TRI-COUNTY BYLAWS
ARTICLE I - NAME
This organization shall be known as the Tri County Junior
Football Conference (League). The
Tri County Junior Football Conference is a non profit
organization.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The purpose of the League shall be to promote the game of
football in the area; to inspire
children to practice good health, citizenship, and character; to
bring area children together
through the means of a common interest in sportsmanship, fair
play, and fellowship; to impart to
the game elements of safety, sanity, intelligent supervision; and
to keep the welfare of the
children first and entirely free of adult lust for glory.
In addition to the above general purposes, specific purposes are as follows-
A. To acquaint the children with the fundamentals of the game;
running, passing, kicking,
blocking, and tackling.
B. To teach through the game: sportsmanship, love of the game,
and the ability to take a few
knocks and bumps.
C. To promote safe play by encouraging children to play in their
own weight and age division,
and preventing rough play and piling on.
D. The Tri County Junior Football Conference will be an entirely
not for profit organization.
No officer, board member, or any other member will receive any
type of remuneration for
their services from the organization's treasury.
E. Should the Tri County Junior Football Conference choose
to liquidate, after all liabilities are
paid, the remaining assets of the organization will be turned
over to another organization(s)
in the area with the same type of rating given to us by the
Internal Revenue Service with the
same type of purpose as defined above.
F. The Tri County Junior Football Conference will not endorse,
sponsor financially, nor support
in any other way, any political party or candidate of any
political office.
ARTICLE III - LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP
A. The League shall be composed of no less than four
organizations whose teams have met the
eligibility requirements listed in these by laws. The
fiscal year shall run January 1 through
December 31.
B. ORGANIZATIONAL FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Each new organization shall deposit with Tri
County Junior Football Conference the
sum of $ 100.00. If, after successful completion of the first
season in Tri County Junior
Football Conference and the new organization is a member in good
standing, $ 50.00
of the deposit will be refunded at the December meeting.
Tri County Junior Football
Conference will retain the remaining $ 50.00 as bond money for
the succeeding years.
2. Bond money will be refunded to an organization if,
or when, that organization
withdraws from Tri County Junior Football Conference.
3. In addition to the above, league dues are $
50.00 per year per organization, payable by
the February meeting. Organizations that are in good
standing and have belonged to
the League for at least five (5) consecutive years will no longer
pay league dues.
4. A $ 25.00 deposit per team entered by each
organization is due by the September
special meeting (Rules Interpretation meeting). Team fees
will be refunded at the
December meeting, if the team completes the season. In the
event a team fails to
participate in all league and play off games they will lose their
team fee and are subject
to other fines or probation. The highest officer, whose
team is not involved, will
appoint a three (3) member committee to review the situation.
The responsibility of
this committee is to make a recommendation to the board as to
whether that team
should be subject to other probation or fines not to exceed $350.00.
5. Any organization missing a total of three (3)
meetings, regular or special, called for the
entire membership during the fiscal year will become a member Not
in Good Standing.
They will forfeit their bond money, as well as their voting
rights. They will incur a
fifty dollar ($ 50.00) fine for becoming a member Not in Good
Standing, as well as a
fifty dollar ($ 50.00) fine for each meeting missed thereafter
during the fiscal year.
There will be no excused absences. An organization cannot
vote again until the
meeting succeeding their voting rights being reinstated.
Also, no person shall represent
more than one organization.
6. All dues and fees are due on the date stated
in these by laws, or as specified by the
league President. Any organization owing money to Tri
County Junior Football
Conference is a member not in good standing. Before any
money is refunded to any
organization, all money that is owed to Tri County Junior
Football conference, whether
it be fines or fees, or for any other reason that the league
shall state, will be deducted
from such refund. All fines are due by the next regular
meeting.
C. No new organization will be accepted after the regular
August meeting each year, except if
accepted by an unanimous vote of all member organizations present
at the meeting, provided
at least 75% of the League membership is present to constitute a
quorum for admittance.
