While youth football league administrators may have forms and information in order, there are a few common roadblocks to be aware of.
The most universal problems concern current physicals, weight, and identification. Many leagues require participants to undergo a complete physical before the start of each season. Problems can arise because of differentiations between school requirements and youth football league requirements.
"Often times, players get their physicals in the fall preceding the season and school year," said Heyward Prude, III, President of the EMS Rams, a youth football team in Cleveland, Ohio. But, the physical doesn't carry over to the next season because our league cannot accept a physical that is more than six months old."
In most schools, physicals are valid for up to one year, but when registration rolls around in the spring, the physical might already be six months old and will expire before the fall play begins.
To combat this problem, league administrators need to communicate with parents of current or prospective players during the off-season about keeping their physicals current.
In cases when a players register with out of date physicals, getting an appointment for a new physical at the last minute can be difficult. Another issue comes up when physicians won't administer another physical because one had been done recently. It then becomes difficult for players to get a physical at the last minute from someone other than their own physician.
"Our league has fostered a relationship with local hospitals in Cleveland so that kids can get physicals from them," said Prude. This relationship gives players and parents another option to complete a physical.
Birth certificates are another big issue. In order to prove that the player is in a certain age group, leagues require their birth certificate to be presented as evidence of their age. Unfortunately, birth certificates are often misplaced. Advertising for registration in advance can inform parents ahead of time to start looking for their son or daughter's birth certificate.