Football FAQ’s – Tackle
Chiefs Tackle Football 2023 Season FAQs
What is the Mineola Police Activity League (PAL)?
The Mineola Police Activity League (PAL) is a non-profit organization run by volunteers by overseen by the Police that has been serving the youth of this town and surrounding communities for over 40 years.
Chiefs tackle football season begins August 1 (when practices begin) and runs through November; and will be completed before Thanksgiving.
Besides the registration fee, are there any other fees / costs that must be provided to the Mineola PAL Chiefs?
The registration fee for tackle football is $250. (We will no longer collect the $30 fee in addition to the registration fee when we gave out the equipment before practices start in August. As part of that $30, we used to provide chance books for the drawing that is held at the football dinner in January to determine the winner of some prizes. Now we will be giving a ticket at the dinner for those players who attend to be eligible for the prizes).
However, please note that there will be still be a $200 equipment deposit check required when we give our equipment before practices start in August. This check will NOT be deposited by the Mineola PAL. The check will be held until the end of the season and will be returned / destroyed when all of the equipment is returned.
How are the teams organized?
The Chiefs play in the Nassau County Youth Football League (NCYFL). Players are assigned to divisions based on age and weight per NCYFL rules.
Division/Age
Age as on November 30, 2023
Roster Weight Limit (lbs) (subject to change by NCYFL)
Division Age | Roster Weight | Game Day Weight (includes equipment except helmet)
7 90 100
8 100 110
9 120 130
10 130 140
11 140 150
12 165 185
13 Unlimited Unlimited
There are NO EXCEPTIONS to the above weight or age criteria.
Do you offer multi-player discounts?
Yes, a discount will apply when you have two or more children playing tackle football. A $50 discount will apply for the second child ($200), and a $75 discount will apply for each additional child ($175).
What is the refund policy?
Registration fees are not refundable.
What if my child has never played football before?
We welcome new players at all age levels. Our coaches will help all players learn the game.
When will I be contacted once I register?
Your coach will be contacting you sometime in July to provide dates / times when your child can be scheduled for equipment fitting and pick up and to advise when practices will begin. Please note that this is a travel program so attendance at practices is necessary in order to compete.
When does the season begin?
Practices will officially begin August 1. Again, your coach will let you know when practices will be held.
League games begin in September and run through mid-November.
Where and when are practices?
For the 7’s and 8’s year old teams, practices will be held at the fields by the Mineola PAL Field House located at the corner of Willis Ave & 2nd Street – the white building behind 110 Willis Avenue, Mineola 11501.
For the 9’s, 10’s, 11’s, 12’s and 13’s, practices will be held at Wilson Park in Mineola – Field 3. Directions are as follows:
Wilson Park, Field #3 – Liberty Ave Mineola, NY 11501
Put 235 Liberty Ave Mineola, NY 11501 into your GPS
Coming from the north (Jericho Turnpike) take Roslyn Rd south to Liberty Ave make a left turn. Then take Liberty Ave to the end of the road. The entrance to field #3 is ahead. Or take Glen Cove Rd south to Westbury Ave make a right turn go 5 blocks and make a left turn onto Union St. Then go 2 blocks and make a left onto Liberty Ave. Then take Liberty Ave to the end of the road. The entrance to field #3 is ahead.
Coming from the south (Old Country Rd.) take Roslyn Rd north to Liberty Ave make a right turn. Then take Liberty Ave to the end of the road. The entrance to field #3 is ahead. Or take Glen Cove Rd north to Westbury Ave make a left turn go 5 blocks and make a left turn onto Union St. Then go 2 blocks and make a left onto Liberty Ave. then take Liberty Ave to the end of the road. The entrance to field #3 is ahead.
Practice schedules are determined by coaches, and typically are 2 to 3 nights per week starting anywhere from 6:00pm to 7:30 pm and lasting 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Where and when are games played?
The league season is 8 games — 4 home and 4 away.
Our home field is Hampton Field in Mineola.
Directions to the field are as follows:
If you are headed south on Roslyn Road from Jericho Turnpike, make a left on Westbury Avenue (which is the first traffic light after you pass over Jericho Turnpike headed south), then make a right on Union….go down two blocks (you will see Hampton Field on the right).
If coming from the South, take Old Country Road to Washington Ave. Head north on Washington to Second St. Make a right on Second Street and go to Union Street. Make a left on Union Street and Hampton Field is on the left.
Games are mostly played on Sundays, but it is possible that a Friday night or Saturday night game may also be scheduled. Competitive age divisions (8’s on up) have playoffs for teams that qualify.
The other towns in the NCYFL are Baldwin, Bellmore, East Rockaway, Farmingdale, Floral Park, Franklin Square, Garden City, Hempstead, Hicksville, Island Trees, Levittown, Long Beach, Oyster Bay-Bayville, Plainview, Rosedale, Seaford and Uniondale.