Any teams of a new organization accepted by this manner will
comply with fees as stipulated
in Article III, Section B.
D. Each organization shall register a maximum of two
representatives and two alternates. Only
these four are qualified to cast votes. They must be
registered at least one prior meting to
gain voting eligibility, On any voting matter, the individual
organizations are entitled to a
maximum of two votes and only one vote per representative present.
The head of the
member organization shall designate to Tri County Junior Football
Conference, in writing, or
in person, his organization's representatives and alternates.
E. All Tri County Junior Football Conference monthly
meetings are to be held on the second
Tuesday of each month at 8.:00 p.m., except for the month of
September, which will be held
on the fourth Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. The November meeting will be
held on the first Tuesday
of the month in the event the first round of playoffs are
scheduled before the regular monthly
meeting . Each of these meetings will be held in one centralized
location. Belleville. The
Secretary, at least ten (10) days before the date of the meeting,
will notify each member
organization of the place and time, if a change is necessary.
F. The schedule shall run from the first weekend after
Labor Day to approximately the first
weekend in November and to include playoffs, if possible.
The Tri County Junior Football
Conference Executive Board will determine play off scheduling and
site(s).
1. During the regular scheduled season, permission must be
secured from the League or
the Executive Board of the League before games or controlled
scrimmages (other than
league games or controlled scrimmage with another Tri County
Junior Football
Conference organization) can be booked with an organization that
is not affiliated with
Tri County Junior Football Conference.
2. A minimum of six (6) regular season games shall be
played (a forfeit is considered a
game played); however, the Scheduling Committee shall attempt to
schedule a
minimum of eight (8) regular season games.
3. Controlled scrimmage games may be played between organizations.
4. FINAL COMMITMENT OF TEAMS - All organizations will
inform the Chairman of
the Scheduling Committee, fourteen (14) days after the second
Saturday in August, the
number of teams and their prospective divisions. Schedules
will be presented at a
special meeting of the following week as announced by the
President of Tri County
Junior Football Conference.
G. MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS - The following is a list of the member
organizations as of
the date of the current years approved by laws; and changes of
the member organizations
during the year do not require that changes be made to this
listing.
Alton
Alton Renegades
Bethalto
Quad City Football Club
Cahokia
Cahokia Quarterback Club
Centreville
Centreville Tigers
Collinsville
Collinsville Raiders
Columbia
Columbia Blue Jays
Dupo
Dupo Bluffview Tigers
East St. Louis
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Boys and Girls Club
Highland
Highland Quarterback Club
Little Devils
Boys Football Club of Belleville
Little Knights
Little Knights Football Club
Red Bud
Musket Athletic Club
Troy
Troy Titans
Waterloo
Waterloo Lil Dawgs Football Club
H. Prospective members may be admitted by a 2/3 majority vote of
the League members
present. There must be at least 75% of the League
membership present to constitute a
quorum for admittance. For admittance, all member
organizations must be notified at least
fifteen (15) days prior to voting. A member in good
standing must submit prospective
member organizations.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS OF THE LEAGUE
A. The officers of the League, which shall be known as the
Executive Board of the Tri County
Junior Football Conference, shall consist of a President, Vice
President, Secretary, and a
Treasurer. These officers are to be elected by the member
organizations at the last meeting
of the fiscal year. The officers of the League shall be
considered as Directors of the League.
All Tri County Junior Football Conference Executive Board
nominees must be endorsed in
writing by the representative organization of which they are a
member.
B. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
1. The President of the League shall preside at all
meetings. If requested by three (3) or
more organizations, the President shall call a special meeting
within five (5) days of a
request. The President shall have the power to call any
special meeting deemed
necessary. The President shall cosign all checks. The
president or Acting President
will not be allowed to vote as a representative of a member
organization. The presiding
officer has the power to levy fines and/or penalties, but if
other than a monitory fine is
assessed, a special meeting will be called within 48 hours of
such penalty.
