Co-ed Intramural Flag Football League Rules
Co-ed Intramural Flag Football League Rules
A. Individual/Team Requirements Each team will consist of a minimum of 10 and maximum of 12 players. Each player participating in the league must be registered with Campus Recreation and their name must appear on the official league list and/or team roster. Each player must present a valid Student ID card to the League Convenor prior to the beginning of each game. If a player is not able to do so, they will not be permitted to play. A full signature will also be required on the game sheet from each player before the game. Please note: Campus Recreation has the authority to request Student ID cards at any time. Seven players are permitted on the field at all times; five players (at minimum) are required to begin the game. B. Equipment/Jerseys All players must wear proper athletic footwear and attire (i.e. no jeans) as well as their designated Campus Recreation league jersey. Please note: jerseys must be worn beneath the flag belt and tucked into the player’s shorts/pants at all times; no article of clothing may cover any portion of a player’s flag during the game. Footballs will be provided by the on-site League Convenor for warm-up and game play. All metal cleats or spikes or any shoes that have steel or metal tips or studs are prohibited. Protective mouth guards are strongly recommended. If for any reason a player does not comply with equipment requirements, they will not be permitted to play. C. Field Dimensions/Markings The playing area is the football field dimensions and markings:
D. Captains Each team must designate a team captain. In the case that the team captain is not present at a league game, an alternate player may act on their behalf. Please refer to the Campus Recreation Participant Guide for captain roles and responsibilities.
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E. Referees/Officials Each game will have two referees/officials. The decisions of the referees/officials are final and may not be protested. F. Sport-specific Rules 1. League rules are based on Football Canada Rules of Flag Football (7 vs. 7) (in general). 2. Each game is scheduled for one hour in length and will consist of two, 25-minute run time halves and a two-minute half-time break. ‘Five plays’ will be announced at the 22-minute mark of each half. Stoppage of time will only occur at the discretion of the referee (i.e. team time out). Extra time will not be allotted in the case of a tie. 3. Each team is permitted one, one-minute time out per half (run time will be stopped during this time). Time outs do not carry over. 4. Unlimited substitutions are permitted, however players may only enter the field when the ball is dead (i.e. in between plays). If the offense elects to substitute, they would have to allow time for the defense to substitute (no hurry-up play following an offensive substitution). 5. Flags must be worn on the sides (hips) of each player so that the two flags are visible from both the front/back. If a player’s flags are deemed to have shifted out of position prior to the snap, the referee/official may signal the play dead. If a player loses a flag during a play or neglects to re-attach a flag prior to the play, the opposing team only needs to touch (one hand) the player to end the play. An opposing player cannot pull the flag before the offensive player has touched or made contact with the ball on any play. 6. Basic game details: a. Blocking: No player may deliberately impede an opponent’s approach to the ball or a ball carrier/potential ball carrier using bodily contact; penalty for blocking is five yards. b. Field positioning: To begin the game, the team with possession (offense) will start with a kick-off; this team will have four attempts to achieve a first down (15 yards). If the team cannot complete the down, they can elect to take a safety on the fourth down. If the team chooses to play the fourth down and fails to score a touchdown, the opposing team will get possession of the ball from the spot where the fourth down play concluded. Any player crossing the line of scrimmage (LOS) before the quarterback puts the ball into play will be offside (five-yard penalty). c. Flagging: The ball carrier is deemed to be down and the ball is dead when (a) a flag is detached from the ball carrier’s flag belt, (b) the player is on the ground (knee, elbow or back) or (c) the player is touched with a minimum of one hand by the opponent (in the case a flag has detached). If the quarterback’s arm is in forward motion (passing) while his flag is pulled, the pass is allowed. No ball carrier can protect/block their flags with a hand, arm, shoulder, or the ball. If this occurs, the play will be called dead and spotted where the block took place. The ball carrier also cannot stiff-arm a defensive player. If this occurs, the play will be called dead and a five-yard penalty will result. d. Jumping/spinning: A ball carrier cannot jump or spin 360 degrees with possession of the ball. The ball will be spotted where the jump and/or spin occurred. e. Kick-off: A kick-off will take place at the beginning of each half and after each touchdown. The ball must be placed and kicked from the 40-yard line using a tee or by being held by a player of the kicking team; it must also be placed between the hash marks or at least 20 yards in from the nearest sideline. When the official blows the whistle to signal the kick-off, the kicking team has 20 seconds to kick the ball or a five-yard delay of game penalty will result. If the ball goes out-of-bounds before being touched by the receiving team, the receiving team can either (a) take possession at 2
