Hello Eagles Parents,
Welcome to the 2023 Livonia Eagles Youth Football & Cheer program!  Before we get to the welcome letter, we have some important dates for fittings/ pick up next week.

Football Uniform Fitting: Wednesday May 24, 2023, from 6-8 pm and Thursday June 1, 2023, from 6-7:30 pm at the warehouse. Tackle football players will need to come get fitted for their jersey.  It’s important to fit your player for their jersey with pads on.  If you cannot make either of these fittings, please text Sarah Beri (313-218-5283) ASAP to get fitted or pass along sizing information.
Our warehouse/ office address is: 37695 Schoolcraft Rd. Bldg. B

Raffle Ticket Pick-Up: Currently there is only one required fundraiser for the Eagles. That is selling raffle tickets. Pick up will be from 6-8 pm Wednesday May 24, 2023, and Thursday June 1, 2023, until 7:30pm at the warehouse/ office.  Tickets will be due back to Liz Groth by August 11, 2023.

The camp pack site is up and running.  Please visit https://www.livoniaeagles.com/ by June 2, 2023, to purchase your camp pack.  This is MANDATORY to ensure we can order and receive all items by the start of the season. New families will need to register and add profiles for your players.  Make sure you are selecting the correct program for your participant.  Football Camp Packs are $100 and Cheer packs are $200. 
Football will communicate dates for combine and camp in the next week or two so stay tuned for upcoming communication.
 
Football Directors

• Shawn Busse
• Dave Stokes
• Nate Groth

Cheer Directors

• Heather Giampaola
• Miranda Giampaola

Head Coaches Cheer

• Flag - Miranda Giampaola
• Freshman - Sandi Munn
• JV - Colleen Samelko and Kelly Woelke
• Varsity - Amy Van Eeuwen and Krissi Rosenberry 

 
Head Coaches Football

• Flag - Mike Griswold
• Freshman - TBD
• Junior Varsity – John Miller
• Varsity - Mike Bossio

Team Manager
Every team will have a team manager if you are interested, please email [email protected]

Parent and Player Code of Conduct

• Always conduct oneself in an appropriate manner on and off of the field. This includes talking to the referees. If a parent is found to have gotten into a verbal dispute with a referee, they will no longer be able to be on the premises during practice and games. Zero tolerance.
• Will not engage in fighting, harassing, bullying, taunting, name-calling, etc.
• Will always engage in good sportsmanlike conduct.
• All directors/ coaches/ and volunteers are just that, volunteers. Please act accordingly. We are not paid employees.
• A complete code of conduct, that was signed by everyone at registration, can be found at livoniaeagles.com

SMYFA League
Our league is the southeastern Michigan youth football association.  Below is the current DRAFT schedule.  We will update you if something changes.


North/ Lakes Division

• Livonia Eagles/ Falcons/ Blue Jays/ Orioles
• Commerce Chargers
• Walled Lake Braves

South/ West Division

• Redford Eagles
• Garden City Cougars
• Northville Colts/ Stallions
• Novi Bobcats
• Dearborn Lions (Formerly Thunderbirds)

Practice Field Notices
Our practice field is located south of Bentley Field. Those two streets, Berwick and Jameson, you can only park on the field side of the street. You will be ticketed if you park on the house side of those 2 streets. Please utilize the Bentley Field parking lot and Livonia Rec Center lot as much as possible.

Football Practice
Starting the second week of August

• Before first game:
  • 4-5 days per week (m-f) tackle
  • 3-4 days per week (m-f) flag
  • 5:30pm to 8pm – will adjust for daylight or coach schedule.
• After first game:
  • 3-4 days per week (m-f) tackle
  • 2-4 days per week (m-f) flag
  • 5:30pm to 8pm – will adjust for daylight or coach schedule.
  • Possible film sessions and/or walkthrough before game day at coaches’ discretion.
• What to bring/ wear
  • Helmet/ shoulder pads/ practice jersey/ practice pants/ cleats/ cup/ water

Football Equipment
What’s provided – to be returned

• Helmet
• Shoulder pads
• Pants with knee pads
• Practice pants

 
Camp pack contents – to keep

• Customized reversible jersey
• Practice jersey
• T-shirt
• Shorts (flag)

Equipment pick up times and location will be communicated once camp packs are received in from the vendor.
 