2. The Vice President shall preside in the
absence of the President. -In addition, the Vice
President shall be in charge of the League standings, weigh in
stamps, sportsmanship
standings, and League awards. The League standings will be
mailed to each
organization on a weekly basis.
3. The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings.
The Secretary shall mail all club
minutes of the last regular meeting at least ten (10) days in
advance of the next regular
meeting. The Secretary shall further be responsible for
reporting on member -
organizations not in good standing due to non compliance with the
by laws relative to
attendance. In addition, the Secretary shall distribute a
current list of eligible
representatives and alternates with telephone numbers to each
organization.
4. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys of
the league and shall pay all bills by check
incurred by the League from the League Treasury. Also, the
Treasurer shall be bonded
with an amount to be determined by the Body on a year to year
basis. The Treasurer
shall further be responsible for reporting on member
organizations not in good
standings or due to non compliance with the by laws relative to
dollar amounts owed to
the League. Also, the Treasurer will pass out a written
monthly report.
ARTICLE V - LIABILITY
The League officers, coaches, managers, referees, and all other
supervisory personnel will not be
held responsible for injuries to persons or damage to property.
ARTICLE VI - TEAM ELIGIBILITY
A. REGISTRATION - Each team shall register a maximum of
thirty five (35) players and team
coaches ready for competition by the third Tuesday of September,
after which time three (3)
copies of the roster will be provided to the Tri County Junior
Football Conference President.
The roster will include name, address, game card number, date of
birth, age, and weight.
This roster will also be used for insurance purposes and any
organization not participating in
the Tri County Junior Football Conference insurance program will
have their roster
authenticated by their insurance company or agent.
1 . Upon registration, an identification card will be
issued for each player. These cards
will list the name, date of birth (to be verified by birth
certificate, baptismal record,
military ID card, passport, or past Tri County Junior Football
Conference identification
card), grade in school and name of school, weight, organization
and division, team
number, head coaches name, a current picture (not more than two (2)
years old) of the
child affixed and stamped with designated stamp covering part of
the picture and
initialed by at least one (1) League Officer or one (1) League
Representative or
Alternate.
2. The home team is responsible for furnishing
weigh in equipment only. A
representative of the opposing team is to witness the weigh in.
Three (3) rosters of the
players' names and numbers in numerical order must be available
at the weigh in. One
roster must be available to the announcer, one for the opposing
coach upon request and
one for the monitor if needed. Rosters must be typed or
printed legibly. The team
coach must have League identification cards available at all
games. All cards must be
completed for the player to be eligible for that game. The
mandatory weigh in will
commence no later than fifteen (1 5) minutes prior to a League
scheduled game time
and the identification cards will be provided to the opposing
coach at that time. In
addition, the identification cards will be provided at the time
of a protest or forfeit.
3. LATE ARRIVALS OR OVERWEIGHT PLAYER - An
additional weigh in will be
provided at half time of each game. Example: scheduled game
time - 1:00 p.m., any
player arriving or overweight after 12:45 p.m. must weigh in at
half time and is
ineligible for the first half.
4. LOST CARD - If a loss of card(s) occurs, the
member organization will notify the
President of Tri County Junior Football Conference, prepare a new
card and have it
authenticated by the President of Tri County Junior Football
Conference or next
ranking Officer available, using the President of Tri County
Junior Football Conference
stamp.
5. No child shall be registered as a qualified
player without written consent of one of his
parents or legal guardian.
B. INSURANCE
1. The Insurance Committee is to furnish the
name of the Tri County Junior Football
Conference designate insurance company, its agent and policy
number, plus all
information for claims handling at the July meeting.
2. Those member organizations choosing to
purchase insurance individually rather than
through their Tri County Junior Football Conference designate
insurance company
must furnish, from their insurance company, a certificate in
writing to the Tri County
Junior Football Conference Secretary no later than the July
meeting. No practice or
games shall begin until this certificate is received.
