Flex Football

• The standard football field is divided in half with the direction of play going from the mid field out towards the end zone.
• 2 Flex Flag Football games can be run at the same time going in opposing directions towards the end zones on their respective field.
• The ball will start play at the 45 yard line – game start and turnovers. Offensive huddles will be on the right hash.
• The direction of offensive play will go towards the existing end zones.
• If a ball is intercepted: the play is stopped and the ball is turned over to the intercepting team. Intercepting team will start at the 45 yard line.

• Team size will be a maximum of 19 players

• Each team has eight players on the field (8 on 8). Each change of possession 8 new player must enter the game. (8 on – 8 off rule)
• A team can play with seven if it chooses, losing an eligible receiver on offense and non-linemen on defense.
• If a team is two players short, it will automatically forfeit the game. However, the opposing coach may lend players in order to allow the game to be played as a scrimmage. The officials will call the game as if it were a regular game.
• Grades: 2nd and 3rd and 4th

• The league will provide game day footballs at the start of the season.
• Matching team uniforms provided by the league must be worn.
• Each player on the field must wear league provided flags around the waist outside of game jersey with jersey tucked into shorts. Flags must be centered with a flag on each hip. Improperly worn flags are subject to a flag guarding penalty.
• Flags may not be altered in any way from their factory condition.
• Mouth guards, approved soft shell helmets and soft shell shoulder pads are mandatory and must readily visible to the game official. Athletic shoes/cleats must be worn at all times.
• Equipment may not be used in an offensive manner. (refer to unnecessary roughness section)

• Metal spikes; hard casts; unapproved soft shell shoulder pads or soft shell helmets; baseball caps of any kind; jewelry: including rings, necklaces and watches; and anything that conceals the flags.
• Scrum caps, karate helmets, headbands or any other non-approved helmet is not allowed.
• Players found to be wearing banned equipment are not allowed back onto the field until the banned equipment is removed.

The following applies to all coaching staffs:

• All coaches must be approved through the league.
• Non-coaching parents are not allowed on the team area of the sidelines except as down marker holders.
• Each coach is expected to read and understand all stated rules in this booklet. Any questions should be directed to the league commissioner.
• All football personnel and coaches will abide by the Flex Flag Football Coaches Code of Conduct. Any violation of these rules can result in possible expulsion from your coaching privileges.
• If any coach deliberately and flagrantly violates these rules, the league may suspend the coach without prior notice.
• The head coach has final responsibility for his/her actions as well as those of his/her assistant coaches, players, staff and parents.
• When a head coach of record is not present at a game, a named assistant coach will act as head coach.
• The coach on the field is the only person allowed to speak to a game official. At the game official’s discretion, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty can be called on other coaches if they continually attempt to speak to a game official during the game.
• All coaches are to be respectful to each other, players, parents and game officials before, during and after games.
• The game officials are empowered to eject any coach or parent from a game if that coach or parent is acting unsportsmanlike, using foul language or is causing a disruption to the game. Swearing at a game official because you do not agree with a call is not acceptable and will not be permitted.

• A maximum of one (1) coach per team can be on the field.
• Offensive coach stands 10 yards behind offense.
• Defensive coach must be to the side and outside of the numbers.
• Contact by a player with an official will not result in a stoppage of play.

First downs:

• First downs will be given the first time the offense passes the 30 and 15 yrd line.
• It is the responsibility of the visitor team to supply down marker volunteers, through volunteers can come from either side if necessar.
• The volunteers are considered part of the game officials’ crew. As such, they can cheer politely and engage in normal sideline conversation but must not speak negatively about players, coaches or officials and must defer to the game official for all decisions made.
• On a play beginning from or inside the defensive 15-yard line, the offense can only achieve a first down through penalty.

• 30 minute halves. 5 minute halftime. There is a running clock that only stops for injuries/player safety and timeouts.
• Each team has two 30-second time outs per game.The clock restarts on the snap following any team time out.
• A 30-second play clock is enforced with the play clock beginning following the spot of the ball and at the head game official’s signal.