What you need to provide

• Socks (purchased through eagles)
• Cleats
• 5 pad girdle (we have some if you need them)
• Athletic supporter
• Mouthguard, tethered
• Water bottle
• Optional equipment: forearm, hand, elbow, rib protection pads

Communication

• Weekly Eagles Nest email
• Coach / team mom/manager emails/ sports engine
• Website: www.livoniaeagles.com
• Livonia Eagles Facebook pages
• Sports Engine app is for coach to team communication. 

Spirit wear
We are in the process of putting together some amazing gear this year. More details to come.

Volunteers

• This league is run by volunteers.
• Each family is expected to volunteer a minimum of 4 times each season.
• A sign up.com is where you will register for your volunteer spots.
• There will be opportunities on game day, special events, behind the scenes, and more!
• All volunteer spots are equally important, they are what makes the season successful.
• Failure to meet the volunteer commitments will result in loss of veteran status and a fee attached to the banquet tickets.

 
Each “KEY” Volunteer role fulfills all requirements for the season.  If you are interested in becoming a key volunteer, we will be holding a meeting once practices start.  We have several volunteers whose participants will be moving on to high school next year and will need to train someone to take over, so we encourage you to get involved.

• Treasurer – Liz Groth
• Registrar – Amanda Duke
• Communications Coordinator – Amanda Duke
• Volunteer Coordinator – Lisa Minutolo
• Football Equipment & Uniform Manager – Sarah Beri
• Game day pictures – volunteer needed
• Website – Nate Groth
• Concessions Coordinator – Jackie Doerr
• Spirit Wear – Sarah Beri
• Team Pictures Volunteer – Lisa Minutolo
• Yearbook Volunteer – Jen Conte
• Trunk Or Treat - volunteer needed
• Banquet – Heather Giampaola/ Miranda Giampaola
• Field Director - volunteer needed
• Homecoming/ Pink Out - volunteer needed
• Fundraiser Coordinator) – Celestina Ortiz-Gentry

 
Raffle
Currently there is only one required fundraiser for the Eagles. That is selling raffle tickets.
Raffle tickets will be handed out next week as communicated previously in the email.  Please contact our Treasurer, Liz Groth ([email protected]) to pick up if you can not make one of the pickup dates.
Raffle tickets and money for the 2023 season are due back to Liz Groth by August 11, 2023 at 5:30pm.  Please un-bundle your tickets prior to returning them. 
 
Physicals
If you have not loaded your child’s physical into Sports Engine you must do so before the first game.  You can download the MHSAA Sports Physical form via google.  If you need step by step instructions to upload a physical visit the “Parents” tab on the Livonia Eagles website and under documents view the “Player Document Upload Instructions”.
 
The BIG House Game in Ann Arbor
On October 1, 2023, we will play the Livonia Orioles at University of Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.  There will be an admission fee charged for tickets and tickets will need to be purchased in advance.  Additional information and spirit wear links will be communicated closer to the event.  

Homecoming
Homecoming is typically a celebration to kick-off the season, filled with Eagle Spirit and fun activities for all. Based on the decisions of the Homecoming Committee, this format is subject to change year to year. Each family will receive information once plans are finalized (likely sometime in August).  Date for 2023 is September 16, 2023.

To provide you with more details on what to expect, below is a list of what has been done in past Homecomings.

• Floats: In the past, teams and their families have made themed floats to ride around in during half-time. (That is a choice left up to the cheer directors and each squad.)
• Posters: Parents are also encouraged to make a poster for their player or cheerleader to hang on the fence that day. Some families choose to make homemade posters with the player’s picture, squad, jersey number and whatever extra decorations that you'd like to add. Other families choose to have posters made at Costco or other photo processing centers. Have fun with it but no need to break the bank.

Pink Out Game
The Pink Out Game is an annual event during the month of October during a home game where the Livonia Eagles help raise awareness of breast cancer. This year’s event is scheduled for October 14th.

Parent volunteers help to host a fundraiser at this game with all the proceeds going to the chosen charity. This is usually a bake sale & raffle fundraiser with amazing gift baskets and prizes that have been donated by local and national businesses. Historically, this event has been a huge success and the kids & parents have a lot of fun. While not mandatory, many players get involved by wearing pink for this game (while adhering to uniform guidelines). Please do not use any face paint, colored hair spray or temporary hair dye as they have been known in the past to drip into players’ eyes / stain uniforms.

Look for increased communication as the season approaches.  For more information please contact:
Shawn Busse
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/LivoniaEaglesFootballandCheer

GO EAGLES!