ASSC



Official Flag Football Rules  `NO ALCOHOL AT PUBLIC PARKS/CHURCHESAlcoholic beverages are illegal at public parks/churches. Please don't bring it to the field; Not only do you risk getting cited by the police, we risk losing access to fields. Please help us protect our sports, and wait until you get to the bar.

  Rule Changes Effective Fall 2016.    

Team

  1. Team rosters shall include a minimum of 12 players, including at least 2 females.
  2. The maximum number of players on the field is 7, including at least 2 females.
  3. If a team does not have 7 players and at least 2 players of each gender, they may start with as few as 5 players (if 4 players are male the 5th must be a female).
  4. When a team has fewer than the required number of players of a specified gender available, players of one gender may not be substituted for members of another gender. For example, if a team has 7 total players available at game time, but only 1 are female, the team must play short with 6 players and so on.
  5. One team being short players for a full 7 on field does not obligate the opposing team to reduce their players on field.
  6. Players may be substituted for each other at any time between plays, provided the on-field gender requirement is met at all times.
  7. Late Registration: a team may add players to their roster through any team's scheduled 3rd game, provided the team captain approves, and the player has paid the pro-rated fee for the remainder of the season. All players must be formally registered with the League and paid in full prior to playing.
  8. Any team that has players not wearing the Asheville Sport and Social shirt can be called for a roster check at any time by the ref, field manager, or the opposing team. If players are found to not be on the roster that are playing it will result in an automatic forfeit.

Officials

  1. Each game shall be officiated by at least one League-assigned referee, who shall act as the head referee. A second League-assigned referee may also be used.
  2. Referees are responsible for:
    1. Keeping time.
    2. Enforcing all rules and penalties.
    3. Announcing the 5-second count such that all players can hear.
    4. Keeping and recording game score.
  3. The referees shall eject a player from the game if that player repeatedly violates rules, or repeatedly behaves in an unruly and/or unsportsmanlike manner.

Field

  1. The football field shall measure approximately 80 yards long and 40 yards wide, or as close to those measurements as the game field will allow, with cones marking each 10-yard line on both sides of the field.
  2. End zones shall extend an additional ten yards past the goal line. The dimensions may vary depending on the size and dimensions of the field.

Equipment

  1. The League shall provide the following equipment:
    1. Official Junior size football
    2. Field markers every 10 yards
    3. Flag belts and flags.
  2. Players must wear their League-provided t-shirts of the appropriate color for their team.
  3. Players must tuck in their shirts during play; no article of clothing may cover any part of the flag belt. A player will be assessed a 5 yard penalty if the ball is snapped and the player has not complied.
  4. Players must wear shoes.
  5. Steel cleats are prohibited.
  6. Players must play using only the League-provided Junior size football. No other ball is permitted.
  7. Players must wear the League provided flag belts and flags must remain at the sides and back of each player at all times.

Start of Game

  1. The referee will flip a coin, heads or tails to be called in the air by one of the team captains. The winning team will choose one of the following options (winner may not defer to the other team):
    1. Choice of offense or defense
    2. Choice of end zone to start the game
  2. Possession and offense shall be the reverse as indicated by the coin toss at the start of the 2nd half.
  3. Play will begin at the 5-yard line of the team with possession.

Game Clock

  1. Each game consists of two 20-minute halves, with a 2-minute halftime.
  2. Each team is allowed 2 one-minute time outs per half. Unused timeouts in the first half do not carry over into the second half.
  3. The game clock shall be a running clock, except in these cases:
    1. A team uses one of their 1-minute timeouts.
  4. The 1 point and 2 point conversation attempts shall be permitted after a touchdown regardless of the time on clock.
  5. If time out is called, the clock will start on the next snap.
  6. There will be no overtimes in Regular Season Games.

Line of Scrimmage

  1. The referee shall use cones to mark the offensive and the defensive lines of scrimmage with 5ft in between acting as the neutral zone. The ball will be placed in the middle of the field after the end of each play.
  2. The offensive team must have a minimum of 4 players set (3 players if fielding 5 players or less total) at the line of scrimmage at the snap. Players in motion are not considered set.
  3. Once the center has placed his or her hands on the ball no player may enter the neutral zone until the snap occurs.
  4. The referee shall blow his or her whistle to signify the play may begin.
  5. The defense may not cross into the neutral zone until the ball is snapped, *note there is no 5 second count by the referee.*
  6. Center may go out for a pass immediately after the ball is snapped. Male quarterbacks are not allowed to run the ball past the line of scrimmage without a forward pass being completed. Female quarterbacks are allowed to advance the ball across the line of scrimmage in any fashion.

