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Revised
May 26, 2002
GAME LENGTH
Teams will play games consisting of four 12 minute quarters
timed in accordance with the Canadian Rulebook for Tackle Football. This is the
same as used by High School football. Games will usually run 2-2.5 hours in
length.
GENERAL
(1) Teams are permitted to practice a maximum of
30 hours.
(2) No player can go both ways in the same quarter. This permits players
to play both offense and
defence, just not at the same time.
(3) No kickoffs. Teams begin scrimmage from their own 35 yard line.
(4) After a touchdown teams will run or pass from the 5 yard line for a two
point conversion.
There will be no kicked converts and no field goals. Punters can score singles.
(5) Teams are permitted to punt. There will be no rush on the punter. No fake
punts. No onside
players. Players on the kicking team cannot cross the line of scrimmage until
the ball is in the air.
Players on the receiving team will line up in a "normal" punt return
formation and cannot
retreat until the ball is snapped.
(6) The nearest goalpost will be used as
the "hash mark". This will reduce the maximum width of the wide side
of the field from 41 yards to just over 35 yards. (14
& Under Elite Only)
DEFENCE
(1) The
defence can attempt to "overwhelm"
the offence by a maximum of one player on any given play. This can be done
by either
having one more defensive lineman than the the offense has interior offensive
lineman (ie. C, G, T, TE) or by
blitzing or rushing one
linebacker. Defensive backs are not allowed to blitz.
Linebackers must line up, at least, 3 yards
off the line of scrimmage. Defensive halfbacks must line up, at least, 7 yards
off the line of scrimmage. Corners are exempt from this rule.
If this rule is violated the defence will
be penalized 5 yards for "illegal defence". In order to minimize
penalties, it is strongly recommended that the defensive captain keep the Line
Umpire informed of planned blitzes.
This rule is not in effect when there is
two yards or less to go for a first down or when the offense is scrimmaging
inside the defensive team's 5 yard line.
OFFENCE
(1) Teams will play 4
down football with the
one yard neutral zone. The offence must throw a
legal forward pass on at least one of the first
three downs in each series of downs.
Failure to do so will result in an
"Illegal Procedure" penalty. Officials will not stop play until the
ball is dead. Attempting to pass and getting sacked or being forced to run will
not satisfy this rule. The ball must be thrown as a legal forward pass. Forward
passes thrown to receivers behind the line of scrimmage must travel at least 10 yards to
satisfy this rule. A lateral pass will not satisfy this rule. Officials should
point this out to a team that has just thrown a lateral pass. A five yard
penalty will be applied and the down repeated. The offensive team will still be
obligated to pass the ball again after the penalty has been applied.
The defensive team has the option to
decline the penalty, let the play stand and bring up fourth down. The offensive
team can run the ball on fourth down.
In order to avoid this penalty teams
are strongly advised to pass on either first or second down.
(2) No trick plays (e.g. fumble/rooskie,
hook and ladder, double reverses, etc.). Offenses should emphasize basic,
fundamental football.
(3) Initiating blocks below the waist is not
permitted. Illegal blocks below the waist are a 15 yard penalty. Any
player penalized twice for this infraction in the same game will not be
permitted to play the remainder of the game. "Pop and Drop" blocking
is permitted.
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