Membership Page

TEAMS INVITED TO APPLY FOR 2008- 09 SEASON MEMBERSHIP

CONTACT COMMISSIONER NOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN JOINING FLORIDA'S #1 MINOR LEAGUE

Page Index

     1.  Procedures for membereship by new teams

           A.  What Benefits are provided for being an SSFL Member?

     2.  Procedure for interested players

     3.  Procedure for membershpi in the SSFL Officials Association

Procedures for League Membership

                                                FOR INTERESTED TEAMS, PLAYERS AND OFFICIALS

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The SSFL is interested in adding teams who are committed to high standards of sportsmanship, dedicated to their community, have the ability to present entertaining, professional run games, provide low cost family entertainment, and who foster and demand character development in their players.

1.  TEAMS - Candidates for team membership are advised to contact League Commissioner:

David Rice
PO Box 1384
Marco Island, Florida 34146

Office telephone - 239-250-2175
Fax - 239-394-8833
Email – Commissionerssfl@aol.com for information and assistance in the application process.

  1. Log onto the SSFL Standards and Rules pages on the menubar to ascertain if your team meets all requirements. Upon completion of the check list to insure that SSFL Minimum Standards and Rules are satisfied, a letter requesting membership which includes a statement that the organization meets or exceeds Minimum Standards and will follow SSFL Rules.
  2. Completion of the Membership Application Form and payment of first dues installment.

 

THERE IS NO MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FEE REQUIRED

 Organizations accepted will be posted on the team page.  Prior to the first game, the following documents are  

 required:

  1. Document of ownership (Incorporation, sole proprietor or partnership)
  2. Documentation indicating a confirmed game field
  3. Documentaion of liabillity Insurance
  4. Team Web Site
  5. Emergency medical plan of action

Final Step - The Commissioner and member representative(s) visits and inspects the game field and facilities and meets with team administrators

    A. Benefits of Membership

In addition to the benefits listed below, here are some high lighted benefits and additional opportunities available based on team owner interest.

NO MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FEE FOR NEW TEAMS.

SSFL Hall of Fame honoring excellence in performance for players, coaches, staff, and executives.

Radio, Internet Radio, TV and Internet TV coverage of games home and away are optional opportunities available to all owners.

     Broadcast companies attend SSFL meetings to discuss their offerings, costs and requirements.

Discount prices for football equipment is available from companies and obtained by contacting the League Office

SSFL Store - 70 gift items featuring the logos of all teams, league and Rice Bowl.  Net proceeds from all sales are divided equally to all member organizations.

Florida Citrus Bowl Affiliation - continuation of the relationship with the Florida Citrus Bowl as the site of the SSFL Chamionship game.

Unlimited tickets to the Championship game is provided to all SSFL teams to sell and keep all funds to defray operational costs.

Annual invitation to select SSFL team(s) to particiapte in National Bowl Weekend.

The first league to establish an officials association with a supervisor to make assignments. Outstanding officals crews made up of 8 officials are trained and scheduled by SICOA. NFL identification numbered shirts required for evaultion purposes.

Weekly officials reports for each owner complete with game details inlcuding:

list of officials by position, name and number, score by quarters, Penalties by quarters, penalties listed by time remaining, team, foul called, player #, official calling the player, disciplinary actions listed, general information such as game time start/finish, field conditins, weather, estimted attendance, chain crew competency, game ball quality, required field set up evalution, host administration performance,

ball persons available and secure officials room provided

NEW FOR 2009 - The SSFL is Replacing the present internet system developed by SICOA with the "Arbiter" program permitting greater visibility and efficiency in administering the SSFL Officials Association.

For details - www.Thearbiter.com

                                         

      Team Fee Philosophy:  Team fees are paid prior to the season in (6) installments to insure that all benefits are guaranteed throughout the season.

.

      SSFL Rice Bowl Winner and Runner up stipends are the only benefits that may vary from year to year based on available funds based on the number of league members.

 

     For 2008, in addition to the stipends for the 2 teams in the championship game, all teams were given unlimited championship tickets to sell with all proceeds remaining with the team.  This supplemented the stipends of $2000 for the winner and $1000 for the runner up as well as provided funds for all other teams.

All benefits will be provided for 2009 as listed below.

     

        * Provides experienced league leadership through the position of Commissioner and staff 

          with exptensive NCAA athletic coaching and administrative backgrounds and 8 years in administration in

          Minor League Football. 

        * Membership is maintained by adherring to Standards and Rules.  A no tolernce policy is in affect.

        * The number of teams as members is deemed less important that the quality of organizations and the ethical

          conduct of team leadership.  The reality between numbers and actual teams is distorted but common in Minor

          League Football. 

        * Provides teams SSFL Officials Association members assigned by the SSFL Supervisor of Officials.

        * Recruits, trains in NFL Rules, supervises, assigns and evaluates officials in the SSFLOA.

        * Provides an administrative staff of professionals including administrative assistant to the Commissioner,

          accountant, legal advisor and staffing for the Rice Bowl.

        * Provides training to new member owners and staffs.  Meet with accountant, legal advisor, officials, and

          present team owners and staffs to obtain informtion to make the transition into the SSFL seamless.

        * Provides a league web site for information purposes.