3. The President of Tri County Junior Football
Conference must receive the final roster,
referred to in Article VI, Section A, at the September meeting (4th
Tuesday). Any team
whose final roster and game stamp are not received by this date
will be fined $ 50.00
for each violation. An additional $ 10.00 per day will be
accessed for each day
thereafter. If the Tri County Junior Football Conference
President does not receive the
rosters prior to the start of the next game, forfeiture of that
game by the team in
violation will occur and continue until the rosters are submitted.
4. It shall be the responsibility of the Insurance
committee to negotiate with insurance
companies to obtain the best coverage for the best premium for
its member
organizations and bring forward its recommendations at the April
meeting for
discussion and to be voted on at the May meeting. If found
to be unacceptable,
additional proposals shall be obtained and final vote will be
held at the June meeting.
5. In order to avoid a possible conflict of interest,
no member of the Insurance Committee
shall be employed by nor act as agent for the Tri County Junior
Football Conference
designated insurance company used that fiscal year, but may act
as an advisor only.
ARTICLE VII - PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
DIVISION
MAXIMUM WEIGHT
MAXIMUM AGE (as of August 31)
Tyke
65 lbs - Ends & Backs
7
Tyke
75 lbs - Interior Lineman
6
Jr Pee Wee
80 lbs - Ends & Backs
9
Jr Pee Wee
90 lbs - Interior Lineman
9
Pee Wee
95 lbs - Ends & Backs
11
Pee Wee
105 lbs - Interior Lineman
11
Jr Midget
110 lbs - Ends & Backs
12
Jr Midget
120 lbs - Interior Lineman
12
Midget
125 lbs
13
Junior
165 lbs - Ends & Backs
14
Junior
Unlimited - Interior Lineman
14
A. Minimum age for participant shall be five (5)
years of age. The player's age shall be
considered that as of August 31st of the current year. No
Tri County Junior Football
Conference player will be allowed to participate in a like sport
defined by I.H.S.A. rules.
(Flag football is not considered a like sport). No Tri
County Junior Football Conference
player shall have completed the 8th grade, nor be in the 9th
grade.
B. CHANGE OF WEIGHT - No change of team classification will be
permitted after the child
has participated in any League game.
1 . EXCEPTION - Player who gains weight may be permitted to
move to a higher
classification by the final League Weigh In (the third Tuesday in
September), but will
then be ineligible to move in classification for the remainder of
the season.
C. A weight allowance (growth factor) will be provided, which
allows one (1) pound every two
(2) weeks starting with the second week of the regular season
games. All players must make
the original weight limit of the division in which they play.
D. JUNIOR DIVISION RULES FOR UNLIMITED WEIGHT PLAYERS
1 OFFENSE - Maximum of five (5) offensive
linemen tackle to tackle. All other 165
pound or under, plus growth factor. The penalty for
violation of this rule will be illegal
participation.
2. DEFENSE - Maximum of five (5) down linemen tackle
to tackle on the line of
scrimmage. All others 165 pounds or under, plus growth
factor. The penalty for
violation of this rule will be illegal participation.
3. KICK OFF - Maximum of five (5) unlimited weight
players on the front line. All other
players 165 pounds or under, plus growth factor. The
penalty for violation of this rule
will be illegal participation.
4. RECEIVING - Same rules and penalty assessment as
in Article VII, Section D, Item 3.
Front line players may recover and/or return on side kicks.
5. DESIGNATION OF PLAYERS - All players over 165
pounds plus growth factor shall
wear a minimum one (1) inch wide stripe of contrasting color on
helmet running from
ear hole to ear hole. All weigh in cards are to be stamped
in black. Penalty for
violation of this rule will be illegal participation.
