Coaches of all sports, especially contact sports, are strongly asked to verbally inform all candidates for your team of the risks involved in playing athletics. Coaches are legally responsible to provide instruction on the proper techniques in their sport.

1. Football coaches meeting is on Tuesday, August 12, 2008, at 4:00 p.m. Johnson High School, Principal's Conference Room. All coaches, including any assistant coaches, must attend this meeting.

2. Open date for conditioning is Monday, August 11, 2008.

3. All coaches are encouraged to join the St. Paul Coaches Association and the Minnesota State Football Coaches Association.

4. Coaches of conference championship teams are reminded that trophies and medals will be presented at a School Board meeting.

5. Practice

   1. A three-day organized conditioning program may be conducted starting on Monday, August 11th. All football coaches shall report on the opening day of practice. The Junior Varsity and Ninth Grade coaches will help with the varsity until such time as the Junior Varsity and Ninth Grade reports. No equipment except balls, helmets, mouth protectors and shoes may be used the first three days.

   2. All practices during opening week must be held before or after the regular school day.

6. Procedure in case of injury:

   1. If the injury occurs during a practice period or a practice game, the coach will be responsible for the proper procedure in caring for the athlete. Make sure each athlete has filled out an emergency card.

   2. If the injury occurs in a game, and the trainer is present, he/she will handle the details. Before leaving the field after the game, coaches should ascertain the extent of the injury to determine whether the athlete will need further assistance.

7. Mouth guards are mandatory in football. Failure to wear a mouth guard can result in a 15-yard penalty without warning.

8. Time Schedule:

   Schedule	Afternoon	Afternoon	Afternoon	Evening
   Teams may go on field for warm-up	12:10	2:40	3:10	6:10
   Flip of coin with referee	12:45	3:15	3:45	6:45
   National Anthem	12:55	3:25	3:55	6:55
   Kick-Off	1:00	3:30	4:00	7:00

9. Game Arrangement:

   1. The team listed second on the schedule is the home team and will wear dark uniforms.

   2. At Griffin, the home team will use the east locker room. At Bakken, the teams will use the locker rooms adjacent to their side of the field. At Highland Park, the home team will use the upper level locker room. Any damage to the locker room will be charged against the school using that room.

   3. All team buses will arrive at and depart from the Third Street entrance (at Bakken), the Concordia Street/north entrance (at Griffin) and north side of Snelling Avenue at Highland Park.

   4. The coach will provide the public address announcer and the press with the starting line-up and a list of the players and correct numbers.

   5. The scoreboard clock will be the official time.

   6. If space is available, the press box at Griffin, Bakken and Highland Park may be used by coaches for scouting purposes. In the event that the needs of the press require the accomodations, this privilege will be suspended. When the press box is available, it is to accomodate conference coaches. Because of the limited space, coaches are requested to respect the rights of other coaches by not bringing friends with them to the press box.

   7. The following people are authorized to be on the sidelines:

      1. Football coaches who are regular staff members
      2. Players in uniform (#1 and #2 confined between the 25-yard lines by rule)
      3. Two managers
      4. Those officials necessary for the conduct of the game
      5. Legitimate photographers

   8. Entertainment on the field between halves is limited to the home team and shall not exceed 12 minutes. Requests for additional performances must be agreed upon by both athletic directors.

   9. Cheerleaders are not to have exchange yells.

   10. Homecoming Games:

       1. Football rules prohibit decorative materials on the crossbar and on the uprights above the crossbar.
       2. An exception to the home team entertainment regulation will be made for homecoming games.
       3. The entire cheerleading squad, plus alumni cheerleaders may participate at homecoming games.
       4. At double homecomings, special time arrangements for half-time activities should be made. Total time will not go beyond 20 minutes. The home team will have the first 10 minutes.
       5. If a team other than the home team has homecoming, it will be treated as a double homecoming and the home team will have the first 10 minutes on the field, if desired.
       6. No cars will be permitted in any stadium facility.

   11. The home team band will play the National Anthem when the teams line up for the kick-off. The band will play from its position in the stands. Football players will remove head gear and stand at attention on their sideline.

10. Coaches are to notify the school athletic director of game results the morning of the next school day for the weekly district report. The coach of the winning team is responsible for calling in scores and stats to both newspapers. The results of the game should be called in by the HOME coach to John Vosejpka by phone (767-3490), Fax (293-5374) or E-Mail (john.vosejpka@SPPS.org) for Web site posting.

11. Tickets:

    1. General admission tickets purchased at the gate for any conference football game will be $3.00 for students, children and seniors and $5.00 for adults.
    2. Gate guards and ticket takers are on duty until the end of the game.

12. Postponed games will be played on the first available day in order of postponement. The Athletic Director in charge of football will determine available days.

13. All-Conference selections will be made at the post-season meeting. The All-Conference team will be selected by position. Each school will select its own Honorable Mention members.

14. Misconduct will be governed by M.S.H.S.L. rules.

15. The criteria for assigning football fields during sectional playoffs:

    1. Head-to-head competition
    2. City Conference record
    3. Coin flip