• Free substitutions are in effect for all injures at all times between plays.
• Any player who did not participate in the previous series must participate in the next series.
• If an injured player remains down on the field, struggles to leave the field or needs assistance, the official will signal for the clock to stop. The play clock and game clock both restart upon the player leaving the field, the ball being set and both sides being ready to play.
• When possession of the ball is changed the “bench” must be cleared, if a team has less that 16 players, no player will play more than 3 possessions in a row. Procedure for injured players
• If any game official stops play for an injured player or players to be checked/assisted, the injured player must leave the field for at least one play. A team may not “buy” a player back into the game through use of a time out.
• Head injuries. Any player who receives a head injury – whether a concussion, contusion, cut or other – during practice, pregame warm-ups or in-game is not allowed to return to play until cleared by a qualified medical professional.

• There are no kickoffs. Play starts at the offensive team’s 45 yard line.
• There are eight players on each side of the ball, including a center and two guards on offense. The guards shall be no greater than two feet split between the center and the guard. Unbalanced lines are not allowed. One guard must be on either side of the center.
• Five players are required on the line of scrimmage with either tight ends or split ends joining the three linemen. Unbalanced lines are not allowed. Two players must be on the line on each side of the center.
• All players, except for the center, must be in a 2-point stance.
• The three players who line up at center or guard cannot receive handoffs nor be the initial touch on a pass. They may, however, catch tipped passes, at which point the play is blown dead.
• The quarterback may take a direct snap from under center or in the shotgun position.
• All fumbles – defined as a loose ball touching the ground – are blown dead with the team last in possession retaining possession at the spot.

• A forward pass that falls incomplete returns to the line of scrimmage.
• A lateral pass that is thrown behind or in front of the line of scrimmage and touches the ground is blown dead and returned to the spot where the ball touched the ground.
• A pass is determined to be forward or lateral based on the direction it travels, not by how it is delivered (i.e. overhand, underhand, side arm, etc.). Receiving
• Only eligible receivers and a quarterback who has first handed the ball off or thrown a legal lateral pass can be the initial receiver on a forward pass.
• Players must get one foot down in bounds for a completed pass.
• If an offensive and defensive player catch a ball simultaneously and forward progress is stopped, the ball is declared dead at the spot and awarded to the offense. No flag pull or two-hand touch is required.
• If a receiver’s flag falls off prior to making a catch, it is ruled a reception, and the ball is spotted where he/she made the catch. If a defender pulls a receiver’s flag before the receiver has possession, an illegal flag pull penalty is assessed to the end of the play.

• Lead blocking on all runs is allowed.
• Pulling offensive linemen is allowed, and all blocking rules apply.
• When engaging a block, the blocker must come to balance and all contact must be made with the hands.
• Landing on or piling on any player on the ground results in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
• Blocking by initiating or leading with head, elbows, forearms, knees or shoulders – anything but the hands will result in a charging penalty. (2 charging penalties results in automatic ejection)
• Blocking below the waist, cut blocks, clipping and any blindside crack back blocks – by the offense or defense – are assessed appropriate penalties and result in an automatic ejection as determined by the game officials. A player who is blocked into a low block may continue to play in the game if the officials see extenuating circumstances.

• The QB is allowed to run for a pass beyond the line of scrimmage after a pitch or hand off.
• If the QB who received the center exchange hands off/laterals to another player and (in the game official’s opinion) attempts to double pass, the non-QB player now attempting to throw the ball will be viewed as the QB, thus he is limited to the QB running rules.

• The offensive team must have five (5) players on the line of scrimmage at the point of the snap – three linemen and one eligible receiver on each side of the field aligned on the ball.
• The guards shall be no greater than two feet split between the center and the guard. One guard must be on either side of the center.
• All motion and shift rules are as follows:
  • No defender with in 10 yards can align directly over the center or in the A gap.
  • The two defensive linemen must be aligned within the body frame of the furthest offensive lineman/tight end. For example, a defensive lineman can line up from the outside shoulder of a tight end to head up over the guard. If a tight end shifts outside prior to the snap, the defensive player must also shift to at least the outside shoulder of the guard. o The defensive team may choose any alignment but must have two players on the line of scrimmage within the tackle box.

Fourth downs

• A turnover will result the ball being at the 45 yard line if a score or first down is not achived.