NFL Youth Flag Football Coaches Meeting

August 7, 2019

Agenda

• Welcome & Introductions

• Program Overview

• Team Formation/Roster Information

• Practice & Game Schedules

• Rules

• Staff Info

• Questions/Wrap-Up

Staff Introductions

• Greg Anselene• Manager of Sports League and Field Management, AFS

• Ryan Amato• Sports Programmer, AFS

• League Commissioner, grades 6-10

• Tyler Remerow• Sports Programmer, AFS

• League Commissioner, grades 1-5

Program History• Program entering 13th year

• Affiliated with NFL Flag Football

• Among the largest DPR Administered Youth Sports• 1300+ participants and 109 teams in 2018

• Fastest Growing Youth Sport in Arlington County

• Administered by DPR full time and part time staff• Administrative responsibilities include:

• Team formation

• Practice and game schedules

• Game site management

League Information• Grade based registration

• Coed leagues- Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9-10

• Girls leagues- Grades 6-8 and 9-10

• Players may play up grade levels but not down

• Registration Fee includes NFL jersey, flag belt, and team footballs

Team Formation• Team rosters consist of 12 players (may expand to 13 upon coach request)

• Team formation based on school enrollment

• Players requested specific team/coach at time of registration• Will attempt to honor requests

• Preference given to returning players from 2018 season

• Team rosters released to coaches August 9• Roster access via Stack Sports/Team Connect

• May use to manage/email team

• Players notified of team placement by coach

• All players must play equal amounts of time

Coaching

• Mandatory Background Check• Will receive an application via email

• Need to complete within 48 hours

• All coaches need to be registered• Any adult over 18 helping with team needs to register

• Assistant coaches are encouraged• Reach out to parents

Practices

• Practice Request Forms sent to coaches via email on August 7

• Forms due to DPR scheduling by 5:00pm on Monday, August 12

• Permits sent to coaches via email by COB on Wednesday, August 21

• Practices begin on Saturday, August 24

• Coaches may request a change in day between preseason and regular season• Will attempt to accommodate

Practices

• Teams will practice twice a week in preseason (Aug 24 – Sep 13)• One weeknight (Mon-Fri) and one weekend (Sat-Sun) practice

• Based on coach requests

• Regular Season Practices begin week of September 16• One weeknight practice per week

• Based on coach requests

• All practices are one hour in length

Regular Season Games• 7 game regular season

• Approximately 1 hour in duration

• All games will be scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays• Games begin September 14-15

• Games played primarily at Washington-Liberty and Wakefield HS Stadiums

• Game Schedules sent to coaches via email by Friday, August 30’

Games• Projected 2019 Regular Season Schedule

• Subject to change

League Day/Times Location

Grade 1 Coed Sundays 12:00 - 1:00pm Wakefield HS

Grade 2 Coed Sundays 12:00pm - 2:00pm Wakefield HS

Grade 3 Coed Sundays 2:00 - 4:00pm Wakefield HS

Grade 4 Coed Saturdays 10:15am - 2:15pm Washington-Liberty HS

Grade 5 Coed Saturdays 1:15 - 4:45pm Washington-Liberty HS

Grade 6 Coed Saturdays 4:45pm - 8:45pm Washington-Liberty HS

Grade 7 Coed Saturdays 3:15pm - 6:15pm Wakefield HS

Grade 8 Coed Saturdays 5:15pm - 7:15pm Wakefield HS

Grade 9/10 Coed Sundays 4:00pm - 5:00pm Wakefield HS

Grade 6-8 Girls Sundays 5:00pm - 7:00pm Wakefield HS

Grade 9/10 Girls Sundays 5:00pm - 8:00pm Wakefield HS

Playoffs• Every team makes the playoffs

• Single Elimination

• Projected start date- November 2-3• Schedules to coaches via email on Wednesday, October 30

• All games completed no later than November 16-17

Rules

• Equipment Requirements• Mouth guards required

• Shorts with no pockets

• Shorts must differ in color from flags

• Jerseys must be tucked in and underneath the flag belt at all times

• Playing Time• All players must play equal amounts of time

• We recommend that players should have an opportunity to learn different positions. Lopsided scores is a great opportunity for players to learn/try new positions

Rules Continued

• Games played under NFL Flag Rules with select modifications• 5 v 5 format

• Can play with four players

• Two 24 minute halves (running clock)• Clock stops on all team time outs (reach team receives one 30 second time out per half)

• Last 2 minutes of second half clock stops for; incomplete passes, plays ending out of bounds, and first downs.

