Sport Specific Rules: Click Here
FLAG FOOTBALL (OFFICIATED) RULES
JAM is for Everyone – Inclusion Statement
Our program offerings are designed to be inclusive for all members of the JAM community. Our goal is to create a welcoming gender policy that uplifts and supports each player where they are at. To ensure we can offer something for everyone, our programs may be offered in the following formats: Mixed-Gender, Women's, Men's, and Open.
Many of our league rules specify gender-based roster requirements, the goal of which is to ensure that each player has an equal opportunity to be included in gameplay.
Everyone participating in a JAM program is welcome to compete based on their gender identity and gender expression; regardless of their gender assigned at birth. Members whose gender identity does not align with the binary man/woman construct are welcome to play in all our mixed-gender and open programs.
Nonbinary, trans, genderqueer, and all other players who identify as a gender minority can count towards the roster minimums for either men or women in our mixed-gender leagues.
1. Equipment/Field Set-Up: Referees will set up the field, provide the game ball, and flags. Teams are welcome to use their own balls, but it must be agreed between both teams. Each team should bring both light and dark coloured shirts to each and every game.
2. Game Time/Default: Please arrive 15 minutes to start your games on time.
- Games are comprised of two (2) 40-minute halves with a 5-minute halftime.
- Teams switch sides at halftime (unless both teams agree not to).
- Teams are comprised of seven (7) players with a minimum of two (2) men or gender minority and two (2) women or gender minority players on the field.
- A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad 15 minutes after the official start time. A team can play with a minimum of 6 people, as long as there are two (2) men or gender minority and two (2) women or gender minority players.
- Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum people but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!
3. Role of the Referee:
- Start and end games on time. NOTE: If your team (or your opponents) are not ready to start on time, your game will still end on time.
- Provide unbiased decisions and control the flow of the game.
- Appropriately warn or penalize players for inappropriate conduct.
- Make decisions before, during and after the match that take into account the safety of all players and spectators.
- Under extreme unsportsmanlike conditions, the referee has the authority to eject players and/or terminate a match before time has expired.
- At the end of each match, the referee will submit a game report to JAM administrators.
4. General Rules:
- A coin toss or Rock/Paper/Scissors will decide the opening kick-off/side. The winning team may choose to either kick/receive OR which side they want. The losing team then chooses the other option. For the start of the second half, the roles from the start of the game are reversed (i.e. other team kicks off, switch sides).
- The kicking team will kick-off from their own end zone line (they may punt or kick the ball from the ground). If the ball is kicked out of bounds, the offensive team will start their drive at the spot where the ball left the playing area - there is NOT an option to ask for a re-kick.
- Each offensive play starts at the line of scrimmage. The ball MUST be placed on this line prior to the "snap" - i.e. a play CANNOT be started with the ball in the hands of the Quarterback behind the line of scrimmage or in the huddle. The quarterback can "snap" the ball to him/herself, or receive the ball via a snap from a 'centre', but must shout "Hut" loud enough for everyone on the field to be aware that the play has started.
- Spinning - An offensive player CAN turn their bodies from side to side, but CANNOT spin 360 degrees. This prevents defensive players from injuring their fingers. If a player spins, the ball is dead at the point where the spin occurred.
- Offensive players may not block or otherwise obstruct any defensive players.
- Offensive players CANNOT protect/cover/hide/block their flag. If the person with the ball blocks the defender's hand from grabbing their flag, the play is dead where the block occurred.
- Flags should be placed on the hips of each player at the outset of each play. The flag must be on top of all clothing and cannot be folded over such that the Velcro attachment is on the inside. As well, all shirts/jerseys must be adequately tucked in to provide clear access to the flag. An offensive player that is missing a flag may make a play on the ball, but once they have possession of the ball while missing a flag they are considered "down" and the play is dead at that spot (revised March 2012). Flags must be a minimum of 12 inches in length (from top to the tip), and 2 inches in width. A diagonal is allowed at the end of the flag but may not exceed 2 inches in length. Please click here to see a diagram of flag dimensions.
- An offensive player can dive or jump to catch a ball, but once in possession, the player cannot leave their feet at any time (this includes all forms of jumping and diving). If the ball carrier breaks this rule, the play is dead at the point where the player stood before the infraction.
- The first point of contact: A receiver is determined to be "in" or "out" based on their first point of contact with the ground. If a player lands first with one foot in-bounds, and then the other foot touches down out-of-bounds, it IS a fair catch, but the play ends where they touched the out of bounds line. If a player catches the ball but is simultaneously straddling or lands straddling the sideline, it is NOT a catch. Only a ONE-footed landing is needed - as long as that foot touches down in-bounds.
- Scoring: A point is scored when a player catches any legal pass or runs the ball into the defensive end zone prior to having one of their flags stripped. Please note that it is not enough to have the "plain of the end zone" broken by the ball - to score a player must step over the line in the end zone.