Do I need to buy equipment?
The Chiefs furnish all football equipment with the exception of cleats, athletic supporter and cup – so your child will need to have football cleats (no spikes and the cleats CANNOT be the removable kinds that screw in) and an athletic supporter (i.e. cup). Each player will be issued a helmet, chinstrap, mouthpiece, shoulder pads, football pants (for practice and games), football girdle, thigh, knee, hip, and tail pads. Additionally each player will receive a mesh practice jersey and home and away game jerseys. All equipment and Jersey must be returned at the end of the season.
As mentioned above, please note that there will be a $200 equipment deposit check required. This check will NOT be deposited by the Mineola PAL. The check will be held until the end of the season and will be returned / destroyed when all of the equipment is returned.
How is playing time determined?
All players in the instructional divisions (5/6 and 7 year olds) will receive equal practice instruction and game playing time. In the competitive divisions (8 through 13), all players will receive equal practice instruction. Game playing time will be at the discretion of the coaching staff. This is a travel program where we are playing other towns – some with a lot larger demographics than our program. The coaches will do their best to make sure to handle playing time fairly trying to balance being competitive with trying to get kids in game experience, but it will not be equal. We do not guarantee playing time at the competitive age levels. There are many things that will go into that including talent level, ability to handle the physical nature of the game, understanding of the game, commitment / attendance at practices and being a team player. We expect all parents to be positive – whether we win or lose – and to not argue with the refs, or be negative to other teams or their coaches, or to be disrespectful in any way.
Can my child be placed on a team with his friends?
We typically only have one team per division age, so if your child’s friend is the same eligible age, they will play together. This differs for our 5/6 year old FLAG Program, where will are typically able to accommodate requests, but we will not guarantee placement. Roster sizes will be determined by registration turn out.
What else will we need to do before the season?
All football players are required to submit a physician signed and stamped medical form before participating in any Chief activities. This form will be pre-filled based on the data you submit in the registration process and will be mailed or emailed to you at the end of June / early July. At that time, you should take that pre-filled form and bring it to your doctor. The physical must be completed and dated within one year of the weigh which will be at the end of August 2023 (exact date TBD).
New football players will be required to furnish an original birth certificate or passport and two passport photos – which is now being done via National Sports ID.
All parents/guardians will be required to complete PAL Registration Form which includes a code of conduct acknowledgement form.
All football players must participate in the official league weigh-in prior to the season (late August). Any player not weighed in at this session will not be able to play football. The weigh-in is typically one weeknight in late August. Once we learn the date, we will inform everyone so schedules can be arranged.
I am interested in coaching, who should I contact?
We are always looking for volunteers to coach. Please indicate your interest to coach on the website (top right) and complete the coaches form.
I can’t be a coach, but I’d like to be involved in the program. What can I do?
There’s plenty to do and we really need your help! We’re looking for:
◦ Team parents,
◦ Team administrators for paperwork, etc.
◦ Photographers and videographers,
◦ Help at the field on game days,
◦ Public address announcers at games,
◦ Scoreboard operators,
◦ Fundraisers,
◦ and more!
We’re a volunteer organization and we need all the help we can get. So thanks in advance!
Can I sponsor and if so, what are the benefits?
Yes, we welcome sponsorships.
As you can imagine, running a football program is costly. The registration fee charged for the children to enroll only funds a fraction of these costs. Contributions from our sponsors is critical in order for the Mineola PAL Football Program to bear its portion of the costs.
The Mineola PAL supplies all equipment for its participants including helmets, shoulder pads, practice jersey, practice pants, home and away jerseys and game pants. The Mineola PAL is responsible for constantly maintaining the equipment including repairing and replacing equipment so as to ensure the safety of the children participating. For example, all helmets are sent out to be pressure tested and safety inspected by the NOCES. In addition to these costs to upkeep and maintain our equipment, we must provide funding for the fields, maintain the field house, contribute to insurance costs, payment of league fees, ref fees, etc.
We have the following sponsorship levels:
____ $500 (Gold Sponsorship)
____ $250 (Silver Sponsorship)
____ $100 (Bronze Sponsorship)
____ Other (please write in amount)
Sponsorship entitles you to receive:
– A Team Picture or Mineola Chiefs Cap, Shirt or Other Team Paraphernalia
– Reference to your family or company name and address / website and / or email address on our highlight video. Messages can be posted about your child on the DVD highlight film shown at our annual year end football dinner.
– A fond mention of your generosity at our annual football dinner and
– Reference on the Mineola PAL website (www.mineolapal.org)
…… but the greatest benefit is giving the children of our community the opportunity to play football.
In order to sponsor, complete the attached form and follow the instructions therein
