Flag Ftball Rules & Regulatins
Intramural flag ftball games will be cnducted under the rules f the NIRSA Flag & Tuch Ftball Rules Bk & Officials Manual - with the fllwing mdificatins: Sectin 1: Eligibility All participants must prvide a current validated University f Arkansas-Little Rck ID befre participating and must be affiliated with the university as a student and/r faculty/staff. T be cnsidered a student, ne must be currently enrlled fr at least half f full-time requirements, 6 credit hurs fr undergraduate and 3 credit hurs fr graduate, in the fall/spring semester the sprt is ffered. Individuals wh enrll and then fficially drp their curses are n lnger cnsidered eligible. Please visit ur website at www.ualr.edu/recreatin r call 501.683.4911 fr eligibility clarificatin. Current varsity ftball athletes are ineligible fr participatin. Teams may have tw (2) ex-varsity ftball players n their intramural rster. Sectin 2: Team Captain Respnsibilities Ensure their team members fllw all eligibility requirements. Team captains are als advised t seek clarificatin n special eligibility requirements, if necessary. Respnsible fr cmmunicating game time, lcatin, and ID plicy t teammates. Ensure teammates have a valid University f Arkansas-Little Rck ID r pht ID at befre game time t check in. Representing the team and cmmunicating with the fficials. The captain is the nly player permitted t discuss the game with fficials. Ensure gd team sprtsmanship amng teammates. Cperating with the Intramural Supervisrs at the game site cncerning any prtests, incidents r accidents that may ccur as well as with the Intramural Sprts staff the day fllwing such ccurrences. Sectin 3: Weather Cancellatins All decisins n game cancellatins due t weather related issues will be made by 3pm n the day f the scheduled game by the intramural sprt staff. Ntificatin will be sent via email thrugh IMLeagues, Facebk (UALR Campus Recreatin) and Twitter (UALR_Recreatin) accunts. Sectin 4: Frmat f Play Minimum fur (4) game rund rbin league play. All teams must meet playff eligibility requirements t be eligible fr playffs. Team standings will be determined by the fllwing: Win Percentage Sprtsmanship Average Ttal Pints Earned Pint Differential Pint System +10 pints = Played Win, Win by Frfeit, r Win by Default +5 pints = Played Lss -10 pints = Lss by Frfeit -5 pints = Lss by Default +3 pints = Tie 1 Updated 5/30/13
Sectin 5: Playff Requirements Must have a minimum f a 3.5 sprtsmanship average. Must have nt frfeited at least ne (1) game. Must have nt defaulted at least tw (2) games. Sectin 6: Defaults/Frfeits Frfeit/Default time has been established as game time, teams shuld reprt t the screkeeper 15minutes prir t their game. A default ccurs when a team checks in with screkeeper and nly has less the than the minimum number f players t play at game time. The lsing team will receive 2pt average fr sprtsmanship and a scre f zer (0). The winning team will receive 4pt average fr sprtsmanship and a scre f nineteen (19). A frfeit ccurs when n members f the team checks in with the screkeeper at game time. The lsing team will receive 0pt average fr sprtsmanship and a scre f zer (0). The winning team will receive 4pt average fr sprtsmanship and a scre f nineteen (19). Sectin 7: Players/Rsters Team members must present their UALR ID r pht ID when checking in with the screkeeper fr every game played. NO EXCEPTIONS! Players may play n a Male r Female team at the same time. MALE: A team rster must cnsist f a minimum f seven (7) and maximum f fifteen (15) male players. FEMALE: A team rster must cnsist f a minimum f seven (7) and maximum f fifteen (15) female players. Shrthanded Rule: Games may begin with at least five (5) players t start the game. Sectin 8: Equipment The Ball - The fficial ball shall be leather r rubber cvered and shall meet the recmmendatins f size and shape fr a regulatin ftball. There are n requirements regarding ball pressure and markings. Men shall use the regular size ball nly. Flag Belt - Each player must wear a ne piece belt that is free f any knts clipped at the waist line with three flags