OFFICIAL GENERAL PROGRAM PLAYING RULES
In all examples, Team A is the team that possesses the ball to start any down and Team B is the team that does not possess the ball at the start of any down, including kick.  These team designations remain in effect for the duration of a play of any type on a down in question even when one or more changes in possession occur in the course of that down.
OFFICIAL RULES                                       RULE 1 THE GAME, FIELD, PLAYERS AND EQUIPMENT                                           PAGE 1
SECTION 1 --  GENERAL PROVISIONS. 

Article 1 - The Game.  Program games employ a flag-football format unless otherwise allowed.  A game can not start nor continue if a team can not field the number of registered legal players as required for a game by its league of membership.

Article 2 - Overtime Periods and Terminated Games.   A tied-score regular season game will require the playing of one overtime period in an attempt to resolve the tie.  Play-off games must produce a winning team and will continue overtime play until this result is obtained.

Article 3 - Terminated Game.  A terminated game is one shortened in time for any reason.

Article 4 - Supervision, Referees and Game Referee Authority.  The program will be supervised by persons designated as Commissioner, Coordinator and appointed staff.  Duties and responsibilities of Program Officers are detailed in Regulation Appendix A.

Referees are to be recruited from area football official associations.  These officials are to be assigned by number in a crew appropriate to the format of various leagues.  A game will be played, when necessary, with fewer than the specified number of referees; and, if this occurs, the number of referees is not a valid basis for a protest.

A Referee Crew-Chief has the power to decide any issue not specifically covered in Rules.

Article 5 - Team Captains, Recognized Team Coach-Spokesperson, and Pre-Game Conference.   Each team will have attend a required pre-game conference those persons it selects to serve in that game as its captains (up to three persons) as well as sideline team coach-spokesperson.  All referees assigned to the game will attend this conference and no other person shall do so.  The name of the coach-spokesperson for each team will be entered on the Game Report Card  together with the jersey numbers of each team captain.

During the game, only the designated coach-spokesperson has the right to speak or otherwise contact a referee or to request a game-conference.

During the game, only one designated team captain at a time can speak to a referee.

If the designated coach-spokesperson during a game becomes absent from the field for any reason, the team will be represented by one captain who shall assume the rights previously held by the coach-spokesperson.

When a designated team captain is not on the field, the referee will select one player as the team spokesperson.

Only one designated team captain can make an on-field decision for any penalty option.  Contact by any other player with a referee is a violation.  A captain's first-choice on any option is irrevocable.

Article 6 - Persons Subject to the Rules.  All registered participants, no matter whether player, coach, of other team staff, are subject to all Program Rules, Regulations and Conduct Codes while at a field for any Program game or activity.  This obligation extends to any person who by sponsorship association has an actual or implied relationship to a team.  The obligations are in effect before, during, and after a game or Program activity at or near a game or activity site and continue even when a person's team is not playing.
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Article 7 - Team Responsibility to Control Spectators.   Teams are absolutely responsible for the action, behavior and language of persons located within their team area and must control or remove such persons from this area when ordered.

Teams are equally responsible for the action, behavior and language of persons attracted to a field by the team's presence; and, when ordered, must attempt to control these persons.

SECTION 2 --  THE FIELD.

Article 1 - Dimensions and Goals.  Games are to be played on approved fields either 80 or 100 yards between goal-lines, have 10 yard end-zone extensions from each goal-line; and, are of regulation width (53 1/3 yards) unless otherwise excepted.  Fields are to be lined across their width at a minimum 10 yards and have goal-posts at or set behind each end-line.  A field will have one in-bounds line set directly from goal-to-goal in the middle of the field although the use of in-bounds lines as found on existing fields is allowed.
        
Article 2 - Team Area.  A team area is an oblong box measuring 20 yards in length, 10 yards in depth; and sited so its foremost line as marked or imagined is two-yards (6 feet) inside and parallel to each sideline.  This team area would be bisected by an extended mid-field line so one-half the area falls on each side of said line and does not change in location nor dimension if games are played on different sized fields.

Teams are responsible for the conduct of any person allowed in their team area.  Team members, including all coaches and staff, reserve players together with all team and player equipment, must be confined within this team area during the full course of a game.

