The Dartmouth Youth Football League was back on the field Monday night for the first time since last fall, but league officials are making sure the focus isn’t solely on football.

“A significant part of Pop Warner is their grades,” said Melissa Boucher, who handles the academic side of the league. “You have to have, no matter what grade you’re in, a 70 percent in order to participate.”

Boucher said she’s been going through the players report cards from last year, and that at least six players had a perfect hundred average all across the board, with another dozen or so with at least a 96 average.

She said that students who get a 96 or better are part of the “Smarty Pants Club,” and are afforded opportunities from receiving different awards and prizes to visiting Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, which several players got to do last year.

On the football side of things, players were out on the field all week long working hard to prepare for their Aug. 30 season opener.

New commissioner Mike Boucher, Melissa’s husband, said the group was off to a good start.

“Everything’s going real well,” he said, noting that kids had taken part in two skills clinics over the summer prior to the season’s kickoff. “We’re just out here working on fundamentals.”

Melissa Boucher said part of the focus is to work on things like team-building, leadership and sportsmanship.

“Maybe you didn’t win a particular game, but if you improved from last week, you’ve won,” she said.

She said that coming into the first practice, the junior midget team didn’t have any coaches, but that was quickly resolved.

“We had four dads who stepped up,” said Melissa. “It looks like they’re doing a great job. It’s awesome that so many people step up to volunteer.”

Parent Jonathan Roderick, whose son Aiden plays in the league, said the whole atmosphere surrounding the practices and games was a positive one.

“The league is very welcoming and family oriented,” he said. “The parents meet up and people are out here walking on the track. You feel safe having your kids here.”

For the first time ever this year, Mike Boucher said a team who wins its division will have the opportunity to play for the national title at Disney World in Florida. A team like last year’s undefeated Mighty Mights, who Boucher was the coach of, would have a shot to get past just the regional tournaments.

Still, organizers don’t want to make everything about just winning.

“We’re not stacking teams just so the kids have a chance to move on,” said Boucher. “As long as they’re learning, they’re progressing.”