permanently attached, ne flag n each side and ne at the center f the back. Flags shall be f cntrasting clr t team jerseys and als their ppnent s flags. Flags will be prvided t each team n site. Shirts must be tucked in and flag belts must be wrn n the utside f all clthing! Team Jerseys - Teams shall wear shirts that are f the same clr. Team jerseys must cntrast with the jerseys f the ppsing team. If teams are wearing the same clr jersey, the team listed as visitr will be required t change. Jerseys may nt be tied in a manner that creates any type f knt. Team jerseys must have a number placed n the frnt r back f the jersey. Jersey numbers shall cnsist f numbers 0-99; triple digit numbers, symbls, etc. are prhibited. Shes - Players must wear shes, either sft sled sccer/ftball cleats, tennis, r Astrturf shes. N sandals, bts, r metal/sharp plastic cleats will be allwed. N screw in r detachable cleats will be allwed. Supprts, Braces, Glves, and Pads - N casts/splints will be allwed under any circumstances. N pads r braces will be allwed abve the waist. Players wh wear a knee brace with expsed metal r metal hinges are required t cver it with at least ½ inch f clsed cell slw recvery rubber r ther material f the same minimum thickness and physical prperties. Players may als wear glves, which cnsist f a sft, pliable nn-abrasive material. Kneepads f a sft pliable nature will be allwed belw the waist. Any player wearing illegal r dangerus equipment shall nt be permitted t play. All equipment shall be subject t the apprval f the IMRS staff and their decisins shall be final. Headwear - Players may wear a ne-piece elastic headband made f a sft pliable material. They may als wear knit stcking caps in cld weather. Rubber r elastic clth bands may be used t 2 Updated 5/30/13
cntrl hair. N ther headwear will be allwed. N baseball caps, bandannas (including "Drags") r helmets. Jewelry - Jewelry r hard hair cntrl devices will nt be allwed. This includes but is nt limited t necklaces, earrings, newly pierced earrings, facial piercing, rings, bracelets & watches. Individuals will nt be allwed t tape ver any jewelry item. If yu cannt remve the item yu cannt play. Shrts/Pants - Shrts/Pants with belt lps and/r pckets are illegal. Sectin 9: Playing Rules The field shall be 100 yards, including tw 10-yard end znes. The width f the field shall be lined at 20- yard intervals frm gal line t gal line. The 3 and 10 yard try fr pint lines shall be 1 yard wide. A cin tss will be dne between the tw ppsing captain s. The winner has the chice f the fllwing: Offense r Defense Chse a gal t defend Defer Optins t the secnd half At the start f the secnd half, the lser f the first half cin tss shall have his/her ptin t be n ffense r defense, r which gal t defend, unless the first half winner deferred his/her selectin. The game shall cnsist f fur 10-minute quarters. Halftime shall be 5-minutes lng. The clck will run cntinuusly until the last 2-minutes f the secnd and furth quarters and then the clck will stp n all dead ball situatins. Overtime: There will be nly ne cin tss. The winner f the tss shall be given the fllwing ptins: Offense r Defense Directin The lser f the tss shall make a chice f the remaining ptins. Bth teams will g the same directin in vertime. Each team will be given a series f dwns (4 dwns) frm the 10-yard line. The bject is t scre a tuchdwn. If the first team which is awarded the ball scres, the secnd team will still have a series f dwns t attempt t win the game. Try fr pints will still be attempted in a nrmal manner by any team wh scres a tuchdwn. If the defense intercepts the ball and returns it fr a tuchdwn they will win the game. If they d nt return the interceptin fr a tuchdwn, the ball will be placed at the 10-yard line t begin their series f dwns. If the scre is tied after bth teams have had their series f dwns, the prcess will be repeated. Hwever, the team that went secnd will nw g first and the team that went first will nw g secnd. The teams will rtate psitins until a winner is declared. Each team is entitled t 1 timeut nly during the entire vertime. Time-uts: Three (3) sixty-secnd time-uts per game. Scring: The fllwing is a list f scring pprtunities and their pint values: Tuchdwn = 6 pints Safety = 2 pints Extra pint try frm 3 yard line = 1 pint Extra pint try frm 10 yard line = 2 pints Extra pint try frm 20 yard line = 3 pints Sprtsmanship Rule: If a team is 19 r mre pints ahead when the referee annunces the 2- minute warning fr the secnd half, the game shall be ver. Same rule applies if a team scres inside the 2-minute mark. Team Benches: Shall be ppsite sidelines between the twenty (20) yard lines. Substitutins: Players may enter r leave the game an unlimited number f times. Substitutins may nly enter during a dead ball and must remain inside the team bench areas. BALL IN PLAY, DEAD BALL, OUT OF BOUNDS Ball in Play - The ffense must snap the ball within 25 secnds after the Referee has blwn the whistle t put the ball in play. Penalty: Delay f Game, 5 yards. 3 Updated 5/30/13
Dead Ball - A live ball becmes dead as prvided in the rules, r when an fficial sunds the whistle, r therwise declares the ball dead. The ball is declared dead when: It ges ut f bunds. Any part f the runner s persn ther than hand r ft tuches the grund. Ball in pssessin is cnsidered part f the hand. A tuchdwn, tuchback, safety, r successful try-fr-pint is made. Any punt cmes t rest n the grund and n player attempts t secure it. A frward pass strikes the grund r is caught simultaneusly by ppsing players. A backward pass r fumble by a player strikes the grund, r is caught simultaneusly by ppsing players. A ball snapped frm scrimmage, r ther backward pass, that hits the grund befre r after getting t the intended receiver, is dead at the spt where it hits the grund. A frward pass is legally cmpleted when a player catches n, abve r behind the ppnent s gal line a lse ball n, abve r behind the ppnent s gal line. A runner has a flag belt remved legally by a defensive player. A flag belt is remved when the clip is detached frm the belt. A runner is legally tuched with ne hand between the shulders and the knees, including the deflagging. A passer is deflagged r legally tuched befre releasing the ball. A muff f a prtected scrimmage kick strikes the grund. The fficial sunds the whistle inadvertently during a dwn. Result: Team in pssessin at time f whistle may chse t take the play frm the spt f the ball at the whistle r replay the dwn. Nte: Any penalties that ccur during this dwn will be accepted r declined. Out-f-Bunds - A ball in player pssessin is ut-f-bunds when the runner r the ball tuches the grund r anything else, which is n r utside a bundary line, except a player r game fficial. If the inbunds runner is tuched by a player r an fficial n the sidelines ut-f-bunds, the ball is still in play. A lse ball is ut-f-bunds when it tuches the grund, a player, r anything else, which is n r utside a bundary line. A player wh is catching a frward pass is cnsidered ut-f-bunds when any part f his/her persn cntacts that area declared ut-fbunds. One ft inbunds is needed fr a legal receptin. SERIES OF DOWNS, NUMBER OF DOWNS Number f Dwns - The team in pssessin f the ball shall have fur cnsecutive dwns t advance t the next zne line-t-gain. A new series f dwns shall be awarded when a team mves the ball int the next zne. Line t Gain - The zne line-t-gain in any series shall be the zne in advance f the ball, unless the distance has been lst due t penalty r failure t gain. In such case, the riginal zne in advance f the ball at the beginning f the series f dwns is the zne line-t-gain. The mst frward pint f the ball, when declared dead between the gal lines, shall be the determining factr if a line t gain has been achieved. KICKING THE BALL FREE KICK Free Kick - There will be n free kick t start the game r the secnd half. The ball will be put in play at the 14-yard line t begin each half and after each tuchdwn. PROTECTED SCRIMMAGE KICK (PUNT) Decisin t Punt - Prir t making the ball ready fr play n furth dwn, the Referee will ask the ffensive captain if he/she wants a prtected scrimmage kick (Punt). The Referee will then cmmunicate this decisin t the defensive team captain. The ffense may request a punt n any dwn. After such annuncement, the ball must be kicked. Exceptin: If a) a team time-ut is called, r b) a penalty ccurs anytime during this dwn which results in the right f the kicking team t repeat the dwn again. The Referee must then again ask the ffensive captain whether he/she wants a punt. 4 Updated 5/30/13
