Flag_Football_Coach_Packet1

Flag Football General Information for Coaches 1. Please contact your parents and let them know the following: o First practice for season (time and location). You may wish to have a practice prior to the scheduled dates and times. o They are required to purchase a mouth guard for their child. Their child will not be allowed to play if they do not have a mouth guard. o No pants with pockets or exposed drawstrings, and they must have their shirts tucked-in o Suggest they bring a chair as seating will be in the ball diamond outfield o Let them know that you, the coach, will contact them in the event of a game/practice cancellation and you will let them know about a reschedule date. 2. Remember the focus of this league is having fun, getting kids active and having the kids learn basic skills. Making it fun tips: o Limit standing around o Everyone plays o Teach every position to every participant o Emphasize the fundamentals (footwork, blocking technique, alignment, assignment, ball handling, route running) o Incorporate a progression of skill development o Yell encouragement, whisper constructive criticism o Place player safety, fun and education above all else 3. Enlist the help of your parents – You don’t have to do it alone o Designate a parent to help pass-out jerseys and flags before the game and have them collect the equipment at the end of the game. o Designate a parent to help on the sidelines, so you can rotate your team in and out smoothly and maximize playing time. 4. Communicate with your parents o If something changes or you need to update parents make sure you meet with them after the game/practice. Keep the communication open and the parents involved. o Ask your parents if their emergency contact information is up-to-date, or if you should be aware of any allergies or medical issues relating to their child. 5. Snack o Snack is optional. Please make sure you ask if there are any allergies that you should be aware of. EQUIPMENT and END OF SEASON EQUIPMENT RETURN 6. Following the last game please place all your equipment in the tote. Please leave the tote in the Lake Park Maintenance Room. I will collect the tote and account for the equipment. 7. If you have equipment that breaks or need more of something please contact me and let me know. I will try to get you the new item as soon as possible (715.623.3633 x-131 / srepp@antigo-city.org ) FLAG FOOTBALL RULES: 4K - 4th Grade NUMBER OF PLAYERS:  7 players on the field; a minimum of 5 is needed to avoid a forfeit.  Maximum team size is 14 LENGTH OF GAME:  Playing time shall be 2, 25 minute halves (running time) TIME-OUTS:  Each team will be given two time-outs per half. o A time-out will be one minute in length and any unused time-outs will NOT carry over to the next half or overtimes. A time-out can be requested by any player or head coach. GENERAL RULES OF PLAY:  First possession is determined by a coin-toss.  Play starts on the end line.  Offense has 4 plays to advance the ball to midfield.  If midfield is reached, offense has 4 more plays to reach the other end line.  Next team begins on their end line. 3rd and 4th grade may kick the ball (coaches’ discretion)  A play ends when the flag of the player with the ball is removed or a pass is incomplete.  One player snaps the ball to the quarterback and all other players are eligible.  There is NO RUSHING. SCORING:  Touchdowns = 6 points  Extra Points = 1 point if successful from the marked “20 yard” line. THE FLAG BELT: All shirts must be tucked in, and are not permitted to hang over the flag belt. Should a player loose their flag belt legally or illegally during a down and should that player ga in possession of a live ball, that player will be considered d own when a legal tag (one hand touched by the defense between the shoulders and knees, including the hand and arm) is made. When a player scores they must immediately rais e their hands and allow an official to rem ove their flag belt. This is done to insure that the flag belt has not been illegally secured. If the belt has been illegally secured the score is disallowed, the player ejecte d and a Personal Foul Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty will be administered from the previous spot. Players must have possession of the ball before they can legally be deflagged. It is illegal for a defensive player to intentionally pull a flag from an offensive player who is not in possession of the ball. In cases where a flag belt is removed illegally, a personal foul penalty will be called. LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: The offensive team must have a minimum of 5 players set the line of scrimmage at the snap. Players in motion do not count as players on the line of scrimmage. There is No Rushing. PERSONAL FOULS: Any act listed below or any other act of unnecessa ry roughness is a personal foul, and will result in players advancing to the next line of play. If they are on the defense’s “20 yard line” they will receive an additional play. Players shall not: • Punch, strike, strip, steal, or attempt to steal the ball from a player in possession. • Trip an opponent. • Contact an opponent who is on the ground. • Throw the runner to the ground. • Hurdle another player. • Contact an opponent either before the ball is put in play or after the ball is declared dead. • Make