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the spot it went out-of-bounds or (b) take possession at their own 35-yard line. Players of the kicking team may touch the ball, or down it, after it travels 20 yards and before it is touched by a member of the receiving team. The kicking team may not recover their own kick unless it first touched by a member of the receiving team, goes into the air and is caught by a member of the kicking team before the ball touches the ground. Laterals: Laterals are not permitted in front of the LOS, however, the ball can be lateraled behind the LOS; this will however be deemed a backfield play at which point any defensive player can cross the LOS if they choose. Pass interference: After the pass is in the air, neither the receiver nor defender may deliberately touch the other until one of them touches the ball. If contact occurs as a result of the receiver’s attempt at the ball, and the defender is making no attempt at the ball, this shall be considered ‘defensive pass interference’ as the defender makes deliberate contact with the offensive player to impede the catching of the ball (also referred to as taking away any positional advantage through contact). The ball will be spotted at the point of interference; if it occurs in the end zone, the ball will be spotted at the one-yard line and a re-down awarded. Rushing: One player is permitted to rush, however they must identify themselves prior to the snap (they are the only player that may cross the LOS after starting five yards off the scrimmage line). If there is a pass or hand-off behind the LOS, all defenders are eligible to cross the LOS. If an offensive player interferes with the rusher, a fiveyard penalty/re-down is awarded. Punting: A punt is executed to give possession of the ball to the opposing team by pushing them as far back as possible into their opposing zone. A punt can be executed at any time, on any down and without being announced. A punt must be executed behind the line of scrimmage. All members of the punting team must be at least two yards from the ball when it is first touched by a member of the receiving team (if not, a ten-yard ‘no yards’ penalty will result). If the ball touches the punt receiver and then goes forward or backwards and hits the ground, the play will be whistled dead. If a punt is blocked by the defensive team, the play is dead when the ball hits the ground or is caught by a member of the punting team; the non-punting team will take possession at the point the ball was blocked regardless of the down. Quarterback: Only the quarterback may signal the start of the play (using ‘hut’). If the quarter back calls ‘hut’ and immediately laterals the ball to a player behind the LOS, a backfield play will be deemed to have started (includes flea flickers). The quarterback can only run if the pass rusher crosses the LOS from the five-yard rush pylon marker. Receiving: A reception occurs when a player catches and controls the ball with a minimum of one foot in-bounds. A defender cannot force an offensive player out-ofbounds by way of any physical actions; a double reception always goes to the offense. Scoring: A touchdown is worth six points. After scoring a touchdown, teams must elect to either (a) attempt a 1-point conversion five yards out from the opponent’s end zone or (b) attempt a 2-point conversion ten yards out from the opponent’s end zone. If the ball is intercepted during a conversion, the ball is dead. A safety is worth two points. Time count: A period of 20 seconds is given to the offense from the time the referee marks the LOS, to huddle and put the ball into play (delay of game will result in a fiveyard penalty). The offense may not need to use the full 20 seconds and may begin the play immediately after the referee puts the ball into play. On change of possession the defense will receive up to 30 seconds to set up (only on the first down following the 3
change). The referee can only start the play clock once the defense is onside; defense must make a reasonable effort to get back onside after every play or will be penalized. G. Defaulted Games In order for the game to start, there must be at least five players on each team present. If there are not enough players on one team, a ten-minute grace period will be allotted starting from the official time of the scheduled match to allow for additional players to check-in. If after ten minutes no other players have arrived, that team will default. The default score is 35-0. In the case that both teams default, a loss of 0-35 will be applied against each team. H. Playoffs Campus Recreation strives to include all teams/players in playoffs, however depending on the number of teams and scheduling factors, not all teams will advance to the playoffs. Playoffs are single elimination. To be eligible for playoffs, a player must participate in at least half of the regular season league games. In the case of a tied playoff game, a coin toss will determine which team will be given the first possession; each team will be guaranteed three attempts at a conversion. The team will the first possession will opt to pick a one-point or two-point conversion and will have the opportunity to execute the play. After this play has concluded, the other team will then have the same opportunity; teams will alternate back and forth until each team has had three possessions. Points from the three conversion opportunities will be totaled and the team with the most points will win. If for any reason the teams are tied, the game will go into sudden death format (next team to score will win the game). I. Code of Conduct All participants are expected to abide by Intramural policies and procedures (as defined in the Campus Recreation Participant Guide), sport-specific league rules and to always act in the spirit of fair play, exhibit sportsmanship and to be respectful of all parties involved in Intramural sport programming. If for any reason a team or player does not abide by these policies/rules, suspension or removal from the league may occur. Please refer to the Campus Recreation Participant Guide for more information.
