About Us

A COMMUNITY-ORIENTED FOOTBALL PROGRAM WHERE SAFETY AND CHARACTER COMES FIRST

The Palatine Amateur Football Association (PAFA), founded in 1966, is focused on building a strong football community-- providing local youth an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of football in a safe, positive, and inclusive environment, while building confidence, discipline, and character.

PAFA provides tackle football for grades 3rd-8th and flag football programs for K-2nd grades. We welcome all players and families who are interested in joining a community-oriented football program where safety and character comes first. When players and families join PAFA, below is what they can expect:

• We will put safety first. First and foremost, in all practices and games, safety comes first. All PAFA tackle football coaches are USA football certified, and annually complete an extensive training program focused on teaching the fundamentals of football using safe and effective techniques; all tackle football parents and coaches' complete concussion awareness training annually; and licensed trainers are present at all PAFA tackle home games. And, as a feeder program for the local High Schools, PAFA coaches attend workshops led by Fremd and Palatine High School coaches.

• We will build strong football families. We work hard and play hard. In PAFA, we have opportunities for players to celebrate their hard work and come together on and off the field. We kick of the season with the PAFA Jamboree (scrimmage games), as well as a presentation by the Fremd and Palatine football teams; each team has a homecoming game and celebration; and, at the end of the season, coaches celebrate and recognize each player at a team banquet attended by the players and their family.

• We will treat players with respect and focus on character. Our coaches are focused on teaching the fundamentals of football in a safe and positive environment. And character is paramount. Our coaches are helping to build strong athletes, and even better young men. Our coaches will treat players with respect and will expect and reinforce the same in return. This is all part of PAFA’s focus on building strong football families, where working effectively as a team and developing good athletes is more important than winning football games.

• We will encourage players to achieve excellence on and off the field. At PAFA, we present an Academic All-American award each year to students who achieved straight A's during the football season, recognizing they are “student” athletes and academics come first.

We know choosing a sport, and a football family, is a big commitment—a big commitment on behalf of the athlete, and family. We are proud of the program we have built-in PAFA over the past 50+ years, and we look forward to continuing to work with our community and our football families to make this a great program for our local youth-a program where life-long friendships begin.