North Shore Titans
Q. What is your refund policy?
A. A full refund will be given to anyone that removes a player before game jerseys are ordered on April 1. However No refund will be given after April 1st period. No exceptions. While this refund policy may appear harsh, we regularly turn applicants away as we have full teams. Registered players hold a spot and keep those who sign up later from playing football. This policy is our way to ensure fairness to all. Please do not sign up if you are undecided or unsure. Football requires a large commitment and please think about it before you make the decision.
Q. Why were the Head Coaches selected already this year?
A. Selecting the Head Coaches early allows them to train and prepare ahead of time, and to game plan for their team well-in-advance. We have a combination of parent and non parent coaches for each team. We require all of our coaches to go through mandatory league and North Shore training as well as background checks.
Q. What if my child is right on the borderline of Pop Warner age/weight classes?
A. The first week of conditioning all players will be weighed. Any player that weighs more than the required limit will be moved up to the next weight class. Likewise if a player weighs light enough to move down a level he will be moved down a weight class. We want players to show up in shape and ready to play. Cutting weight is not only unhealthy, it is against the Board’s #1 Objective: “To build healthy bodies and minds.” See the Pop Warner page for the Age/Weight chart. There is no discretion involved. The kids play where they fit intoi the Pop Warner weight and age matrix. You can find that on the Pop Warner website.
Q. Why does it take so long for the schedules to be posted every year?
A. Some communities have issues with field availability, numbers of teams... Scheduling is delayed until programs have determined which teams they will have, field availability... Keep in mind, this is an all volunteer program as is Chicagoland Pop Warner, there are many communities with over 300 teams in the league and 9 weeks of regular season games to schedule. Pop Warner spends many hours handling this task and every effort is made to get the schedule completed and communicated as soon as possible.
Q. What football equipment do I need to supply? If I lose equipment what should I do?
A. More complete information is available on the "gear" and "equipment" page. You will need to purchase a white helmet and shoulder pads. This is a personal preference however we invite vendors such as Riddel to set up a table at various Trevian Football events to make it easier. You can also visit retail stores or order online. Additionally the players should wear rubber cleats and depending on what game pants you select (that we supply) you need to supply a girdle with pads in them. For minor equipment such as snaps, clips, etc.., inform your Head Coach. All players need to handle their equipment issues before or after games/practices so they are prepared and ready to go. IT IS MANDATORY THAT ALL PLAYERS WEAR NEW HELMETS OR CERTIFIED USED HELMETS - NO OLD UNCERTIFIED HELMETS - IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE - NO EXCEPTIONS.
Q. How can I become a part of the board, be on a committee, coach, or volunteer my time to NSYF?
A. Please let us know your interest. As for volunteering, it is always welcome and absolutely necessary. Contact any board member or coach and he/she will let you know where help is needed.
Q. What does my child need to bring to practice/game?
A. All of their equipment, a labeled water bottle (filled with water or sports drink), and a positive attitude.
Q. How are players placed on teams?
A. Players are put in their prospective team based on age and weight dictated by the Pop Warner age and weight chart. The age and weight chart is on our Pop Warner page. This is for level play and safety and is not flexible in any way. We weigh the players before the season at Pop Warner Certification and obtain picture ID Cards after varifying birth certificates, weight, and jersey numbers. Then we weigh all the players at each game beforehand. Players over the weight limit are not allowed to play. No exceptions. A equipment weight allowance is given on game days and a sliding weight gain allowance is used to allow for normal weight gain.
Q. What if my child has health problems/allergies?
A. First, be sure you have written it on the Medical Authorization form. If not, please contact the Registrar with the information so it gets documented. Next, if your child carries an inhaler or epripen, your child’s coach will also need this for his medical kit. It can be placed in a zip-lock bag and labeled with your child’s name, address and ALL Emergency contact phone #’s.
Q. When does the football season start and end?
A. See Schedule page. Practice begins early August and teams play regular season through the beginning of November. For the teams that qualify there are playoffs which are single elimination and are up to 4 games/weekends. It is possible but highly unlikely that our teams could make the playoffs and win 4 games in a row which would make them Midwest Champions and go to Florida in early December for Pop Warner Nationals at Disneyworld in Orlando.