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A. Individual/Team Requirements Each team will consist of a minimum of 10 and maximum of 12 players. Each player participating in the league must be registered with Campus Recreation and their name must appear on the official league list and/or team roster. Each player must present a valid Student ID card to the League Convenor prior to the beginning of each game. If a player is not able to do so, they will not be permitted to play. A full signature will also be required on the game sheet from each player before the game. Please note: Campus Recreation has the authority to request Student ID cards at any time. Seven players are permitted on the field at all times; five players (at minimum) are required to begin the game. B. Equipment/Jerseys All players must wear proper athletic footwear and attire (i.e. no jeans) as well as their designated Campus Recreation league jersey. Please note: jerseys must be worn beneath the flag belt and tucked into the player’s shorts/pants at all times; no article of clothing may cover any portion of a player’s flag during the game. Footballs will be provided by the on-site League Convenor for warm-up and game play. All metal cleats or spikes or any shoes that have steel or metal tips or studs are prohibited. Protective mouth guards are strongly recommended. If for any reason a player does not comply with equipment requirements, they will not be permitted to play. C. Field Dimensions/Markings The playing area is the football field dimensions and markings:
D. Captains Each team must designate a team captain. In the case that the team captain is not present at a league game, an alternate player may act on their behalf. Please refer to the Campus Recreation Participant Guide for captain roles and responsibilities.
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E. Referees/Officials Each game will have two referees/officials. The decisions of the referees/officials are final and may not be protested. F. Sport-specific Rules 1. League rules are based on Football Canada Rules of Flag Football (7 vs. 7) (in general). 2. Each game is scheduled for one hour in length and will consist of two, 25-minute run time halves and a two-minute half-time break. ‘Five plays’ will be announced at the 22-minute mark of each half. Stoppage of time will only occur at the discretion of the referee (i.e. team time out). Extra time will not be allotted in the case of a tie. 3. Each team is permitted one, one-minute time out per half (run time will be stopped during this time). Time outs do not carry over. 4. Unlimited substitutions are permitted, however players may only enter the field when the ball is dead (i.e. in between plays). If the offense elects to substitute, they would have to allow time for the defense to substitute (no hurry-up play following an offensive substitution). 5. Flags must be worn on the sides (hips) of each player so that the two flags are visible from both the front/back. If a player’s flags are deemed to have shifted out of position prior to the snap, the referee/official may signal the play dead. If a player loses a flag during a play or neglects to re-attach a flag prior to the play, the opposing team only needs to touch (one hand) the player to end the play. An opposing player cannot pull the flag before the offensive player has touched or made contact with the ball on any play. 6. Basic game details: a. Blocking: No player may deliberately impede an opponent’s approach to the ball or a ball carrier/potential ball carrier using bodily contact; penalty for blocking is five yards. b. Field positioning: To begin the game, the team with possession (offense) will start with a kick-off; this team will have four attempts to achieve a first down (15 yards). If the team cannot complete the down, they can elect to take a safety on the fourth down. If the team chooses to play the fourth down and fails to score a touchdown, the opposing team will get possession of the ball from the spot where the fourth down play concluded. Any player crossing the line of scrimmage (LOS) before the quarterback puts the ball into play will be offside (five-yard penalty). c. Flagging: The ball carrier is deemed to be down and the ball is dead when (a) a flag is detached from the ball carrier’s flag belt, (b) the player is on the ground (knee, elbow or back) or (c) the player is touched with a minimum of one hand by the opponent (in the case a flag has detached). If the quarterback’s arm is in forward motion (passing) while his flag is pulled, the pass is allowed. No ball carrier can protect/block their flags with a hand, arm, shoulder, or the ball. If this occurs, the play will be called dead and spotted where the block took place. The ball carrier also cannot stiff-arm a defensive player. If this occurs, the play will be called dead and a five-yard penalty will result. d. Jumping/spinning: A ball carrier cannot jump or spin 360 degrees with possession of the ball. The ball will be spotted where the jump and/or spin occurred. e. Kick-off: A kick-off will take place at the beginning of each half and after each touchdown. The ball must be placed and kicked from the 40-yard line using a tee or by being held by a player of the kicking team; it must also be placed between the hash marks or at least 20 yards in from the nearest sideline. When the official blows the whistle to signal the kick-off, the kicking team has 20 seconds to kick the ball or a five-yard delay of game penalty will result. If the ball goes out-of-bounds before being touched by the receiving team, the receiving team can either (a) take possession at 2
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
