FLAG FOOTBALL - Intramurals

Rules:

1. Flag Football, a modification of regular American Football, has developed by leaps and bounds in recent years. It is a game that has become exceedingly popular in intramurals and leagues across the country. The game was developed to strengthen the physical, moral and competitive fiber of American men. By expanding opportunities for participation in leagues, men reap the benefits of physical fitness, wholesome recreation, brotherhood and leadership which the sport tends to foster and spread to other segments of society. NIRSA (National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association) even has a National Flag Football championship each year. We will follow NIRSA rules so that our Brigade champions can be competitive in the Regionals.

2. THE GAME. The game shall be played between two teams of 7 (seven) players each on a rectangular field and with an official football.

3. COMPETITION. Will be between companies in each battalion, involving 6 leagues. Women are allowed to play as there is no physical contact. Flag football is played during the fall set.

4. TEAM. Each team shall consist of 7 players and must have 7 players to start and finish the game.

5. SQUAD. Each squad will consist of a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15. All squad members unless they are on an official chit or excusal, must be present at every intramural contest that their company plays in or they will be considered UA from a military obligation. If they are on your roster, they are to be present. All members present must play at least one quarter.

6. MOUTH GUARDS are mandatory and referees will check for these at the beginning of each half. No mouthguard and your company forfeits.

7. REFEREES: The game shall be played under the supervision of three officials: a REFEREE, UMPIRE and LINESMAN. Duties of each official will be explained in a one hour officials clinic before the season begins. Officials are to wear the striped jersey and to have a whistle(midn supervisor will issue these each day at the field.) If none of the officials show up, then the game is canceled and the officiating company will be penalized -15 points and the individuals will be considered UA by their company officers. The intramural office will try to reschedule the game but time factors usually make that impossible. In that case the game is recorded as a tie. Make sure your company knows when it officiates. A. Referees will award sportsmanship/fair play points at the end of each quarter and notify each coach of their decisions.

8. Who is NOT eligible to play? (This is protestable and will cause a forfeit if not followed.) A. JV/Varsity/150 pound football players are not eligible to play flag football. B. Varsity and Club Sport athletes currently listed on their team's rosters are not eligible to play, regardless of whether they are in-season or out of season. C. For a football player to gain eligibility, he must have sat out of his varsity/JV/150 for one whole year before he can play.

9. Goal lines. Goal lines for each team shall be established at opposite ends of the field, and each team shall be allowed opportunities to advance the ball across their opponent's goal line by running, passing or kicking it.

10. Team Coaches. Each team shall designate to the referee the field coach and field captain. Only those people may talk to the referees. The field coach is a non playing person and is responsible for his team's actions and discipline while on the field.

11. Inbounds-Out of bounds. The lines bounding the sidelines and the end zones are out of bounds in their entirety, and the inbounds area is bound by those lines. The entire width of each goal shall be a part of the end zone.

12. The Ball. The official ball shall be leather and shall meet the recommendations for size and shape for regulation football and is issued from the USNA intramural gear issue.

13. Contrasting Colors. Players of opposing teams must wear contrasting colors or distinguish themselves accordingly. Blue/gold mesh reversible issue or blue rim issue t-shirts.

14. Equipment. Shoes must be worn, and or a material which cover the foot with a sole of leather, rubber or composition with or without rubber cleats. SHOES WITH REMOVABLE CLEATS OR METAL CLEATS ARE PROHIBITED. Stocking caps, ski caps, watch caps (soft) are permitted. (Exception; kickers may kick barefooted.)

15. Flags. Each player on the field will wear a belt at the waistline with flags attached, but not tied thereto. Each flag should extend or hang from the waist. Wrapping, tying, or in any way securing the flags or the belt to the uniform, other than prescribed by rule, or intentionally removing a flag during play, is illegal: Penalty 15 yards and possible disqualification.

16. Blocking. Blocking is legally obstructing an opponent by contacting the opponent with any part of the blocker's body. Blockers must be on their feet before, during, and after contact is made with an opponent. Two on one blocking shall be limited to the area on and behind the neutral zone. Under no condition shall a high low or rolling block be permitted. Blocker is allowed to contact only that portion of the opponent's body between the waist and shoulders. Exception: a blocker who loses personal body control due to an opponent's aggressiveness after contact shall not be penalized. Contact with an opponent may occur only between the opponent's waist and shoulders. There shall be no cross body blocking. Any player who strikes an opponent above the shoulders in a flagrant manner will be ejected and disqualified from the game. A. Screen Blocking is legally obstructing an opponent without initiating contact with any part of the screen blockers body.

17. Clipping. Clipping is running or diving into the back, throwing or dropping the body across the back of the leg or legs of an opponent or pushing an opponent in the back other than the runner. This is illegal in flag football and results in automatic disqualification from the game.

18. Legal and Illegal Kicks. A legal kick is a punt, drop kick or place kick by a player of the team in possession when such kick is permitted by the rule. Deliberately kicking the ball in any other manner is illegal. A. Kick off is used to start each half as a free kick. It must be a place kick. B. Place kick is kicking the ball from a fixed position either on the ground or a tee. C. Protected scrimmage kick must be a punt.

19. The Neutral Zone. The neutral zone is is from the forward point of the football one yard to the Team B scrimmage line and extended to each sideline. It is established when the ball is ready for play. ready to play. It is a one yard space between the forward point of the football one

20. Encroachment. Denotes the position of a player, except the snapper or the kicker and holder of a place kick for a free kick, any part of whose person is beyond their scrimmage line or their restraining line anytime after the ready for play signal and before the ball is put in play.

21. Removing the Flag. When the flag is cleanly taken from a ball carrier the down shall end and the ball is declared dead. (Our flags will come off belt and all) A player who removed the flag from the ball carrier should immediately hold the flag above his head to assist the official in locating the spot where the capture occurred.

In an attempt to remove a flag from a ball carrier, defensive players may contact the body and shoulders of an opponent with their hands, but not their face or any part of their head. A defensive player may not hold, push, or knock the ball carrier down in an attempt to remove the flag. The flag may be dropped at the spot of capture by the defense with no penalty. A defensive player may leave his/her feet to secure a flag, but not tackle an opponent.

22. Scrimmage Line. Is the yard-line and its vertical plane which passes through the point of the ball nearest its own goal line. An offensive player is on the line of scrimmage when facing the opponent's goal with the line of the shoulders approximately parallel to the scrimmage line and with the head breaking the plane of an imaginary line drawn through the waistline of the snapper and parallel to the line of scrimmage.

23. Stance. All players of both the offense and defense may take any stance. Player's hands on their knees is permissible.

24. Backfield Line. The backfield line is a vertical plane one yard behind and parallel to the scrimmage line of the offensive team.

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