Recreational Flag Football Rulebook

Transcription

1 Recreational Flag Football Rulebook

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT... 3 II. PLAYERS AND ROSTERS... 3 A. Divisions... 3 B. Team Rosters... 4 III. PLAYING FIELD... 4 IV. EQUIPMENT... 5 A. Uniforms... 5 B. Game Ball... 5 C. Prohibited Equipment... 5 V. CANCELLATIONS... 6 VI. RULES OF PLAY... 6 A. Game Timing and Flow... 6 B. Playing Time... 7 C. Number of Players... 7 D. Player Substitutions... 7 E. Location of Coaches... 7 F. Offense... 7 G. Defense...10 H. Change of Possession...10 I. Dead Ball...10 J. Score Values...11 K. Tiebreaker...11 L. Ejections...11 M. Forfeits...12 N. Penalties...12 o. Playoff format P Sign and Return. 13 2

3 I. COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT Coaches shall abide by the following code of conduct, which has been formulated, first and foremost, in the interest of the kids and the community. Failure to follow this code may be penalized at the discretion of the League. Coaches shall: 1. Set a positive example, even in the face of adversity 2. Follow the rules and ensure that your players do the same 3. Strive to teach and actively utilize all of your players, regardless of ability or experience 4. Not tolerate poor sportsmanship by your players or fans 5. Not harshly criticize players 6. Always interact with officials and other teams in a constructive, professional manner 7. Not criticize, confront, or harass opposing players, coaches, or spectators 8. Under no circumstances use abusive or profane language 9. Work with officials to ensure behavior of fans is consistent with this code 10. Immediately remove any player from the game whose health is in question 11. There will be zero tolerance for selling, marketing and solicitation of other youth flag football programs at the i9 sports fields, locations, practices, game venues and meetings. Any direct violations of these acts will be dealt with immediately by Pasco Youth Sports and i9 Sports Corporate office. Our actions will not be limited to legal recourse and being banded from all i9 sports games, events and meetings. II. PLAYERS AND ROSTERS A. Divisions Play is open to kids of ages 4 through 15, who is organized into four divisions: Boys and girls, ages 4-6 (Mighty Mite) Boys and girls, ages 7-10 (Pee-Wee) Boys and girls ages (Juniors) Boys and Girls ages (Seniors) Age is calculated on the cut-off date, which is different for each season. League has the right to allow a player to play in a division outside the above age group as well. The League may adjust the division demarcations or the date used for age determination at any time. 3

4 Proof of age must be provided upon request by the League. B. Team Rosters A roster of eligible players will be maintained by the League and may only be modified by the League, at its discretion. In general, roster changes may occur until the third game of the season, after which they are approved only under special circumstances. Only players on the official roster may be used in games. Use of nonroster players is prohibited, and, at the League s discretion, may result in forfeit of all games in which the player participated. Use of a nonroster player also may result in disciplinary action, including suspension of the coach. III. PLAYING FIELD As depicted in Figure 1, the field is approx 35 yards wide, 60 yards long and is divided lengthwise into two zones of 20 yards each, which lie between two end zones of 10 yards each. The field also includes extra point markings at 5 and 12 yards from each end zone. 10 Yards 20 Yards 5 Yards 35 Yards 12 Yards 60 Yards Figure 1 Flag Football Playing Field 4

