Ross Middle School Physical Education Flag Football Rules Most of the football terms were taken from: http://football.about.com/od/football101/l/bl_glossary.htm Playing Field The playing field is 80 yards in length from goal line to goal line. The end zones are 10 yards from goal line to end line. The width of the field is 50 yards and the first down lines will be 20 yards long. Cones are used to mark the 20 yard first down zones on both sides of the field and either cones or end zone marking flags shall be used to mark all four corners of the end zones.  Belts and Flags Each belt consists of 3 yellow flags or 3 red flags depending on your teams color. Belts must be worn by all players with shirts tucked in so as not to conceal a player’s flag.
Kick-offs A play that starts the game and after each touchdown. Kickoffs are taken on the teams 20 yard line. The receiving team should spread their players out, some close, some in the middle, and some far away. Punts All punts must be declared. The ball must be kicked from behind the line of scrimmage.
Spotting Balls Out-of-Bounds Kickoffs which go out-of-bounds will be re-kicked with a five yard penalty. Kickoffs which cross the goal line are dead and the ball is put in play by the receiving team at the 20 yard line. Punts which go out of bounds are put in play at the spot where they leave the field of play. Those which cross the goal line are dead and are put in play at the 20 yard line. Downs A team has four downs, or tries, to advance the ball past the first down marker. If they fail to reach the next zone in 4 downs, their opponents shall gain possession of the ball at the point where the ball is declared dead on the 4th down.
Dead Ball Dead ball occurs when the ball hits the ground as the result of a fumble, dropped handoff, dropped or bad center snap, backward pass, or dropped kickoff or punt. Exception: If the ball carrier loses possession and the ball strikes the ground in advance of the ball carrier, the ball shall be put in play where the ball carrier lost possession. Teams Teams consist of 5 to 11 players on a team. One team will have yellow flags and the other team will have red flags. Scoring Touchdown - 6 points Safety - 2 points Conversion from 3 yard line - 1 point Safety It is a safety when an offensive player causes the ball to go behind their own goal line, and it becomes dead in their team’s possession. Touchback It is a touchback when a player or team causes the ball to go behind an opponent’s goal line and such opponent is in team possession, or player causes the ball to go out of bounds behind the opponent’s goal line. Touchback: Ball is put in play with a first down on own 20-yard line. The Ball Carrier The ball carrier shall strive to avoid having his flag pulled by agility rather than by power. Any attempt by the ball carrier to run over, charge, hurdle, or straight arm the defense shall be illegal. The ball carrier may not protect the flags when running. Eligible Receivers and Running Backs All player are eligible to be a receiver or a running back. Or in other words, all players on the team can be a receiver or a running back. Rushing In The defensive team must count 5 Mississippi out loud so everyone can hear before they can cross the line of scimage. Stopping the Ball Carrier and Loose Equipment In order to down a ball carrier, any of the three flags must be pulled from the belt by an opponent. Each player is responsible for not having loose clothing, equipment, (shirts, jerseys, flags, belts, etc.). All clothing must be tucked inside the shorts so that the belt and flags will be visible, tight, and worn at waist level on each hip. Protecting the Flag The ball carrier cannot touch or protect his flags by straight arming, guarding, hacking, holding the flag, or running in an unnatural manner.
Blocking Blocking is aloud but in a non-aggressive manner. Blocking in P.E. is you putting yourself in between the ball carrier and the defensive players. Your hands may come in contact with the defensive player, but you may not push anyone. Clean up When the 7 minute bell rings, the game is over. The ball will be carried in and not thrown. All flags and belts must be brought in and placed in the appropriate tubes. The red flags go in the red tube and the yellow flags go in the yellow tube.
Terms Handoff – The act of giving the ball to another player.
Blitz - A defensive strategy in which more than one counter rushes in to pressure the quarterback. The object of a blitz is to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage or force the quarterback to hurry his pass. You still have to count to 5 Mississippi. Line of Scrimmage – An imaginary line stretching the width of the field that separates the two teams prior to the snap of the ball. Bomb - A long pass play in which the passer throws the ball to a receiver deep down the field. Hail Mary - An offensive play where the quarterback usually throws the ball deep down the field and into the end zone without really targeting any particular receiver, hoping someone on his team catches it and scores a touch down and wins the game.
End Zone - A 10-yard section stretching the width of the field at both ends of the playing field. A player in possession of the football scores a touchdown when the ball crosses the goal line and enters the end zone. Center - The offensive lineman who hikes (or snaps) the ball to the quarterback at the start of each play. Cover - To defend a position, player, or location on the field. Dead Ball -The period of time between plays when the ball is no longer in play. Examples: Incomplete pass, fumble, dropt ball. Defense - The team that is responsible for keeping the opposition out of their end zone. The team that does not have the football. Offense - The team that has possession of the football and attempts to advance it toward the defense's goal line. Down(s) - A play, starting when the ball is put into play and ending when the ball is ruled dead. Basically, a down is one play or one try. You have 4 downs to advance the ball to the first down marker or the end zone. Extra Point - After a touchdown, the scoring team is allowed to add another point by getting one down from the third yard line to cross the goal line. There are no field goals. First Down – The first play of every series. The offense must gain 20 yards or more in four downs to be awarded another first down. Pass - The act of throwing the ball to another player.
Huddle - When the offensive or defensive team form a group to discuss the upcoming play. Incomplete Pass - A forward pass that touches the ground before being caught or that is caught while the player is out of bounds. Live Ball - A ball that is in play while a play is in progress. Example: forward pass, ball carrier, interception. Interception - A pass that is caught by a defensive player, giving his team possession of the ball. Offsides - A penalty that occurs when any part of a defender's body is beyond his line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped. Pass Route - A predetermined path run by a receiver in an attempt to get open for a pass. Punt - A kick made when the punter drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. A punt usually occurs on fourth down and is designed to drive the other team back as far as possible before they take possession of the ball. Quarterback - The offensive player who receives the ball from the center at the start of each play before either handing it to the running back, throwing it to a receiver, or running with it himself. Receiver - An offensive player whose job it is to catch the football. Sack – When the quarterback gets their flag pulled behind the line of scrimmage.
Safety - A two-point score by the defense that occurs when one of its players pulls the flag of an opponent in possession of the ball in his own end zone. Shotgun - A passing formation in which the quarterback stands 5 to 7 yards behind the center before the snap. Snap - The action in which the ball is thrown or handed by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. Spiral - The spin on the ball in flight after the quarterback releases it. Touchdown - A scoring play in which any part of the ball, while legally in the possession of a player who is in-bounds, crosses the plane of the opponent's goal line. Turnover - A loss of possession of the ball via a fumble or interception. There are no fumbles in P.E. so you can only have a turnover when a interception occurs.
Most of the football terms were taken from: http://football.about.com/od/football101/l/bl_glossary.htm |