Rules and Policy

Flag Football

Flag Football Rules

SPIRIT POINTS: An integral part of all the sports that the Ottawa Sport & Social Club offers. It is based on the primary focus of the OSSC, which is sportsmanship and to have FUN...NOT on competitive and aggressive sport.

1. Equipment/Field Set-Up: Tea m captains are responsible for bringing the supplied football, four (4) field markers, a set of ten (10) flag belts (with 2 flags each) and field permits (if necessary) to each location for every game. Captains must pace out the field so it is approximately 35 paces wide and 50 paces long with end zones 8 to 10 paces deep. Each team should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.

2. Game Time/Default: Please arrive 15 minutes early to set up fields and start your games on time. Games are 1 1/2 hour

(unless otherwise indicated ie. double headers)

with a 5-minute half time taken midway through game, please agree on one person to act as timekeeper. Teams are comprised of seven (7) players with a minimum of two (2) of each gender on the field. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad 15 minutes after the official start time. A team can play with a minimum of 6 people, as long as there are two (2) of each gender. Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum people but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS! 

3. General Rules:

  1. A coin toss will decide who will receive the opening kick-off
  2. The kicking team will kick-off from their own end zone line. All players on the team must line-up behind the kicker and can only start to run downfield once the ball has been kicked. If the ball is kicked out of bounds, the offensive team will start their drive at the spot where the ball left the playing area – there is NOT an option to ask for a re-kick.
  3. Spinning - An offensive player CAN turn their bodies from side to side, but CANNOT spin 360 degrees. This prevents defensive players from injuring their fingers. If a player spins, the ball is dead at the point where the spin occurred.
  4. Offensive players may not block or otherwise obstruct any defensive players. This means if they do not have the football, they should not be running in front or right beside their teammate who is carrying the football.
  5. Offensive players cannot protect/cover/hide/block his/her flag. If the person with the ball blocks the defenders hand from grabbing their flag, the play is dead where the block occurred.
  6. Flags should be placed on the hips of each player at the outset of each play. ong>The flag must be on top of all clothing and cannot be folded over such that the Velcro attachment is on the inside. If a flag inadvertently falls off the ball carrier, or if a player attempts to grab a flag and there is not one on the hip of the offensive player, the play is stopped at that location.
  7. An offensive player can dive or jump to catch a ball, but once in possession he/she cannot leave their feet at any time. This includes all forms of jumping and diving. If the ball carrier breaks this rule, the play is dead at the point where the player stood before the infraction.
  8. First point of contact: A receiver is determined to be "in" or "out" based on their first point of contact with the ground. If a player lands first with one foot in-bounds, and then the other foot touches down out-of-bounds, it IS a fair catch, but the play ends where they touched the out of bounds line. If a player catches the ball, but is straddling or lands straddling the sideline, it is NOT a catch. Only a ONE foot landing is needed - as long as that foot touches down in-bounds.
  9. A receiver's should not be going out of bounds and coming back into the field of play to catch balls
  10. Scoring: A point is scored when a player catches any legal pass or runs the ball into the defensive end zone prior to having one of their flags stripped. Please note that it is not enough to have the "plain of the end zone" broken by the ball - to score a player must step over the line in the end zone.
  11. The offensive team has four (4) downs to cover the entire field.
  12. The offensive team may punt on the 4th down, and do not need to notify the defense of their intentions to do so.
  13. The defense must loudly count five (5) “steamboats” before rushing the quarterback. While counting, the defense must line up at or behind the line of scrimmage.
  14. The quarterback may only run the football at the end of the 5 “steamboats” when and if the defense crosses the line of scrimmage. This pertains to any defensive player (not just the player covering the qb)
  15. Teams receive one (1) point for each touchdown. There are no conversions.
  16. From the time the ball is placed on the line of scrimmage, the offense has 30 “steamboats” to start the next play. Running down the clock with an unnecessarily long huddle is not an acceptable strategy.
  17. Safe Plays: A defender may not step in front of the ball carrier or block a running lane if it has the potential to create an unsafe play. Likewise, an offensive player should not run with their head down, in an attempt to run through the defenders. In other words, incidental contact is inevitable, but players should not be run over. Please use your best judgment.
  18. If a defending team sacks the quarterback (or any offensive player with the ball) in the offensive end zone, the ball is turned over at midfield to the defending team. No points are scored.
  19. Fouls (including picks) that are called by the offence or defence will lead to a re-down (the play starting over from the line of scrimmage).
  20. Once a foul is called, the play must stop and the play is started over.
  21. If the offence/defence is fouled, they can choose not to call a foul if it is an advantage to do so. ie a receiver is fouled as they catch the ball and continues to run the ball in for a touchdown.
  23. If the ball is kicked through the end zone on either a punt or kick-off (or kicked into the end zone and the receiving team elects not to run the ball out by letting the ball go), the offensive team will start their drive 10 paces out from their end zone, in the centre of the field. If the receiving team elects to catch the ball in the end zone (or runs back into the end zone after catching the ball), the receiver is in play and runs the risk of being tackled in his/her own end zone.
  24. Other obscure or minor NFL or CFL rules WILL NOT APPLY (e.g. it is NOT a foul if a defensive player has his/her back to the ball and inadvertently blocks a pass with their arms or back of their head).
  25. Ending the Half or Game - With three minutes to go in the half (game), there are 5 plays left in the half (game). A kickoff after a touchdown is not considered a play.
  26. A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, if a game is tied at the end of regulation time, the game continues until a team has scored to break the tie.

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    Please note

    in the event of foul weather (Deschatelets only) or severe weather (i.e. electrical storms etc) games should immediately be stopped and players should take cover away from open spaces. Wait 15 minutes; if the severe weather passes, continue play. If it does not and the game was in the first half, the game must be re-played. If it was in the 2nd half, then the score at that time of when the game is stopped will count as the final score.

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  27. Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out per half if needed except during the last 10 minutes of play
  28. There are no fumbles - if the ball is dropped by an offensive player while running or after catching the football, the ball is dead where it hits the ground. This will avoid unsafe plays by players diving for the football.
  29. During punts, offensive players must give the receiving team room to be able to catch the football (or they can ask for a re-kick).
  30. Please wear shorts/pants with NO pockets. This will reduce finger injuries when trying to grab the flags

 

 

 

4. Dead Play: If a player carrying the ball slips/falls and one knee touches the ground, the play is dead and the defense does not have to remove a flag for the play to stop. PLEASE OBSERVE THIS RULE CAREFULLY! It helps immensely in promoting safer play. In addition, if the football touches the ground for any reason (kickoffs, punts, fumbles, handoffs, etc) the ball is dead and the play is over. The next play is started at the spot where the ball hit the ground in the case of punts and kickoffs, and at the spot where the last person touched the ball for all other situations.

5. Discrepancies: All games are self-refereed. Disputes about a possible infraction are to be discussed amongst the people involved in the play. If an agreement cannot be reached, don’t waste time arguing the play - simply redo the down. Please play safely and with good spirit.

6. Rough Play: ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER LEAGUE PLAY AND MAY RESULT IN LIFETIME LEAGUE EXPULSION. PLEASE SEE THE OSSC POLICY SHEET FOR OUR OFFICIAL POLICY ON THIS SUBJECT. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable – however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.