Men's & Coed Flag Football Rules & Regulations REVISED 3-8-16 Pro Bowl: April 2nd, 2016 Format: TBD MEN’S: There will be a 3 man line with full contact immediate rush. Modified USFFA rules. COED: Non-Contact. 3 count rush by official. 1. TEAM SIZE: MEN’S: Teams shall play a maximum of 8 players. COED: Teams shall play a maximum of 7 players (5 men, 2 women). MENS: A seven-player team will be allowed if one or both teams are short a player. Teams with eight players will not be penalized and can use their full team. COED: A six-player team will be allowed if one or both teams are short a player (2 women min). Teams with seven players will not be penalized and can use their full team. A team’s roster may consist of a maximum of 16 players. Players may not play in a game until they have submitted their Yorkville Sports Association waiver. 2. PLAYER EIGIBILITY a. WAIVERS Each player must sign individual waiver by the first game. Failure to comply will result in that player being ruled ineligible. b. ROSTERS Limit 16 players on the Final Roster. Final Roster is due by Thursday January 7th, 2016. If final roster is not received on time, team registration form will become your final roster and players not appearing on original registration form will not be eligible to play. 3. EQUIPMENT A. A standard size official football with or without stripes must be used at all times. a. Rubber molded cleats or Astro-Turf shoes are legal b. NO METAL SPIKES ARE ALLOWED! B. FLAGS: Each Player must wear a two-flag belt with one flag on each hip. a. All players must have their belts on at the beginning of each play, or will be subject to a one hand touch rule. If a runner loses his/her flag during action, play continues. The play ends when a defensive player touches the runner with ONE hand between the shoulders and the knees. b. The flag belt must be accessible from 360 degrees. If the flag is covered up, the play ends when a defensive player touches the runner with ONE hand between the shoulders and the knees. Wrapping, tying, or in any way securing the flags to the uniform or belt, other than prescribed by rule, or intentionally removing flag during play is illegal. c. A player wearing illegal equipment shall not be permitted to play. 4. CONDUCT RULES a. OFFICIALS League will not tolerate abuse of an official, no matter how slight. This includes any verbal or physical abuse or other acts of intimidation. Any violation of this rule will result in penalty and possible expulsion from the entire event. b. Officials will go over any ground rules or questions prior to coin flip. c. ILLEGAL PHYSICAL CONTACT, PERSONAL FOULS & UNSPORTSMAN-LIKE CONDUCT Any argument, gesture or profanity, throwing of a ball or other object, endangering the safety and well being of players, officials or spectators, will result in expulsion from the event. Two personal fouls and player will be ejected from the game. Three unsportsman-like conduct calls equals ejection. d. EJECTIONS Anyone ejected from a game must leave the playing field and park area immediately. 5. FORFEITS Any player or manager who continues to display poor conduct on the same occurrence will subject his team to forfeiture of that game. Anyone refusing to leave the field of play when ejected will subject his team to a forfeiture of that game 6. WEATHER Teams are required to be present at the field and will be subject to forfeiture of that game if failing to do so, regardless of weather and field conditions, unless otherwise instructed by YSA. 7. FIELD DIMENSIONS 60 x 40, plus two 10 yard end zones. 8. CAPTAIN’S MEETING AND COIN TOSS Teams shall designate 1 (one) team captain for the game. The designated captain for the game will be the only team representative allowed to address the referees on a disputed call. Designated captains meet with the referees before the start of the game for the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss shall have the choice to start on offense, start on defense, choose the field direction, or defer. Once the winner or the coin toss has made their choice the other team will make their choice for the secondary option. The teams automatically switch ends at the beginning of the second half. GAME REGULATIONS 2. KICKOFF KICKING / RECEIVING (COIN TOSS) Kicker must kick off tee from twenty (10) yard line. Kickoff may also be thrown. The receiving team will be place at the thirty-five (25) yard line. Teams must declare intention to go on 4th down or punt. No quick kick. Any kick off that is untouched and goes out of bounds will be placed at the thirty (20) yard line. 3. ONSIDE KICK Onside kick must travel at least ten (10) yards to be considered legal. 