EFFECTIVE:  February 13, 2011

IOWA HIGH SCHOOL RULES WILL BE USED WITH THE FOLLOWING EXCEPTIONS:

SECTION I:

1) PLAYING TIME AND CLOCK – All quarters will be 12 minutes continuous clock.  The clock will only stop for timeouts, injuries, official measurements, penalties, touchdowns, and the last 2 minutes of the 2nd and 4th quarters.  At that point the officials will follow I.H.S.A. rules for stops and starts (time-outs, incomplete passes, out of bounds, penalties and first downs-moving the chains). There will be a 5-10 minute half times.

2) TIME-OUTS - Each team has 3 time-outs per half. Time-outs are 90 seconds.

3) GADGET PLAYS, TRICK PLAYS – Gadget or Trick plays are NOT ALLOWED!  Penalty for running a trick play will result in a 15 yard penalty and loss of down.  NO WARNINGS!  Trick plays are considered any double hand-off.  Half-Back pass is a trick play unless it is a direct snap to Half-Back.  One hand off to any eligible runner is ok.

4) PLAYS - No Power Formations (Power I, T Formation, and Wishbone).  Wingback must line up outside of the tackle, quarterback and two running backs between the tackles.  No quarterback sneak when under center.  If the quarterback is in shotgun he must be at least 4 yards off the line of scrimmage then he may run anywhere.  Teams can NOT use motion and triples can NOT be used either.  Can have NO more than 2 players lined up outside of tackle on each side. Can’t have more than 5 players on either side of center to provide a balanced offense. Can have 5 players on one side and one or two backs directly behind quarterback. Offense will start at 40 yd line to start each half and after every touchdown. (20 yardline for 8-man field)

5) LINE SPLITS – The maximums splits for an offensive lineman is 3feet or 1 yard between their feet.  For example:  The left foot of one lineman to the right foot of another lineman.

6) DEFENSIVE - All defensive teams must come up in a 6-2, 4-4 or 4-3 defensive formation. No 5-3 allowed. (D-tackles must be head up over the offensive guards).  If in a 6-2 the inside lineman must line up head to head over the guard and tackles. No one in the gaps.  No defensive shifts once the offense is set. Defensive ends can line up as far out as they would like, but must have one DE on left and right side of line.  DE can either stand up or be in a down position. Defensive formations require four distinct levels.  1) Line of Scrimmage, 2) Linebackers, four yards off the line of scrimmage, 3) Cornerbacks, at least one yard behind linebackers, and 4) Safety, at least one yard behind cornerbacks.  After the ball is snapped, the defensive players can go wherever they want.  The defense can run a 6-2 or 5-3 defensive formation inside own 20.  Inside the 5 yard line, the linebackers can line up 3 yards off the line of scrimmage.  No nose guard ever.

7) SAFETY - After a safety, the team who was tackled for a safety turns over the ball to the other team.  Two points are awarded to the team who tackled the offensive player in the end zone. The team who was awarded the 2 points gets the ball 1st and ten at mid-field (50 yd line).

8 ) OVERTIME - When the game ends in a tie, the ball will be placed on the 10-yard line with each team having four attempts to score. Teams must go for 2 point conversions in all overtime periods.  Overtimes will be played until a winner is determined.

9) PENALTY - After talking to captains about a penalty, officials will look to the head coach to accept or decline.

10) DEFENSVIE STOP - If the defense stops the offense anywhere inside the 20 yard line then the ball is moved out to the 20 yard line.  The offensive team will not start inside the 20 yard line.

11) FUMBLED SNAP – If there is a fumble on the snap between the QB & Center the ball is live until one team has control of the ball.

12) PUNTS - No punts. If a team chooses to punt, the official will mark off 30 yards and the other team will take possession. The ball can’t be moved inside the 20 yard line from a punt. THE CLOCK DOES NOT STOP DURING PUNTS.

13) CASTS - A player wearing any type of cast including but not limited to a hard plastic, plaster pares or hard splint, will not be allowed to play in a game.  Cast or hard splint must be removed and written permission from doctor stating child is released to play must be in the possession of the NYFL Board President before the child is able to regain game play.

14) SHOES – Only one-piece RUBBER-MOLDED SOLE or tennis/gym shoe will be allowed.

15) VISORS – Clear visors may be worn on your helmets but NO tinted visors.

16) GAME BALL – We will use the Nike Junior 1000 Spiral Tech for both divisions.  The 5^th/6^th grade division can play with either the Junior or the Youth size football.

17) SITE REQUIREMENTS - Game Site Commissioner (which will be the referees); Clock, Scoreboard and Operator; Game Officials; Concessions; Game Announcer, if used (must be 18 or older and unbiased).  Home coaches are in charge of set up.  Each site needs to have a running clock visible to each side lines, but if not, then someone besides the official will stand on the visitor’s sideline.  The field must be properly marked and the condition of the field must be playable and approved by the visiting teams Head Coach or Director.

18) OFFICIALS: The home team is responsible for lining up the officials for the game. It is required to have at least 2 officials per game and one official must be certified. The non-certified official must be of college age or higher.  High School students can NOT officiate in the NYFL, unless there are at least 2 certified officials and one is out of high school.  If the home team can not get one certified official for the game then they must forfeit the game, but the game is still played.

