OFFICIALS CONWAY PARKS & RECREATION 2014 TACKLE FOOTBALL LEAGUE RULES & REGULATIONS Conway Parks and Recreation will have complete control of the youth athletic program, which includes all practices, games, all-stars and all actions occurring within the park, before, during or after scheduled games or practices. Game officials, Parks and Recreation Department staff or contracted officials will have complete control of all games. At least two Referee s will be onsite for each game. ELIGIBLE PLAYERS 1.01.1 Small Fry (9-10) player must be nine years of age on or before September 1 of the current year, and shall not have turned eleven years of age on or before September 1 of the current year. 1.01.1 Mite Division (11-12) player must be eleven years of age on or before September 1of the current year, and shall not have turned thirteen years of age on or before September 1 of the current year. 1.02 Date of birth of players shall be certified by an original registration of birth issued by a Government agency or a photocopy of the original. 1.03 All players shall remain on the same team until their eligibility ends for that league. 1.04 Players who are non-residents of the City of Conway shall be required to pay a nonresident fee as adopted by the Conway City Council. 1.05 The Parks and Recreation staff shall have the authority to suspend any team member whose conduct is considered as detrimental to the best interest of Conway Parks & Recreation Youth Sports Program. 1.06 Only those players who have officially registered and been placed on a team by Conway Parks and Recreation are allowed on the field during practices and games. OFFICIAL EQUIPMENT 2.01 Every participant will receive a helmet, pants with pads, shoulder pads and a mouthpiece. Players may provide their own equipment upon approval from the Department. Older CPRT Helmets will have a certification sticker on the back and if removed, that helmet is ineligible for usage and the player will have to pay $20.00 to get the helmet recertified. New CPRT helmets will have the date on the back. 2.02 Teams will be dressed with numbered uniforms. Each participant will be provided a jersey. 2.03 Players must wear pants with all pads provided by the Department. 2.04 Tennis shoes or shoes with molded rubber cleats are permitted. 2.05 All players are required to wear a mouthpiece. 2.06 The official football will be a peewee or junior size football. (Wilson K2 & TDJ) 2.07 Jewelry that includes, but not limited to earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, and other body adornments that could be deemed dangerous will not be allowed. Those players with a medical condition that need to wear medical alert tags in the form of bracelets or necklaces will be allowed to do so. If worn, the medical alert tags should be taped to the body so that the medical alert information remains visible. PAGE 1 of 6
PLAYING RULES 3.01 Playing Field and Time A. The playing field shall be 100 yards in length and 50 yards in width. End zones will be 10 yards in length. B. Games will consist of four, eight-minute quarters. The clock will follow High School JV rules. The clock will stop on incompletions, out of bounds, and first downs. It will restart upon placement of the ball. During the last two (2) minutes of each half, the clock will not restart until the ball is snapped. C. The Clock Official shall keep the official time and score. D. Each team will have two time outs per half. Time-outs shall consist of one minute each. E. Time allotted between each quarter shall be one minute and five minutes between halves. F. The Conway Parks and Recreation Staff reserve the right to go to a continuous clock when a game is deemed out of hand during the second half of play. 3.02 The Game A. The game is played between two teams consisting of eleven players each. B. Any offensive set provided in the Conway HS Playbook, will be permissible, provided there are at least seven players on the line of scrimmage prior to the snap. If a team does not use an approved formation there will be a penalty: PENALTY - the offensive team will be called for delay of game. C. The defensive team may choose any formation provided by the Conway HS playbook book and there are no limits to the number of rushers on defense. If a team does not use an approved formation there will be a penalty. PENALTY the defensive team will be called for delay of game. D. A coin toss determines first possession. 3.03 Scoring A. Touch down 6 points B. Points after touchdown 2 point for rushing. 1 point for kicking extra point C. Tie games Each team will have four downs from the opponent s 10 until oneteam scores more than the other. Each team will have a maximum of two possessions in overtime. If score is still tied, it will be ruled a tie game. 3.04 Weight Limit A. Small Fry Division: any player weighing 135 pounds or more cannot carry the football. They must play on the offensive or defensive lines and begin each play in a three or four point stance. Their alignment on offense is from tackle to tackle (they must be covered by another offensive player). On defense they can be lined head up or inside of the offensive tackles. They cannot play on the kick off, or kick return teams. B. Mite Division any player weighing 150 pounds or more cannot carry the football. They must play on the offensive or defensive lines and begin each play in a three or four point stance. Their alignment on offense is from tackle to tackle (they must be covered by another offensive player). On defense they can be lined head up or inside of the offensive tackles. They cannot play on the kick off, or kick return teams. PAGE 2 of 6
