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USC TROJANS PARENT HANDBOOK SPRING 2009 WELCOME Welcome parents to another great year of Friday Night Lights flag football. Our emphasis this year will be focused on teaching the little guys the game of flag football through the use of various drills mixed in with a pre season scrimmage or two. While there will be some running during the practice, our main goal will be to make sure everyone has fun and EVERYONE carries the ball. The same will be true in games. Community Friday Night Lights has enjoyed remarkable growth in just three years. The fun and light atmosphere combined with great food vendors (A new one each week) make for a true community experience. Competition on the field is combined with the all important “What’s for snack?” which at this age is what they really remember at the end of the day. Practice We will determine a practice time and location that fits into everyone's schedule to the best of our ability. The practice will be limited to a maximum of 90 minutes with most practices being done by 7PM. We only get one practice a week as a team so being on time and ready to play is key to their individual development. Please be certain that your player arrives five minutes early and has a cold water/ Gatorade or similar and has already gone to the bathroom and has their cleats on and tied tightly. A properly fitting mouthpiece is a must on the practice and game field at all times. I suggest you start the season with 3-5 of them as they do occasionally go missing!
Clinics/ Outside There are a number of clinics coming up that will provide a boost to your players and I highly suggest they participate in these useful instructional events.
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BE ANNOUNCED GAMES
Games
will be held at Oak Middle RULES & EQUIPMENT “FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS” (FNL) youth Flag Football is a 6 on 6 game filled with fun and action. In this game, the offensive team plays for a first down at midfield and a touchdown in the end zone. Running and passing plays are allowed. The defensive team covers receivers, rushes the passer and grabs flags to make “tackles”. It is intended to be a “non-contact” sport THE BASICS
PLAYERS/GAMES Teams must field a minimum of 5 players at all times. Teams consist of 8 players – 6 on the field, with 2 substitutes. ALL PLAYERS MUST PLAY A MINIMUM 3 OUT OF THE 4 QUARTERS (EVERYONE SITS ONE FULL QUARTER). SUBSTITUTIONS ARE ONLY ALLOWED AT THE QUARTER BREAKS UNLESS THERE IS AN INUJURY. TIMING/OVERTIME Games are played with 10 minute running quarters (40minutes), 1 minute water break between quarters and a 5 minute halftime. If the score is tied at the end of 40 minutes, teams move directly into overtime (EXCEPT 1ST/2ND GRADE AND 3RD/4TH GRADE DIVISION WHICH WILL REMAIN A TIE). The California tie-breaker system will be used for all overtime games.
Each time the ball is spotted, a team has 30 seconds to snap the ball. Teams will receive one warning before a delay of game penalty is enforced. 2 timeouts per half and they do not carry over to 2nd half if unused. SCORING Touchdown = 6 points Extra Point: 1 point (played from 5 yard line) or 2 points (played from 12 yard line RUNNING
RECEIVING All players are eligible to receive passes (including the QB, if the ball has been handed off, lateraled or pitched behind the line of scrimmage as per NFL Rules). As in the NFL, only one player is allowed in motion at a time. A player must have at least one foot inbounds when making a reception. PASSING
DEAD BALLS
**NOTE: THERE ARE NO FUMBLES. THE BALL IS SPOTTED WHERE THE BALL HITS THE GROUND* RUSHING THE QUARTERBACK All players who rush the QB must be a minimum of seven yards from the line of scrimmage (as marked by ref) when the ball is snapped. Any number of players can rush the QB. Players not rushing the QB may defend on the line of scrimmage only until the ball leaves QB hands. Once the ball is handed off, the seven – yard rule no longer is in effect, and all defenders may go behind the line of scrimmage. A special marker, or the referee, will designate seven yards from the line of scrimmage. Remember, NO BLOCKING OR TACKLING IS ALLOWED. SPORTSMANSHIP/ROUGHING If the field monitor or referee witnesses any acts of tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking or any unsportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped and the player will be ejected from the game. The penalty if called is a dead ball at point of infraction and automatic 1st down. It will ALWAYS benefit the other team. **FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED** Trash talking is illegal. Officials have the right to determine offensive language. (Trash talk is talk that may be offensive to officials, opposing players, teams or spectators.) If trash talking occurs, the referee may give one warning and if it continues, the player or players will be ejected from the game. PENALTIES (ALL PENALTIES CAN BE DECLINED) All penalties will be called by the referee. DEFENSE: Offsides: 5 yards and automatic 1st down Interference: 10 yards and automatic 1st down. Illegal Contact: (Holding, blocking, etc) 10 yards and automatic 1st down. Illegal Flag pull (before receiver has ball) 10 yards and automatic 1st down Illegal rushing (starting rush from inside 7-yard marker) 10 yards and automatic 1st down. OFFENSE: Illegal motion (more than one person moving, false start, etc.) 5 Yards and loss of down Illegal forward pass (pass thrown beyond line of scrimmage) 5 yards and loss of down Offensive pass interference (Illegal pick play, pushing off/away defender) 10 yards and loss of down Flag guarding 10 yards (from line of scrimmage and loss of down Delay of Game Clock stops, 10 yards and loss of down Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play. All penalties will be assessed from the line of scrimmage!! Only the team captain may ask the referee questions about rue clarification and interpretations. Players cannot question judgment calls. Games cannot end on a defensive penalty, unless the offense declines it. ATTIRE Cleats are allowed, except for metal spikes. Inspections must be made. All players must wear a protective mouthpiece; there are no exceptions!! Official NFL/FNL Flag jerseys must be worn during play. NOTE: THERE ARE NO KICKOFFS, AND NO BLOCKING IS ALLOWED
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