• Clock starts on following snap

• 45 second play clock• Begins when ball is spotted

• Each team receives one warning per game

• Subsequent violations result in delay of game penalty

Rules Continued.• Offensive team starts with possession on their own 5 yard line

• 3 attempts to secure first down at midfield/touchdown• Modification for grades 1-4 (four attempts to reach first down/touchdown)• Failure to reach first down/touchdown results in turnover to opposing team

• Possession on turnovers will start at opposing team’s 5 yard line regardless of field position• On interceptions, the defensive team’s possession will begin where previous play ended

• Following a touchdown, the offensive team will have a choice for PAT• Try for 1 point from 5 yard line (pass only)• Try for 2 points from 10 yard line (run or pass)• Must declare, can only be changed by a timeout• Interceptions are dead, cannot be returned

Rules Continued.• No blocking permitted

• “No run” zones• 5 yards before 1st down and 5 yards before end zone

• Ball is dead when it hits the ground• Player is down when;

• any part of his/her body other than hand or foot contacts the ground• step out of bounds• flag(s) fall off• obtain possession with one or more flags missing

• Airborne player must land with at least one foot in bounds to be considered in bounds • Determined by first foot to make contact with the ground

Rules Continued.• Ball is spotted where the player’s foremost foot is when the flag is pulled

• Only handoffs behind line of scrimmage are permitted• May be forward, sideways, or backward• Quarterback cannot directly run with the ball

• Passes must be thrown forward from behind the line of scrimmage and caught in advance of the line of scrimmage• Player has seven (7) seconds to throw a pass

• Considered a sack and ball is dead at spot

• Must have at least one player on the line of scrimmage• Only one player in motion at a time

• One yard behind line of scrimmage• Cannot motion towards line

Rules Continued.

• Defensive players cannot cross line of scrimmage until ball is handed off• Players crossing the line prior to handoff can get back without penalty

• Only players 7 or more yards from line of scrimmage can rush the passer• If crossing the seven yard line prior to the snap, players may return and rush the passer

• If crossing the seven yard line prior to the snap, if ball is handed off before they cross the line of scrimmage, rusher may continue to play

• Players may dive in an attempt to pull flags• Cannot hold, obstruct, tackle, or run through ball carrier

• No stripping of the ball is allowed

• Players cannot flag guard• Stiff arms, lowering head, arms, shoulders, diving, jumping, or leaping

• Players may spin, provided it is controlled and player does not leave feet

Scoring• Touchdowns are worth six (6) points

• PATs are worth one (1) or (2) points

• Safeties are worth two (2) points

• Point Differential Rule• When a team is ahead by 28 or more points, game is officially over

• Game will be played to time completion, allowing players to receive playing time

• Overtime is not played in the regular season

• Game results will be posted online each week on Scores & Standings webpage

Common Penalties• Offensive Penalties

• False start• Illegal motion• Blocking/impeding the rusher• Flag guarding• Charging/unnecessary roughness

• Defensive Penalties• Offsides/illegal rush• Holding• Defensive pass interference• Unnecessary roughness

• Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Penalties Continued.

• Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play

• At the Referees discretion, a player may be given a warning or forced to sit out the remainder of the drive for rough play. Rough play is characterized by a player violently losing control of their body while performing football actions in which the chance for injury is drastically increased.

Coaches

• Coaches are allowed on the field to direct players according to need and division.• Grades 1-4 – Offense may have up to two (2) offensive coaches on the field.

Defense is allowed one (1) defensive coach on the field.

• Grades 5-10 – Offense may only have one (1) offensive coach on the field. Defense is not permitted to have a defensive coach on the field.

• Coaches are subject to sportsmanship rules• Set the example for players and spectators

• Head coach is responsible for conduct of assistants and sideline

• Subject to penalty and/or ejection

Resources

• https://nflflag.com/resources

• Playbooks

• Complete rulebooks

• Coach certification course• Optional

• In partnership with USA Football

• Certificates of Achievement

Administrative Staff

• Commissioner for Grades 1-5• Tyler Remerow

• tremerow@arlingtonva.us

• 703-228-1808

• Commissioner for Grades 6-10• Ryan Amato

• ramato@arlingtonva.us

• 703-228-1835

Game Site Staff

• Program Assistant on-site for all games• Part-time DPR staff member

• Responsibilities Include• Site set-up and clean-up

• Maintain site safety

• Provide on-site coordination

• Record game scores

• File necessary reports

Officiating

• Officials provided via contract with NOVA Refs• Responsible for hiring, training, scheduling, evaluation, and payment of all

officials

• Two officials per game

• Judgment of the officials is final and not subject to protest

Regional Teams

• Permitted via affiliation with NFL Flag

• Additional information available at- https://nflflag.com/tournaments

• These teams are outside of the DPR program

• Coaches/players responsible for all costs associated with teams

• Teams created/formed by interested coaches• DPR will provide tryout space and time to teams

• DPR will assist in registering teams with NFL Flag

• DPR does not play any role in player selection/assignment

Wrap-Up

• Questions?

• Thank you for attending!