FLAG FOOTBALL RULES

First 2 Weeks Rosters are open  Week 3 Rosters are Closed. Must have 5 players to play a regulation Game. Team may pick up players to played but will have to Forfeit.  Game time will be 35 minutes straight.  With refs. Forfeits at the Last game time will not be played out.  1 player maybe added to roster only to make 5 players so that the team doesn't forfeit in the playoffs.

Rushing
No Bull Rushing at anytime.
Defensive player may line up over Guards left or right side.  The Defensive player may not line up over the center of a player or the Center. If the defensive player makes any contact with the center before the center crosses the yard stick or drops back to block it will result in a 5 yard penalty and free play. If the Defender in blocked or pushed in the center before the center crosses the yard stick or drops back to block it will result in a 5 yard penalty and free play.

Quarterback

Shirts must be long enough to tuck in so that they remain tucked in during the entire down/game. 15 penalty if not.

Pants or shorts with belt loops or pockets are prohibited Towels may not hang from a players’ waist or otherwise interfere with the possible removal of a flag. Towels may be used and kept on the ground to cover a possible wet ball or to dry hands.

All jewelry must be removed, including watches, earrings, bracelets, etc. Players may wear soft, pliable kneepads on legs, knees ankles, etc. Each team must have 5 players to begin the game.

The field is divided into 4 zones of 20 yards each and 2 end zones of 10 yards each.

Shoes must be worn at all times, no metal spikes No hard casts, billed hats, or braces made of hard unyielding substances may be worn.

Each team shall designate a captain to act as team spokesman and make decisions. Only the captain may talk to officials.

Teams must wear flags provided by Sportspark. To better assist referees, numbers on jerseys are strongly recommended, and team players must wear similar colored shirts as well.  

2. Start of Game

A coin toss conducted before the start of the game, by the referees and the 2 designated captains. Options  available for the team winning the coin toss will be offense, defense, or defer choice to second half. Games will consist of  two 20 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime. Timing will be continuous        For the first 18 minutes of each half and then the clock will stop for :
a)      Incomplete or illegal forward pass
b)      Out of Bounds
c)      Safety
d)     Team time out
e)      Touchdowns
f)       Penalties
g)      Inadvertant whistle
h)      Awarded new series/turnovers

• 2 timeouts per team per half. No carryovers. Timeouts are one minute in length
• Referee will call time out to signal
• To begin the game, and following team touchdowns the ball will be placed on the 3 yd. line.
• Each team will have 4 consecutive downs to advance to the next zone line-to-gain.
• The zone line-to-gain in any series will be the line in advance of the ball, unless distance has been lost due to a penalty or failure to gain.
• A new series of downs will be awarded when a team moves the ball into the next zone on a play free from penalty.
• Free substitution is allowed after any whistle, provided the substitution does not delay the game.
• Any offensive substitute must join the huddle before it breaks to avoid a penalty.
• The offensive team has 25 seconds to put the ball in play after the referee’s ready for play whistle.
• Tie Games: tiebreaker format will be play beginning at the 20 yd. line. Once again a coin toss will determine offense, defense or direction. The object is to score a touchdown and extra point in 4 plays. If successful, opponent has the opportunity to do the same. If still tied, process is repeated until a winner is determined. If the defense intercepts a pass for a touchdown, game is over.

Rosters

  First 2 Weeks Rosters are open  Week 3 Rosters are Closed. Must have 5 players to play a regulation Game. Team may pick up players to played but will have to Forfeit.  Game time will be 35 minutes straight.  With refs. Forfeits at the Last game time will not be played out.  1 player maybe added to roster only to make 5 players so that the team doesn't forfeit in the playoffs.

 Game Rules

• The offensive team must have 4 players on the line of scrimmage at the snap.
• The spot of the ball will be where the furthest part of the ball is.
• If a flag belt inadvertently falls off, a one hand tag constitutes a capture.
• Players should try to hold up the flag after they pull it.
• A player may leave his feet to try and remove a flag.
• In an attempt to remove the flag belt from the ball carrier, defensive players may contact the body of the opponent with his hand. A defensive player may not hold, push or knock the ball carrier down in an attempt to remove a flag.
• A defensive player may not remove any offensive player’s flag when the offensive player does not have the ball.
• Similarly, a defensive player may not remove a receiver’s belt before he touches the ball/penalty would be for pass interference.
• A player may not fasten his flags to his uniform or tie his belt in a knot.  All players must wear flags. Failure to do so will be a 5 yard penalty before the snap/ 10 yds. After snap.
• Runners shall not flag guard by using their hands, arms or the ball to deny the opportunity for the opponent to remove the flag.
• An offensive player may not stiff arm to ward off an opponent. 10 yd. penalty and loss of down
• There will be a 2 yd. halo off the ball where the defense will line up to begin its pass rush. Defense can rush immediately at the snap.