Running

  1. If a ball is lateraled from the quarterback that person may pass the ball, or if the recipient is a female, may advance the ball beyond the line of scrimmage
  2. Subsequently the defense will be able to rush at any point after the ball is lateraled from the quarterback.
  3. Once the ball is lateraled the center is able to go out to block for the runner or is legal to catch the ball.

Passing

  1. A pass is completed when the ball is caught by any player of the passing team who has at least one foot in-bounds.
  2. An eligible receiver becomes ineligible if he leaves the field during the play and remains ineligible until the ball is touched by an eligible receiver or any defensive player. However, if an eligible receiver is forced out-of-bounds he shall be considered eligible as soon as he returns inbound.
  3. If an ineligible receiver catches the ball the pass shall be considered incomplete.

Downs

  1. The offensive team will have four downs to achieve a first down.
  2. A first down is achieved by crossing either that 20 yard lines or the 40 yard line (midpoint of the field).

Gender Rule – Open and Closed Plays

  1. When a team first receives possession of the ball, play begins as “open”. Open plays allow any combination of gender involvement. If a play involves only males, not including an incomplete pass or a sack, the following play becomes “closed”.
  2. If the play is “closed”, the referee shall announce the play as so and the offensive team must include a female in one or more of the following ways:
    1. As quarterback; passes the ball to a receiver beyond the line of scrimmage.
    2. As ball carrier; carries the ball across the line of scrimmage.
    3. As receiver; receives or is intended to receive a pass from beyond the line of scrimmage.

If there are no players of the required gender available, the offensive team will lose a down.

  1. During an announced ”closed play”, the use of a player of the required gender as quarterback, ball carrier or intended receiver shall reset the following play to “open”. An incomplete pass to a player of the specified gender intended to be caught, as judged by the referee, shall count towards opening the next play.
  2. If a player of the required gender is not utilized as described in these rules during an announced “closed play”, any passes shall be considered incomplete, i.e. the offensive team will lose a down.

 

Punting

  1. The offensive team may punt on the fourth down.
  2. All punts must be kicked and declared to the opposing team and to game officials.
  3. Fake punts are not permitted.
  4. Punts may not be blocked by the receiving team.
  5. All members of the punting team must remain behind the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted.
  6. At least five players from the receiving team must be on the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted.
  7. The receiving team may either call for a fair catch or may catch and advance the ball.
  8. Ball is dead on contact with the ground.
  9. Ball that lands out of bounds will be spotted at the point of exit.
  10. Ball will be placed at the 5 yard line if it lands in or beyond or inside the end zone.
  11. No “gunners”, or players running up to the line of scrimmage as the punter punts, will be permitted. All offensive players must remain set on the line until the ball is kicked.

Turnovers and Stoppage of Play

  1. Possession will change from one team to the other when:
    1. A team scores. Play will start again at the 5 yard line, there are no kickoffs.
    2. Four downs are counted without obtaining a first down. Play will start at the previous line of scrimmage.
    3. A forward pass is intercepted (play does not stop).
  2. Play will stop when:
    1. One of the ball carrier's flags is removed by an opposing player or falls off.
    2. Receiver catches the ball while not having all flags attached.
    3. The ball carrier leaves the field of play.
    4. A team scores a touchdown or extra point.
    5. The ball touches the ground because of a fumble or incomplete pass.
    6. Any part of the ball carrier's body, including hands, other than his or her feet touch the ground.
    7. A defensive player intercepts an extra point pass attempt.
    8. A referee inadvertently blows his whistle.

