Flag Football

Flag football can be played with up to 9 players on a team, and can be played using substitutes every 4 downs/plays. The field should be longer than it is wider with cones used to determine the centerline.

Play will start with the kicking team kicking the ball off to the receiving team from the quarterline near the kicking team’s goal line.

Scoring:

Touch down = 6 points

Conversion from the closest hash mark = 1 point. Conversion from the farthest hash mark = 2 points

Safety = 2 points, plus receives the ball from a kickoff.

Terms:

Down- when the ball becomes dead. Four downs (or tries) are allowed to score a touchdown, or cross the centerline. On the fourth down if the offensive team doesn’t score or reach the centerline they should punt the ball or risk turning over the ball at the line of scrimmage.

Dead ball- the ball becomes dead when:

a. the ball carrier’s flag becomes detached

b. when any part of the ball carrier’s body other than the hands and feet touch the ground

c. an incomplete pass

d. a fumble

e. when the ball goes out of bounds

Football Vocabulary:

Center- the offensive lineman who snaps the football to the quarterback

Defense- the team that does not have possession of the ball

End zone- the area between the goal line and the end line where touchdowns occur

Fake- a move made by a player for the purpose of deceiving an opponent

First down- the first of four attempts to move the football forward into the end zone or to

the center line

Fumble- the ball carrier drops the ball while in their possession. Fumbles become dead

balls and can not be advanced by the recovering team

Handoff- an exchange of the football from the quarterback to a teammate. Only one handoff is allowed during a series of downs

Interception- when the defense catches a ball that was meant to be caught by the offensive team

Line of Scrimmage- Imaginary line drawn from the forward tip of the football to the side

line

Offense- the team that has possession of the football

Offside- Movement across the line of scrimmage before the football is snapped

Safety- removing the flag of the other team behind their own goal line with the ball

Touchdown- an offensive player having possession of the football in the opponent’s end zone