- The offensive team has four (4) downs to cover the entire field.
- The offensive team may punt on the 4th down, and do not need to notify the defence of their intentions to do so.
- The referee will loudly count five (5) seconds before the defence may rush the quarterback. While counting, the defense must line up at or behind the line of scrimmage. As soon as the quarterback releases the football, the defenders can cross the line of scrimmage. Therefore, if the quarterback makes a pass or handoff to a receiver who remains behind the line of scrimmage, the defender CAN rush the receiver (i.e. the defenders do not have to wait until the receiver crosses the line of scrimmage).
- The quarterback may only run the football at the end of the 5 "steamboats" when and if the defence crosses the line of scrimmage.
- (Updated May 2018) The quarterback must snap the ball to themselves at the line of scrimmage in order to receive 5 "steamboats". If the ball is snapped to them by another player, this counts as a handoff or pass, and they are therefore eligible to be rushed.
- (Updated July 2019) For simplicity sake, 10-yard penalties include unnecessary roughness, contact to the head (intentional or not), offensive pass interference, obstruction and holding.
- 5-yard penalties include offside and fast steamboat counting. Defensive pass interference will result in the ball being placed at the point on the field where the infraction took place.
- Teams receive one (1) point for each touchdown. There are no conversions.
- Teams may call a one (1) minute time-out per half if needed except during the last 10 minutes of play .
- From the time the ball is placed on the line of scrimmage, the offence has 30 seconds to start the next play (as tracked by the referee). Running down the clock with an unnecessarily long huddle is not an acceptable strategy and will count as a loss of down, per referee's discretion.
- Safe Plays: A defender may not step in front of the ball carrier or block a running lane if it has the potential to create an unsafe play. Likewise, an offensive player should not run with their head down, in an attempt to run through the defenders. In other words, incidental contact is inevitable, but players should not be run over. Please use your best judgment.
- If a defending team sacks the quarterback (or any offensive player with the ball) in the offensive end zone, the ball is turned over at midfield to the defending team. No points are scored.
- If the ball is kicked through the end zone on either a punt or kick-off (or kicked into the end zone and the receiving team elects not to run the ball out by letting the ball go), the offensive team will start their drive 5 paces out from their end zone, in the centre of the field. If the receiving team elects to catch the ball in the end zone (or runs back into the end zone after catching the ball), the receiver is in play and runs the risk of being tackled in their own end zone. If the receiving team player is tackled in the end zone, the kicking team will then take control of the ball at midfield (i.e. it is a turnover like a quarterback sack).
- If there is an interception in the end zone and the person now with the ball is tackled before they get out of the end zone, then the team that caught the interception will start the next offensive play 5 paces out from their end zone.
- At no time should any player hold onto the clothing of another player in an attempt to slow them down or impede their playing.
- Other obscure or minor NFL or CFL rules WILL NOT APPLY (e.g. it is NOT a foul if a defensive player has their back to the ball and inadvertently blocks a pass with their arms or back of their head).
- Ending the Half or Game - With three minutes to go in the half (game), there are 5 plays left in the half (game). A kickoff after a touchdown is not considered a play.
- A game can end in a tie during the regular season. In the playoffs, if a game is tied at the end of regulation time, teams will break the tie with this overtime format:
- A coin toss (or rock-paper-scissors) will determine which team has first possession to start overtime. Teams will take turns trying to score from their opponent's 5 yard line. Teams will have only 1 down to score a touchdown. Each team will get a chance with one possession to score. If still tied after both teams have had a single possession, it will be sudden-death and the next team to score, wins. If a team scores on defense (runs an interception back for a touchdown) then the game is over. Please ensure this overtime runs quickly as teams after you need to get their games started. (updated March 2012)
4. Dead Play: If a player carrying the ball slips/falls and one knee touches the ground, the play is dead and the defence does not have to remove a flag for the play to stop. PLEASE OBSERVE THIS RULE CAREFULLY! It helps immensely in promoting safer play. In addition, if the football touches the ground for any reason (kickoffs, punts, fumbles, handoffs, etc) the ball is dead and the play is over. The next play is started at the spot where the ball hit the ground in the case of punts and kickoffs, and at the spot where the last person touched the ball for all other situations.
5. Discrepancies: Referees have final say on every play. Excessive arguing will not be tolerated. The referee has the ability to eject any players who they feel are consistently negatively contributing to the game. Please play safely and with good spirit.
6. Rough Play: ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER LEAGUE PLAY AND MAY RESULT IN LIFETIME LEAGUE EXPULSION. PLEASE SEE THE SPORT AND SOCIAL CLUB POLICY SHEET FOR OUR OFFICIAL POLICY ON THIS SUBJECT. It is recognized that incidental contact between players is inevitable - however, all players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.