How to play FLAG FOOTBALL
More and more kids are playing flag football. And we can see why: it's engaging, inclusive, and ridiculously fun. Best of all, anyone can learn to play flag football. You don't need any prior experience, skills, or background. Girls and boys aged 9 to 17 can sign up to play on a Barons Flag Football team.
Whether you are new to the sport or looking to refresh your flag football rules, this guide will teach you the ins and outs of how to play flag football.
FLAG FOOTBALL Field
A flag football field is shorter than a standard football field: 25 yards wide by 70 yards long, including two 10-yard end zones and a center line for first down. To prevent contact in tight spaces, "NO RUN" zones are located 5 yards before the end zones. If the ball is placed on or inside a "NO RUN" zone, the offense must use a passing play to score a touchdown.
Basic rules of flag football
When learning to play flag football, it's best to start with the basics. In LFMM Flag, teams play 5-on-5, and each game consists of two 20-minute halves. The clock only stops at halftime, during timeouts (each team has two), or in case of injury, making for fast-paced and competitive games. Every player has a specific role on the field, and every play counts. The most important rule in flag football is that no contact is allowed, including tackling, diving, blocking, screens, or fumbles. Instead of physically tackling an opponent to the ground, players wear flags suspended from their sides by a belt. Defenders "tackle" the ball carrier by pulling one or both of their flags. Although this rule is designed to ensure player safety, several other rules limit contact between players, including: • The quarterback is not allowed to run with the ball unless it was first given to him. He may run behind the line of scrimmage, but he cannot gain yards. • All passes must be forward and received beyond the line of scrimmage. • Lateral passes or sweeps from behind the line of scrimmage are permitted and are considered running plays. • The center cannot accept a snap from the quarterback (no surprise plays by the center running forward with the ball). • There are no fumble plays. Instead, the ball remains in the possession of the offense and is placed where the ball carrier's hips were when the fumble occurred. • The ball is dead when: the ball carrier's flag is pulled, the ball carrier goes out of bounds, a touchdown or safety is scored, the ball carrier's knee touches the ground, or the ball carrier's flag falls. • Players may not obstruct or shield their flags.
Scoring
Each game begins with a coin toss (there is no kickoff). The offensive team starts at its own 5-yard line and has four downs (essentially four plays) to cross midfield for a first down. If the offensive team fails to cross midfield, possession of the ball changes, and the opposing team begins its series of plays from its own 5-yard line. Once midfield is crossed, the offense has three downs to score a touchdown. If the offense fails to score, possession of the ball changes, and the team on offense regains possession from its own 5-yard line. A touchdown is worth 6 points, and a safety is worth 2 points (1 point conversion from the 5-yard line; 2 points conversion from the 10-yard line). A safety occurs when the ball carrier is in their own end zone when play is declared dead. This happens when their flag is pulled by a defensive player, their flag falls, their knee or arm touches the ground, or a snap from the center lands in the end zone.