FLAG FOOTBALL RULES
PLAYING TIME
Players are guaranteed one half of the 1st half of playing time within the first half. The second half is
the coaches’ choice.
It is up to the coach to distribute playing time.
Parents are to make every effort to ensure players attend weekly practice.
EQUIPMENT
Mouth Guards and REQUIRED.
SOA will provide a team jersey and flag belt.
Players must wear shoes. Cleats are allowed as long as they are not of metal exposed. Metal cleats
are not allowed and must be removed.
Player’s jersey must be tucked in at all times.
No pants or shorts with belt loops.
Players MAY tape their forearms, hands and fingers.
Players MAY wear gloves, elbow and knee pads.
Players must remove ALL jewelry such as watches, earrings, rings, necklaces and any other jewelry.
GAME BALL
Ball must be appropriate size, weight and pressure according to the referee at the beginning of the
match.
 Pee Wee (Size 6): For ages 9 and younger
FIELD
The field size will be determined according to the appropriate age level determined by the SOA Site
Director.
GAME
The game will start with a coin toss.
The winner of the coin toss will decide taking possession or defense to start.
The other team will then get to choose which end of field to defend (TEAMS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
DEFER TO 2ND HALF).
The offensive team takes possession of the ball at its 5 yard line and has 4 plays to cross midfield for
a 1st down.
6U AND 8UB will have 4 plays to score a touchdown.
If the offense fails to either cross midfield or score a touchdown, the other team gains possession
and takes the ball over on downs at its own 5 yard line.
Stepping on the boundary line is considered out of bounds.
All possession changes, except interceptions, start on its 5 yard line.
Teams change sides after the first half. Possession changes to the loser of the coin toss.
Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball.
Each team has 1 timeout (1 min) per half. Timeouts do not carry over.
Officials can stop the clock at their discretion.
OFFENSE
The Quarterback can run the ball.
Multiple hand offs are allowed.
Laterals or pitches are allowed.
A lateral is an overhand pass that is not a forward pass: it is thrown either to the side or back (in
relation to the line of scrimmage), rather than forward.
A pitch is an underhand toss to the side or back, usually from a quarterback to running back.
A dropped lateral or pitch will be treated as a dropped pass and will be placed at the original line of
scrimmage. It will be a loss of down.
The player who takes the handoff or lateral can throw the ball from behind the line of scrimmage.
Spinning is allowed, but players cannot leave their feet to avoid a defensive player (no offensive
diving or jumping is allowed to make a defender miss the flag).
The referee will use their judgment to call a penalty based on player’s movement.
There are NO fumbles.
Bad snaps from center result in a “dead ball”.
Receiving/Passing
All players are eligible to receive passes (including the quarterback if the ball has been handed off or
thrown behind the line of scrimmage).
Only one player is allowed in motion at one time.
A player must have at least one foot in bounds when making a reception.
If a player catches the ball after their flag has fallen off, the ball is dead at the spot of the catch.
Defense
All players on defense are allowed to rush the quarterback.
NO PLAYER CAN LINE UP OVER THE CENTER.
When the flag is clearly taken from the player with the ball, the down is over and the ball is declared
dead.
The player who removes the flag should immediately hold the flag above his or her head to assist the
official in locating the spot where the removal occurred.
The player must then hand the flag back to the player is was pulled from.
A defensive player may not remove a flag from an offensive player who does not have possession of
the ball.
Dead Balls
Substitutions may be made on any dead ball.
Play is ruled dead when the following occurs:
Ball carrier’s flag is pulled
Ball carrier steps out of bounds
Touchdown or a safety is scored
Ball carrier’s knee hits the ground
Ball carrier’s flag falls off (the ball is placed at the spot where the flag fell off at)
The ball is fumbled on a running play (the ball is placed down at the position of the player’s feet who
fumbled or on a pitch backward at the original line of scrimmage)
Offensive players are not permitted to guard their flags by making contact with defensive players
who are trying to remove their flags or grabbing and holding onto flag (no stiff arms)
The ball is spotted where the ball carrier’s feet are when the flag is pulled, not where the ball is
unless the ball is in the end zone.
If a flag falls off a player without them being touched the ball is dead where the flag falls.
SCORING
6 points for a touchdown
1 point for a PAT (ball placed at the 5 yard line and must be a pass only)
6U and 8UB run only
2 points for a PAT (ball placed at the 12 yard line and can be run or pass)
A team that scores a touchdown must declare whether to attempt a 1 point or 2 point PAT. Any
change after a decision requires a charged timeout.
The PAT decision can’t be changed after such timeout.
2 points for the defending team on a safety.
Ball is awarded to the defensive team and placed at its 5 yard line to restart the game.
PENALTIES
All penalties are accessed from the line of scrimmage.
Defense
1. Off-sides
a. 5 yards and repeat down on offense’s team choice
2. Illegal Rushing (start rushing from inside 7 yards and no loud count)
a. 5 yards and repeat down on offense’s team choice
3. Illegal Flag Pull (before player has ball)
a. 5 yards and repeat the down
4. Illegal Contact
a. holding, pushing, stiff arming, tackling, improper blocking, & clipping
b. 10 yards and automatic first down
5. Interference
a. 10 yards and automatic first down
b. No stripping the ball
Offense
6. Illegal Motion
a. 5 yards and replay down
b. more than one person moving at the time of snap
7. Illegal Forward Pass
a. 5 yards and replay down
b. forward pass in front of line of scrimmage
8. Intentionally grounded pass
a. 5 yards loss and a loss of down
9. Flag Guarding
a. 10 yards from where they started flag guarding and loss of down
10. Delay of Game
a. 5 yards and remain same down
11. Offensive Pass Interference
a. 10 yards and replay down
b. Illegal pick play, pushing off/away defender)
12.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
a. 10 yards enforced from the line of scrimmage.
b. From trash talking, taunting, tripping etc.
CONDUCT:
COACH
Two coaches are allowed on the sideline per team. Coaches are only authorized on the field if they
have to tend to an injured player and only when a referee signals the coach that it is permitted. One
coach will be permitted to be on the field in the 6U and 8U division for guidance.
PLAYERS
Only registered players are allowed to play. No guest players permitted at any time – whether during
practice or in a game.
SPECTATORS
During the match, all spectators must be located across from the teams. Absolutely no spectators are
allowed with the teams or behind the goals. No sideline coaching is allowed from the spectators.
Spectators, players, and coaches are not permitted behind the goal lines. All players, coaches, and
spectators must remain a minimum of 5 feet away from the sideline to allow the players and referees
room to see and maneuver.
REFEREE ABUSE
Physical or verbal abuse of our referees will not be tolerated. Referees should ONLY be respectfully
addressed by the HEAD coach.
SPORTSMANSHIP
All players, coaches and spectators are expected to display good sportsmanship at all times. Coaches
and players immediately line up to shake hands after each game.
MISCONDUCT
Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their team and supporters. Coaches, players or
spectators, who are involved in fighting, physical or verbal abuse of a referee, other coach, player, or
spectator, or displaying any form of inappropriate or unacceptable behavior, will be immediately
removed from the fields and will be subject to disciplinary actions, to include being banned from our
league. We have a ZERO-TOLERANCE policy, and will not tolerate these behaviors in our league.
LITTER
Coaches and team parents are responsible for cleaning their areas after each game or practice.