Learning to function as part of an effective team is a key learning goal of MGYFA. The method for assigning teams varies among grades.

1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade team rosters will ideally contain 12-15  players. We will align kids from the same schools onto teams, but the teams will also be mixed with kids from different schools. In other words, we will not have teams that are made up exclusively with kids from one school.

One of the goals of MGYFA program is to have our athletes build relationships with their future teammates, and combining teams with players from other schools is a way to help the kids build these new friendships.

4th, 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th Grade team rosters may contain up to 14-20 players through 6th grade and 18-24 players for 7th and 8th grades. Teams are formed via an "Equidraft" system. Equidraft is a evaluation and selection process where the objective is to create teams that have an equal distribution of player ability and size on each team.  4th, 5th and 6th grade teams play 9-man football, while 7th and 8th grade teams play 11-man football. All teams will play against other teams from the LMAA. Maple Grove teams will not play against each other.  

The player evaluation system at the 4th through 8th grade levels includes players registered for football through MGYFA. Evaluations are held BEFORE practice begins.  

Players will be independently evaluated by our Official Training Partner, N1 Motion.

Each player is assigned a rating based upon their performance in all of the applicable drills.  Depending upon the grade level, each coaching staff can select either 2 or 3 players.  However, the total ranking of each team's players after the draft must be substantially similar.  

After players are drafted, the remaining players are divided into equal units.  Once all head coaches believe the units are equal (abilities, player positions, assistant coaches available to help, weights, etc.), the units are placed in a hat.  Each head coach selects at random one team from the hat, and this becomes that coach's team for the season.  

The Equidraft system allows for one head coach and one assistant coach per team to select their children for the team they will be coaching for the upcoming season. These selections are factored into the Equidraft selection process prior to the assignment of players to rosters.