Grinch Games Winter National Championship
Football (5v5 Flag) Tournament - December 12 to December 13, 2026
Key Information
Cost
- $500.00 USD per team
- Pay Before Oct 01, 2026 12:00 AM PDT save $25.00
- Pay After Nov 01, 2026 12:00 AM PDT add $100.00
- 2 or more teams save $25.00 per team
- 4 or more teams save $50.00 per team
- Athletes must have an active ZortsID
- Coaching roles must have an active ZortsID for Coaches
- Participants must complete all eligibiity requirements by Dec 11, 2026 12:00 AM PST or incur a $25.00 USD late fee
- Athlete's age will be based on the age that they will be on Aug 01, 2026
- Registration ends Dec 6, 2026 @ 12:00 AM
Date(s)
Location
Description
December 12th & 13th, 2026
Location: Del Norte High School 16601 Nighthawk Ln, San Diego, CA 92127
ENTRY FEE:
$40 entry fee – good for the entire weekend
$30 entry fee – 1 day pass
*Kids Age 5 and under are free
**Purchase in advance during Friday night! Weekend pass $30, 1 Day pass $20.
- Forms of payments: Cash or Zelle
o Venmo will only be accepted at Friday night check-in
DETAILS:
Open to all teams and organizations
4 Game Guarantee
- 3 Game pool play
- Single elimination bracket play
12 Player roster max & 2 coaches’ max
Age cut off 8/1/26
NFL Flag Rules (modified)
Division winners receive championship rings, MVP award, Clutch player award & a half bid to HCA’s 2027 National Championship June 5th & 6th 2026!
DIVISIONS:
Coed: 6U, 7U, 8U, 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, 13U, 14U
Girls: 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, 16U, 18U
ENTRY FEES:
Early Bird Registration: $475.00 Per Team 7/9/2026 – 9/30/2026 (Must be paid in full by end of early bird)
Regular Registration: $500.00 Per Team 10/1/2026 – 10/31/2026
Late Registration: $600.00 Per Team 11/1/2026 – 12/5/2026
*Registration Closes 12/5/2026
*$50 non-refundable deposit to hold your spot. Must be paid in full by registration closing.
MULTI-TEAM DISCOUNT:
2 or more teams - $25 off per team
4 or more teams - $50 off per team
*Teams must be registered at the same time. Discount will not be honored if teams are registered separately.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
12/5/2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time.
ROSTERS/WAIVERS:
12 Player Roster Max & 2 Coaches Max Per Team
All rosters must be uploaded into the Zorts system. Zorts Player Cards are required for each player on the roster. A player card will require a head shot of the player from the shoulders up, without a helmet on, and either a birth certificate, passport or other state ID showing birth date. Parental waivers must be signed by the player’s parent or legal guardian.
*Upload deadline is Thursday, 12/10/2026 11:59pm Pacific Time.
*Late upload deadline is Friday, 12/11/2026 at 3:00pm Pacific Time. A $25 late upload fee will be applied at that time.
TEAM CHECK-IN:
Will be held the evening before on Friday, 12/11/2026 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm. Location TBD
*There will be a $20.00 fee per player or coach who requests a Saturday morning check-in time. If an entire team requests a Saturday morning check-in time, there will be a flat fee of $100.00. The request must be made by Thursday 12/10/2026 by emailing info@hardcountathletics.com and the fee must be paid via venmo in advance. Venmo: @hardcountathletics
REFUND POLICY:
Hard Count Athletics has full confidence that our 12/12 & 12/13 2026 5v5 Tournament in San Diego will happen. We have a no refund policy once you pay the deposit or the full registration fee. In the unusual circumstance where your team is unable to play due to injuries, illness etc., we are happy to provide a credit to a future Hard Count Athletics 5v5 Tournament in the Spring of 2027, as long as we receive written notification 12/5/2026 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. If a team cancels after 12/5/2026, no credit will be issued. In the unforeseeable scenario that we are impacted by COVID-19 or other virus-related events, including but not limited to, a mandatory quarantine and/or shut-down of “non-essential” businesses, we will be offering a credit to a future Hard Count Athletics Tournament in the Spring of 2027
Insert Hard Count Rule Book Simplified
In Hard Count Tournaments
Ø Although schedule requests are welcome so we are aware of conflicts, they are not guaranteed for this tournament.
Ø All schedule requests are due by registration closing. Requests submitted after registration closing, will not be considered.
Ø If a girls team chooses to play in the boys division, they will play in the same age division they qualify for.
Ø There will be no challenges on referee calls, this includes wanting referees, field monitors and staff to watch video replays.
Ø To be eligible to play in bracket play, a player must be rostered with the team and play in at least one pool play game.
Ø A player cannot be rostered on two different teams within the same division.
o If a player is found to be rostered on two different teams in the same division and does in fact play in games on two different teams, that player will default to the team he/she played with first and the second team will forfeit the game that the double rostered player played in.
Ø Hard Count reserves the right to combine divisions if three (3) or less teams are signed up in a division.
Ø Although unlikely, the date, time and location are subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Ø A team at any time can request a roster check. Should they lose the roster check, then they forfeit any remaining timeouts for that game.
o Should they win the roster check and an illegal player or a player who is not on that team’s roster is found to be playing in that game, then the team with the illegal player forfeits that game and the remaining games of the tournament.
Ø To protect fair play and safety, girl’s divisions are limited to biologically female athletes.
Ø Hard Count has a zero-tolerance policy regarding violence/fighting and vulgar language. Hard Count reserves the right to immediately remove individuals and/or teams from the tournament.
Ø After careful consideration and at Hard Counts discretion, Hard Count reserves the right to suspend or ban individual players, individual coaches, teams, organizations and parents from participating in future Hard Count tournaments. Decisions will be final and not subject to appeal.
MEDIA:
Ø Having media access to a team’s sideline is a privilege granted at the sole discretion of Hard Count and may be revoked at any time. Hard Count reserves the absolute right to suspend, restrict, or permanently revoke the credentials, access, or privileges of any media representative for conduct deemed by Hard Count to be inappropriate, unprofessional, detrimental to operations, or inconsistent with the standards, values, or expectations of the organization. Such conduct includes, but is not limited to, behavior, statements, actions, or social media activity that Hard Count determines may harm its reputation, relationships, business interests, participants, or public image. All determinations made by Hard Count regarding media conduct, credentialing, and access shall be final and made at its sole discretion.
Ø No tower cameras are allowed on the sidelines. Tower cameras can only be set up in each end zone, in the spectator area.
Sport
Divisions
-
Boy's 6U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 7U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 8U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 9U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 10U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 11U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 12U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 13U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Boy's 14U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Girl's GIRLS 8U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Girl's GIRLS 10U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Girl's GIRLS 12U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Girl's GIRLS 14U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
-
Girl's GIRLS 18U
- Min Athletes: 5
- Max Athletes: 12
