Flag Ftball Infrmatin & Rule Bk 2017 1. INTRODUCTION The purpse f The Cmmunity Huse Flag Ftball Prgram is t prvide yung players with an pprtunity t participate in athletics in an envirnment that is fun as well as educatinal. It is ur philsphy that balanced athletic cmpetitin in a team envirnment prmtes sprtsmanship, cperatin, leadership skills, and the benefits f exercise and hard wrk. These are attributes that are displayed nt nly by elite athletes, but als by gd students, cnscientius citizens, and successful prfessinals. These rules are nt intended t intensify the cmpetitive nature f ur games, but t imprve the quality f play and prvide each team and player with every chance f success. 2. ROSTERS Players may be added t a rster until the beginning f their secnd game. All player additins/transfers must be first cleared thrugh the league directr and the cach f that team. Illegal players (via prtest prcedures) will result in a frfeit by the ffending team. The team manager may be held respnsible and miss the fllwing game. League management reserves the right t mdify this rule based n teams depleted by injuries r unfreseen circumstances. 3. Equipment Every player must wear flags supplied by The League. N alternative game flags will be allwed. Each team must wear team jerseys with numbers. Each player must have a muth piece t be eligible t play. Team jerseys r clthing must nt, in any way, alter the defensive's team's ability t remve the flags. N pads, dangerus equipment r apparel will be allwed. Sft, runded spikes allwed fr utdr play. N metal spikes. N pants/shrts with zippers. Tuck in shirts. N pckets. 1 st & 2 nd / Grade Ftball size: Pee-Wee Size Field size: 60 yards 3 rd &4 th /5 th & 6th Grade Ftball size: Junir Size Field size: 100 yards 4. OFFICIALS 1 st /2 nd Grade: 1 fficial 3 rd & 4 th /5 th & 6thGrade: 2 fficials 5. GAME FORMAT 1 st & 2 nd Grade: 2-20 minute Halves with a running clck. Stppages will ccur nly fr timeuts, after an extra pint, injuries and the last tw minutes f each half (incmplete pass, ut f bunds, penalty, etc.) At the half way pint f each half, there will be a 1-minute timeut fr subs. 3 rd Thru 6th Grade: 2-20 minute Halves with a running clck. Stppages will ccur nly fr timeuts, after an extra pint, injuries and the last tw minutes f each half (incmplete pass, ut f bunds, penalty, etc.) Time permitting; there will be a five-minute break between halves.
6. BEGINNING THE GAME The first pssessin will be determined by a cin flip by the fficials at mid-field with the team captains prir t the start f the game. The hme team (listed first n the league schedule) shall call heads r tails. The team that wins the tss may chse t receive r defend and the ther team shall decide which directin they want t start/defend. 7. Muth Guards ***Muth guards are t wrn at all times during games, n exceptins. 1. A player wh des nt have a muth guard during the game will have a flag thrwn. i. This will result in a fifteen yard penalty and a lss f a dwn r if the defense is penalized with this infractin they will receive a fifteen yard penalty and the ffense will get an autmatic first dwn. ii. The player will be asked t leave the field till he/she has their muth guard. (They may return t play nce they have the muth guard) **Caches, this rule will be enfrced the first week f the seasn. Please nte: This rule has been put int place fr the safety f the children and all wh participate in the league. 8. Practices Practice times are up t the caches. It is als up t the caches t find a practice area fr yur team t hld their practice each week. The Cmmunity Huse suggests using lcal parks, schls and/r Katherine Legge Park, if using Rbbins park, please take care t nt damage game fields. Yu are allwed t practice up t 2 times a week until pening game. After pening game yu are nly allwed ne practice per week. 9. GAME SCORING Six (6) pints fr a tuchdwn. Tw (2) pints fr a passing/running extra pint cnversin frm the 7 yard line (see rule 23) One (1) pint fr an extra pint frm the 3 yard line, passing ONLY, n run plays allwed.* (see rule 23) If an extra pint is intercepted it may be returned t the ppsite end zne fr ne (1) r tw (2) pints fr the defensive team (depending which pint was being attempted) If the ffense cmmits a penalty, the attempt is disqualified. Tw (2) pints fr a safety (the ffense then receives the ball again). 10. Time Outs All teams in all divisins will have 2 (30) thirty secnd timeuts per half (d nt carry ver)