        * Provides advance agendas prior to all meetings listing all items for discussion and decision.

        * Provides Press releases.

        * Provides updated communications to all SSFL Officials regarding league ness and information.

        * Provides communicatoins to colleges, universities and professional football organizations regarding

          recruiting opportunities for SSFL players.

        * Provides meeting rooms for league meetings.

        * Provides an SSFL web site with updated information on league happenings with linkage to each teams web

          site.

        * Provides Rules and Standards for membership and enforces compliance.

        * Provides a regular season schedule of a maximum of 10 games with opponents with similar interests and

          resources that are geographically compatible to limit excessive travel expenditures.  As the number of teams

          increased the SSFL was the first league to divide into Divisions and Conferences based on geographic areas. 

          If the number of members is less than 6, home and home games are scheduled intra league and non league

          and bowl games are scheduled.

        * Provides a post season single elimination schedule ultimtely defining the top two team for the Championship.

        * Provides all costs for the Championship Rice Bowl played annually in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

        * Provides all league related administrative expenses to include: office rental, liability insurance for league

          staff, dedicated telephone, fax and internet access, cellular service, travel costs for attendance by league

          staff at games, meetings, national conferences, recrutiment of new teams, professional meetings, corporate

          fees, legal fees, accountant fees, taxes, post office box, fax machine, postage, telephone service, internet

          service, web site maintenance, rental of office copier,, fax machine and office supplies.

        * Provides 6 NFL quality footballs manufactured by Wilson Sports personalized for the SSFL to each

          organization.

        * Provides NFL Style Sideline Control hat to all teams.

        * Provides SSFL All Star Helmet Decals to all All Stars on each team indicating the number of years achieved 

          as an All Star

        * Provides the Commissioners Cup to the organization demonstrating excellence in professional and

          administrative management.

        * Provides 2 Conference Championship trophies.

        * Provides 1 SSFL Championship Rice Bowl trophy.

        * Provides 2 Conference Championship Head Coaches plaques

        * Provides Coach of the Year Award to the Coach of the Rice Bowl Championship Team.

        * Provides MVP Awrds for the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Game in the Rice Bowl.

        * Provides 4 All Star Ball Boy Awards

        * Provides All Star Awards Jerseys or plaques to SSFL Players selected from each team who are honored at

          the Rice Bowl. All Stars are selected by their coaches and owners.  All teams are represented on the All Star

          Team.

        * Provides each All Star with 2 comp tickets to the Rice Bowl.

        * Provides 7 Awards of Excellence to officials by position.

        * Provides 7 awards to the All Star Crew officiating the Rice Bowl.

        * Provides plaques to Hall of Fame inductees.

        * Provides 10 Comp Tickets to each SSFL teams for their staffs to the Rice Bowl.

        * Provides the winning team and the runner up team of the Rice Bowl participation checks, the amount of

          which is a combination of funds determined annually based on the number of league members, net income of

          gate receipts from the game and all funds from the sale of an unlimited number of game tickets provided to

          the 2 teams.

        * Provides unlimited Rice Bowl game tickets valued at $10. per ticket to all teams for them to sell to fans and

          keep all funds to help defray membership dues. 

        * Provides Rice Bowl T Shirts to each SSFL Team staffs

        * Provides SSFL Watches to Rice Bowl Participating Team Head Coaches

        * Provides affiiations with the American Football Association, Minor Legue Football News, NFL Alumni

          Asoociation and National Footall Events.

        * Provides through a national professional ticket distributer sale of SSFL Championship game tickets.

What we do not do.

        * We do not have less than 7 on field officials for all games.  Anything less puts teams at jeopardy of missed calls and player safety.  It also inhibits officials from performing their duties to the best of their ability.

        *  We do not permit unchecked and scrutinized league or team message boards demeaning the ideals of football, football teams, administrators, coaches, players and leagues.

        * We do not require players to play in "back to back" games.  In football, this is an unhealthy and dangerous practice putting players at a high risk of injury.

        * We do not schedule based on an odd number of divisions such as 3, as it distorts the playoff seedings and selection of league All Stars.

        * We do not schedule based on teams past success or expected seasons success.  Scheduling top contender to play weaker opponents and not playing each other in order to protect a teams record is not accepted.   

        *We do not publcize logos of companies identified as sponsors suggesting financial support when they are actually companies supplying services or products for a fee. 

        * We do not publicize or advertise TV or internet TV broadcasts of games that are not in fact actually broadcast with the suggested appearnce of a "TV Deal".       

        We do not utillize player fees to owners to be used for personal use such as breakfasts and lunches at meetings.  Payment for such items are paid directly by those in attendance.   

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2.  PLAYERS - Interested players are instructed to contact the owner of the team they are interested in playing for.

     1.  Click onto the TEAM PAGE.

     2.  Contact information such as owners name, telephone number, email address and team web site are provided.

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3. OFFICIALS - Prospective Officials wanting information on becoming an SSFL Officials Association member are to contact:

      Mr. John Walters, SSFL Supervisor of Officials. 

          Email:  jcwalters@verizon.net

          Cell:    813-928-8441

LOG ONTO THE OFFICIALS PAGE FOR INITIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SSFL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION AND

SUPERVISOR JOHN WALTERS.