Within the league, there are several divisions based on age and weight starting with flag football for five to seven year olds. Contact starts with Mitey-Mites, ages seven to nine weighing 45 to 90 pounds, and ends with Midgets for 13 to 14 year olds, who are at least 105 pounds. All the kids get appropriately-sized equipment that is the envy of some high schools and several colleges. “Our helmets are the same ones used in the NFL, just made to fit the kids,” Jack Tetreau explained. “The rest of the uniform and pads are first rate as well.”

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That’s consistent with the Fairfield PW League’s value statement, which they make sure every parent, coach, and child understands. “We tell people that the values of this organization are safety, fun, skill development, and…in that order,” said Mike Tetreau, who serves as Executive Vice President of the Board. “Safety is first and we have an excellent record.”

Michele Scholz was a little bit worried about the safety aspect when her son Stephen wanted to go out for PW football. “The thought of a first grader tackling and getting tackled just scared me to death. But once I saw the equipment and the training they give the kids, I was all right. I now believe it is really one of the safest sports out there.” She went on to be a Team Mom, which is a sort of cross between super organizer and an EMT (an Emergency Mom Technician when nothing but a mom will do on the sidelines for some brief bit of comfort).
“As a Board, we insist that coaches and parents sign our values statement. That way there’s no misunderstanding,” Mike Tetreau said. Having everyone with a common agreement about what’s important and how to behave can pay off in the heat of the game.”

“One time,” he recalled, “we were playing and there was a bad call with time running out. Now you have to understand that the parents and the coaches are all really close to the field so everyone could see it was a terrible call. So now the kids are starting to get upset and, more to the point, the parents were getting upset and yelling. Well, we had to get to the next play if we wanted to win. Besides we try to teach them that they have to overcome adversity and not every call can go your way. I couldn’t have the parents feeding the kids’ distraction about a play that was, after all, over with. So I simply turned to the seats where the parents were and said, ‘Hey, knock it off!’ And they did. Just like that. Later, some came to me to apologize for the way they acted.”