Frmatin - Neither the kicking team nr the receiving team may advance beynd their respective scrimmage lines until the ball is kicked. After receiving the snap, the kicker must immediately kick and in a cntinuus mtin. Recvery - If a punt tuches a player n either team and then hits the grund it is dead and belngs t receiving team. If a punt hits a receiving player, and is then caught in the air by the receiving team, it can be advanced. If a punt hits a receiving player, and is caught in the air by the kicking team, it belngs t the kicking team at that spt. If the receiving team catches a punt and then fumbles, and the kicking team catches the fumble in the air befre it hits the grund it can be advanced by the kicking team. Out f Bunds and Ball at Rest - If a punted ball ges ut f bunds anytime befre being tuched, r cmes t rest between the gal lines, it shall belng t the receiving team at that spt. If the ball ges int the end zne it may be taken as a tuchback and put in play at the receiving team s 14-yard line r the receiving team may advance it ut f the end zne. KICK CATCH INTERFERENCE, FIRST TOUCHING, FAIR CATCH Kick Catch Interference - N member f kicking team may interfere with the ability f the receiving team t catch a prtected scrimmage kick. This includes anytime the kicking team tuches the ball r any receiving player while the ball is in flight. Penalty: Kick Catch Interference. The receiving team may take the ball at the spt f the ful, r accept a 10-yard penalty frm previus spt and replay the dwn. First Tuching (ball nt in flight) - If any member f kicking team tuches the kicked ball first, after it crsses the line f scrimmage, it is referred t as first tuching and the receiving team may take the ball at that spt r at the spt determined by the actin that fllws first tuching. The receiving team lses the right t take the spt f first tuching if during the return a ful is cmmitted by the receiving team, r the receiving team accepts any penalty. Fair Catch - NO FAIR CATCH. There are n signals, fair catch r therwise, during kicks. SNAPPING, HANDING, AND PASSING THE BALL THE SCRIMMAGE AND SNAP The Snap - The snapper shall pass the ball back frm its psitin n the grund with a quick and cntinuus mtin f the hands. They d nt have t pass the ball between the legs. Fllwing the ready fr play signal, n defensive player may break the plane f the restraining line at any time until the ball is snapped. Penalty: Dead Ball Ful, Encrachment, 5 yards. If this ccurs twice in same dead ball interval, the penalty will be 10 yards fr the secnd encrachment ful, if accepted. N ffensive player shall make a false start, r any actin that simulates the start f play. This penalty may be enfrced regardless if the ball is snapped. Penalty: Dead Ball Ful, Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards. The snapper must have bth feet behind the scrimmage line. They may als nt simulate the start f the snap. Penalty: Dead Ball Ful, Illegal Prcedure, yards. The player receiving the snap must be at least 2 yards behind the scrimmage line at the time f the snap. Penalty: Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards. Legal Psitins - All players are subject t mtin, psitin, and illegal prcedure rules. Anytime at r after the ball is ready fr play, each Team A player must mmentarily be within 15 yards f the ball befre the snap. Penalty: Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards. During the snap, the ffense must have at least 4 players n their scrimmage line. Penalty: Illegal Prcedure, 5 yards. Tw, three, and fur pint stances are legal. One ffensive player may be in mtin, but nt in mtin tward the ppnent s gal line at the snap. Penalty: Illegal Mtin, 5 yards. Fllwing a huddle r shift, all ffensive players must cme t a cmplete stp and remain statinary fr ne full secnd befre the snap. Penalty: Illegal Shift, 5 yards. After the Play - Offensive players are respnsible fr retrieving the ball after the scrimmage dwn. The snapper will bring the ball frm the huddle t the scrimmage line. HANDING THE BALL Any player may hand the ball backwards r frwards. PASSING AND RECEIVING 5 Updated 5/30/13