Team members will be penalized for leaving the limits of their team area.  Absolutely forbidden is any movement by team members along a sideline to follow game action.

Team players, coaches and other staff may not leave the team area to intrude in any fashion onto the playing-surface except when the game-clock is not operating.  It is a penalty for a team coach or other staff to enter into the playing-surface of a field in reaction to a play result or referee decision.

Article 3 - Pylons.  Soft-material pylons or yardage-markers will be used to mark the fields.

Article 4 - First-Down Zone Marking, Down Indicator.  Pylons or yardage-markers will be set at the intersection of each sideline and goal-line on both sides of a field.  Pylons or markers are to be set at a field on the visiting team's sideline every 20 yards from goal-to-goal to mark each first-down zone (four zones on a field 80 yards long; five zones on a field 100 yards long).  A down-box will be maintained for each down to accurately detail the location of the ball for a down and the number of that down in a series of downs.  A ground-arrow set will be set for each series of downs to denote where the series began and the yardage line to gain.  These aids to the game are to be maintained continually during a game by assistants supplied by the home-team on that team's sideline.

SECTION 3 -- THE BALL.  The Program will list officially sanctioned leather and water-proof footballs.  These may be of different sizes as required by league format.  When allowed by Regulations, team footballs may be used but each must be presented to and approved before a game by the referee.

SECTION 4 --  PLAYERS AND PLAYING EQUIPMENT.

Article 1 - Mandatory Equipment.  The following are required for a person to be a legal player participant:
  1. A legal jersey as defined in Regulations that by number is that assigned to the player and is so registered with the Program.
  2. Pants as defined in Regulations.
  3. Foot-wear as defined in Regulations.
  4. Protective mouth-piece unless the participant has signed and submitted a waiver form as set in Regulation.
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Article 2 - Required Jersey Numbers and Contrasting Uniform Colors.  Each player must wear a game-jersey with minimum 10" block numerals centered on the jersey both front and back.  The allowed jersey numerals are limited in range from #1 to #99.  All players must have their jersey number registered in their name with the Program and wear the same jersey for each game.  The color-shade of numerals must clearly contrast with the jersey body color.  A team name or logo can not be placed on a jersey on any part of the area reserved for the numbers.  Any team name or logo must be that of the current team as registered with the Program.

Each team will designate a primary color for its pants or shorts and all players will adhere to this color in all games.  Regulation Appendix B details the Program Color and Uniform Codes.  These Codes require that all players on a team wear jerseys and pants the same color by shade and of the exact same style as those worn by all other members of the team.

To allow proper visual distinction, a player must not wear pants or shorts that are any shade of red or gold/yellow or that contain these colors as trim or design.

Each team is expected to maintain for games an extra supply of legal game jerseys to be used so an injured player that has to change jerseys can legally return to a game.

No player can enter a game nor be in attendance at a field where a game is played who is not wearing a legal uniform.

SECTION 5 -- STANCES.  A player can not use a three or four point stance nor in anyway touch a hand, wrist, or arm to the ground while in a stance.

SECTION 6 -- FLAG-BELTS.  Each player at a game will prior to the contest attach about their waist ab official flag-belt that has three permanently attached flags.  The belt is to be positioned so a flag hangs over each hip and directly down the middle of the back.  Flag-belts must meet the following tests:
  1. Be the same color for all team-members.
  2. Contrast in color to the team pants or shorts.
  3. Be worn so the flags are clearly visible and accessible.  Player shirts or undergarments that reach to or near the hips must be tucked into the pants.
  4. Flag-belts can not be worn in a way that prevents their removal by a light pull and absolutely prohibited are any acts that attach or entangle the flag-belt to clothing or any other garment or other belt; or, entangle the flag-belt clip or buckle so the belt can not be easily removed.

SECTION 7 -- FLAG-BELT VERIFICATION DURING A GAME AND AFTER SCORES.  Game referees will inspect player flag-belts and disqualify a person guilty of a violation.  When a flag-belt can not be removed by one simple pull, a violation may exist.  Referees are to inspect the flag-belt of any player involved in a play when a seized flag-belt does not detach as expected.  In such cases, the player can not touch nor adjust the flag-belt prior to the referee inspection under threat of immediate disqualification.  All yardage gained on a play which has a flag-belt violation is lost;  the ball returned to the prior down's spot; the down lost; and, the offending player's team penalized 20 yards.