The ball is declared dead when the dead ball touches the ground: A) on a fumble B) on a lateral, C) or on a pass.

The sideline and endlines are considered out of bounds. One foot only needs to be in to be considered a completion .

Once an offensive player has gone out of bounds during a play, that player is no longer eligible to touch the ball.

At the snap, the center , after adjusting the ball for the snap, may not change the position of the adjusted ball in any manner to simulate the beginning of the play. The ball must be snapped in one continuous motion, not necessarily between the center’s legs.

If there is no huddle, all offensive players must be momentarily within 15 yards of the ball. It must be clear who the 7 players on offense are on each play. The intent of this rule is to avoid all sleeper or hideout plays.

Rushing

No Bull Rushing at anytime.
Defensive player may line up over Guards left or right side.  The Defensive player may not line up over the center of a player or the Center. If the defensive player makes any contact with the center before the center crosses the yard stick or drops back to block it will result in a 5 yard penalty and free play. If the Defender in blocked or pushed in the center before the center crosses the yard stick or drops back to block it will result in a 5 yard penalty and free play.

Motion/Shift

Only one offensive player may be in motion at the time of the snap. This motion must not be  toward the opponents goal line. If  2 or more players go in motion before the snap, this is considered a shift and all players must come set for one full second prior to the snap. 

Fumbles are dead when the ball touches the ground.

The ball is put into play by the offensive team where the ball first touches the ground.

A backward pass may be caught or intercepted in flight by any player and not advanced.

A backwards pass or fumble into the offensive teams own end zone will result in a safety.

If the ball is fumbled into the opponent’s end zone, the result is a touchback.

A backwards pass is a dead ball when it hits the ground.

All Players are eligible to catch a forward pass. The passer may pass from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage.

No face gaurding

Pass interference we result 15 yard from spot of fall.

Pass interference in the endzone we result in touch down.

The passer shall intentionally ground the ball to avoid a sack.

Defensive players must not any contact to the quarter back other then a move to grab his flags. If contact is made result in 15 yard penalty, a first down and free play.

Teams may throw one backward pass behind the line of scrimmage.

• Any dead ball penalty on the defense after a touchdown or PAT will be assessed on the next play from scrimmage.
• When an inadvertent whistle is blown by an official, the ball is either  dead at the point when the whistle is blown and the down is replayed or a team may choose to take the result of the play.
• Spiking, taunting, or any intentional antagonizing of the other team will be considered an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
• Teams may use their own ball and bring it into the game when it is their turn on offense.
• Conversions- One point conversion will be from the 3 yd line :pass only
• Two point conversion will be from the 7 yd line -must be pass
• After a safety Defense gets the ball on the 20 yard line.
• 7 on 7 be ready to start 10 minutes early. If short a player wait til normal start.
• Forfiet rule: 2 forfieted games you will be kicked out of the league with no refund. Must call by 11am.
• Taunting or orcelebrating after any play will result in a 15 yard penlty loss of down.

1. Punts must be announced before the ball is ready for play. The kicking team must have 4 players on their line of scrimmage. Punts must be snapped from the center. The punter must be at least one yard off the line of scrimmage upon receiving the snap and must punt the ball immediately. There will be no movement by the office players until the ball is kicked. Penalty- 5 yards.
2. Defensive players may not enter neutral zone until the ball is kicked. Penalty: encroachment, 5 yards.

3. The ball may be run back if it touches the ground before hitting a player.
4. A muffed punt is dead where it touches the ground.
5. Quick kicks and fake punts are illegal. Penalty: unsportsmanlike conduct, 10 yards.

15 Yard Penalties

1.   Pass interference (automatic first down)
2.  Offensive pass interference (loss of down)
3.  Personal FouL
4. Flagrant personal foul
5. Flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct.
6. Roughing the Passer
7. Untucked shirt