any contact with an opponent that is deemed unnecessary. • Deliberately drive or run into a defensive player. • Clip an opponent. • Position themselves on the shoulders of a teammate or opponent to gain an advantage. • Tackle the runner. (may warrant ejection) SCREEN BLOCKING: Legally obstructing an opponent without using any part of the body to initiate contact. Screen blocking shall take place without contact. The blocker shall have their hands and arms at their sides or behind their back. A screen blo cker cannot use their hands, arms, elbows, legs or body to initiate contact. If they do use contact it will be called a Personal Foul. Screen blockers may not: • Take a position closer than a normal step when behind a stationary opponent. • Make contact when assuming a position at the side or in front of a stationary opponent. • Take a position so close to an opponent that they cannot avoid contact by stopping or changing direction. STIFF ARMING: Stiff arming is not allowed; a personal foul will be ca lled, and if warranted an unsportsmanlike conduct or ejection will result. OBSTRUCTING THE RUNNER: A defensive player shall not hold, grasp, or obstruct the forward progress of the runner when attempting to remove the flag belt. Obstruction will result in a personal foul. GUARDING THE FLAG BELT: Runners shall not flag guard by using any part of the body or ball to deny the opportunity for an opponent to pull or remove the flag belt. Flag guarding includes but is not limited to: • Swinging the hand or arm over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging. • Placing the ball in possession over the flag belt to prevent an opponent from de-flagging. • Lowering the shoulders in such a manner that flag guards. BACKWARD PASSES AND FUMBLES: Any ball that is fumbled during a down will be dead by rule once it has touched the ground. A backward pass or fumble may be caught or intercep ted by any player inbounds and advanced. A player may not intentionally throw a backward pass out of bounds to conserve time or to avoid being downed. This will be penalized as an Illegal pass: loss of 5 yards, loss of down and the clock will start on the ready for play. Once a ball has touched the ground the ball is considered dead. FORWARD PASSES AND INTERCEPTIONS: If a player is in the air attempting to catch a ball, the player must contact the ground with at least one foot in-bounds w ith the ball in their possession prior to going out of bounds, unless contact by an opponent causes the player to first touch out-of -bounds. If possession of the ball is lost simultaneously when they hit the gr ound, it is not a catch. If a forward pass is caught simultaneously by me mbers of opposing teams, the ball is dead at that spot and belongs to the team that snapped the ball. PASS INTERFERENCE: Any contact that, in the view of the official interferes with the attempt to catch a pass (offensive or defensive player) is pass interference unless, in the view of the official, it occurs when two or more eligible receivers make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch, or bat a pass. It is also pass interference if an eligible receiver is deflagged or touched prior to touching the ball on a pass thrown beyond th e offense’s line of scrimmage. Clarification: Hindering an opponent’s vision without making an attempt to catch, intercept or bat the ball is pa ss interference, even though no contact wa s made. If the pass interference by the defense in intentional and/or unsportsmanlike, the defense may be penalized (personal foul). (3 rd & 4th Grade) PUNTING: Quick punts are illegal. On fourth down the Referee must ask the Offensive team if they want a protected scrimmage kick. Once the offense has declared their choice, the Referee will inform the Defense of the offense's choice. The only way the Offense can change their decision is to call a time-out, or if a foul occurs any time prior to or during the down and the down is to be replayed. In the latter case the Offe nsive team will be asked if they want a protected scrimmage kic k or not. The kicking team must have all of its players, except for the punter, on the line of scrimmage. No kicking team players may move until the ball is kicked . There are no restrictions to the number of pl ayers the defensive team must have on the line. Defensive players MAY attempt to block the punt by jumping strai ght up in the air. They may not, however, penetrate the line of scrimmage. If a punt crosses the sc rimmage line and touches a player from either t eam and then hits the ground, the ball is dea d at that spot and belongs to the receiving team. EQUIPMENT: 2 Junior Footballs, 1 set of twelve low pro orange cones, flags and reversible jerseys for all players, whistle for each coach (whistles are yours to keep), coach folder, 1 set of Coach Deck Cards, and Velcro tabs for jerseys. Below is a diagram of the field (approximately):  90’ x 120’.  There are two fields per ball field except for Little  League.        City of Antigo Flag Football Rules 9/14/2014 City of Antigo / Park and Recreation Department 700 Edison Street • Antigo, WI 54409 • 715.623.3633 extension-154/131 • www.antigo-city.org Mid-Field End Zone End Zone “20 Yard” “20 Yard” LiƩle League Ball Field 830 Langlade Road Lake Park Ball Field 425 3rd Ave Senior League Ball Field 215 3rd Ave Green Orange Red Yellow