4. DEAD BALL & RECOVERY On kickoff and punts, only a muffed ball can be picked up be either Offense or Defense and can only be advanced by offensive team. Defensive can only recover and down ball. On fourth down punt, a bad snap that is dropped by kicker may be re-kicked or advanced on the ground by kicker only. All other dropped balls will be considered dead where they land. If ball makes contact with receiving team, kicking team can only recover and maintain possession but not advance the ball. 5. OFFENSE: FIRST DOWNS Each team will have 4 downs to get a new series of downs. A first down is accomplished when the offense gains 10 yards in one set of downs. There is no maximum number of first downs allowed on any given offensive series. 1. A first down is achieved at every 10 yards. The offense may have only one player in motion for each play. That player may move in any direction except forward direction before the snap. All offensive players must be set for at least one second before the ball is hiked, except for a player in motion. PUNTING THE BALL 1. All punts must be announced to the referee. Punts may also be thrown. (no quick kicks) A. The kicker/thrower must catch and kick/throw the ball immediately in one continuous motion. B. The team may not advance beyond their respective scrimmage line until the ball is kicked. Penalty: Illegal procedure, 5 yards from the previous spot. C. If the offense declares to punt, then wants to change their decision, they may do so after a charged timeout or an accepted penalty in which the down is to be replayed. D. If the receiving team fails to catch the punt the ball is dead where it touches the ground. RECEIVER ELIGIBILITY Eligible receivers must line up at least one foot behind line of scrimmage and center. A minimum of three players must be on the line at all times. All players are eligible to touch or catch a pass. A forward pass may be thrown provided the passer's feet are behind Team A's scrimmage line (first ball spotter) when the ball leaves the passer's hand. Only one forward pass can be thrown per down. NOTE: Once the offense possesses the ball beyond the line of scrimmage a forward pass may not be thrown legally. A. One foot or knee must land inbounds before any part of the body lands in the out-of- bounds area for a legal pass reception. QB OPTIONS After snap, quarterback may pass, hand off or elect to run. SCORING POINTS Touchdown is worth six (6) points Extra point: Play from three (3) yard line - one (1) point, 2-point conversion on 6 yard line The defense cannot score on conversions. Safeties count for 2 points. All free kicks after a safety are thrown from the 10 yard line. All touchbacks bring the ball out to the 10 yard line. 6. OVERTIME: If overtime is needed, a coin flip will determine offensive and defensive teams. Play will start at the 20 yard line. Both teams will have possession of the ball at least once. If an interception is returned for a touchdown it will conclude the game. If neither team scores on their 1st possession, sudden death will begin. Repeat the process above. The first team to score will win the game. COED ONLY: GENDER RULES Teams MUST use a female player as an Operative Player within 4 consecutive plays, or a penalty will be assessed. Failure to comply with the gender rule results in a 5-yard penalty and the gender rule remains in place. Failure to comply on a second consecutive play results in a loss of down and the gender rule remains in place (and if that happens on a 4th down play, the ball is turned over to the opposition). The cycle using a female player within 4 consecutive plays STOPS after a touchdown. On 4th down the gender rules do not apply if the offense chooses to punt. The Gender count resets after each change of possession. Examples of Accepted Operative Player Plays: Attempts a forward pass behind the line of scrimmage Receives a hand-off or lateral behind line of scrimmage and is used as the primary runner Is the intended receiver of a catchable pass in the eyes of the referee A female plays quarterback and is tagged by the defense A female plays quarterback and attempts a forward pass A female plays quarterback and runs for yardage A female runs the ball as a running back A female receives a lateral or hand-off and attempts a forward pass to anyone A female catches a deflected pass Examples of NON-Acceptable Operative Player Plays: A female plays quarterback and laterals or hands off to a male A female passes to a male behind the line of scrimmage A female plays center and snaps to a male quarterback A female QB takes a knee A female QB intentionally grounds or spikes the ball A pass directed at a female is deemed to be intentionally uncatchable in the eyes of the Referee (i.e.