Q. Why would missing practice jeopardize my child’s playing time?
A. Football requires consistent conditioning and workout regiments. By missing one or more of a weekly practice it could potentially cause the players body to be ‘out of shape’ and potentially get injured. Football is a team sport that evolves from week to week; if a player is not preparing with the team then their knowledge and ability will not be the same as the players that attend all practices.
Therefore, players that miss practices could be penalized game time for their safety and the well-being of the team. If a player does not attend more than one practice per week he will likely be ineligible for the game on the weekend. However if a player is eligible he will play as we have mandatory play rules to make sure that everyone plays. Not everyone plays equal time as this is travel and winning is part of that, however we do our best ensure that everyone plays and that our attendance policy is not overly harsh or out of touch with reality.
Q. How is North Shore Youth Football different from the smaller community Park District teams?
A. NSYF has players from 12 different communities. NSYF is very different from those smaller community type programs.
First we recognize that to provide the most safe and rewarding youth football experience it is necesarry to have large numbers. Therefore we are part of the largest league in the nation - Pop Warner - and recruit to have the largest program in the area. This way we can seperate the players by more age and weight categories than the others. (Twice as many) This is obvious to most and we have asked the smaller community programs to join us for safety sake. Unfortunately every year they demonstrate that their pride takes precedent over doing what is logically best for all the kids.
We also recognize how football takes a back seat to other youth sports in our area. This is first seen at the youth level with kids not playing football or playing at the lowest level with very poor fundamentals. This is reflected in the performance and interest levels in the local high schools. To be competetive with other areas and high school we created a youth program that is similar to what is done in other areas where football is strong and vibrant at all levels. Aside from getting more kids to play football with all of the wonderful benefits and life lessons, we also aim to uplift and raise the competition level of the local high schools by getting more kids to play and enjoy football as well as have the training and tools to play and excel in High School.
By training in a more comprehensive manner and playing at a higher level it is clear that players suffer less injuries as well as have more fun. Football is a contact sport and when kids play at a low level and or are coached by coaches who do not have the experience or training they often struggle in many ways including safety. This leads to kids not having fun at best and getting injured at worst. So we do not compare ourselves to the more recreational park leagues. It is apples to oranges. Wonderful that there is a choice. We start earlier, have more practices and games, finish later than the others. It is not for everyone. (We also have more qualified coaches, formidable league, begin at a younger age, win more games...)
Our goal is to do the same thing that is done almost everywhere in this country where you find a strong football community. Here there are some legacy programs and leagues that are not interested in change in any way. Everywheer else where football is strong you will find a very large youth football program. Therefore they have enough players to provide the most fun and formidable brands of youth football. 3 seperate levels. First is a very large and fun house league that requires a lower commitment level that is more developmental and lots of fun. Second are travel teams that play at a lower level for the first year players and players that fit at that level. Third are travel teams that play and compete at the very highest level. Something for everyone so that all can play, everyone plays in games at the level that suits them, it is more safe, and more fun. Maybe one day people will wake up in this area and make that a reality. This is the same thing that is done locally in sports like soccer, hockey, baseball... For some reason youth football never got the memo. We are passionate and advocating that as it will make such a difference in so many lives and is so easy to see.