11. Overtime Official timeuts will be at the referees discretin N OT fr 1 st & 2 nd graders 3 rd &4 th /5 th & 6 th graders-if a game ends in a tie scre at the end f regulatin, vertime will take place immediately after. The team wh started with the ball at the beginning f the game will als start n ffense in vertime. The ffensive team starts n the 20 yard line t cmplete 4 dwns and scre a TD. If they achieve a TD, they get ne attempt fr a PAT. After their success r failure, their ppnent starts at the same 20 yard line n ffense and gets the same chance. *Nte-if the defense intercepts the ball, they may return t the ppsite end zne fr a TD. If the defense intercepts a cnversin it may be returned t the ppsite end zne fr tw (2) pints. There will be a maximum f 2 vertime perids. If the tw teams tie after the 2nd vertime, the game will be declared a tie. There are n time-uts in vertime play. 12. NUMBER OF PLAYERS Each team will cnsist f apprximately 10-13 players assigned t ne team. Each team shall start the game with 8 players. A minimum f 5 legally rstered players must be present at game time in rder t avid a frfeit. 13. Playing time fr Players All players are required t get equal playing time. All players are encuraged t play every psitin n the field at least nce thrughut the seasn. The nly exceptin t this rule is if a child is nt attending weekly practice. 14. Player Psitins OFFENSE: 8 Players, 3 required n the LOS 1 Quarterback 3 Linemen 1 st -2 nd : divisin: A play begins with the QB, hlding the ball, n mre than 5 yards behind the center, calls READY, SET, HIKE. There are n substitutins r changes t this cadence. The QB may nt call n-tw r any ther variatin. 3 rd&4th & 5 th&6th: divisin: Play begins when the center snaps the ball t the quarterback. A mishandled r fumbled snap is a dead ball at the spt the ball lands. The center may snap between the legs r sideways. The 3 linemen must line-up within ne arms length f each ther All players are eligible t receive a pass at any time. Blcking linemen can use pen hand blcking frm the waist t shulders. Blcking linemen ARE ALLOWED t extend their arms t blck. 5 Remaining Players The remaining 5 ffensive players may line up in any frmatin. These players can be receivers, running backs r QB.
There desn t have t be a running back in the backfield. DEFENSE: 8 Players 3 linemen must line-up within the width f the three ffensive linemen n the line f scrimmage. ONLY the three (3) dwn linemen may rush past the LOS. N blitzing LB r CB. The crnerback may nly crss the LOS when an ffensive player is utside the tackle bx. Defensive linemen must line up 2 yard frm the line f scrimmage (this is intended t allw ffensive plays t develp) 15. BALL POSSESSION fr 1 st & 2 nd Grade Divisin Setting: 80 ttal yards = 60 yards f play 3 15- yard znes Start f Game: 3 first dwns = 1 @ 15 yard line 1 @ 30 yard line 1 @ 15 yard line The ball then will start n the 7 yard mark in the directin f chice f deciding f cin tss utcme. Ball will remain in center f field the entire game. Each team will have 4 dwns t make it t each first dwn mark n the field. If n yur last attempt (3 rd dwn) t make the first dwn and yu fail. Yu may wish t either g fr the first dwn (n yur 4 th dwn try) r yu may punt the ball. Punt the Ball is turning the ball ver t yur ppnent withut kicking. This is dne by the referee walking the ball dwn t the ther end f the field and having the ppsing team start their dwns n their 10 yard line. After half time, directin f play will change. This will be dne by the referees 16. BALL POSSESSION fr 3 rd & 4 th grade and 5 th & 6 th grade divisins Setting: 120 ttal yards = 100 yards f play 2-10 yard end znes First dwns = 4 first dwns= 1@ each 20 yard line, 1 @ each 40 yard line, Teams start with a kick ff frm the 40 yard line (after a safety- the ffensive team wuld kick frm the 30 yard line), there are n nside kicks at any time in any divisin. At n time can the kicking team recver a kicked ball frm a kickff fr punts and kickffs, if the ball tuches the receiving team and he bbbles/fumbles the ball and BEFORE the ball tuches grund a member f the kicking team retains pssessin, the ball will be awarded t the kicking team. The ffense starts where the ball carrier has his/her flag pulled frm the kick ff. If an ffensive team s drive stalls after 3 dwns, they may elect t punt n furth dwn. If a team has n punters the ffense may have the referee walk the 30 yards frm the spt f the ball and the ther team takes ver. If a team chses t physically punt, the punter has 5 secnds frm receiving the ball t punt, r lse pssessin at the spt f the 4 th dwn and bth teams are still required t have the minimum f 4 players n the line f scrimmage. When taking the 30, the furthest pint back yu culd pin a team wuld be the 5 yard line. If a team is clser than the 35 yard line n furth dwn, they must g fr it, physically punt the ball r give pssessin t the ther team n the 5 yard line (n clser).