6. Unlimited weight players are not allowed to
advance the ball, except on fumbles, pass
interceptions, and blocked kicks. They may kick off, punt,
and kick P.A.T's and field
goals. Bad snaps on punts, P.A.T.'s and field goal attempts
cannot be advanced by
unlimited weight players. Passing and/or lateraling the
ball is considered advancing the
ball and not allowed. Any unlimited weight player advancing
the ball will be ruled
down at the sport.
E. TYKE DIVISION RULES: THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS DIVISION IS
PURELY
INSTRUCTIONAL
1 . WEIGHT - Sixty five (65) pounds maximum weight. No
limit on growth factor for
five (5) and six (6) year olds. The growth factor will be
in effect for seven (7) year
olds. Five (5) and six (6) year olds can weigh ten (10)
pounds over maximum weight
plus growth factor and must play by Junior division rules for
unlimited weight players.
The official weigh in date is the weight a player will use for
being stamped. Player will
follow these weight rules for the entire season. Stripers
will be stamped red.
2. GAME CARDS - Game cards will be filled out
completely, including sportsmanship
points, but no score shall be recorded.
3. A maximum of two (2) coaches from each team
is allowed on the playing field. Once
the offense is set no instructions from coaches on the field at
this time. Penalty for this
violation will be illegal participation.
4. A minimum of two (2) licensed officials is required.
5. The defense will consist of a maximum of six
(6) players on their line of scrimmage at
the time of snap. All other players must be at least two (2)
yards behind the defensive
line of scrimmage. Only defensive players positioned on
their line of scrimmage within
the free blocking zone may enter the neutral zone and cross the
offensive scrimmage
line at the snap. However, once a play has developed to the
degree in which the ball
advanced beyond the offensive line of scrimmage or outside an
imaginary line that runs
parallel to the sidelines and through the point at the lateral
end of the free blocking
zone, only those restrictions that are I.H.S.A. rule book defined
will apply to the
defense. In this particular division, the intent of this
rule is not to disallow the defense
from tackling the offense behind the line of scrimmage, but
rather to provide the
offense an opportunity for a play to develop.
Unsportsmanlike conduct will be assessed
for violation of this rule.
6. The offensive center is not to be hit by the
defense, unless he moves to become a
blocker. This situation is to be controlled by the referee.
A repeated infraction will
result in a fifteen (15) yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
7. In the Tyke Division, there shall be no
rushing the kicker by the defense, if the offense
elects to punt the ball. (They must be allowed to kick). As
we have allowed the
offense the free kick, in order to be fair, no offensive player
may leave the line of
scrimmage before the ball is kicked. The offense must kick
the ball (no fake punts).
The penalty for both the defense and offense shall be
encroachment/illegal procedure,
respectively. As this is a Tyke Division, the expanded
neutral zone shall be used for
enforcement of the penalty. In addition, the punting team
shall have the option to move
the ball twenty (20) yards up field. However, this option
cannot be exercised once the
offensive team has crossed mid field.
8. In the Tyke Division only, the game will
consist of two (2) forty (40) minute halves,
with a ten (10) minute half time. The clock will run
continuously. It will be the duty of
the referee to try to speed up the offensive call.
9. Original League Weigh In must be held for
all Tyke seven (7) year olds, five (5) and
six (6) year old stripers must be weighed in each week.
10. Identification cards will be filled out and stamped.
Five (5) and six (6) year olds in
black. Seven (7) year olds, five (5) and six (6) year old
stripers in red.
11. No score shall be posted on any scoreboard, announced, or
displayed in any other
manner.
F. JR PEE WEE DIVISION RULES
1 . In the Jr Pee Wee Division, there shall be NO rushing
the kicker by the defense, if the
offense elects to punt the ball (they must be allowed to kick).
As we have allowed the
offense the free kick, in order to be fair, no offensive player
may leave the line of .
scrimmage before the ball is kicked. The offense must kick
the ball (no fake punts).
