Frequently Asked Questions
What is Athletes for Life Football academy?
- AFL Football Academy (AFLFbA) provides football instruction to junior boys ages 8-18 in the Central Coast and the Inland Empire of California.
- AFLFbA offers several levels of football instruction to all ages and ability. There are three levels of football teams within the club: National, Regional and Local. Each level varies in length, cost, commitment and ability.
What is the difference between National, Regional and Local teams?
The National Level will field teams in each age group 16-18. These teams are coached and trained by our most recognized and experienced former pro players and college coaches. The National program is for the most accomplished players at their age group, drawn from a multi-county area. Each team will practice 2-3 days per week. Players are allowed to play a winter/spring sport as long as it does not interfere with your AFLFbA team. Practice length approximately 2 hours. Teams will compete in Local, Regional and National level tournaments.
Season Length: March – July
Price: $2,000
The Regional Level will field teams as demanded. The Regional program is for players looking to for elite training and instruction outside their school season. Experienced former pro players and college coaches and players, coach these teams. Teams will practice 2 days per week, 1.5 hours in length. Most events will be within 2 hours of the Central Coast area. Many of our Regional players compete in winter/spring sports.
Season Length: March – July
Cost: $1,500
The Local Level will field teams as demanded. The Local program is for beginning players looking to gain more experience and prepare for their school season. Area college coaches and players coach these teams. Local teams will practice 2 nights per week, 1.5 hours in length. Team will compete in local tournaments only. Most events are within 1 hour of the Central Coast area. The Local program is the lowest commitment level in our club. Many of our Local players compete in winter/spring sports. Tryouts for this level will be held in January. Please contact FBA@AFLCamps.com for more information.
Season Length: March – July
Costs range from $1,250
Can I tryout for more than one level?
- YES. You may tryout for multiple levels, but you will only pay one tryout fee. Players are encouraged to tryout for the highest-level team they wish to compete. If a player does not make the level they tryout for, players will be offered a spot on the next level.
- Do not tryout for a level that you do not intend to participate with. For example, if you know you do not want to play on a national level you should not attend this tryout. If national level is your first choice but would play on a Regional level team you only need to attend the national level tryout.
- If you are unsure about which team to tryout for send an email to your age group coordinator.
How do I register for tryouts?
Where is the location of tryouts?
All tryouts will take place at the Santa Ynez High School Field regardless of your practice site preference. The Santa Ynez HS Field is located at 1265 E. Hwy 154, Santa Ynez, CA 93460.
Will there be a parent meeting at tryouts?
No. Tryouts are a very stressful time for our staff, parents, and players. Our staff will be focusing on evaluating players. Please email questions to appropriate age group coordinators or general questions to FBA@AFLCamps.com
What should I bring to tryouts?
You should bring your football equipment (no helmets or pads), a water bottle and your tryout fee. We will have all the paperwork available at tryouts for you to fill out.
How long are tryouts?
We have allotted 2.5-3 hours for each tryout session. Tryouts will encompass different drills to evaluate skill and controlled game play.
What age group do I tryout for?
Age classifications are determined by the age a player is as of September 1, 2010.
18 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1992 or Players who were born on or after September 1, 1991 and are a high school student during some part of the current academic year
17 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1993
16 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1994
15 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1995
14 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1996
13 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1997
12 and Under Division: Players who were born on or after September 1, 1998
Can I “play up” an age group?
You may “play up” if you are in the graduating class of the older group, e.g. a 14-year-old freshman may play with U-15. If you are considered an “IMPACT” player at the upper level (would be a starter on the team), you may “play up”. You must advise the CCFBA staff of your intention to tryout at the older age group. You MUST tryout at your correct age group as well.
Can I play another sport and participate with CCFBA?
The simple answer is yes. Players must choose the team level, which suits them best. All National level teams must be the first priority of each player. Athletes on these teams can play other sports as long as AFLFbA is the number one priority. AFLFbA reserves the right to move players down if they are continually missing due to other sport or other commitments. Athletes on our Regional or Local level teams are permitted to play winter and/or spring sports without any penalties. If players do miss practice they will be missing important instruction from the coach which may affect playing time.
What if I cannot make the posted tryout for my age/level?
If you can’t make the regular tryout, please contact your age group coordinator to schedule a makeup tryout.
Can I watch my child tryout?
YES, parents are allowed and encouraged to watch tryouts.
Once I am selected to a team, when will I begin practices?
National Level: Late January
Regional Level: February
Local Level: March
A complete practice schedule will be included in your team selection email.
What if my middle school team season is in the winter?
If you attend a school that has not switched the football season to the fall do not worry. We still have programs for you. If you will be competing with a school team during the winter the best choice would be to play on a regional or local level team. This will allow you to participate on both teams without penalty or missing events. Local level tryouts will be held in January for a season length of March-May. Contact FbA @AFLCamps.com for more information on local level teams.
Where do teams practice?
All national level teams will practice at Santa Ynez HS Field or San Marcos HS Field. All players selected to Regional and Local level teams will have their choice of practice location. Players will be able to choose between our south location (Santa Barbara) and north locations (Santa Maria, Santa Ynez)
How are travel arrangements coordinated?
There may be tournaments that require overnight hotel accommodations. We will be working with AnthonyTravel to secure a required club hotel for each tournament. A lot of consideration goes into choosing the hotels that we stay at. We will book hotels with a reasonable rate, free parking and continental breakfast whenever possible. Since some of the convention centers are located in the heart of larger metropolitan areas, the closer to downtown a hotel is, usually means a higher cost and charges for parking. Some people like the convenience of being able to walk to the tournament, while others would prefer to stay outside of the city for a cheaper option. When necessary, we will provide both options to our families. This year, at tournaments with multiple playing locations AFLFbA will also have more than 1 hotel location to choose from. Parents are free to reserve hotels that suit their family. However, your coach may hold team meetings at the team/club hotel. Please be prepared to attend these meetings.
What are the costs and what does that cover?
Costs for teams can be found on our tryout page. National level teams all have the same base fee and then added cost per travel tournament they choose to attend. Fees include all tournament entry fees, equipment, coaching salaries, field rental, coaches’ travel, uniforms and administration fees for the entire regular season. Additional fees will be assessed to those teams that qualify and attend National Championship Tournament. Please note that uniforms are included in your club fees. Fees that are not covered: personal travel costs
Why is football academy so expensive?
In addition to the above determining factors in club costs, we at AFLFbA also look into more…we do not rent just any field space. We have leased a 100 foot football exclusive facility we use because of the location, cost and most importantly – the quality of the facility. We have what we believe is a coaching staff that cannot be compared to throughout the State of California. Our coaches are not just bodies – they have all been handpicked based on their experience and proven successes. We believe that in order to obtain the highest quality coaches, we must compensate them. As this does add a little to the cost, we feel the benefits to our athletes far outweigh the cost associated.
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