Legal and Illegal Frward Passing - All players are eligible t tuch r catch a frward pass. Only ONE frward pass may be thrwn per dwn A frward pass is Illegal: if either f the passer s feet are beynd the ffensive line f scrimmage when the ball leaves his/her hand; if thrwn after team pssessin has changed during the dwn; if intentinally grunded t save lss f yardage; if a passer catches his/her untuched frward pass; if there is mre than ne frward pass per dwn. Backward Pass and Fumble - A runner may pass the ball backward at anytime. A backward pass r fumble may be caught r intercepted in flight inbunds by any player and advanced. A backward pass r fumble which ges ut f bunds between the gal lines belngs t the team last in pssessin at the ut f bunds spt. A backward pass r fumble which tuches the grund between the gal lines is dwn at the spt where it tuches the grund and belngs t the team last in pssessin unless lst n dwns. A backward pass r fumble by the ffense that first hits the grund in the team s wn end zne is a safety, r in the ppnent s end zne is a tuchback. Pass Interference - Intramural Ftball is NOT a CONTACT sprt, hwever, incidental cntact will ccur. Offensive Pass Interference, 10 yards frm the previus spt and lss f dwn. Nte: Offensive screen blcking beynd the line f scrimmage DURING a pass attempt is cnsidered Offensive Pass Interference. Defensive Pass Interference, 10 yards frm the previus spt and an autmatic first dwn. Nte: If cntact is made n a receiver behind the line f scrimmage during a pass attempt, the penalty is Illegal Cntact, nt Defensive Pass Interference. In the. Abve mentined, pass interference is defined as bumping, pushing, r unnecessary cntact with an ppnent OR restricting a player frm access t a pass while n ffense r defense. Players may NOT "g thrugh ppnents" t get t a ball that is in flight. This culd result in autmatic ejectin frm the game. SCORING PLAYS AND TOUCHBACK SCORING After any scre, the ball shall be placed in play at the ppsing team s 14-yard line, unless mved by penalty T be ruled a tuchdwn; the ball must be n r ver the gal line. The player scring the tuchdwn must raise his/her arms s the nearest fficial can deflag the player. If the fficial determines the flag belt has been secured illegally, the tuchdwn will be disallwed. Penalty: Unsprtsmanlike Cnduct, player autmatically disqualified frm the game, 10 yards frm the previus spt. Once the captain makes the chice fr ne, tw, r three pints after a tuchdwn, he/she may change the decisin nly after an ffensive r defensive charged team time-ut. A team, which intercepts a pass in its wn end zne, may advance the ball ut f the end zne. It is a tuchback if the interceptr is deflagged befre leaving his/her end zne. CONDUCT OF PLAYERS PERSONAL FOULS - N player, substitute, r cach shall cmmit a persnal ful. Persnal fuls may include but are nt limited t: Using fist, ft, knee, r leg t cntact an ppnent. Tackling the ball carrier (autmatic ejectin). Steal, attempt t steal r strip, r bat the ball frm a player in pssessin. Illegal Cntact. Hurdling an upright player, tripping, clipping, etc. Unnecessary rughness. Tuching a player r ball carrier with und frce. Rughing the passer (autmatic first dwn) - applies nly t the player thrwing a legal frward pass behind the ffensive line f scrimmage. If a defender cntacts the passer in 6 Updated 5/30/13
