La Costa Canyon Pop Warner Football

LCCPW Modified Draft

Overview

The La Costa Canyon Pop Warner Association Board of Directors on Feb. 13, 2008 unanimously adopted new rules to create teams (formally called ‘team formation’). LCCPW will use a Modified Draft method to create teams. We are no longer using tracking or player requests to assign players to teams.

Where possible, players may continue to track with head coaches, but only after Division 1 (D1) teams at each age/weight class have been drafted. The Board believes the LCCPW Modified Draft will create a safer, more equitable and competitive environment for all players and for all LCCPW teams participating in the Palomar Conference.

Who Is Affected?

The Modified Draft affects four age/weight classes of tackle football: Junior Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Junior Midget and Midget. Flag football teams, Junior Mitey Mite and Mitey Mite tackle football teams will be formed as in past years, through a group selection run by the Player-Agent that balances the teams. FLAG AND MITEY MITE ARE FOR PLAYER INSTRUCTION. The focus of these programs is on learning the game and participation.

Explanation of Modified Draft

In the Modified Draft, all players are evaluated on football skills and experience at an evaluation session in April, and then ranked within their age/weight class. In May, each D1 coach within an age/weight class drafts 24-28 players. All remaining players are placed on the remaining Division 2 (D2) teams, up to the maximum allowed by Conference rules. If a player’s coach from the previous year is a D2 coach, and the player has not been selected for a D1 team, then the player will “track” with that coach if the player so requests during signups.

To facilitate an orderly and fair draft process, there will no longer be “requests” accepted to play for certain coaches or to play at D1 or D2. Players are also assigned to the lowest age/weight class for which they qualify – the only exception is if parents sign a waiver specifically requesting the player move to a higher weight class. (This is a Pop Warner National Rule.) Please note that even if the player goes up an age/weight class, there is no guarantee the player will end up tracking with friends or a certain coach.

In practice, many players are likely to track with their coaches from the previous year. D1 coaches are more likely to choose players they know. Players who are not selected for D1 and whose coach is a D2 coach will track with that coach. But unlike previous years, there are no team placement guarantees and LCCPW is not granting any exceptions to the placement rules without full Board approval.

The Board recognizes this represents a change from past seasons. The process is not perfect. However, there has been significant research and effort put into developing the Modified Draft process. We ask for your patience and understanding as we roll out this new method for choosing teams.

There will be more information available at the signups.

Modified Draft FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Who does the Modified Draft affect?
The Modified Draft affects the four tackle football age/weight classes that Pop Warner defines as “competitive” divisions: Junior Pee Wee, Pee Wee, Junior Midget and Midget.

Are Mitey Mites, Flag Football or Cheerleaders affected by the Modified Draft?
No. Those teams/squads will be formed the same way they have been in past years. Cheer squads will still select one team to represent at each age/weight level.

Why is it called a Modified Draft?
A draft chooses players without any restrictions, and all players would be drafted at every level. LCCPW modified the draft process in an attempt to keep D2 players tracking together with existing coaches where possible. If a player is not selected for a D1 team, and the player’s coach from the previous year is a D2 coach at the same age/weight class as the player, then the player will be assigned to that D2 coach. There will also be an attempt to balance the skills of the D2 teams. Hence the name Modified Draft.

Why did LCCPW drop Tracking for a Modified Draft?
Every association fielding more than one team per age/weight class in the Palomar Conference is moving to some type of draft in 2008. LCCPW was one of the last Associations using Tracking. In 2007 Tracking created imbalanced D1 teams that led to serious safety issues on some D1 teams. Other associations that kept Tracking experienced similar injury problems. We also had reports of players with “D2 skill levels” not getting much playing time on D1 teams because they were competing against better players in D1 instead of against D2 players with similar skills.

Who approved of the Modified Draft?
The LCCPW Board of Directors approved of the final version. However, it was developed by a committee of recently retired LCCPW/SDPW Pop Warner coaches with a combined century of experience after extensive research; it was also reviewed and approved by the 2008 prospective head coaches. In addition, 56% of the 2007 LCCPW membership voted to move to some form of Draft for selecting teams. Only 44% voted to keep Tracking.

Can I request my child play for a certain coach, or with the player’s friends, or for carpooling?
No. Such requests won’t be honored under the Modified Draft.

Why won’t requests be honored this year?
Honoring requests for team placement defeats the purpose of a draft. The more exceptions to the rules that are allowed, the less likely we will be able to create evenly balanced teams. A draft achieves three goals: 1) It creates a safe environment for players at the D1 level; 2) It gives players a chance to compete for starting positions and playing time on teams against players with similar skills at both the D1 and D2 levels; 3) It means LCCPW D1 teams can better compete against teams from other Associations that have been created using a draft.

What if a participant wants to change teams?
Parents can appeal a player’s team placement to the Player Agent. Requests for changes to be with friends, former coaches, for carpooling or similar reasons will be denied. Under extraordinary or unusual circumstances, a change may be granted under the following conditions: a) the Player Agent deems the reason sufficient to change teams; b) the Board of Directors approves the move by majority vote of the entire board.

My child was picked to play D1, but I want him to play D2. Can my child switch to D2?
No. If your child has been selected as a D1 player, it isn’t fair to move that player to a D2 team. D2 is supposed to provide a development environment for young athletes who don’t have D1 skills yet. If that D1 player is taking a spot away from a D2 player, the D1 player isn’t being properly challenged and the D2 player isn’t competing for a spot against someone with similar skill sets.

My child played D1 last year but is on a D2 team this year. Why?
There may be several reasons. Players develop at different speeds from their peers. There may have been more D1 teams in the age/weight class the previous year than this year, meaning there would be more D1 players. A new, very talented player may have moved into the area. The D1 coach my have felt there were athletes better suited for the position on his team. The D1 coach may have made a mistake. It isn’t a reflection on the player. It may give the player a greater opportunity to shine at the D2 level.

Are the best coaches always at D1?
No. Some coaches prefer to coach D2 for a variety of reasons, such as their child is a D2-level player. Or two equally excellent coaches could have requested to be the D1 head coach but only one can be selected. LCCPW tries to select the best candidate as the D1 coach using a variety of factors. But it doesn’t mean the other coaches aren’t as good. They may, in fact, be better for certain athletes.

If I’m unhappy about the team selection, can I get a refund?
Refunds will be given up to August 1 less $50 admin fee and only upon return of any equipment issued. After that date specific items have been ordered for individual players, so only a partial refund will be granted. There are no refunds on helmet orders. If you ask for a refund and there’s a player on the wait-list, that player will immediately replace your child on the team. If you change your mind, you will receive a new priority number and may not make any team if there is a wait-list for players.