Is tackle football dangerous, especially for younger/smaller children?
All sports have some risk of physical injury, including popular activities like baseball, basketball, gymnastics, bicycling, soccer and football. In 2002, the Mayo Clinic issued a report on their study of youth football injuries and reported "the data for athletes grades four through eight indicated that the risk of injury in youth football does not appear greater than the risk associated with other recreational or competitive sports." Further, the study indicated that the younger the player, the lesser the risk of injury, and that there was no indication that lighter children were at greater risk.
How old do you have to be to play in the SAFL?
The simple answer is that children who will be entering 3rd or 4th grade in the Fall play in the Peewee division, 5th and 6th in the Junior Division, and 7th and 8th in the Senior Division. Because there may be children who enter grades at different ages, here is the more detailed answer from the bylaws: Peewee Division - the player must be 8 years of age, or turn 8 years of age by September 1st, and can not turn 11 years of age on or before December 31 of the current football season. Junior Division - The player must be 10 years of age during the player registration period, and can not turn 13 years of age on or before December 31st of the current football season. Senior Division - The player may not turn 15 years of age during the playing season.
Do you have weight limits?
"Everybody Plays" in the SAFL. We do not turn away players due to their weight. It is the intention of the SAFL that players of comparable size match up against each other. To that end, the league uses a weight cutoff in each age division: Peewees: 80 lbs., Juniors: 115 lbs, and Seniors: 135 lbs.
At the official league weigh-in each player will be weighed, and if they are over the weight limit in their division, they are designated to play as a down lineman for the season, and are assigned a lineman's jersey number (50-79.)