Penalties

  1. All penalties may be declined by the opposing team should the penalty be to their detriment.
  2. Penalties will be imposed at the line of scrimmage, except for flag guarding. Any penalty within 10 yards of the offensive goal line will be enforced as half the distance to the goal, regardless of the penalty being for 5 or 10 yards.
  3. The following shall incur a ten-yard penalty:
    1. Any player:
      1. Running into an opponent, including using a “stiff-arm.”, without having made a reasonable effort to avoid contact.
      2. Reckless play. Players must make every effort to avoid contact.
      3. Blocking. Players may not use their hands, elbows, or any other part of their body to block opponents.
      4. Flag guarding. Players may not intentionally block access to any flag, including those worn by teammates. Flag guarding will be enforced 10 yards from the spot of the foul (not pass interference).
      5. Stripping the ball from the ball carrier.
      6. Intentionally removing an opponent's flag who has not yet taken possession of the ball (enacted spot at location of catch, and an automatic first down).
      7. Intentional foul.
      8. Unsportsmanlike conduct -  this includes illegally secured flag belts.
    2. Defense:
      1. Holding. Defenders may not touch the receiver prior to catching the ball.
      2. Face guarding. Players may not use their hands to block the sight of the receiver.
      3. Pass interference.  Given that no player shall be obligated to give up a position once gained, a defender shall not deliberately obstruct an intended receiver from obtaining a position to catch the ball.
    3. Offense:
      1. Offensive pass interference. No player shall obstruct another player from obtaining a position from which to go to and catch the ball, given that neither shall any player be obligated to give up such a position once gained.
  4. The following shall incur a five-yard penalty:
    1. Defense:
      1. Offsides. A defensive player is offsides when any part of his body is lined up across the defensive line of scrimmage cone.
      2. Encroachment. A defensive player may not enter the neutral from the defensive line of scrimmage prior to the snap.
    2. Offense:
      1. Delay of game. The offensive team has 20 seconds from the referee's whistle to snap the ball.
      2. Illegal participation. Teams may not have more than 7 players on the field, including at least 3 of each gender, or in accordance to the on-field rules per the "Team" section of these rules.
      3. Illegal cadence. The player calling the cadence must receive the snap.
      4. False start. At least 4 players (or 3, if only 5 players or less are on the field) must be set at the line of scrimmage for a minimum of one full second prior to the snap.  Play is blown dead when False Start occurs.
      5. Illegal motion. No player is permitted to move forward toward the goal line until the snap.
      6. Illegal shift. Only one player may be moving, whether laterally or backwards, at the time the ball is snapped.
      7. Illegal forward pass. The ball may be passed forward only once and only from behind the line of scrimmage. A forward pass must cross the line of scrimmage. Lateral passes are permitted at any time.
      8. Intentional grounding. A passer may not throw the ball without a realistic chance of completion, with the exception that a passer may ground the ball to stop the clock with less than two minutes to play in the game. Also penalized a loss of down.
      9. A player will be assessed a 5 yard penalty if the ball is snapped and their shirt is completely untucked.

Scoring

  1. A player shall score when the ball has breached the goal line; the player’s body location has no pertinence.
  2. A touchdown shall count for 9 points when scored by a female player, or by a male player who catches a pass in the end zone from a female quarterback.
  3. A touchdown scored during a play involving a lateral pass beyond the line of scrimmage shall count for 6 points, regardless of the gender of the individual who scored.
  4. All other touchdowns shall count for 6 points.
  5. A ten-yard conversion shall count for 1 point.
  6. A twenty-yard conversion shall count for 2 points.
  7. A "safety" counts for 2 points.
  8. Upon any scoring play, an official will need to pull off the participant's flag belt to ensure that is was legally secured. (Belts cannot be tied, must be clipped.)
  9. Each game won shall count as 2 points in the League standings. A tie shall count as 1 point. Losses and forfeits shall count as 0 points.

Mercy Rule

  1. A game shall be immediately called whenever a team achieves a 50-point or more advantage.

Playoff Tie Breaker

  1. There will be an overtime in which both teams will have equal chances to score 20 yard line. 
  2. A coin toss will take place with the victor deciding to either attempt to score first or defer.
  3. Each team will have 4 downs to score. Open/Closed plays still apply including points. If a turnover is committed, the team on offense will either convert to defense or the game will be over.
  4. If a team scores, they have an option to go for 1 or 2 points from the aforementioned designated spots.
  5. If the teams are still tied after each has attempted to score on offense, the team that started on offense will begin on defense and vice versa.  If the teams are still tied after 2 rounds, you must attempt a 2 point conversion after a touchdown.
  6. The game cannot end on a penalty.

Forfeits

  1. Teams must be ready to play and meet game start requirements at the posted game time. Any team not ready to play at this time shall forfeit, and the opposing team shall take a default win.  The team that is available will win 50-0.
  2. If neither team is ready to play, both teams shall forfeit.
  3. Any team found to be playing with a player not registered with the League or team shall forfeit the game.