5 IV. EQUIPMENT A. Uniforms The uniform consists of: An official i9 Sports flag football jersey Shorts or pants Shoes A protective mouth guard A flag belt This uniform, including mouth guard and flag belt, must be worn at all times on the field of play. For all games, the home team shall be the one listed first on the schedule. The home team shall wear the darker jersey color of the two teams. Uniforms are subject to the following restrictions: Jerseys must be tucked in at all times. Footwear must be sneakers or non-detachable rubber cleated shoes. Flag belts must be of the type provided by the League Flag belts must remain snug and unimpeded by clothing at all times. Flag belts must be of a color that contrasts (in the official s judgment) with underlying clothing. Flag belts must be in good condition and have three unaltered streamers attached. B. Game Ball The game ball shall be a youth-size football constructed of leather, rubber, or similar material. The ball must be inflatable and have seams. If your team is looking to use another ball other then the ball we provide must be cleared by the league commission. The size must be approximately 19 inches in circumference and 12 inches from point to point. Minor deviations from these parameters are allowed, but the League may disallow the use of any ball. C. Prohibited Equipment Shorts or pants with pockets, belt loops, belts, or exposed draw strings Metal spikes Non-athletic shoes Padding of any kind, including hard surface padding such as shoulder pads, hip pads, or helmets Any hard substance on a player s clothing or person 5

6 Hard casts, even if covered by soft material Sticky substances such as grease or glue on a player s clothing or person Jewelry of any kind, except for medical alert bracelets Barrettes or other hard objects worn on the head Eye glasses, unless of athletically approved construction and containing shatter-proof lenses Anything that the official feels could endanger or confuse players V. CANCELLATIONS From time to time, the League may cancel games due to inclement weather or other circumstances which preclude play. Every effort will be made to reschedule these games at a later date. However, if the League is unable, for any reason, to hold these games, they may be permanently cancelled. Rainout hotline is VI. RULES OF PLAY A. Game Timing and Flow A game consists of two halves, each of 20 minutes duration, separated by a five minute halftime period. Before the one-minute warning of each half, the game clock runs continually, except: o When an injury occurs o During a timeout o When an official deems it appropriate to stop the clock Within the final one minute of each half, a pro clock is used, which stops after incomplete passes, going out of bounds, change of possession, and during extra point attempts. Each team is entitled to two timeouts per half, each of which lasts for 30 seconds. The offense must put the ball in play within 30 seconds of the ready for play whistle. A coin toss determines which team takes first possession of the ball. The winner of the toss has the option begin on offense or defense. The team that begins on defense is allowed to choose which goal to defend. Teams switch directions at the beginning of the second half. 6

7 B. Playing Time It is the goal of the League to provide every child the opportunity to develop as an athlete. So it s required that all players receive at least one half playing time during each game and that each player be actively utilized. Coaches are urged to abide by the spirit of this rule. All children must have equal playing time. Please have an assistant coach and or team parent keep a game day record. These need to be turned in to the i9 tent after every game. Failure to comply with this may result in your team losing the game. C. Number of Players Play shall be 5 on 5. In the event that only 4 players are present for a given team, they shall be allowed to play with 4, although the opposing team shall still be allowed the option to play with 5. D. Player Substitutions Players may be freely substituted after any dead ball. E. Location of Coaches In the Mighty Mite & Pee-Wee division, one coach per team is allowed on the field to instruct players. The coaches must move at least 10 yards away before the ball is snapped. In the Sr & Jr s division, coaches are encouraged to call plays from the sideline. However, one coach is allowed on the field to instruct the players, but must move to the sideline before the ball is snapped. In all cases, it is the coaches responsibility to avoid interfering with play. Officials may take appropriate action, including issuing a warning, re-playing a down, imposing penalties, or removing a coach from the field, if he/she believes the coaches presence is interfering with play. F. Offense Snapping the Ball The center must snap the ball between the legs (optional in 4-6 division) and must release the ball to the quarterback for a legal play to begin. Shotgun snaps are allowed but not required. Hand-offs to the center are allowed, however he/she may not receive a hand-off between the legs. Number of Downs Each team will have four downs to advance the ball across the next first down marker (midfield) or into the opposing end zone. After a team crosses the first down marker, it receives four more downs. 7