Philosophy:
Our goal is to create an environment that promotes the development of self-esteem, independence, and specific skills that ensure the boys will have a fun, safe, and enriching experience.It is unrealistic to assume that our children are training for a NFL career and we are against the “win at all costs” mentality and adhere to the Positive Coach Alliance. We want to win but have a more important goal – to use the sports experience to learn life lessons and positive character traits that will help them be successful. Three themes are: Redefining “Winner”, Filling the Emotional Tank, and Honoring the Game.Winners make maximum Effort, continue to Learn and improve, and refuse to let Mistakes (or fear of making mistakes) stop them. ELM = Effort, Learning, Mistakes. Athletes who are coached this way tend to have reduced anxiety and increased self confidence. This enables them to have fun and play better. You can help by explaining ELM. Letting him know you appreciate when he tries hard, even if unsuccessful. Ask rather than tell about his play. Ask open - ended questions. (What was the best part of the game for you?) Tell him you are proud of him regardless of the outcome. We all have emotional tanks that need to be filled to do our best. Research has shown that a “Magic Ratio” of 5:1 (praise to criticism) is ideal. Magic things happen when we get close to the ratio. When the ratio drops they become discouraged (their tanks become drained) Encourage him without giving a lot of advice. When he makes a mistake, you might say’ “Don’t worry. Let’s get the next one…” Find several positives before you offer advice. We stress sportsmanship and set a good example. Honoring the Game gets to the ROOTS of the matter: Rules – we respect the letter and spirit of the rules. Opponents – we try hard to win, but not at the expense of demeaning our opponents. Officials – we treat officials with respect. Teammates – we support each other and never do anything that would embarrass our team. Self – we live up to our own standards regardless of what others do. Be a role model and Honor the Game. Issues that are a concern are communications, playing time, safety, and attendance. In keeping with building self - esteem, whenever concerns arise it is important that the player talks to the coach directly if possible. He should feel confident to speak with his coach and it will serve him well. Obviously parents can also speak to the coaches. Playing time and positions are issues the player should discuss with the coach. We ensure that everyone plays however equal playing time is not typical. No boy should feel left out and we have rules to ensure everyone plays. We focus on teaching how to play correctly and physical conditioning to be ready for games and want each boy to do 20 push - ups and 20 sit - ups as homework. This will build strength and confidence. There is life beyond sports: family comes first, school second, religion third, and then sports. However, you must let a coach know when you will miss a game or practice. We look forward to a rewarding season.
The value of sports is that they offer lines of communication. Not just between fathers and sons, but through entire communities. They are a source of unification of shared experience and pride. Football is played everywhere. We play and watch, and hope, and worry, celebrate and sob. During our daily lives, we win and lose-we get beat up. Whether pro or amateur, in front of the TV, or at the games, football gives us a chance to be part of something exciting and meaningful. It teaches us the importance of discipline, conditioning, perseverance, strategy, work ethic, teamwork, builds lasting friendships. Afterward, whether we have played the game, or watched our son or grandson play-win or lose, we feel special for having shared the experience.
North Shore Titans Vision for being a community Wide Program
North Shore Titans mission is to meaningfully change the youth football experience in the area. This has not always been pleasant for competing programs. We remain positive and do not let the naysayers slow us down. We are proud of the program and at the same time wish the others well. We are not necessarily better, but very, very different.
We have a colorful background. The origins start in Winnetka with Glencoe and Northfield kids playing together with Winnetka resulting in overcrowding there. After all the growth the Glencoe kids were asked to go it alone. After efforts by both the Winnetka and Glencoe Park Districts to make that work, a parent group eventually took over the Program.
After much due diligence we created a radically different youth football program than was being offered. This was available much farther away where football was stronger at the youth and high school levels. It was necessary to have large numbers to enable safer competition in a more formidable league. More players were necessary than any one small community could provide. The result was Noth Shore Titans with players, coaches, and board members from many communities. We do not judge players based on where they happen to live.
The surrounding youth football programs are community based and play locally. We believe both a recreational community program and a stronger and larger travel program is great for everyone. We offer a different brand of football than what is done in the other communities and also serve different ages and have cheer for the girls unlike the others.
This change has come with some upset to the community (park district) football programs which never before had any competition. People often ask “why doesn’t Winnetka, Wilmette, and Kenilworth... join you and have one large program to serve all the kids”? This question is common now that we have become so large. We have asked the others to join us for many years. It is an open invitation. Our philosophy is different from the community program's approach that have an emphasis on community rather than simply doing what is best for the kids. The efforts to get them to join us have proven futile and even ruffled feathers. So we have gone it alone and outgrown those programs. Aside from all the growth we have succeeded on many fronts. It is obvious we are onto something good.
