Andover Jr Football
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Welcome to the Andover Jr Football family. Future Jaguars and Trojans start here.
AJSA is proud to provide a complete youth football pathway for Andover families, beginning with Flag Football at the youngest ages and continuing through Rookie Tackle and Traditional Tackle Football.
More than simply a place to play games, Andover Jr Football is a developmental program focused on fundamentals, teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, physical preparation, confidence, and a love for the game.
Beginning in 3rd grade, AJSA serves as Andover’s established tackle football program, giving players the opportunity to continue developing within a structured, age-appropriate, and community-based football environment connected to the families, schools, and football traditions of Andover.
Quick Football Snapshot
Programs Offered: Flag Football, Rookie Tackle, and Traditional Tackle Football
Who We Serve: Youth football players in the Andover community
Program Pathway: Flag Football at the youngest ages, Rookie Tackle as a bridge into contact football, and Traditional Tackle beginning in 3rd grade
Registration Includes: Insurance and program participation
Program Focus: Fundamentals, teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, player safety, physical preparation, confidence, and long-term football development
Practices: Practice timing and frequency vary by game type, grade level, team placement, and coach communication
Games: Regular season games are generally played on Saturdays during the fall season
Communication: Families should watch for official AJSA updates through the AJSA website, Crossbar email, and Crossbar team communication once teams are formed
Equipment: Equipment expectations vary by game type and are outlined in the program details below
FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT MODEL
There are many ways for young athletes to play and grow within the game of football. Some players may enter AJSA at the tackle level when age-eligible, while others may be more comfortable starting with Flag Football at a younger age.
The AJSA Football Development Model provides a gradual progression of game types that helps players build skills, confidence, and understanding over time. Flag Football introduces the game in a non-contact format, Rookie Tackle bridges players into contact football, and Traditional Tackle continues the progression with a full-field, full-contact game beginning in 3rd grade.
These options give families meaningful entry points based on age, skill level, readiness, and comfort with the game. The goal is to meet players where they are, provide a positive path for development, and give every athlete more ways to learn, grow, and stay connected to football.
Flag Football
The first step in the model. Flag Football introduces young athletes to the game in a non-contact format focused on movement, teamwork, basic football skills, and having fun.
Rookie Tackle
The bridge between Flag Football and Traditional Tackle. Rookie Tackle uses a modified, age-appropriate format to introduce contact, football stance, equipment, positions, and tackle football concepts.
Traditional Tackle
The next step for players beginning in 3rd grade. Traditional Tackle builds on prior development while preparing athletes for more advanced football concepts, teamwork, and competition.
The sections below explain each game type in more detail so families can better understand the purpose, structure, equipment, practice expectations, and season format for each level of AJSA football.
FLAG FOOTBALL
Grades: Pre-K/K Flag Teams and 1st/2nd Grade Flag Teams; no tryouts to play
Registration Includes: Insurance and program participation
Program Focus: Fundamentals, movement, teamwork, spacing, passing, catching, route running, defensive positioning, confidence, and fun
Equipment Provided: Reversible game jersey and flag belt
Equipment Needed: Mouth guard, football cleats with no metal spikes, and game-day all-black shorts with no pockets or logos
Practices: Twice per week; days and times are set by the team coach
Games: Saturdays, September 12 through October 24; home and away games; minimum 5 and up to 7 games
WHY FLAG FOOTBALL MATTERS
Flag Football is the non-contact entry point into the AJSA Football Development Model and the first step in the game type progression. Boys and girls beginning at age 4 can experience the excitement of football in a fun, fast-paced format without contact.
Flag helps young athletes learn foundational football skills they can use in Rookie Tackle, Traditional Tackle, and other sports. Players learn movement, teamwork, spacing, passing, catching, route running, defensive positioning, and game concepts while building confidence and having fun.
With girls flag football now approved as a KSHSAA-sanctioned high school activity beginning with the 2026–27 school year, Flag Football also gives young athletes an early opportunity to learn skills that may support future participation in a growing high school sport in Kansas.
ROOKIE TACKLE
Grades: 1st/2nd Grade; no tryouts to play
Registration Includes: Insurance and program participation
Program Focus: Safe introduction to contact, football stance, equipment, positions, blocking, tackling fundamentals, teamwork, confidence, and multi-position skill development
Equipment Provided: Helmet, shoulder pads, practice jersey, practice pants, reversible game jersey, and game pants
Equipment Needed: Mouth guard, football cleats with no metal spikes, and socks
Practices: Two to three times per week; days and times are set by the team coach
Games: Saturdays, September 12 through October 31; home and away games; minimum 6 and up to 8 games
WHY ROOKIE TACKLE MATTERS
Rookie Tackle is AJSA’s bridge between Flag Football and Traditional Tackle Football. It introduces players to the contact game in a modified, development-focused format designed for younger athletes.
Rookie Tackle is played with fewer players, smaller rosters, and a smaller playing field than Traditional Tackle. This structure creates more opportunities for individualized coaching, more touches, more participation, and a better learning environment for players who are beginning contact football.
With rule modifications, no special teams play, and mandatory position rotation, Rookie Tackle helps players learn football stance, equipment, positions, blocking, tackling fundamentals, contact confidence, and team structure in a fun, age-appropriate way before progressing into Traditional Tackle Football.
TRADITIONAL TACKLE
Grades: 3rd through 6th Grade; no tryouts to play
Registration Includes: Insurance and program participation
Program Focus: Football fundamentals, blocking, tackling, team concepts, physical preparation, discipline, sportsmanship, confidence, and long-term player development
Equipment Provided: Helmet, shoulder pads, practice jersey, practice pants, reversible game jersey, and game pants
Equipment Needed: Mouth guard, football cleats with no metal spikes, and socks
Practices: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday evenings; times are set by the team coach
Games: Saturdays, September 12 through October 31; home and away games; minimum 6 and up to 8 games
WHY TRADITIONAL TACKLE MATTERS
Traditional Tackle Football begins in 3rd grade and builds on the skills players develop through Flag Football, Rookie Tackle, and early football instruction. Players move into a full-field, full-contact game while continuing to develop fundamentals, technique, and football understanding.
At this level, athletes learn more advanced concepts, including blocking, tackling, offensive and defensive positions, team structure, football terminology, physical preparation, and game situations. The game becomes more competitive while remaining focused on development, safety, teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.
As players progress from 3rd through 6th grade, AJSA helps prepare them for future opportunities in middle school football and other sports they may choose to play, while strengthening their connection to the Andover football community.
2026 JR FOOTBALL
By completing this registration, your family is taking the first step toward the 2026 Andover Jr Football season.
Andover Jr Football provides a complete youth football pathway beginning with Flag Football at the youngest ages, continuing through Rookie Tackle, and progressing into Traditional Tackle Football beginning in 3rd grade.
Families should select the game type that best matches their athlete’s grade level, readiness, experience, and comfort with the game.
For 1st/2nd grade families considering contact football, AJSA strongly recommends Rookie Tackle before moving into 3rd grade Traditional Tackle whenever possible. Rookie Tackle gives players an age-appropriate opportunity to learn football stance, equipment, positions, blocking, tackling fundamentals, contact confidence, and team structure before entering the full-field, full-contact game.
More than simply a place to play games, Andover Jr Football is a developmental program focused on fundamentals, teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, physical preparation, confidence, and a love for the game.
Official AJSA updates will be communicated through the AJSA website, Crossbar email, and Crossbar team communication once teams are formed.
Thank you, and welcome to the Andover Jr Football family!
AJSA Board of Directors
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