Offensive team has thirty (30) secnds frm the spt f the ball t snap the ball r it will be a delay f game. There is n extra pint kicking r field gal attempts in any divisin. 17. BALL ADVANCEMENT Frward runs r passes are acceptable. Pass receptins must be made with ONE FOOT landing in bunds. If pssessin f the ball is lst simultaneusly when the receiver hits the grund, it is nt a receptin. If a ball carrier's knee tuches the grund, they shall be cnsidered dwn at that pint. N fumbles, the ball is dead where it hits the grund. Frward fumbles will result in the ball being sptted where the carrier fumbled the ball, nt frward f that pint. On 4 th -5 th grade kickffs and punts, the receiving team may allw the ball t hit the grund befre fielding withut the fumble rule being applied. It is the referee s discretin when t call the ball dead t avid cntact amngst players. If any player n yur team tuches the ball and then it hit the grund, the ball is dead. If the ball bunces n the grund and in the referee s discretin, the receiving team can field it withut cntact ccurring, he will allw it. PLAY TO THE WHISTLE. 18. SHIFTING/MOTION Only ONE ffensive player may be shifting their psitin at the same time prir t the QB starting the play. Their mvement may be in any directin except twards the line f scrimmage 19. ENCROACHMENT/OFFSIDE /FALSE START Encrachment will be called if defense passes ver the plane f the L.O.S. and tuches a player befre the play begins. Offside will be called if any defensive players crss the L.O.S., this may r may nt be a dead ball ful based n the referee s discretin cncerning the defensive players advantage r psitin when ging ffside. A false start will be called if an ffensive player mves befre the play begins. Advise yur players t lk at the referee t see if they are standing legally befre the play begins. The referee will acknwledge and advise each player as t what they need t d t be n-side. Delay f game may still be called if ffensive players are taking lnger than allwed t be set. 20. DOWNING THE BALL CARRIER Players must have pssessin f the ball befre they can be legally de-flagged. When a runner lses their flag in the pen field it is the referee s discretin whether r nt the defense caused the flags t cme ff. If the referee deems the flags came ff as a result f the defense, he will blw the whistle and call the play dead at that pint. If the referee deems the defense did nt cause the flags t cme ff, play cntinues and the de-flagging reverts t a ne-hand tuch anywhere n the player s bdy. (Play until the whistle) It is illegal fr a defensive player t intentinally pull a flag frm an ffensive player wh is nt in pssessin f the ball. Tampering with the belt in any way t gain an advantage is cnsidered unsprtsmanlike. Diving in an attempt t remve a flag is legal as lng as n cntact is made. The ball carrier is nt allwed t dive t gain yardage at any time. If in the judgment f the referee, cntact results frm a ball carrier diving, an unnecessary rughness penalty may be called.
21. LOSS OF BALL POSSESSION Failure t make a first dwn. Interceptins may be returned. The team wh threw the interceptin may try t de-flag the ball carrier. ALL FUMBLES ARE CONSIDERED A DEAD BALL AS SOON AS THEY LEAVE POSSESSION OF THE BALL CARRIERS HANDS. Fumbled balls will be sptted where it hits the grund. If an fficial believes a ball was fumbled frward n purpse, the fficial may spt the ball where the ball left pssessin f the ball carrier. 22. Intentinal Penalties If a ball is fumbled in the end zne behind the ffensive team, this will be cnsidered a safety. If the ffense/defense cmmits an "intentinal" penalty in the last tw minutes f a game that is 10 pints r less at the time, this may be penalized as an intentinal unsprtsmanlike cnduct and called at the discretin f the fficial. If an "intentinal" penalty is called, penalty is lss f dwn (ffense nly) and clck des nt stp. 23. 1 yard QB sneak rule / 3 Yard End-Zne Run Rule If yur ffense is 1 yard r less frm a first dwn, the QB may nt run the ball fr a first dwn between the tackles (r any tight frmatin). Penalty is 5 yards. Running is permissible, but must be utside tackles. The ffense must pass the ball if they are n r clser t the gal line than the 3 yard line. Teams d nt have the ptin t run; a legal frward pass must be cmpleted t scre frm this psitin n the field. 24. Mercy Rule After ne team is winning by twenty eight pints r mre, the lsing team gets ne ffensive series t cntinue regulatin play. If they d nt scre, the game ges int scrimmage mde playing up t the fifteen minute mark in the secnd half if time allws. After the fifteen minute mark, the game is ver. 25. Taunting/Trash Talking N trash talking r taunting f ppnents and/r referees either n the field r frm the sidelines. This will result in a 15-yard penalty and a team warning. The next ffense will again be 15-yard penalty and a lss f a dwn. The third ffense will result in an autmatic frfeit fr ffending team. This applies t fans as well. Referees can penalize a team fr remarks frm the sideline. This means players r fans. Any fan that makes remarks t the field will be asked t leave the premises. The League reserves the right t suspend r banish a player(s) and/r cach fr verbal abuse and/r miscnduct. 