There are many differences between the North Shore Titans program and the other community based programs: NS Titans is much larger and has a lot of success including a National Championship, Division Champs, AYF playoffs, 19 Academic Achiever Award recipients, Cheer… While we adhere to the Positive Coaching Association and know winning is not the most important thing, it sure is fun. Aside from winning so many games, each Titan team has many more games and practices and starts earlier and finish later than the others. Our coaching staff has many collegiate and (with Fred Miller and Jaime Moriarty) even former NFL players who do an extraordinary job. Additionally we have a higher player to coach ratio, Spring Training, special trainers, Academic Achievers, Spring Game, coaches clinics, game film study sessions, cheerleaders, spirit wear, homecoming, Friendship and Cancer Awareness games, NFL PPK, AYF All Stars in Florida, Nationals, Banquets…
All of these things do not make us better than the others, but very different. For some, a community type program is a better fit. It is wonderful that people have a choice. With no cooperation from the community programs we are making large strides with the goal to provide the best possible football program for as many children as possible without turning anyone away. Our fundamental belief is that football is wonderful for kids on many levels and the gratification in seeing our efforts make a difference is what drives us. Please join us and learn more - visit: www.nstitans.com
Mark Rice
Ancient Titan History that North Shore Titans can be proud of:
No one expected the Titans of the North Shore to mount a meaningful assault against the Trojans of Roma, who had already destroyed Sparta, sacked Crete and absolutely crushed Carthage. Roma was the undisputed world champion—a dynasty that lasted for 803 consecutive years. They were fast. They were disciplined. They were mean. They were believed to be invincible.
The Titans were unified under Gaius Julius Civilis in the Bavarian Conference, a lesser-known band of smaller, but fierce tribal states. The Titans fought in the trenches as one, where they knew teams fared better than individuals. Legions followed Civilis from villages near and far and were taught to welcome anyone else who agreed to wear their colors.
Civilis knew each of his Titans had the heart of a million tigers and would fight from the opening horn like 10 million more. Civilis smiled toward his foe on the opposite banks of the freezing Moselle River, further knowing his men would pursue victory with honor and never, ever give up. He bellowed above the Trojan roar: “Dig in brave Trevians of Trier. Dig in!”
Each fall, a new band of present-day Titans dig into gridiron trenches located near the cooling banks of Lake Michigan. Like those who wrangled with an empire two millennia ago, today’s Titans also come from many different villages (Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Highland Park, Deerfield, Riverwoods, Buffalo Grove, Morton Grove, Evanston, Chicago...) to fight together as a team. They pursue victory with heart and honor and never, ever give up. These Titans have brought championship football to the North Shore of Lake Michigan and have done so brilliantly.
And somewhere in the Heavens a statesman turned field general is watching his descendents with pride—Gaius Julius Civilis, smiling once again, lauds his highest praise: “Well done brave Titans of The North Shore. Well done!”
—Submitted by L. Peter Spinner
Reflections
When I first started our youth football program it made quite a stir in our community. It was not easy to make change like that and for some it even created some issues as change does not come easy. We grew so quickly and saw many happy little boys grow into being fine young men. We also managed to help create some fine football players and win alot of games and even championships along the way. We knew pretty quickly that we were on to something special.
In the beginning I had 4 little ones with all playing football or working in our program. I used to listen to my friends talk about their own kids going onto High School and then to college and think (to myself) how foreign that seemed and how old they were. Now with my own kids being too old to play youth football and growing up I think back to those days as the best of times. I wish I could go back and relive every moment as those were precious moments. My thoughts are to appreciate every moment you can while the kids are still and realize those are what life is made of. The good stuff. Because in a blink of the eye you will be remembering.
Coach Rice
PCA - Transforming Youth Sports So Sports Can Transform Youth:
We are proud members and graduates of the Positive Coaching Alliance and the only local program to have mandatory PCA training for all coaches. Check out their website and learn more about it. There is so much we can do as coaches and parents to teach the children life lessons through sports and avoid negative situations with the help of the PCA.
Thanks Volunteers:
We are Volunteers not experts. We’re your next door neighbors not perfect – We are parents just like you who happen to raise our hand to help out. We don’t have any more spare time or energy than you do: we work full time and juggle our families and our schedules and try to keep it together as best as we can. We believe we can make a difference in the life of a child. We contribute our time, talents, money and mileage. We try to involve parents who want us to understand that they have other commitments and cannot help out. Sometimes we find ourselves going in too many directions. Sometimes we run out of steam. We have memory and communication lapses. Time slips by. We pray for help, support and understanding. Sometimes we feel unappreciated. When a child looks up at us who has just mastered a new accomplishment. Their smile lights up the room. When they say thank you, it was all worth it. We struggle every day to instill fairness, consideration, self-respect and kindness. Sometimes we need to learn these lessons also. Please be patient if we appear distracted, frightened or overwhelmed at times. Instead provide us with encouragement, offer your help. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We are after all, only…mentors…role models…leaders… coaches…volunteers who are willing to give your child the most precious gifts of all: The gifts of our attention and our time