3.05 Additional Rules. A. Each team will be allowed to have one coach on the field for the first 3 games. The coach on the field MAY NOT AT ANYTIME DURING THE PLAY DO ANY COACHING! Each coach on the field must back up behind their line of scrimmage 15 yards, before the quarterback starts his signal calling. The coaches are there only for organization purposes. 3.06 Rule changes. The Conway Parks and Recreation Department is always striving to make our programs better. If any coach, parent, or guardian has a rule change suggestion, please contact our department at 248-1740. All rule change suggestions will be considered at the annual rules meeting. 3.07 Lightning Policy. Coaches will follow Conway Parks and Recreation Guidelines concerning the Lightning Policy. The Recreation staff, referees, and coaches may all take responsibility for removing the players from a practice/game area due to dangerous conditions. (attachments available upon requests) 3.08 Heat Policy Coaches for the Conway Parks and Recreation Department will follow the Heat Policy to insure the participant s safety and well being. (attachments available upon requests) 3.09 Concussion Policy. Coaches will follow Conway Parks and Recreation Guidelines concerning the Concussion Policy. The Recreation staff, referees, and coaches may all take responsibility for removing the players from a practice/game area due to suspicion of concussion. (attachments available upon requests) FORFEITURE 4.01 A team failing to field at least eleven eligible players at the start of the game shall forfeit that game. 4.02 If a team has eleven eligible players present at game time, they must start play. 4.03 There is a 10-minute grace period from scheduled game time to meet the minimum player requirement. As soon as eleven eligible players are present the team must start play. 4.04 Playing ineligible players shall result in forfeiture of the game. 4.05 Any protest for ineligible players will affect only the game in question. 4.06 If the preceding game ends early, the next scheduled game can only begin early with the approval of both team coaches. If approval is not issued, game time will immediately revert to the original scheduled game time. PROTEST 5.01 No protests shall be accepted concerning the administration of any playing rule made by game officials. 5.02 Protests can only be made concerning player eligibility. (Non-Registered player). All protests must be submitted to the Recreation Department in writing, within 24 hours of scheduled game time in question. 5.03 Use of ineligible players shall result in forfeiture of game. 5.04 Only the head coach or the acting head coach for the game in question may protest. PAGE 3 of 6
COACHES 6.01 Only coaches who have been certified and approved by the Conway Parks & Recreation Department to coach youth football during the current year will be allowed to be on the field during practices and games. All others will be asked to leave. A signed coaches code of conduct is required and a criminal background check will be performed on each coaching applicant. 6.02 A person must be at least 18 years of age to be considered for a head coaching position for the Conway Parks & recreation Department. An assistant coach must be at least 16. 6.03 The coaching staff shall consist of no more than ONE Head Coach and TWO Assistants in the team area at game time. If present, the 3 coaches must be the ones that are listed in the official league program. Under special circumstances other coaches will be allowed to fill in as substitutes if they have filled out the proper paper work and have been approved by the Parks and Recreation officials prior to the practice or game in question. 6.04 All coaches shall be approved annually by the Parks & Recreation Director. Coaches shall be responsible for their teams, notifying them of practices and games; as well as their actions on the field. 6.05 The Parks & Recreation Staff shall have the authority to suspend any coach whose conduct is considered as detrimental to the best interest of the Conway Youth Football League. 6.06 Any coach ejected from a game must be reinstated through the Parks & Recreation Staff prior to entering the next scheduled team game. Failure to comply will result in automatic expulsion from the Youth Football Program for the remainder of the season. 6.07 All ejected coaches will forfeit their right to coach in two consecutive games implemented immediately. The offending coach after being ejected must leave the park and will not be able to return until after the entire two game suspensions has been served. 6.08 Conway Parks and Recreation reserves the right to evaluate all ejections and adjust punishments accordingly. 6.09 Second offenses will merit automatic expulsion from the Youth Football Program. 6.10 A suspended coach has the opportunity to go through the Appeals process. 6.11 All authorized coaches must adhere to all Parks & Recreation Youth Athletic Rules regarding the sport they coach. PLAYER SELECTION 7.01 All players entering the league shall be placed on teams through our player placement and draft. In order to be drafted, a player must attend placement. If a player does not attend, they will be placed on a team through a blind draw. (All-stars from the previous year can be ranked and placed in the draft by the Conway Parks and Recreation Department and coaches). The following rules will conduct the draft. 1. The coaches shall rank the players. The number of ranked players will be determined by the Recreation Department. 2. The order of the draft will be the reverse order of the standings from the previous year. The draft will snake until all of the ranked players have been selected. After the ranked players have been selected, the draft will continue in a worst to first order until all players have been selected. 3. The coaches will turn their rankings into the Recreation Department and the staff will review the rankings and give each player a calculated score. The players will then be placed in order of their calculated score. PAGE 4 of 6