26. Begging a Call During a play, if a pssible infractin ccurs and players r caches frm either team, either n the field r sidelines begin yelling ut (Begging a Call), a penalty f 10 yards can be tacked nt the end f the play. This penalty will be marked ff as a dead ball ful even if it ccurred while play was in prgress. 27. PENALTIES 15 YARD INFRACTIONS Unnecessary rughness Unsprtsmanlike cnduct
Tackling & clipping Deliberately running int an ppsing player r diving int anther player Cntact with an fficial Trash talking/taunting Rughing the passer 10 YARD INFRACTIONS Hlding (defensive and ffensive) Illegal Cntact Tripping, and stiff-arming Offensive pass interference Stripping the ball Hurdling Spiking the ftball 5 YARD INFRACTIONS Obstructing the runner by hlding, grasping, r bstructing the frward mtin f a runner while attempting t de-flag them. Off sides Illegal blitz Flag guarding Illegal frmatin Illegal mtin Begging a call Calling an additinal time-ut Intentinal grunding False start 1 yard QB rule Delay f game 28. OTHER PENALTIES/ISSUES Defensive pass interference results in ball being placed at the spt f the ful and autmatic first dwn. If a player is bleeding, they must leave the field f play and stp the bleeding r bandage it up and then reprt t the fficial fr clearance t resume play. (First Aid WILL BE PROVIDED BY LEAGUE; hwever it is als the respnsibility f each team t prvide their wn first aid kit). The clck has t stp fr an injury and the child must leave the field fr ne play.
29. OFFICIAL'S AUTHORITY The fficials' have the authrity t rule n any situatin nt specifically cvered in this rule bk. His/her discretin is FINAL. The fficials have the right t eject players r have them sit ut part r all f the game. Fans, caches and spectatrs are cnsidered part f the team and any fuls they cmmit will result in a penalty against their team. Any player ejected frm a game fr any reasn must immediately leave the field and their bench. If the ejected player des nt leave the park in tw (2) minutes, the game will be declared a frfeit and the ffending team will receive a lss and the ppsing team will receive a win. 30. Playff/Champinships In playff situatins, an vertime perid will be used t determine a winner. OT frmat is as fllws: Each team is allwed a minimum f ne pssessin. The nly exceptin is if the first ffensive team thrws an interceptin. In this case, the game ends with the intercepting team winning. First pssessin chice ges t the winner f regulatin cin tss. Each team gets a minimum f ne pssessin. All regulatin perid rules and penalties are in effect. 3 rd & 4 th /5 th & 6 th graders-if a game ends in a tie scre at the end f regulatin, vertime will take place immediately after. The team wh started with the ball at the beginning f the game will als start n ffense in vertime. The ffensive team starts n the 15 yard line t cmplete 4 dwns and scre a TD. If they achieve a TD, they get ne attempt fr a PAT.( See belw) After their success r failure, their ppnent starts at the same 15 yard line n ffense and gets the same chance. PAT: Extra pints: A team may decide t g fr 1 pint frm the 2.5yard line frm the end zne r 2 pints frm the 5 yard line frm the end zne *Nte-if the defense intercepts the ball, they may return t the ppsite end zne fr a TD. If the defense intercepts a cnversin it may be returned t the ppsite end zne fr tw (2) pints. This will cntinue until we have a winner. There are n time-uts in vertime play. 31. Bad Weather Games will be cancelled if there is lighting, thunder r hard rain. If there is light rain r sprinkles games will g frward that day. Thrguard Lightning Detectin System. The Flag Ftball website will have the mst up t date inf n field cnditins and rain cancellatins. 32. Website Caches, players, and parents are encuraged t view the website n a regular basis. Infrmatin will be psted as they cme available thrughut the seasn. 33. Caches n Field 1 st & 2nd grade teams may have ne cach n the field fr ffense & defense at any time during the game. 3 rd and 4 th grade teams may have ne cach n the field fr ffense & defense at any time during the game. 5 th & 6 th grade teams may have ne cach n the field fr ffense & defense at any time during the game. 34. FINAL NOTES FOR COACHES *This is a recreatinal league. All players are t have equal playing time regardless f abilities, size, r athleticism. ***All ther rules nt cvered in this bk, please see IHSA ftball rules.