NUMBER OF PLAYERS: A game is played between two teams of 8 players, maximum of 4 male players on the field at any given time. At any given time, you can have more than 4 female players but there is always a 4 male maximum from the same team on the field at a time. Each team should start the game with 8 players; a minimum of 6 players are needed to avoid a forfeit. 5 minutes after the official game start time, the opposing team will receive 7 points if a team still does not field the minimum amount of players. A forfeit is called if a team does not have a minimum of 6 players on the field 10 minutes after the official game start time. Only players that are on the team roster (turned in before the first regular season game) will be allowed to play. A player is only allowed to play on one team for the duration of the league. NO SUBSTITUTIONS/ADDITIONS after the team rosters are turned in!
THE BALL: A regular, intermediate, youth or junior size football may be used for WOMEN QBs ONLY. Men QBs must use an official Wilson NFL ball or its equal.
FLAGS: Game flags will NOT be furnished so you must provide your own flags. Flags will be on sale at the fields if you need to purchase them. Players are not allowed to play if they are wearing shorts/pants that match the color of the flags for that game.
LENGTH OF GAME: Games will be separated into two halves of 16 minutes with a 7 play period at the end of each half. Half-time shall be 3 minutes. There will be a running clock for the entire game EXCEPT for time outs and 7 play period.
TIME-OUTS: Each team will be given two time-outs per half. A time-out will stop the clock for one minute in length and any unused time-outs will NOT carry over to the next half or overtimes.
OVERTIME (TIE GAME): If the game score is tied after regulation time, then a coin toss will determine who will get the ball & side. If additional overtime periods are needed to decide the outcome of the game (more than first overtime), captains shall alternate choices. Each team will have the chance to score in series of four downs from the 40 yard line. If a team does not score then the refs will go by total penetration of those four downs. However, scoring always outweighs penetration alone. For example (Team 1 scores one touchdown in their four downs. Team 2 only gets 40 total yards in four downs. Team 1 wins the game.) If the score is still tied after each team has had a try (including extra point attempts), a second series is played, and so on until a winner is determined.
FREE KICK: There will be no free kicks, only punting.
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. 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. At least 5 players on the defensive team must be on the line. Defensive players MAY NOT attempt to block the punt or penetrate the line of scrimmage. The ball is dead on the second bounce off the ground. If a punt crosses the scrimmage line and touches a player from either team and then hits the ground, the ball is dead at that spot and belongs to the receiving team. A punt through the end zone comes back to 20 yard line. If a player drops the ball in the end zone, the ball is again spotted at the 20 yard line and is not counted as a safety. The slate is clean for extra points and punts and everyone is eligible.
CENTER : All snaps must be between the center’s legs. The center has the option of snapping the ball to the QB or anyone on or behind the line of scrimmage as long as the intended person to receive the snap is 5 yards or more away from the center.
SPECIAL GIRL PLAY RULES: A penalty will ensue if the offensive team fails to use a female as an operative player within 3 consecutive downs.
A pass deflected by a male and caught by a female IS a female play
A pass intended for a female (in the eyes of the referee) that is deflected by a female, and caught by a male COUNTS as a female play
A pass thrown by a male, received by a male and immediately pitched to a female (the “hook and ladder”) WILL NOT constitute a female play – no matter how far the female advances with the ball after the pitch
A pass intentionally grounded by a female in the last two minutes of the second half in order to stop the clock COUNTS as a female play.
If a female pitches the ball to a male behind the line of scrimmage this will not result in a female play.
The penalty for running 3 consecutive downs without a female as an operative player will be loss of down (i.e. if it was 1st down during the penalty, it is now 2nd down) and the female must now be the operative player on the next play. If on this play a male catches or runs the ball: loss of down, the play is ruled “dead,” and the ball is brought back to the line of scrimmage, and the next play must be a female play.
Plays utilizing a female and resulting in the “loss of down” penalties, will still be considered “female” plays. Plays utilizing a female resulting in a non-loss of down penalty will not count as a gender play. The play never existed.
The slate is clean for extra points and punts and everyone is eligible.
SCORING: Touchdowns = 6 points (girl touchdown = 9 points) Extra Points = 1 point if successful from the 3 yard line Extra Points = 2 points if successful from the 10 yard line Safety = 2 points Defensive
Once a team has made their choice on the extra point, they can only change their decision by taking a time-out.
If a female player scores a touchdown, the point value is 9. If a female player throws a legal forward pass and a touchdown is scored by any offensive team member, the point value is 9.
BLOCKING: Legally obstructing an opponent without using any part of the body to initiate contact. The blockers MUST always have their hands and arms behind their back at all times while they are blocking for the QB.
RUSHING: Rushers OR any player from the defensive team that is currently on the field MUST speak out a rush count before rushing. The rush count is as follows (1-1000, 2-1000, 3-1000, 4-1000, 5-1000) then the rusher may cross the line of scrimmage to pursue the QB. All rushers MUST go around the blockers without contacting the blockers in any fashion. Rushers are to go for the QB’s flag and/or bat down the ball as the QB is throwing, NOT the QB’s arm.
THE FLAG BELT: All shirts must be tucked in, and are not permitted to hang over the flag belt. Should a player lose their flag belt legally or illegally during a down and should that player gain possession of a live ball, that player will be considered down were they touch the ball. 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 penalty will be called.
CONDUCT: We will be strict on the following:
Fighting is strictly PROHIBITED. Players will be ejected from the league for fighting, regardless of who initiated the conflict.
Team captains are responsible for their team players and fans. Should a team player or fan cause problems during a game, the player shall be removed from the game and the fan shall be asked to leave the premises.
Roughing female players is absolutely PROHIBITED. Because this is co-ed, we will call all roughness penalties. We understand that there will be some contact (this is flag football), but excessive contact on the women by a male player will be called as penalties.