1. What league does Yarmouth play in? The Clipper High School team is a sanctioned team (grades 9-12) which schedules games with teams within the conference. The Clipper Junior High team (grades 7-8) is not sanctioned but follows rules defined by the Triple C (“CCC”) Conference. Our youth programs, the Pirates Varsity (grades 5-6) and Pirates JV (grades 3-4) play in the 13 member coastal community Maine Youth Football League reaching from Portland to Rockland.

2. Does the league have a web site or contact info? www.maineyouthfootball.org

3. What teams does Yarmouth football play?

  • Clippers High School:  Jay, Old Orchard Beach, Liv. Falls, Madison, Dirigo, Lisbon, Boothbay, Traip.
  • Clippers Junior High: Lake Region, Gray, Cape Elizabeth, Falmouth, Old Orchard Beach, Fryeburg.
  • Pirates Varsity & JV: Portland (2 teams), South Portland (2 teams), Falmouth, Cumberland and Lisbon.

4. Why does Yarmouth have two team names, Clippers and Pirates? To separate the High School & Junior High teams from our youth league teams.

5. What age groups play on which teams?

  • Clippers High School and JV: grades 9-12
  • Clippers Junior High: grades 7-8
  • Pirates Varsity: grades 5-6
  • Pirates JV: grades 4-5
  • Pirates Peewee: grades 1-3

6. What fields does Yarmouth play away games at? please see our directions page

7. Where does Yarmouth play home games? The Middle School Clippers and Pirates play homes games either at Winslow Recreational Fields located on McCartney Street (across from Yarmouth Elementary School) or the turf field located behind Yarmouth High School on West Elm St. in Yarmouth.

8. Who is the YFA? The Yarmouth Football Association (YFA) is a non-profit booster group for the Yarmouth Clippers and Pirates Football Teams. The YFA provides organizational services, raises funds, and oversees all aspects of the program. The YFA works closely with, but is not a part of, Yarmouth Community Services, The Town of Yarmouth, and the Yarmouth School Department.

9. Does the YFA have sponsors? Yes! None of this would be possible without our sponsors. Please take the time to view our sponsors page and visit our sponsors web sites for more information about them.

10. How can I volunteer to help YFA? Anyone interested in helping out with Fund Raising and the Concession Stand should contact one of our board memebers.

11. I would like to make a contribution, what does YFA need? In general we have a variety of needs that fall into three basic categories - equipment, concession supplies, and cash donations. Please contact one of our board memebers if you are interested in making an equipment or cash donation or if you would like to donate or lend equipment / supplies for the concession stand.

Concession supplies YFA is currently needs:
  • Gator Aid
  • Water
  • Soda
  • Coffee
  • Paper goods - napkins, plates, forks, knives, spoons
  • Large (50 cup) coffee maker
  • Large cooler
  • New outdoor grill
  • Hotdog machine
  • Popcorn machine
  • Refrigerator

Tax-deductible cash donations are always appreciated! Please make checks payable to the Yarmouth Football Association. All donators will receive a letter confirming their donation, amount donated and YFA's Tax ID number.

12. What is YFA's official mailing address?

Yarmouth Football Association
PO Box 387
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Tel. 207-846-4430

13. My child wants to play football, what should I do next? First and foremost get your child registered by filling out a registration form and returning it to Yarmouth Football. This form should be accompanied with payment. Next you will need appropriately sized equipment in good working order. The team provides game jerseys and helmet logos, but players must provide a helmet, pads, shoes and pants. We recommend Coastal Athletics in Portland to purchase new equipment.

14. What is the football practice schedule like?

  • Clippers High School: Monday - Friday
  • Clippers Junior High: Monday - Friday
  • Pirates Varsity: During the season, practices are held 3-days/week, usually M-W-F from 5:00-7:00, time is adjusted as we begin to lose daylight. Practice schedules are usually determined by the availability of the coaches but has been pretty consistent.
  • Pirates JV: During the season, practices are held 3-days/week, usually M-W-F from 5:00-7:00, time is adjusted as we begin to lose daylight. Practice schedules are usually determined by the availability of the coaches but has been pretty consistent.

15. My child has other commitments, can they still play football? While we hope to have all players attend each practice we understand that children are balancing busy schedules. Please discuss your child's schedule with the teams coach so you can work out a schedule that works out for you and the team!

YFA recognizes that academics and family always come first, but we want everybody to understand that football is the ultimate team sport and that commitment is very important. Remember that the coaches have to prepare a game plan and count on 22 players at 22 different positions, inconsistency makes it very difficult to manage a sport like football. We have had a handful of players play both soccer and football, all we ask is that a player attend at least 2 of the 3 practices a week.

16. My daughter loves football and wants to play, can she? ABSOLUTELY! The program is open to both boys and girls.

17. My child has never played football and I don't know anything about football, can he/she still join a team? As a new team many of our players, at all levels, are just starting. We would love to have your child as a member of the Clippers or Pirates. Keep this in mind, there are several players in the NFL right now that didn't start playing football until their junior and senior years in high school.

18. I would love to coach, does Yarmouth need help and what are the coaching qualifications? Please contact one of our board memebers regarding coaching opportunities. We always need help and encourage those who know something about football and/or coaching to contact us.

19. Our team/league is running an event at Winslow Field, can we use the YFA concession stand? Yes, please contact one of our board memebers for more information.

20. Do Yarmouth football jerseys need to be returned? Yes, all game jersey's must be returned at the end of the football season. Please clean your jersey before returning it at the end of the season. These jerseys are very expensive and we ask that parents make sure they are returned promptly within one week of the last game.

21. My child has outgrown their equipment, what can I do with it? Consider donating equipment in good condition to the YFA. We will then loan (at no charge) equipment to players coming up through thesystem. We can provide a letter documenting your donation for tax purposes.

22. Does YFA have a summer camp? YES! We offer a football camp in the summer through Yarmouth Community Services. Please call 846-2406 for more information.

23. We don't live in Yarmouth, can my child still play for YFA? YFA accepts players from Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, Pownal, Freeport, and Gray.

24. When does the football season start and end? Practices begin in August (usually the 3rd week), the seasons generally ends at the end of October / beginning of November.

25. What is YFA's mission statement and coaching philosophy? The YFA mission is to introduce the sport of football to the community of Yarmouth for the purpose of teaching sportsmanship, commitment, thinking, creativity and athleticism to young boys and girls to help build self-esteem, strength and confidence which will guide them in their academic, personal and professional lives.

Our coaching philosophy does not emphasize winning and losing, we teach that through hard work and continued improvement that good things will come. We teach that there is no one player that is more important than the rest of the team. We teach the kids that winning and losing are a product of the work we do and that we lose graciously and win with dignity. We emphasize respect for ourselves, our teammates and our opponents. We do not mock each other and we do not mock our opponents, we want them to understand that they will be on both sides, winners and losers, and the best way to earn respect is to respect.

26. Does YFA have academic requirements? All players sign and must adhere to the Yarmouth School Dept. Code of Ethics. This binds each player to academic and ethical standards that will be enforced by all YFA coaches and members.

27. My child wants to help with the Clam Festival, work the Winslow Field Concession Stand, or help coach/ref. Can they get Community Service Credits? Yes, we encourage their participation and it is a great way to earn community service credits. Also, if a child does not want to play football but would like to be involved with the program we also encourage student managers to help with practice, games, etc. They will also earn Community Service Credits for this.