Qualifications:

1. Must be 5 years of age by October 1^st of 2018
2. Original or certified copy of birth certificate is required at registration and must be approved by a TIFI Conference representative.
3. Must be in good standing with the Deer Park Rams/Dear Hearts/Lil Hearts Board.

Membership and Responsibility:

1. Lil’ Heart membership may be limited at the discretion of the Lil’ Heart Director with the approval of the Dear Heart Director.
2. All girls are expected to attend ALL practices and games.This includes all home and away games, play-off games, and Super Bowl games in which the Deer Park Rams flag are playing.
3. Parents must be sure that their daughter arrives to practice and games on time, and are picked up promptly afterwards.
4. Lil’ Hearts are required to attend at least one practice during the week in order to cheer at Saturday’s game.If your daughter is going to be absent please contact the Lil’ Hearts’ director.
5. Excused absences are the following:
   1. Lil’ Heart illness
   2. participation in a mandatory school function
   3. death in family
6. It is the parent’s responsibility to provide an email or a written note to the director for any early dismissal or absences from the games and/or practices.
7. Each Parent, Coach and Lil Heart must sign and uphold the Code of Ethics agreement.Violations of said agreement will be handled by the Rams/Dear Hearts/Lil’ Hearts Executive Board.Violations can and will result in removal from the organization.

    

    

    

   Uniform:

1. Uniform, shoes, and socks must be clean for all practices and/or games.
2. Lil’ Heart cheer uniform can only be worn during the game.If your daughter is going to stay for additional games, she will need to change out of her cheer uniform.She is more than welcome to wear her practice uniform.
3. Uniforms are not to be worn for any occasion other than our football games, until the season is over.

   Insurance:

1. The TIFI Conference through the Deer Park Rams/Dear Hearts/Lil’ Hearts Booster Club insures all members of the Drill/Cheer team and coaches.
2. In the event an injury does occur and the director is unable to locate any parent or relative, your child will be taken to the nearest medical facility, with the medical form you filled out at registration and have on file with the director.

   Guidelines for Practice and/or games:

1. No Stunting
2. No Building
3. No Tumbling
4. Lil’ Hearts will be taught the basic fundamentals of cheer such as chants, motions, cheers, and voice projections.

   Practices: 

1. Practices will be held by the football field at Deer Park Junior High.
2. Practices will be held on Tuesdays, from 6:30 – 7:15 pm and Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm beginning July 31. (These dates/times are subject to change.)
3. After the Mini Cheer Expo, practices will be reduced to Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:15 pm.
4. In the event of a cancelled practice, the director will inform you of any make-up practice dates and times.
5. Lil’ Hearts will be required to practice in the practice uniform provided.Cheer shoes, and appropriate socks must be worn at all times.
6. Jewelry (necklace, rings, earrings) is NEVER to be worn during practices and/or games. NO EXCEPTIONS!!
7. Hair must be pulled back into a high ponytail, with the practice ribbon in place.
8. During practices, girls are required to bring their own water bottle.Their water bottle must be labeled with their name.Please make sure that your Lil’ heart drinks plenty of water (no sugary beverages) before practices and games.
9. A cold wet rag placed in a zip-loc is great for those really hot days.
10. There are no restrooms at the practice facility, so please make sure that your Lil’ Heart goes to the bathroom before coming to practice.
11. Lil’ Hearts will place their backpacks under the tree, prior to practice then proceed to the field for stretching.
12. During water break, Lil’ Hearts will drink their water under the shade tree, they are not allowed to sit with parents during this time.
13. Parents are not allowed onto the field at any time during practice and/or games. There is a designated area for parents during practice and/or games. If you need your child, then please contact the director or team mom.
14. Coaches are there to coach your Lil’ Heart.If you have any questions, comments, or concerns then please get with the Lil’ Heart director, or team mom.
15. Lil’ Hearts will be assigned to squads.Your Lil’ Heart will be placed in either a maroon, white, or gold squad.This will be her group for the remainder of the season.
16. During inclement weather before or during practice the director will give specific instructions for any alternate arrangements.
17. The following items will be needed at every practice:
    1. Water bottle
    2. Cheer

     

    Games:

    1. All games will be played on Saturdays. Lil’ Hearts will perform for the Rams Flag Football team which is the first game of the day.
    2. Home games will be played at Deer Park High School’s Abshier Stadium, on the visitor’s side.
    3. Away games will be played at different locations.Your Director will provide you with the location, directions, and pertinent information regarding the field conditions.
    4. Lil’ Hearts will start cheering at 8:00 am sharp.Please have Lil’ Hearts at the designated drop off by 7:45.Any Lil’ Heart who arrives after 8:05 will not be allowed to perform until after halftime.
    5. Parents, relatives, friends, or siblings will not be allowed to sit with the Lil’ Hearts during any games.
    6. Lil’ Hearts will not be allowed to leave before the end of the flag football game.
    7. Upon completion of the game, the Lil’ Hearts will be released to parents only at the designated pick-up location.Please don’t have siblings, friends, or relatives come to pick them up.
    8. Lil’ Hearts will be dismissed by squads, so please be patient as the coaches try to match-up the girl to the parent.
    9. Once the girls have been dismissed by the director, neither she nor her staff is responsible for your child.
    10. Water will be provided to the Lil’ Hearts during every game.
    11. Some away fields do not have indoor restrooms. There are port-a-potties. So please encourage your daughter to use the restroom prior to coming to the field.We suggest that you carry a travel size container of baby wipes and hand sanitizer
    12. Lil’ Hearts will not be allowed to eat anything during the game.Make sure your daughter eats a healthy breakfast before arriving to the game
    13. Lil’ Hearts must arrive dressed in their game uniform, shell, skirt, briefs, sock, shoes, and hair in a high ponytail with game day ribbon.
    14. Jewelry (necklace, rings, earrings) is NEVER to be worn during practices and/or games. NO EXCEPTIONS!! If your daughter is wearing them, they will be removed and placed in her backpack prior to performing or practicing.
    15. Lil’ Heart award winners will be announced at home games only, prior to halftime.Team mom will hold certificates until conclusion of the game.
    16. During inclement weather before or during games the director will give specific instructions for any alternate arrangements.
    17. Please check the website for up to date information, dprams.com.

    Attendance:

1. The team mom will take attendance at every practice and every game.So make sure that your daughter is dressed, and on the field ready to cheer.Attendance is turned in to TIFI every week.
2. Excused absences with a parent note are as follows:
   1. Lil Heart illness
   2. Participation in mandatory school function
   3. Death in family

       

   Team Photographs:

1. We will have a day scheduled for a professional photographer to take individual pictures of your Lil’ Heart.
   1. This is voluntary
   2. This is an additional cost to you, not covered by the club.
   3. Your child must be dressed in her complete cheer uniform.
   4. She may wear her hair any way you choose.

1. After individual photos are taken, we will take a team picture.
   1. All Lil’ Hearts must have their hair in a high ponytail, with game day bow.
   2. This is voluntary; however, we do ask that you bring your daughter so that she is not left out of the team photo.There is no cost to be in the picture!
2. We will also be taking “head shots”.

1. These photos are for the yearbook.
2. These are at no cost to you.
3. Lil’ Hearts may wear their hair anyway you choose.
4. These will be taken prior to the individual photos.

Discipline:

1. Lil’ Hearts will follow a “timeout” policy.If your daughter displays poor behavior, she will be placed in timeout for 5 minutes.
2. If her poor behavior should continue, then a meeting between the director and parent will be scheduled to help rectify the situation.

Mini Cheer Expo:

1. This year the Lil’ Hearts will be required to perform in a Mini Cheer Expo that will include the mini cheer from all the TIFI teams.
2. The purpose of this event is to give these girls a time to shine and perform.
3. Specific details regarding date and times will be provided in plenty of time to make plans.

Banquet: held each year to honor all members of the Dear Heart and Lil’ Heart drill and cheer teams.

1. Lil’ Hearts are not required to attend the banquet.
2. The cost of the banquet ticket for your Lil’ Heart was covered in her registration.
3. Parents, siblings, and grandparents are welcome to attend; however, they must purchase an additional ticket.
4. Every girl will receive an end of year gift.
5. The attire for the evening is Sunday best to Semi-formal.
6. There will be a professional photographer on hand to take pictures.This is an additional cost to you, not covered by the club.

Yearbooks:

1. The club creates a yearbook every year that is available to your child.
2. These books will be distributed once completed, usually at registration the next season.

Rams Grams

1. These are pages created by you that are placed in the yearbook. 

2. They can be photos or your child, letters, words of praise, anything that you        would like.  Examples will be available.

3. These pages are an additional cost.  Size of pages determines price.

Season Completion:

1. The Lil’ Heart season does not end until flag football season ends. Our #1 priority is supporting the Deer Park Rams.
2. Lil’ Heart Cheerleaders are required to cheer at all playoff games, and the Super Bowl game if the Rams flag football players are playing.

Volunteer:

1. Lil Hearts will be participating in Terrific Team Thursdays.
   1. We ask that 2 families team up to provide the girls with “goodies”. The Director will explain, and give you examples.
   2. A sign-up sheet will be passed around at the first practice.
2. We welcome parent volunteers.If you are interested in helping, please talk to the Lil’ Hearts director.Volunteers will be required to fill out an application, sign a Coach’s Code of Conduct, and undergo a background check.