The penalty for both defense and the offense shall be
encroachment/illegal procedure,
respectively. As this is a Jr Pee Wee Division, the
expanded neutral zone shall be used
for enforcement of the penalty.
2. In the Jr Pee Wee Division, no more than two (2)
players may blitz. These blitzing
players include all linebackers, cornerbacks, and defensive backs.
Penalty for this live
ball infraction will be five (5) yards from the previous spot and
replay of down if
accepted by the offense.
3 . WEIGHT - Eighty (80) pounds maximum weight with growth
factor in effect for all
ages. All players ages nine (9) and under over eighty (80)
pounds, not to exceed ninety
(90) pounds will be striped and must play under the Junior
division rules for unlimited
weight players. The official weigh in date is the weight a
player will use for being
stamped. Player will follow these weight rules for the
entire season. Stripers will be
stamped red.
G. PEEWEE DIVISION RULES
WEIGHT - Ninety five (95) pounds maximum weight with growth
factor in effect for all ages.
Players ages eleven (11) and under over ninety five (95) pounds,
but not to exceed 105 pounds
will be striped and must play under the Junior division rules for
unlimited weight players. The
official weigh in date is the weight a player will use for being
stamped. Player will follow these
weight rules for the entire season. Stripers will be
stamped red.
H. JR MIDGET DIVISION RULES
WEIGHT - 110 pounds maximum weight with growth factor in effect
for all ages. All players
ages twelve (12) and under over 110 pounds, not to exceed 120
pounds will be striped and play
under the Junior division rules for unlimited weight players.
The official weigh in date is the
weight a player will use for being stamped. Player will
follow these weight rules for the entire
season. Stripers will be stamped red.
ARTICLE VIII - GENERAL LEAGUE RULES
A. All games shall be played under Illinois High School
Association playing rules with the
following exceptions:
1. All games shall consist of four (4) ten (10) minute periods.
2. There shall be free substitution.
3. Rest intervals between second and third quarters shall be ten (1O) minutes.
4. All eligible players on the squad must
participate in the game a mandatory eight (8)
plays. A play monitor, from each organization is to keep
track of the opposing team's
plays. The play monitors are to stand together in the press
box or designated area, and
report their findings at the end of the second quarter and the
beginning of the fourth
quarter to the officials who notify each head coach. A $ 25.00
fine and all
sportsmanship points deducted to the organization not complying
with said by law for
the first offense. In the event of another offense, a $ 25.00
fine will be levied, plus
forfeiture of this game and previous games for which fine was
imposed. A player
weighed in at half time is only required four (4) plays per game.
The player monitors
will initial cards and any violation will be listed on the back
of the game card.
5. All League games will be played on Saturday
or Sunday. The home organization is to
notify the Tri County Junior Football Conference Scheduling
Committee's of field
availability for Saturday and/or Sunday games by the June meeting.
Opposing teams
will be notified no later than Tuesday midnight of that week for
changes in time and/or
date due to the lack of field availability as confirmed by the
President of the League.
Any rescheduling of games as confirmed by the President, must be
rescheduled
between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturday or
Sunday unless mutually
agreed upon.
6. Scheduled home games shall be at least one (1)
hour and forty five (45) minutes
between start of games, with fifteen (15) minutes allowance for
game starting time. In
the event of a serious injury, teams will be allowed to continue
up to fifteen (15)
minutes of the next game's starting times grace period. (Example:
If a game is
scheduled to start at 2:00 p.m., the previous game's participants
will be allowed to play
until 2:15 p.m. if needed. It is the responsibility of the
home team to clear the field if a
game is running long. The field should be cleared no later
than the next games'
scheduled time. The score at the time the game is called is
considered final. Failure to
do so will result in forfeit of the next game. The head
referee's watch is official. The
only exception is, if a game is running late, and it is mutually
agreed upon by the next
games participants to allow the game to start late.
