UA RISE Flag football is a fun and exciting sport that can be played by boys and girls in the K-8th Grade and ALL skill levels. The game is similar to traditional American football, but instead of tackling, players wear flags that are attached to their waists. In this blog post, we will explore some of the basic rules of UA RISE Flag Football.
- Teams: Flag football is typically played with two teams of 6 to 10 players each. We keep our rosters small so that everyone plays!
- The Field: Fields are 25 yards wide 50 yards wide. Endzones are 5 yards long and each team attempts to advance the ball down the field towards the opposing team’s end zone.
- Scoring: A touchdown is worth 6 points, and the team can then attempt a PAT (Point After Touchdown) for 1 or 2 points. 1 point is from the 5-yard line, 2 points is from 10 yards away from the endzone.
- Starting the Game: The game starts with a coin toss, and the winning team chooses whether to start with the ball or defer to the second half. The ball is then placed at the 5-yard line, and the offensive team has three downs to advance the ball past the midfield line, four downs to score a touchdown.
- Play Clock: Each team has 30 seconds to snap the ball after the referee sets it in place. (45 seconds in K-2)
- Game time: Two 20-minute running clock halves (5-minute break at half)
- All players are eligible to catch a pass!
- NO RUSHING THE QUARTERBACK, unless the QB fakes a handoff, which will trigger a defensive player to cross the LOS and rush the QB.
- Pulling Flags: The defense must pull the ball carrier’s flag to stop the play. The ball carrier must immediately stop running once their flag has been pulled.
- Penalties: Penalties in flag football include false starts, holding, pass interference, and unsportsmanlike conduct, among others. The offending team may be penalized with a loss of yardage or a loss of down.
These are just some of the basic rules of UA RISE Flag Football. Of course, there are many more specific rules and regulations that vary depending on the grade division. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, understanding the rules of UA RISE Flag Football is crucial to enjoying the sport and playing it safely!