any fashin, whether r nt he/she tuches the pass, it is rughing the passer. Penalty: All f the abve (1-8): Persnal Ful, 10 yards, flagrant ffenders will be disqualified. The runner may nt - Be aided by a teammate (grabbed, pushed, r pulled). UNFAIR ACTS Stiff-arm an ppnent. Guard their flags by blcking with arms, hands, r the ball, and thereby denying an ppnent the pprtunity t pull r remve the flag belt. Penalty: Flag Guarding, 10 yards frm the spt f the ful. N player, substitute, cach r thers subject t the Rules shall use discncerting wrds r phrases r cmmit any act nt in accrdance with the spirit fr the purpse f cnfusing the ppnent. Penalty: Persnal Ful, Unfair Act, 10 yards. BLOCKING AND SCREENING Blcking, as in regulatin ftball, is prhibited. A player may nt use his/her hands r bdy t blck frward ff an ppnent. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. Offensive players may prtect the runner by screening. The ffensive screen blck shall take place withut cntact and the screener may maintain a psitin (mving r statinary) between the defensive player and the runner. The screen blcker shall have his/her arms at their sides r behind their back. Any use f arms, elbws, r legs t initiate cntact during an ffensive player s screen blck is illegal. A blcker may use a hand r arm t break a fall r retain balance. Player s must remain n their feet befre, during, and after screen blcking. N part f the screener s bdy, except their feet, may be in cntact with the grund. Penalty: Illegal Cntact, 10 yards. Defensive players must avid the ffensive player s screen blck. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. The runner may nt stiff arm r lwer a shulder int an ppnent. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. Illegal cntact between the blcker/rusher will be called against the player determined t have initiated cntact (similar t "blck/charge" in basketball). Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. Repeated illegal cntact culd result in ejectin frm the game. FLAG REMOVAL Deflagging (remval f the flag by a player) r legal tuching is allwed nly under special circumstances similar t tackling in ftball in that players must have pssessin f the ball befre they can be deflagged r tuched legally. When a runner lses his/her flag belt either accidentally, inadvertently (nt remved by grabbing r pulling), r n purpse, play cntinues. The deflagging reverts t a ne-hand tag f the runner between the shulders and the knees. In circumstances where the flag belt is remved illegally, play shuld cntinue with the ptin f the penalty r the result f the play. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. Pulling r remving a flag belt frm an ffensive player withut the ball r intentinally tuching an ffensive player withut the ball is a ful. Penalty: Persnal Ful, 10 yards. Tampering with the flag belt in any way t gain an advantage including tying, using freign materials, r ther such acts is a ful. Penalty: Unsprtsmanlike Cnduct, 10 yards frm the previus spt, lss f dwn, and player disqualificatin. SUMMARY OF NIRSA FLAG & TOUCH FOOTBALL PENALTIES PENALTIES AND YARDAGE Lss f 5 yards Encrachment (Dead Ball) False start (Dead Ball) Illegal snap (Dead Ball) Delay f game (Dead Ball) Illegal mtin Illegal shift Intentinal grunding (Lss f dwn) Illegal substitutin Helping the runner Illegal frmatin Illegal frward pass (Lss f dwn fr ffense) Lss f 10 yards 7 Updated 5/30/13
Kick catch interference Tw r mre cnsecutive encrachments during same dwn interval Offensive Pass Interference (Lss f Dwn) Defensive Pass Interference (Autmatic 1 st Dwn) Illegally secured flag belt n tuchdwn (Lss f dwn) Unsprtsmanlike player, cach, r fan cnduct Spiking, thrwing, kicking the Ball During a Dead Ball Steal, strike, r attempt t strip the ball Trip, hurdle, tackle, clip, stiff arm, r any unnecessary cntact f any nature Rughing the passer (Autmatic first dwn) Illegal ffensive screen blcking Flag guarding by ffense, illegal remval by defense Obstructin f runner Illegal participatin Defensive illegal use f hands Illegal Equipment Disqualificatin Assciated with Certain 10 yard Penalties Flagrant Unsprtsmanlike Player Cnduct Flagrant Spiking, Kicking, r Thrwing the Ball Flagrant Unsprtsmanlike Cnduct by Players/Nn-Players Intentinally Cntacting an Official Flagrant Persnal Fuls Tackle the Runner Fight an Oppnent Intentinal Tampering with Flag Belt by Offense (Lss f Dwn) Intentinal Tampering with Flag Belt by Defense (Autmatic 1 st Dwn) 8 Updated 5/30/13