Starting with the beginning of
Central Standard Time, no game will be scheduled to start later
than 3:00 p.m.
7. Points after touchdown shall be two (2) points for
a kick and one (1) point for a run or
pass.
8. Regular season games shall consist of four (4)
quarters. In the event of a tie, no
overtime will be played. Post season play off games will
include overtime, if needed.
9. In the second half only, when one team secures a
twenty four (24) point lead, the game
clock will ran continuously, except for a called time out, an
injury time out, an officials
time out for time needed to assess a penalty following a live
ball foul, or the time
between a score and the ensuing kick off, including any untimed
down. In the 4th
quarter the team winning by twenty four (24) or more points will
not be allowed to call
a time out. Penalty for this infraction will be an
unsportsmanlike conduct, which is a
fifteen (1 5) yard penalty. If the game later becomes less
than a twenty four (24) point
spread, the clock reverts back to normal operations.
B. PROTEST - No protest will be allowed if game is
played (game meaning a point in time
when games start). A protest must be made at game time to
the referee and the opposing
coach. The protest must be followed up in writing to the
Secretary of Tri County Junior
Football Conference within seventy two (72) hours after the
scheduled game time. A twenty
five dollar ($ 25.00) deposit fee must accompany the written
protest. If the protest is upheld,
the twenty five dollar ($ 25.00) deposit will be returned.
If denied, the deposit will be placed
in the League treasury. Any protest issued at game time
must be filed with the League as
spelled out above. If this action is not taken, the
Organization failing to do so will forfeit
twenty five dollars ($ 25.00) of the initial deposit.
C. The highest officer whose team is not involved
will appoint a three (3) person committee to
consider the protest. The committee shall consist of three
members from different
organizations not involved in the protest. In the event all
Executive Officers are affiliated
with teams involved in the protest, power to appoint the
committee reverts back to the
President. This committee will meet within two (2) weeks
and their findings will be final.
D. Equipment shall be as follows:
1 . A durable helmet approved by NOCSAE with face guard (may
not be exposed metal),
shoulder pads, pants, thigh pads, knee pads, mouth pieces, and
shoes, which meet the
requirements as outlined in the National Federation of State High
School Associations
rule book and adopted by the Illinois High School Association in
Rule 1, Section 5,
Article I (g). Stockings, a cup, kidney pads, and
supporters are optional.
2. Special protection devices may be used only when
the team coach or a physician attests
to the need and approved by the game officials.
3. Two (2) game jerseys are required. A colored one
for home games, and a white one for
away games. The front and the back of jersey shall be
reserved for the numbers, team
name and players name only. Numbers shall be a minimum of
six (6) inches on the
front and eight (8) inches on the back. The offensive
jersey numbering systems of the
I.H.S.A. shall be disregarded and any number can be used.
4. A team should wear no duplicate numbers.
E. PRACTICE - Fall practice may not begin before the second
Saturday of August of that year.
Any Tri County Junior Football Conference member organization
hosting a football camp
must conclude said camp by July 1st.
F. PLAYING FIELD
1. The playing field shall be of regulation size with the
opposing team benches on the
opposite side of the field. Goal posts and a working game
clock will be required. Time
and score must be legible on the game clock.
2. Each team will control fans and keep them at least
five (5) yards behind the boundary
lines. Each home team shall provide a restraining line
behind the benches. The
restraining line is defined as a visible barrier, portable or
permanent, at least two (2)
feet off the ground, running the length of the field, end zone to
end zone, on both sides
of the field. Only those mentioned as follows to be within
those above mentioned
boundaries: players, coaches, game officials, cheerleaders, Tri
County Junior Football
Conference Representatives, Athletic Directors, Chain Gang, Stats
person, and
Emergency Personnel.
3. All team personnel, including a maximum of six (6)
coaches and one (1) statistician,
shall stay in a designated box as defined by I.H.S.A. rules
during the game time.