19) MAXIMUM number of players on one team is 29 kids.  The only exception will be if someone would move into your community after August 1^st.  If you have more than 29 players before August 1^st, you will have to divide up into two teams.  The schedule will not be finalized until August 1^st.

20) Communities with multiple schools may not separate from each other. For example: Storm Lake Publicmust play with S.L. St. Mary’s kids. They can’t have their own team by school. What school the player attends determines the community he/she plays for.

21) WEIGHTS – 5^th/6^th grade skilled positions cannot weigh more than 130 lbs.  3^rd/4^th grade skilled positions cannot weigh more than 94.5 lbs.  Skilled positions are the following:  QB, Half Back, Running Back, TE, Flanker, Wide Receiver and Wing Back.

22) WEIGH INS - Weigh in’s for all teams will be conducted by an NYFL Board Member and both Head Coaches of each team before the first game.  Weigh-ins can be done anytime before the first game and after the first practice. A director from another community must be present for the official weigh-in and all players must be present.

23) CAMPS – Each team can hold a camp before the season. No playbook, contact, or pads are allowed.

24) Chain gang must be on home team side of the field during all games.

25) CAMPS – No NYFL team can scrimmage or play a team outside the NYFL.

SECTION II:

COACH’S CONDUCT RULES:

The children in our program are at a very impressionable age, therefore, these rules of conduct for the coaches will help to set a favorable example for all participants.  All Head Coaches are responsible for their Assistant Coaches following these rules.  Also, blatant violations of these rules could lead to forfeiture of game(s).

THIS PROGRAM IS FOR THE KIDS!

1) Head Coach is responsible for conduct of his Assistants and parents of players on his team.

2) No alcoholic beverages are allowed at practices or games.  This rule includes parents.  Coaches are to make sure parents understand this rule.  Coaches violating this rule will be dismissed from the program immediately.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  Parents violating this rule will be warned once and then their child may be removed form the program by action of the Board of Directors.

3) Per Officials discretion, swearing or unsportsmanlike like conduct will result in 1st-a warning to stop conduct in question and 2nd-ejection from the game.  Coaches will refrain from smoking and chewing tobacco around the players.

4) Ejections will follow the High School rule.  1^st ejection-out for next game; 2^nd ejection-out for the season.  If this happens on the last game of the season it will be carried over to the next season.

5) No striking any of the children for any reason.  These are children not adults treat them accordingly.

6) Follow the league rules in fact and in spirit.  Remember at all times this program is for the players benefit, not for the coaches or parents.

7) No game films or videotapes, etc. can be used for coaching or scouting purposes.  Violation of this rule will be reviewed by the Board to determine possible punishment.  You can videotape your son but not for coaching your entire team from the tape.

8 ) Coaching Rosters are to have One Head Coach and up to six Assistant Coaches.

9) No criticizing officials at any time, on or off the field.  This can only hurt the program.  If you disagree with a call, and you think the official misapplied a rule, you can call a time out and discuss it with the officials.  This does not apply to judgment calls.  If the official agrees a rule was wrongly applied, the time out is not charged and the correction is made.  If the official thinks the rule was correctly applied, the time out is charged to your team and the play stands.  The referee’s decision is final.

10) In case of an injury on the field, coaches are allowed to pull the team to the sideline for water or Coach’s instructions.

11) Show good SPORTSMANSHIP at all time.

12) Playing time for all participants is more important than winning or losing a game.  REMEMBER:  THIS PROGRAM IS FOR THE YOUTH and not for the coaches and parents.

13) INFRACTIONS OF THE ABOVE RULES ARE SUBJECT TO A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS BY THE BOARD UP TO AND INCLUDING DISMISSAL FROM THE PROGRAM.

14) Teams are allowed one coach on the field for offense and one for defense.

SECTION III:

PRACTICES AND GAMES:

1) All teams will be limited to three (3) practices a week for the first two weeks and then only two (2) practices a week for the duration of the season.  Only (1) practice session per day is allowed, and each practice session is limited to a MAXIMUM time of 90 minutes.

2) Equipment to be used the first week of practice will be football helmet only.  The second week of practice full equipment may be used.  NOTE:  NYFL Board has the authority to immediately suspend a practice or dismiss a Coaching Staff found guilty of violating this rule.

3) Each player will start the game either on offense or defense.  The coaches will make an effort to play all players an equal amount of time.  Teams failing to follow these rules will be referred to the NYFL Board for possible disciplinary action.  We do understand that this is very difficult to do but we just ask you to do your best.  Players that miss a practice during the week or shows up late for the practice or game do not have to start and may not play equal amount of time.  This is up to the coaches of those players.

SECTION IV:

CHEERLEADER PROGRAM:

1) Each community having cheerleaders at their games must be registered through the NYFL.  If they are NOT registered through the NYFL and cheer at the games, then that team will forfeit that game & lose home field privileges for the rest of the year.  You will be given a list of all the communities that have a cheerleading program through the NYFL.  Each coach is required to report each team in violation of this rule.  This includes in the bleachers, by the bleachers, or anywhere on the grounds.