4. If a coach has a child that is ranked, the coach will get their child on their team for the draft pick that equals their rankings. If the coach s child is not ranked, they will be placed on the coach s team. 5. If a sibling of an existing player, already on a team, is in the draft, they will be placed on to the same team for a draft pick that is equal to their ranking. If the sibling in the draft is not ranked, they will be placed on the team. This will be the same for multiple siblings. If multiple siblings are ranked, the multiple draft picks will be the closet value to the ranking. 6. Assistant coaches cannot be selected until after their child is on a team. All coaches must be approved by the Conway Parks and Recreation Department. 7. The Conway Parks and Recreation Department, at their discretion, shall adjust players ranking to the true value of their ability SCHEDULES 8.01 Conway Parks and Recreation shall be responsible for scheduling all league games. 8.02 In cases of game postponements due to inclement weather occurring BEFORE 5:00 pm on game day, the Parks & Recreation Department will contact all head coaches involved in games for that day. 8.03 In cases of unfavorable playing conditions occurring AFTER 5:00 pm, teams should report to the game field prepared to play. All decisions to postpone or cancel will be made by game time. Information after 5:00 p.m. will be available on the Conway Parks & Recreation Event Hotline 248-1744or visit www.conwayparksandrecreation.com. Information on Cancellations are also updated on Facebook and Twitter. 8.04 Team sessions shall be limited to three practices per week prior to the opening of scheduled games (depending on field availability). 8.05 Upon the beginning of scheduled games, practices shall be limited to one practices a week in addition to the 2 games (depending on field availability). 8.06 NO practice session may exceed ninety (90) minutes in duration on a week night. NO practice session may exceed two (2) hours in duration on Saturdays. PLAYER PARTICIPATION POLICY 9.01 The following shall be the minimum play rule for all Conway Parks & Recreation tackle football teams. A. All players must start and play the entire first half on offense or defense. B. Coaches are encouraged to start, rotate and substitute players liberally for the second half of the game. Each player should experience multiple positions during the season. C. Coaches are expected to ensure that all participants participate throughout the game and are also expected to ensure that all participants sit out at some point during the game. No player should play the entire game. 9.02 In the cases of a player missing practices, games, or other disciplinary problems, the coach may not have to meet a player s participation requirement. In such a case, prior to the start of the game, the coach must present to the Parks & Recreation staff his/her reasons for anyone that is not going to meet their playing requirement in the game in question. The Parks & Recreation Staff will make a final decision on playing time for the game in question. 9.02.1 In the case of a player arriving after the game has already started, the coach does not have to meet that player s participation requirement for that game. PAGE 5 of 6
9.04 In the case of a player who becomes a disciplinary problem after the game has started, the head coach can make an immediate appeal to the Parks & Recreation Supervisor on site. If that coordinator agrees with the decision the said player may not have to meet their playing requirement for that game. 9.05 Only the head coach will be allowed to protest a player participation rule. 9.06 There shall be no protest on the decision of the Recreation Staff regarding player participation. ALL STAR SELECTION 10.1 Head coaches only will attend the selection meeting. The head coaches will select the All Star Head Coach from a list a coaches in good standing with the Conway Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. The Department will vote in the case of a tie. The All Star Head Coach will select his assistants with at least one position being offered to another Head Coach from the regular season. If no other Regular Season Head Coach is available, the 3 assistant positions can be filled with other assistant coaches. 10.2 Players will be selected as follows. A list of nominees will be submitted to the Conway Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department before the meeting. The head coaches will meet and talk about the nominees and one (1) ballot vote will be taken. The Conway Parks Recreation and Tourism representative will tally the ballots. The players with the most votes will make the team. The Department Representative and the All Star Head Coach will meet and discuss those players who are tied for the remaining roster spots (only players who are tied shall be discussed). The Department Representative and the All Star Head Coach will fill out the remaining roster openings from the players who have received equal votes. 10.3 If a player drops off of the team after being selected, the All Star Head Coach will select a replacement player from the list of nominees. ALL STAR PLAY 11.1 Depending on travel distance of games, All Star teams may be given a meal allowance for players and coaches. Coaches are responsible for the distribution of funds and collection of receipts for this meal money. Additional guidelines are provided for All-Star Coaches and participants. 11.2 All-Star teams fall under the jurisdiction of Conway Parks, Recreation & Tourism. The Department has complete control over the team. No solicitation of any kind is allowed for all-star players, coaches or teams. Violation of this rule shall result in Disciplinary action. 11.3 Any coach who does not turn in receipts, attempts to contact sponsors/donors, or knows but does not report any individuals for contacting sponsors/donors, may be dismissed from coaching at the Conway Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. PAGE 6 of 6