Coaches and statisticians shall wear some kind of visible
organizational identification at
all games.
4. Copy of the Tri County Junior Football Conference
by laws will be available at all
games at all playing fields. Minimum fine will be $ 25.00.
5. All fields are subject to inspection and approval
by Tri County Junior Football
Conference Executive Board at any time.
G. GAME EQUIPMENT - The home team shall furnish all the following equipment:
1. GAME BALL SPECIFICATIONS - Tyke, Jr Pee Wee, and
Pee Wee divisions must
use a ball with a width circumference measuring approximately
eighteen (1 8) inches
and a length circumference measuring approximately twenty four (24)
inches.
Example: Wilson F 1382 and/or the K-2 balls. The Jr Midget,
Midget, and Junior
divisions must use a ball with a width circumference measuring
approximately nineteen
(1 9) inches and a length circumference measuring approximately
twenty six (26)
inches. Example: Rawlings KRB and/or the Pro 5 Jr balls. (The
Pee Wee division has
the option to use either size ball). The offensive team in
any division has the option to
use any ball meeting the above specifications and as outlined in
the I.H.S.A. rules.
2. WEIGH IN SCALES - Scales must be a balance
type, no spring type. Scales must be
certified every two (2) years and proof must be visibly displayed
for the opposing team,
commencing September 1, 2001.
3. YARD MARKERS - All yard markers must meet I..H.S.A. safety requirements.
4. OFFICIAL TIME - When the official time is
kept on the field, any coach may request
and must be given the time remaining in a quarter.
5. PENALTIES - All preliminary and final
penalty reports will be given to both team
benches by the referee.
H. OFFICIALS - Each home team will provide at least three (3)
officials for each game; at least
two (2) of these officials must be licensed and in uniform; and
all officials must be at least
eighteen (1 8) years of age as required by I.H.S.A. Prior to game
time, all licensed officials
are required to show their license and identification if
requested.
1. No coaches, parent, or siblings may officiate a game in
which their team and/or family
member participates. This rule is to avoid a possible
conflict of interest
J. A probation committee consisting of three members, from
organizations not involved in the
incident, appointed by Tri County Junior Football Conference
President. This committee
will decide the fine, minimum $ 25.00 not to exceed more than $
100.00, if the organization
is put on probation.
ARTICLE IX - AWARDS
A. Awards will be presented at the League's discretion.
Trophies and plaques will be of
approximately equal monetary value.
B. A sportsmanship plaque is awarded for sportsmanship
demonstrated by spectators, coaches,
and players. Any sportsmanship points deducted on game
cards must have an explanation
of why points were deducted on the reverse side of the game card
and signed by the official.
If no explanation of deduction is given on the back of the card,
the sportsmanship points
will remain at three (3) points.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
A. These by laws may be amended by two thirds (2/3)
majority vote of the organizations.
There must be at least seventy five percent (75%) of the
organizations (example: 14
organizations - 11 must be represented) present to constitute a
quorum for amendments. No
amendments shall be voted upon at the same regular meeting it is
introduced, but shall be
voted at the next regular meeting.
B. If an issue is brought before the Body and voted
on, it cannot be brought before the Body
anymore during the fiscal year, except at the same meeting as
outlined in Article X, Section
A.
C. Any changes in the by laws after the June meeting
must be by unanimous vote of all
organizations, as outlined in Article X, Section A.
ARTICLE XI - RECORDING PROCEDURES FOR SCORES
Game cards of all football games must be completed correctly and
must be received by the
official recorder, (Tri County Junior Football Conference Vice
President) bearing postmark no
later than the MONDAY following the Saturday or Sunday game
played. A five dollar ($ 5.00)
fine will be assessed to the home team per game for violation.
The fine will be strictly enforced,
with no exceptions. Conference standings will be determined
by awarding two (2) points for a
win, one (1) point for a tie, and zero (0) points for a loss.
ARTICLE XII - RULES
Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail.