FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Together, We Score Success

1. How can my child get involved with the San Carlos Patriots?

Whether your child is interested in football or cheerleading, we welcome all skill levels! Simply head to our registration page and follow the instructions to join our vibrant community. Our inclusive and supportive atmosphere ensures that every child has a place in our Patriots family.

2. What age groups do you cater to?
We welcome young athletes from various age groups. Our programs are designed to accommodate children from 3 to 14 years old, both in football and cheerleading, with divisions tailored to specific age ranges.  
 
For cheerleading our age group begins at 3 years old for Jr. Tiny Mite and up to 14 years old for Junior Varsity.  
 
Flag football begins at age 5 to 7 years of age.   Tackle programs begin at 8U which can include 7 years old and divisions go up to 14U.  
3. What safety measures are in place during practices and games?

At San Carlos Patriots, the safety and well-being of our athletes are top priorities. Our coaches are trained in safety protocols, and we adhere to Pop Warner guidelines to ensure a secure environment. Additionally, we provide proper equipment and emphasize injury prevention.  All tackle football divisions are taught Heads Up tackling techniques as required by Pop Warner.   Every piece of tackling equipment is ensured to be inspected and certified by helmet manufacturers and licensed reconditioning companies. 

4. Are there tryouts or experience requirements?

No prior experience is necessary to join the San Carlos Patriots. We encourage children of all skill levels to participate, and we do not hold tryouts. Our focus is on nurturing talent and fostering growth in a supportive and encouraging setting.

5. How often are practices and games?

Practice schedules may vary based on the specific teams, age groups and at the discretion of the head coach for each team.  Beginning August 1st, practices are 5 days a week.   This is to ensure mandatory conditioning as required by Pop Warner.    Each athlete needs to have a verified amount of hours before they can engage in contact for tackle football.   By having it five days a week during August, this can ensure we make sure all athletes meet this requirement should they need to miss a few practices.  Beginning in September, practices are held a few times a week, with games scheduled on Saturday's during the season. Details are provided by the team coaches and communicated through our website.

6. Is financial assistance available for registration fees?

We understand the importance of making sports accessible. Financial assistance is available through our scholarship programs. Reach out to our registration team for more information and guidance on the available options.

7. How can parents get involved as volunteers?
We greatly appreciate parental involvement! There are various opportunities to volunteer, from coaching to team administrative support. Also, Board Member positions are available.  Contact our team to explore how you can contribute and positively impact our athletes and community.
8. What makes the San Carlos Patriots different from other programs?

Our emphasis on creating a supportive and inclusive community sets us apart. We focus not only on skill development but also on character-building, teamwork, and creating a positive and enjoyable experience for every participant.

9. What certificates are required of coaches and staff?
All flag, tackle football coaches and team staff must be certified from USA Football and mandated reporter.  Head coach and only one additional team staff must be CPR/First Aid certified.  
 
All cheer coaches and team staff must have certificates from YCADA and mandated reporter.  Additional certificates also include CPR/First Aid for the Head Coach and one additional staff member.
 
Every single volunteer in San Carlos must go through a Live Scan process for background checks and are cleared through the West Coast Conference.
10. How to properly upload documents for my athlete?
Our registration system will only allow one document to be uploaded per bucket.   For buckets that require multiple pages (Player Contract, Medical History and some report cards) you will need to scan all the pages together and upload as one file.  For instance, the Player contract is 3 pages.   Scan the three pages together and save as one PDF file.  Then upload that single PDF file into the Player Contract bucket.   Repeat this for Medical History and then for Final Reports cards that have more than one page.  
 
All documents must be full page documents that are clearly legible.  Do not cut off any part of the document and upload partial documents.
 
Athlete pictures must be a head to chest color picture without any sunglasses, hats or other accessories.  The picture should mirror a passport style photo and cannot be blurred.   
 
If you have any questions or have difficulty in uploading documents, please email playeragent@sancarlospatriots.com
11. Is Certification Day mandatory and what is expected?
Yes!   All players must be certified by WCC.  If your athlete missed certification day, they cannot practice until they can be properly certified by WCC staff.  
 
Cheerleaders are to appear in spirit wear which all football players can appear in shorts and t-shirt.   If your team has their own spirit wear, that will be team discretion.  
 
It can be a hot day since this typically happens within the first week or two of August.   Prepare to have shade, water and snacks.  
 
A designated area should be selected for everyone at SCP to meet and be accounted for.  The Player Agent will arrive with all team books for the certification process and will assist you in entering the facility at our designated time.  
12. What is the refund policy?
No refunds will be issued once equipment and uniforms have been ordered.  This typically can occur by the middle of June.  Prior to June 15th, it is SCP Board discretion as to issuing a full refund minus a $50 cancellation fee.  All refund requests must be submitted via email to president@sancarlospatriots.com
13. Is fundraising mandatory?

Yes!  All SCP teams will need to fundraise for various reasons.  All cheer teams and playoff football teams will travel at some point across the country.  Fundraising helps offset the travel costs for every player, will support a year end team party and other expenses the team may want to incur.  Each team can fundraise at home football games, within the community, obtain corporation sponsorships, conduct silent auctions at fundraising events and much more.   Each team can fundraise specifically for their team.  If you have connections to gift certificates, local businesses and donations, it's never too early to start asking, accumulating and assisting the Team Business Manager in creating these opportunities.

14. Do parents have to volunteer on game days?
Yes!  Games cannot be played unless parents step up and volunteer to run a game.   
 
For games that are scheduled as an away game, each team will need to have 3 parents for the chain gang and at least one for player spotter when recording and enforcing the mandatory play rule.
 
For home games, it is essential to have a clock operator, an announcer, player spotter and concessions.   For concessions, parents can sign up for either before or after their athletes' game to assist.  This is so you don't have to miss your athlete's game.  
15. Additional Mandatory Fees Explained

You will notice two other mandatory fees. Both of which you can earn or be reimbursed for. The Fundraiser Fee is $40 and a percentage of that fee will be allocated to your team's bank account. Additionally, the email address used for player registration and is the account holder, will receive 1 Comedy Show ticket which will again be this year’s main fundraiser for SCP. You may be able to sell your ticket(s) to friends, family, neighbors, businesses, etc. at face value of $40. You can also elect to donate your ticket back to SCP or transfer to whomever you elect. You will have the opportunity to buy additional tickets should you want to attend or sell together. Comedy Show details will be forthcoming on date, time, comedians, etc.

For the Volunteer Opt Out fee of $29.99, should you wish to sign up and complete a minimum 2-hour snack bar shift, we will reimburse you with a meal and drink. You may also opt for 1 additional Comedy Show ticket. A signup sheet will be used, and you must be registered on the spreadsheet to work at the snack bar. There are limited positions throughout the day and the number of home games we may have, so register early to ensure a spot.

These fees are needed to ensure we have enough volunteers to run our home game snack bar and to meet our fundraising goals. Should your team make the playoffs and need to travel out of town, these fundraising fees collected will be allocated to each team. The money raised from the fundraiser fee and also all fundraisers your team may conduct, can be used for end of year party, equipment needed, additional expenses your team agrees to incur, etc. Your team manager will be able to answer questions, provide the snack bar spreadsheet and more.

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