8 Ball Position The location of the runner s feet (not the ball) at the end of the play determines where the ball is to be spotted. Running The player who receives the snap (the quarterback) may not run the ball beyond the line of scrimmage. The quarterback must hand off or pitch to another player to execute a running play. Multiple handoffs and laterals are allowed, once the quarterback hands the ball off he/she then becomes eligible to be a running back or receiver. It is the runner s responsibility to avoid colliding with defenders that lie in his/her path. Unintentional contact shall not be penalized, provided the runner makes an effort to avoid it. Failure to attempt to avoid contact with a defender (charging) may be penalized, even if it does not result in a collision. Spin moves are allowed. Leaving your feet is allowed, as long as you land on your feet. No-Running Zones There are five yard no-running zones on the near side (from the offensive point of view) of the end zone. When the line of scrimmage lies within one of these zones, no running plays are allowed. This means that the offense must attempt a forward pass beyond the line of scrimmage. Handoffs, pitches, and laterals are allowed, but must lead to a pass attempt. 4-6 year old division are allowed to run in the end-zone from anywhere on the field. Laterals Laterals are allowed, provided the ball is clearly received behind the point at which it is passed or pitched. Multiple laterals are allowed on the same play. Backward pitches and laterals are allowed beyond the line of scrimmage. Forward laterals beyond the line of scrimmage will result in a penalty. Seven Second Rule After the ball is snapped, the quarterback has seven seconds to pass, hand off, or pitch the ball. As soon as the quarterback no longer has possession, the seven second rule ceases to apply, even if the quarterback gains possession of the ball again during the play. Passing No more than one forward pass is allowed on the same play. All players (including the quarterback) are eligible receivers. 8

9 Blocking The only blocking form allowed is After the snap blocking. After the snap blocking will only consist of: A player running or standing in the way of a defender directly after the snap. The offensive player must use this blocking method directly after the snap and remain stationary. This must be with in 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. If there is any contact made by the offensive blocker, it will be a loss of down by the offense and a 15 yard penalty from the original line of scrimmage. If contact occurs on an offensive blocker by the defender, the penalty is on the defense. Automatic 1 st down and ball is at the spot of the penalty. The allowed blocking stance is open hands with protecting their chest. No extension of the arms is allowed. No intentional contact is allowed by the offense or defense (e.g. use of hands, cross body and roll blocking, shoving). Receiving A completion results when the receiver has control of the ball with at least one foot in bounds. A completion shall result and the defense shall be penalized for illegal contact if ALL of the following apply: 1. A receiver makes a catch. 2. The receiver is shoved out of bounds by a defender before landing. 3. The official believes the receiver would have otherwise landed in bounds. If a receiver catches a pass while not wearing a flag belt, the ball shall be dead at the point of the catch. Motion No more than one player at a time is allowed to be in motion, and a player in motion may not move toward the line of scrimmage. Restrictions Runners are prohibited from using hands, arms, or the ball to impede access to the flag belt. A runner cannot lower his/her head to drive or run into a defensive player. No intentional contact of any kind is allowed. This includes driving or running directly into a defensive player or stiff-arming. 9

10 The runner may not hurdle or jump over another player unless it is to avoid injury. However, provided that no player is underneath, it is allowable for the runner to jump to avoid a flag pull. The runner is not allowed to dive. If a runner dives into the end zone, it is not a score; the ball shall be spotted where the runner s feet left the ground, and a penalty shall be imposed. G. Defense Flag Pulling To stop the runner, the defensive player must remove the flag belt or force (without contact) him/her out of bounds. No intentional contact is allowed. This includes tackling, pushing, grasping, and bumping. This also includes touching the face or head in any way or contacting a passer s arm while he/she is holding the ball. Players that are penalized for multi tackling offenses can be ejected from the game. Incidental contact to the runner s body while reaching for the flag belt is not a violation. If a runner s flag falls off without being touched, he/she is down at the spot it fell. Throwing or spiking a flag after a pull is not allowed. Rushing Any defensive player is eligible to rush the quarterback if he/she is behind the rushing line when the ball is snapped. The rushing line is marked by the official and is seven yards from the line of scrimmage. When the quarterback gives the ball to another player, all defensive players immediately become eligible to rush, regardless of whether they lined up behind the rush line. H. Change of Possession A team failing to advance beyond the first down marker or into the end zone after four downs loses possession of the ball. The opposing team takes possession on its own five yard line. An intercepted pass results in a change of possession and may be returned until the ball is dead. The line of scrimmage then moves to the point at which the ball was ruled dead. I. Dead Ball The ball shall be declared dead when: The ball touches the ground Any part of the runner other than hands or feet touches the ground 10