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the spot it went out-of-bounds or (b) take possession at their own 35-yard line. Players of the kicking team may touch the ball, or down it, after it travels 20 yards and before it is touched by a member of the receiving team. The kicking team may not recover their own kick unless it first touched by a member of the receiving team, goes into the air and is caught by a member of the kicking team before the ball touches the ground. Laterals: Laterals are not permitted in front of the LOS, however, the ball can be lateraled behind the LOS; this will however be deemed a backfield play at which point any defensive player can cross the LOS if they choose. Pass interference: After the pass is in the air, neither the receiver nor defender may deliberately touch the other until one of them touches the ball. If contact occurs as a result of the receiver’s attempt at the ball, and the defender is making no attempt at the ball, this shall be considered ‘defensive pass interference’ as the defender makes deliberate contact with the offensive player to impede the catching of the ball (also referred to as taking away any positional advantage through contact). The ball will be spotted at the point of interference; if it occurs in the end zone, the ball will be spotted at the one-yard line and a re-down awarded. Rushing: One player is permitted to rush, however they must identify themselves prior to the snap (they are the only player that may cross the LOS after starting five yards off the scrimmage line). If there is a pass or hand-off behind the LOS, all defenders are eligible to cross the LOS. If an offensive player interferes with the rusher, a fiveyard penalty/re-down is awarded. Punting: A punt is executed to give possession of the ball to the opposing team by pushing them as far back as possible into their opposing zone. A punt can be executed at any time, on any down and without being announced. A punt must be executed behind the line of scrimmage. All members of the punting team must be at least two yards from the ball when it is first touched by a member of the receiving team (if not, a ten-yard ‘no yards’ penalty will result). If the ball touches the punt receiver and then goes forward or backwards and hits the ground, the play will be whistled dead. If a punt is blocked by the defensive team, the play is dead when the ball hits the ground or is caught by a member of the punting team; the non-punting team will take possession at the point the ball was blocked regardless of the down. Quarterback: Only the quarterback may signal the start of the play (using ‘hut’). If the quarter back calls ‘hut’ and immediately laterals the ball to a player behind the LOS, a backfield play will be deemed to have started (includes flea flickers). The quarterback can only run if the pass rusher crosses the LOS from the five-yard rush pylon marker. Receiving: A reception occurs when a player catches and controls the ball with a minimum of one foot in-bounds. A defender cannot force an offensive player out-ofbounds by way of any physical actions; a double reception always goes to the offense. Scoring: A touchdown is worth six points. After scoring a touchdown, teams must elect to either (a) attempt a 1-point conversion five yards out from the opponent’s end zone or (b) attempt a 2-point conversion ten yards out from the opponent’s end zone. If the ball is intercepted during a conversion, the ball is dead. A safety is worth two points. Time count: A period of 20 seconds is given to the offense from the time the referee marks the LOS, to huddle and put the ball into play (delay of game will result in a fiveyard penalty). The offense may not need to use the full 20 seconds and may begin the play immediately after the referee puts the ball into play. On change of possession the defense will receive up to 30 seconds to set up (only on the first down following the 3
change). The referee can only start the play clock once the defense is onside; defense must make a reasonable effort to get back onside after every play or will be penalized. G. Defaulted Games In order for the game to start, there must be at least five players on each team present. If there are not enough players on one team, a ten-minute grace period will be allotted starting from the official time of the scheduled match to allow for additional players to check-in. If after ten minutes no other players have arrived, that team will default. The default score is 35-0. In the case that both teams default, a loss of 0-35 will be applied against each team. H. Playoffs Campus Recreation strives to include all teams/players in playoffs, however depending on the number of teams and scheduling factors, not all teams will advance to the playoffs. Playoffs are single elimination. To be eligible for playoffs, a player must participate in at least half of the regular season league games. In the case of a tied playoff game, a coin toss will determine which team will be given the first possession; each team will be guaranteed three attempts at a conversion. The team will the first possession will opt to pick a one-point or two-point conversion and will have the opportunity to execute the play. After this play has concluded, the other team will then have the same opportunity; teams will alternate back and forth until each team has had three possessions. Points from the three conversion opportunities will be totaled and the team with the most points will win. If for any reason the teams are tied, the game will go into sudden death format (next team to score will win the game). I. Code of Conduct All participants are expected to abide by Intramural policies and procedures (as defined in the Campus Recreation Participant Guide), sport-specific league rules and to always act in the spirit of fair play, exhibit sportsmanship and to be respectful of all parties involved in Intramural sport programming. If for any reason a team or player does not abide by these policies/rules, suspension or removal from the league may occur. Please refer to the Campus Recreation Participant Guide for more information.
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