Parents and Coaches,

 There has been some confusion or lack of communication in regards to the certification process this year so I hope to answer some of the questions that the GCYFA has been getting.

 Nearly all of the parks expressed that it would be less stressful on them and their park families that the GCYFA come to each of the 16 member parks individually rather than parents bring their children to one of the 2 GCYFA offices like in the past. At the May GCYFA meeting each Park President was notified that a GCYFA certification crew would come to their park to certify Cheerleaders first, then football players a few weeks later. Parks were asked to contact Bonita Watson and schedule a date for this to be accomplished. Parks had from May to the first week of August to organize and certify. Though this process was very successful, there were a couple parks that waited to the last minute to schedule a date before the football certifications began.

  At the July GCYFA meeting, Presidents were notified of the Football player certification process. Because some parks had teams with full 40 man rosters, an early certification was offered to them. It helped both those parks and the GCYFA with the process. Most parks participated in this, a couple did not. (Mostly the same few parks that did'nt in the cheerleading).

 To this point both the Cheerleading and the Football certification processes has been extremely successful. The cards from the certified parks are already completed. Each park has expressed to us to that the GCYFA should continue the in park certifications and we will likely do that as long as it stays organized with in the park. The one draw back to this method is that with 16 member parks and 2 groups of certifying (Cheerleading and Football/ 8,000 children) it takes 30 days to complete the certification process. This leaves no available days for a make-up certification prior to week 1’s games. Parks have to get it right the first time or the child will have to wait for the make-up certification after week 1.

 The make-up certification date will be September 8^th at the Milton Community Center . Call on Mondays from 9:30 to 2:30, to make an appointment. The last and final day to certify a player for the 2008 season is September16th.