SE Region Pop Warner Tiny Mite Program

 Too many coaches focused on winning games – NOT teaching the game.

Goals of the TM Program  S3: Scholastic fitness:  Safety Report card from school or letter  Sportsmanship from parent  Learning S4: Coaches: Two coaches  Participation allowed on the field for the first  Ensuring a positive and fun half of the season (games), one experience coach thereafter. – as defined by the kids not the  Only one coach may address the referees and the team in the coaches. the referees and the team in the huddle.  Success in TM is measured  The second coach may only by: assist with the positioning of players. – Individual and Team Growth  Once set, both Coaches must – How much each athlete remain at least 10 yards back from learns the line of scrimmage. – How many players come  S5: If associations have back next season. more than one team:  NOT the outcome of a – Age groups must be equally particular play. distributed between the teams. – Teams may not be stacked by SE Region TM Pilot Program age.  The SE Region is launching a  S6: Once the ball is set, the Pilot Program for Tiny Mites. offensive team has 40 seconds to execute the next play.  THE SE PILOT PROGRAM  S7: All 11 players RULES WILL COMPLETELY must participate in REPLACE THE EXISTING TINY the huddle. MITE RULES AS PUBLISHED IN  S8: No kickoffs are THE POP WARNER NATIONAL permitted. RULE BOOK FOR THE 2009-2010 – At the start of the game and SEASON. when the offensive team crosses the goal line, the ball is set on the 30 RULE 33: TINY MITES yard line of the team in possession. The following are specific rules that  S9: Punting is not permitted. must be followed for the Tiny Mite – On 4th down, the offense has Division the option of:  S1: Players: Maximum 22,  . (a) running or passing Minimum 16 Minimum 16 the ball or,  S2: Field length: 80 yards . (b) turning the ball over to  The “Tiny Mite Two-Way their opponent on the Player Monitoring Form” must be opponents 30 yard line kept for each game.  S10: Penalties: – Major penalties: 10 yards  S16: Offense: – Minor penalties: 5 yards – The offense must use a  S11: Game time and balanced, two tight end Time Outs: formation. – Game = two 22-minute – Ends may not be split out. halves with a 10minute halftime. – All offensive backs must be – The game clock is a running lined up between the tight ends, clock and is stopped for timeouts except for one back which may be and injuries only. split out no more than 5 yards outside the end. – Each team may have two timeouts per half  S12: No score will be kept or – Shotgun formations are posted on the scoreboard. There permitted, provided the ball is are no tiebreakers allowed. passed, pitched or handed off by the  S13: No try for point after player initially receiving touchdown. the snap from center.  S14: The play will be blown dead if the ball is fumbled behind the – Motion is not permitted. line of scrimmage. – If fumbled beyond S17: Defense: the line of scrimmage,  No player may line up over the ball is live… the center.  Player must be at least 3 – unless the fumble is yards off the center. caused by the deliberate action of  Defense must have the defensive player to strip the ball. no more than 6 and  S15: Playing Time: All no less than 4 players players must play either offense or on the line of defense. This designation may not scrimmage. be changed during a half.  Defensive linemen must line  If there are less than 22  up head-to-head with an offensive players eligible for a game, players up head-to-head with an offensive lineman, will be permitted to swing, lineman, except the center. – but the basic offense or  Defensive line must be in a defense designation may not be  Defensive line must be in a 3 or 4 point stance at the altered. 3 or 4 point stance at the snap of the ball. – Swing players must be  Defensive line must be changed on each series, but may not  Defensive line must be one yard off the be changed during a series. one yard off the line of scrimmage. –

 Linebackers and defensive – Safety backs must be at least 3 yards off Positions to Teach TM Players the line of scrimmage.  Offensive Positions  Blitzing is not permitted. – Center – Blitzing shall be defined as – Blitzing shall be defined as – Guard any linebacker or defensive back moving toward the line of scrimmage – Tackle prior to – TE the snap. – WR – No defensive back – QB or linebacker may – RB cross the line of Skills to Teach All TM Players scrimmage between  Offensive Skills offensive tackles. – Run Blocking  S18: Game ball should be the Spalding Mitey Mite size. – Pass Blocking  S19: Other than as specified – Passing herein, the Pop Warner Mitey Mite rules shall apply – Catching including Rule 1, S-3. . Hands above the waste  S20: Tiny Mites are permitted . Hands below the waste a maximum of 1 pre-season game – Taking a Handoff & Running and 8 regular season games the Ball – for a total of 9 games. Skills to Teach All TM Players – No post-season play is  Defensive Skills: permitted. – Tackling – Containing TM Curriculum – Angles  Starting in 2009: TM Coaches – will be required to teach ALL of their – Pass defense players about the Game of Football. – Shedding a block Skills to Teach All TM Players  Each Player will learn:  Stances & Common Skills: – Specific sets of skills. – 3 point stance – All of the basic – 4 point stance offensive and – 2 point stance defensive positions. defensive positions. – And when to use them! Positions to Teach TM Players Concepts to Teach TM  Defensive Positions:  Basic Concepts (at least know – D-Line what these mean) – D-Ends – Offensive Formations – MLB – Defensive Formations – OLB  Terminology: – Corner – Hole-Numbering System – Gaps  Understand the importance of and learn basic routines for: Concepts to Teach TM – Proper warm up  Basic Types of Plays: – Conditioning – Lead – Cool Down – Dive TM Coaching Certification – Sweep  TM Coaches must also – Play Action complete the SE Region Pop Warner Basic Coaches Education Program – Counter And… Concepts to Teach TM Concepts to Teach TM  Head Coaches must also complete a USA Football Clinic

CLARIFICATION OF S14 RE: STRIPPING THE BALL  Fumbles which, in the judgment of the Game Officials, are caused by the deliberate action of a defensive player to “strip” the ball from the ball carrier, shall be ruled a dead ball foul and a penalty of 5 yards shall be assessed against the defense from the spot of the foul.  Coaches who are found to be teaching this technique shall be guilty of the Adult Offense of “Teaching Prohibited Techniques” and shall be subject to the prescribed penalty for that offense.

CLARIFICATION OF S15 RE: SWING PLAYERS  When the game starts, all eligible players must be designated as either offense or defense. – If the team has fewer than 22 eligible players at the start of (or any time during) the game, either the offense or the defense must have 11 players designated as such and this designation cannot change during any half.  EXAMPLE: Assume a team has 18 players eligible for a game. 11 of these must be designated as either offense or defense. Only these players are eligible to swing. The other 7 players must play as designated for an entire half.