Delano Tigers 5th & 6th-Grade Tackle Football Delano Tigers 5th & 6th-Grade Tackle Football will start the week of August 10 this year, giving our players more time to develop before playing competitive games. The Delano Tigers 5th & 6th-Grade Tackle Football program aims to teach fifth and sixth-grade students to have fun playing football, develop an interest in the sport, and learn the fundamentals of the game. Football provides a forum for children to develop respect for themselves and others, build self-esteem, develop physical skills, and experience a metaphoric environment that teaches life lessons and skills. Practices: The schedule will be determined by your athlete’s head coach. (Typically during the week from 5:30 - 7:00 pm.) Games: League play dates run from September 12 through October 10. Game times and locations will vary each week. Theleague schedule will be distributed once it is finalized. Grass Field 8 (G8 - South of DIS) | #6503-F1 Important Dates: (All dates are subject to change) July 27: Registration Deadline August 4: Mandatory Coach’s Meeting, 6:00 p.m. at DHS Tiger Den August 5: Pants fitting (One time only!), 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at the Delano Elementary School Gym August 6: Equipment Rental, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. at Community Ed Center Gym (See below for more information) August 10: First Practice, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Grass Field 8 (South of DIS) August 11: Practice, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. at Grass Field 8 (South of DIS) August 12: Player Skills Evaluation (Combine) 6:00 - 7:30 pm at Grass Field 8 (South of DIS) Starting the week of August 17: Practice dates and times determined by team coaches. Before your team’s first practice, a Parent/Player/Coach Meeting will be held for no more than 30 minutes before practice. September 5-7: No practice (Labor Day weekend) Registration deadline: Monday, July 27 Registration Fee: $150 Parents must sign a participant waiver, linked here: 2026 Delano CE Football Waiver. *Players are required to purchase their football pants. They can be bought independently or ordered through Community Education by attending the one-time-only fitting session on Wednesday, August 5, at the Delano Elementary School Gym from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Sizes:Price: Youth XS - Youth XL:$32 Youth XXL - Youth Husky:$32 Adult S - Adult XL:$32 Pants purchased at the one-time pants fitting on August 5 will be black and will have the pads integrated into the pants. Integrated pads mean you no longer have to remove the pads from the pants to wash them or deal with broken snaps. Players can use the football pants for both the 5th and 6th-grade seasons. We will have inventory from our vendor on hand. Once you try on the pants and pay for them, you can take them home. You must contact the vendor directly if there are any issues with the pants. Please contact Community Education for the vendor’s information if you have any problems with the pants. Equipment Rental: Equipment Return: Thurs, August 6Tues, October 13 5:30-7:00 pm5:30-7:00 pm Comm Ed Ctr GymComm Ed Ctr Basement 2026 Season: Community Education no longer provides helmets and shoulder pads for 5th—and 6th-grade football. Participants are required to supply their own helmets, shoulder pads, and pants. Players may purchase their equipment from any vendor they choose as long as it is approved for youth football competitions. To make this transition smoother for our football families, Delano Community Education has partnered with All Seasons Sports to offer helmet and shoulder pad rentals. Equipment Rental Helmet (white shell with grey facemask): $75.00/season (Retail cost: $180.00) Shoulder pads: $50.00/season (Retail cost: $130.00) Renting equipment offers significant benefits. For example, you can rent a helmet and shoulder pads for a season for just $125, compared to the retail price of $310. Additionally, you can easily return the equipment at the end of the season, rather than storing it or finding a way to get rid of it if your player outgrows it between seasons. If your player participates in the Community Education program for two seasons, you’ll invest less in equipment ($250 compared to $310) than if you purchase it outright. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to another exciting football season! Program Prerequisites: Participants should be able to run, jump, make lateral movements, throw and catch a football, follow 2-3 step directions, verbally communicate with peers and coaches, and work as a team with their peers.