

• Head Coaches should say "Good Game", something else positive or stay silent.

• If one team lines up but their opponent's head coach is the only person to come out, the other team should respect the fact that their opponent's head coach is coming out, head back to their sideline to pack up and leave. 

• IT DOES NOT MATTER in the grand scheme of things if only the head coach comes out.

Consequences

• If a team does not at least send their head coach out, the head coach will be charged with a Level II violation.

• If volunteers or athletes make derogatory comments, taunt, use something to spank their opponent, etc., those caught will be charged with a Level IV violation.

• If an organization refuses to give TYFA the information of specific volunteers or athletes who violated some or all of this policy, the organization will be charged with a Level IV violation.