BEHINDTHELIGHTSSPORTS · OUR STANDARDS

ACCURACY. FAIRNESS. EVERY STORY.

Effective October 1, 2026

These standards guide BTLS score reporting, rankings, player features and sponsorships. Player and team submissions remain free.

Verify the result before publishing

A community report is a lead for review. The owner checks the recognized team names, age group, game date, competition type and final score against an official league or tournament result, an authorized game record, BTLS footage, or corroborating adult team contacts. If reports conflict or the evidence is incomplete, the result stays in review. The source is recorded before publication.

Newly verified scores show their review date and public source. Previously posted scores are preserved with their existing sources; they are not presented as newly verified by this process.

Keep state and national rankings separate

National play does not count toward state rankings. National lists are reviewed independently. Opponent ranking, results and games played matter; upsets can move teams more than expected wins, with controlled movement. A single upset does not automatically move No. 25 into the top 10. A submission does not automatically change a ranking.

Read the ranking model. Published lists are dated when updated. A state without a published list has no assigned positions.

Review footage and guardian authorization

An adult parent, guardian or authorized coach submits the video with the player’s name, team, age group, state and game date, and confirms footage rights and parent / guardian authorization. Uploaded originals are private review copies. BTLS reviews the clip and authorization before featuring a player. Selection is editorial and is not guaranteed.

8U My Story and Weekly Awards

These two programs are open to 8U football players nationwide. My Story highlights a player’s journey and effort. Weekly Awards recognize blocking, defensive stops and specific acts of teamwork. The owner verifies player identity, 8U eligibility, footage or an adult witness, and guardian authorization before publication. Likes and votes do not decide the awards. Awards do not change rankings. Player and team participation stays free.

My Story details and interview guide · Award criteria and nominations

Correct mistakes visibly

Send the affected page or item, the information that is wrong, the correct information and supporting details. BTLS reviews the evidence, corrects confirmed mistakes in the affected content, and publishes a dated notice for material factual corrections. Notices state what changed and why, without exposing private contact information. Ordinary weekly ranking movement is an update, rather than a correction.

Request a correction View corrections

Team identities, player profiles and contributors

A directory listing is not team verification. BTLS reviews an adult representative, team identity and 8U division before applying the team verification label; this does not guarantee a ranking or certify every result. Player profiles require explicit guardian-authorized public profile consent. Contributor applications require adult identity review, disclosure of affiliations and acceptance of these standards. Private contact information stays in the owner inbox.

Score Center records include only approved 8U games. A team’s state and national records are shown separately and may not cover its full season. Ranking editions remain archived after later updates. Material corrections to linked results publish a dated correction notice.

Sponsors support coverage, not decisions

Sponsorship never buys a ranking, a Top 10 position, a favorable score report or a player selection. Sponsors may fund production and agreed advertising placements. Editorial decisions remain with BTLS, and paid placements are identified as sponsored content.

Track the review honestly

Received means the submission was saved. In review means it is being checked. Selected means chosen for a future feature. Published means the actual result, game or feature is live. Declined means it will not be used. Adults who submit while signed in can check progress in their account.

For footage removal or privacy questions, use the contact form. Read how we use submissions.