How much does it really cost to play football?
Tackle football registration is $225. MCAA provides all required uniforms and a helmet. You are responsible for getting your child a mouth guard, a padded rib protector shirt, a girdle, and a pair of cleats (we do have a donation bin of cleats in the shed - ask your coach to look through it). We make every effort to minimize additional costs throughout the season.
How much does it really cost to cheer?
Cheer can be a very demanding and a very expensive sport. We try our best to keep the costs down as much as possible. Cheer registration is $200. Uniforms are provided by MCAA, but there are a few accessories that are required to be purchased. The total for a complete accessory is approximately $250-$300. A-la-carte purchasing of cheer items is also possible. There is a mandatory Stunt Clinic in the spring and mandatory Cheer Camp in the summer. If your child cannot attend the dates of Stunt Clinic and Cheer Camp, they should not sign up. We make every effort to minimize additional costs throughout the season.
What are the lottery raffle tickets and how do they work?
The lottery raffle tickets are a way for you to recoup almost half of the registration cost incurred by registering your child to play football or cheer. Once your registration is paid in full (by July 1), you will receive 20 raffle tickets, which you are encouraged to sell for $5 each. We will do a drawing by mid-September and the winning ticket will receive $1,500 worth of lottery scratch off tickets.
The important thing to remember is that you put the $5 for each ticket in your pocket, as it is intended to help you pay for your registration. That money does NOT go back to MCAA unless you would like to make a financial donation. You may also choose to keep all 20 tickets and enter the raffle drawing yourself. The important thing is to remember to hang onto your tickets!
When does registration begin? When does it end?
Both cheer and football registration open in mid-March. Registration is first open to returning families from the previous season, and then to brand new families to the program, as long as there are spots available. Cheer squads (grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-6) and football teams (grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-6) are all capped at 36 participants. A wait list will be kept if we exceed those numbers; however, it is not a guarantee that your child will get a spot. A $100 nonrefundable deposit is required at registration to hold your spot. Balances must be paid in full by July 1 in order for your child to participate.
Should I register early?
The simple answer is yes, please register early! We have do have payment plans, so you can budget out your registration and spread the cost over several months.
Do you have in-person registration or do I have to register online?
We can process your registration in person if you cannot do it online. Please attend one of our General Membership meetings or reach out to our Communications Commissioner.
When are the games and where are they played?
We typically have 4 home games, 4 away games, and a few scrimmages (either home or away). Home games are played at William “Rip” Scherer Field (Tiger Stadium) on Sundays. Away games are typically played on Saturdays at the high school field of the hosting team, but there are some exceptions. Playoffs begin in mid-October and the Championship, 5th Grade All-Stars, and 6th Grade Senior Bowl games are played in early November.
How can I be a coach or get more involved?
Please come to one of our General Membership meetings or speak to any board member!
How long is the annual program?
Cheer has mandatory Stunt Clinic in May, with mandatory Cheer Camp held in July. Cheer practices are usually 3-4 nights per week starting right after camp through the start of the school year. Cheer then practices 1-2 nights per week until October. There is typically no practice from October onward.
Football practices typically start with mandatory Heat Acclimation Week in mid-July, and then regular practices 3-4 nights a week through the rest of the summer. Once school begins, practices are usually 2-3 nights a week. Optional conditioning workouts begin in May. Scrimmages and/or the first game usually starts by mid-August, and the season runs through mid-October, when playoffs begin. The Championship, 5th Grade All-Stars, and 6th Grade Senior Bowl games are played in early November.