Registration

Visit our 2025 spring season registration page

We are not able to offer early bird discounts for our spring season, however there are payment arrangements available.

We are not able to offer multi-player discounts for our spring season, however there are payment arrangements available.

We encourage interested players to register ASAP once season registration opens to help ensure a roster spot. We are offering FREE Spring Training for Spring season rostered athletes.

Gather your football equipment follow our social channels, and check-out football camps info 

Cost

Player costs for the 2025 spring season are as follows:

  1. Pay season registration fees:

New Player $250: 

Returning Player $150:

  1. Purchase practice uniform
  2. Purchase equipment: 

Other items – Teams will typically do other activities like beginning- and end-of-season parties, homecoming, coaches’ gifts, and more.

Season registration fees cover several areas including but not limited to:

  • League fees (AYF) including referees
  • Insurance
  • Football equipment
  • Scholarships via registration payment assistance
  • Practice and game field rentals
  • Administrative expenses
  • Gameday athletic trainers
  • Football equipment i.e. footballs, player skill equipment, safety supplies
  • Coach safety certifications via USA Football
  • Coach background checks

Uniforms

Football jerseys are supposed to be tight for several reasons including making it harder for a defender to grab onto the players’ jersey.

Gameday uniform expenses are included in the registration expense. It includes two gameday jerseys, a game day uniform pants option as well as the helmet decals provided by the Illinois Rams.  Additional equipment requirements will need to be purchased outside of the registration expense.

Returning players will keep their 2024 Fall season jersey number. Numbers may be re-assigned from 2024 uniforms for returning players by Illinois Rams coordinators based on player position. We allow new players to provide their preferred jersey number but cannot guarantee their preferred jersey number availability.

Schedule

Our practice field location is Eichelberger Elementary School, 12450 Essington Rd, Plainfield, IL 60585. The first official practice week of the 2025 spring season starts Tuesday, 3/4/2025, hosting typically 3 practices per week. The first two weeks of practices are critical to attend as coaches are evaluating players for placement into teams.

Practices are typically 6-8pm, held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Final practice schedules will be announced by your head coach and communicated via GroupMe. Additional practices may be requested and are communicated within 48 hours of the expected attendance/schedule adjustments.

  • Week 1 games: The weekend of 4/19 with games held on either Saturday or Sunday
  • Games WILL be held on Easter weekend
  • 5 Star Championship Dates: TBD 

Illinois Rams home games will vary by field availability, typically held at Plainfield High School District 202 facilities as well as Commissioners Park. Away games are local travel, see list of towns here. 

Refunds

For the 202 season, a $50 non-refundable deposit will be due at registration checkout with your first payment.

  • Players who cancel before the first practice are eligible for a full registration fee refund.
  • Players who cancel before the first game but after the first practice are entitled to a 50% registration fee refund, less uniform expenses if applicable.
  • Players who cancel after the first game are not eligible for a registration fee refund.
  • Refunds are not automatic, they must be specifically requested by contacting the boards treasurer Stephanie@ilrams.com
  • Game uniforms are non-refundable.

 

Equipment

Please see our equipment page for more information: 

Equipment costs vary based on player age, if returning players reuse their equipment, where equipment is purchased and other factors.  Keep in mind that once purchased most equipment can be reused by the player in subsequent years. There are used equipment and equipment trade-in options which may be available outside the Rams organization.

Uniform packages are included in the registration expense for the season.

This includes 2 custom team jerseys and 1 uniform pants.

We will provide helmet decals with the Illinois Rams logo.

Eligibility

The Illinois Rams welcomes players with all levels of experience. We intend to teach fundamentals and assist players with developmental growth. Football experience is not required. Flag football experience is generally not considered when evaluating players for team assignments.

The Illinois Rams belong to the American Youth Football League (AYF) who has implemented the instructional divisions of play, based on age protection, and is not weight based. Team level is determined by the age of the athlete as of 7/31/2025. 

Visit our Lineman webpage  for more information. We do offer special lineman scholarships!

We accept players from within the Plainfield community, neighboring communities as well as anyone looking to join our Ram Family.

The Illinois Rams age minimum is 6 years old, oldest is 13.

Age cutoffs are governed by the American Youth Football League. The birthday cutoff is July 31st. For example, if your birthday is before July 31st, and you are 8 years old, you will be placed on the 8U team. If your birthday is after July 31st, and you are turning 9 years old, you will still be placed on the 8U team level.

 Note for 8th graders: The above age cutoff doesn’t apply in the  8th grade as long as the player has not already turned 15. Our league states a July 31st date. Typically the only time that date is re-considered is for 8th graders as they want all 8th graders to be able to participate before moving onto high school.

We want all kids to have the ability to play this great game, so we do not hold tryouts. We have kids of all skill levels and experience. We have an evaluation at the beginning of each season where kids are placed on teams with a similar skill set and play games against similar competition. There is an evaluation period where new and returning Rams players will be evaluated based on skill and ability for their respective age group, which will lead to assignment into like levels of competition.

Org

Yes, the Illinois Rams are a proud member of the long-standing,  nationally recognized and safety-focused American Youth Football League.  with more information.

Weather

  1. If inclement weather is present or forecasted, practices and games may be cancelled, or schedules altered.
  2. Generally assume that practices will proceed as planned unless you hear otherwise.
  3. YOUR COACH WILL NOTIFY YOU if practices or games are cancelled, so stay close to your email and/or team communication apps for updates.
  4. We will post on social channels if all teams’ practices are cancelled – so please follow our Facebook
  5. PLAYER SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT: Practices/games will be cancelled if Park District thunder sirens are activated at the respective location.
  6. Please stay close to practice fields when there is bad weather. In the event of cancellation we don’t want kids at practice and unable to reach you to be picked-up.