11 A run is attempted from a no-running zone The runner s flag belt falls off or is removed A team scores The runner steps out of bounds The seven second rule is violated J. Score Values Touchdown: 6 points Point after touchdown o From 5 yards: 1 point o From 12 yards: 2 points Safety: 2 points Extra point attempt (whether from 5 or 12 yards) returned to opposing end zone: 2 points Mercy Rule: When the game score difference between two teams is 45 points or more, the game is over. K. Tiebreaker If a game is tied at the end of the second half, play transitions to a sudden death shoot out. A coin toss is used to determine ball possession and the home team will make the call. Teams will get 4 downs to score from 12 yards out of the end-zone. Ball will advance in yardage on 1 st possession. If a team scores, they have the option of going for 1 point (5 yards out) or 2 points (12 yards out). Team with the most points after conversion tries are complete is declared the winner. However, games will end in a tie after 3 series of downs by each team.. L. Ejections At the official s discretion, a player may be ejected from the field for unsportsmanlike conduct or any flagrant violation of the rules. To eject a player, the official shall notify the coach, who is responsible for removing the player within two minutes to avoid a forfeit. Any player ejected may be put on probation with possible suspension, depending upon the severity of incident. The League shall have full discretion when imposing penalties. Our league is intended to provide a family-oriented environment for the enjoyment of children. All coaches, players, and spectators are expected to show good sportsmanship at all times. The League, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to eject, suspend, or dismiss anyone for any inappropriate behavior. 11

12 M. Forfeits If a team cannot field at least five players at official start time, the game will be forfeit. If a team refuses to comply with a decision by the official, the game will be forfeit. If a team refuses to take the field, the game will be forfeit. The score of a forfeited game shall be 7-0. N. Penalties Defense: All defensive penalties will be 5 yards and automatic first down with the exception of Pass Interference. Any pass interference penalty will be spotted at the point of the foul. If the foul is in the end-zone it will be an automatic 1 st down and the ball will be spotted at the 7 yard-line unless the original spot was closer to the endzone. If so, the ball will be spotted at the (original yard line) and automatic 1 st down. Sideline Penalty: The onus is on the coaching staff to control their sideline. If your sideline is yelling or harassing the officials, players and coaches, there will be a 15 yard penalty assessed against your team and an automatic 1 st down. You will receive one warning at 1 st ; the second occurrence will result in this penalty. Off-Sides: Being across the line of scrimmage when ball is snapped. Illegal contact: Holding, blocking, bump & run guarding. Illegal flag pull: Before receiver has ball. Illegal rushing: Starting rush inside the 7-yard marker. Offense: All offensive penalties will be 5 yards and loss of down with the exception of Illegal motion: More than one person moving, false start, etc. This penalty will be a loss of 5 yards and replay the down. Illegal blocking: Contact blocking is illegal. See page 9. Offensive pass interference: Illegal contact, pushing off defender. Flag guarding: Using hands to swat defenders hands from pulling flag. Delay of game: There is a 30 second play clock. Quarterback 7 second rule: Quarterback does not pass football within 7 seconds. 12

13 o Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play. All penalties will be assessed from the line of scrimmage. o Games cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it. o Teams have the ability to decline penalties called against the opposing team. o All penalties will be called by the referee. PLEASE RESPECT THEIR DECISION. Only the team captain or head coach may ask the referee questions about rule clarification and interpretations. Players and parents can not question judgment calls. Halves can not end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it. The league may reserve the right to modify the criteria during the season. X Coach/Assistant Coach/ Volunteer Date ****** Please sign and return at your opening day*********** 13