A player who scores from the field (any touchdown and extra-point conversions by run or pass), must have a referee verify the validity of the score by being immediately deflagged by an official.  Such a scoring player while still possessing the ball must report to the closest referee and submit to a flag-belt verification deflagging.This action requires the scoring player raise the arms to allow the referee to deflag.  The flag-belt must detach with one simple pull.  If the flag-belt does not detach as expected, the referee shall immediately inspect the flag-belt to ascertain if a violation as to its attachment exists.  If a violation is discovered, the touchdown is disallowed, the violator disqualified, the down lost to the violator's team which is to be penalized 20 yards from the previous spot for an unsportsmanlike act.  If the flag-belt does detach as expected, the referee is to immediately signal the score and then receive the ball by hand or toss from the scoring player.

OFFICIAL RULES                     RULE 1 THE GAME, FIELD, PLAYERS AND EQUIPMENT                       PAGE 4
A player entering a game without a flag-belt is an illegal participant and can not engage in any play under penalty and possible disqualification.

If such illegal participation is noted before the snap for a down, the play is to be immediately halted, the player removed from the game and the violator's team penalized for delay.  If such illegal participation is not identified until after a snap, the following results:
  1. If Team A player the violator:  the ball is immediately declared dead, the result of the play discounted, the down declared lost to the team, and the ball returned to the previous spot with the violating team penalized 15 yards for illegal participation.

  2. If Team B player the violator:  the play will continue with the offended team having the option of taking the result of the play or penalty; and, the illegal participant removed from the game.
If accidental deflagging occurs and is seen by an official before the ball is snapped, play is to immediately be halted and the situation corrected without team penalty unless this delay causes that team to exceed the 25 seconds allowed to start a play.
When accidental deflagging occurs after the ball is snapped, the play will continue under provision of the One-Hand Touch Rule.

SECTION 8 --  ILLEGAL EQUIPMENT.  The following items are prohibited for use in a game:
  1. Jewelry.  Jewelry worn on finger, wrist, hand, arm, neck, ear, nose.

  2. Hats or Caps/Hair Fastenings.  Cap, hat, or other item worn covering the head; pins of any material inserted into or worn in the hair; plastic comb, pin, or rubber-band worn on, inserted into, or wrapped about the head or hair if judged to be potentially injurious to the wearer or another player.  Only approved hair-fastener is a one-piece, lightly-elasticized, soft-cloth sweatband.

  3. Protective padding/Medical Brace or Cast.  Padding on head or shoulders; hard surface items of any unyielding material on hand, wrist, forearm, or elbow (even if wrapped or padded); braces with exposed metal or plastic surfaces; and, medical casts about the finger(s), hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, leg or foot.  Any orthopedic medical devise or plaster-cast must be fully wrapped with soft padding and be inspected and approved by the game referees before being allowed to be worn.

  4. Visible Undergarments/Hooded Sweatshirts.  Any undergarment worn so any part of same extends outside the neck area such as a hooded sweatshirt.
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  1. Shoes.  Shoes with metal or hard-metal cleats, golf or track shoes, or any footwear with bare metal or hard plastic extensions can not be worn.

  2. Jersey Adornment.  Any jersey when it by color or design resembles a football.

  3. Signal or Other Communicating Equipment.  All electronic or other signal devices.
Article 1 - Mandatory and Illegal Equipment Code Enforcement.  Participants who attempt to enter a game with an illegal item will be ordered from the field to remedy their situation.  A person who has participated in a game before it is discovered they are wearing illegal item(s) are to be ordered from the field, their team penalized for delay, and these persons not allowed to return until their violation has been remedied.

A person once ordered from a game for equipment violation who then repeats the violation when returning to the game is to be disqualified from that game and be subject to Program disciplinary action.

SECTION 9 --  TEAM CERTIFICATE.  One of the persons presented by each team at the pre-game conference (sideline coach-spokesperson who would act for the team during or after a game, or, one of the team captains) must sign the required certificate statement on the official Game Report Card that: 1) All team players have been informed of Program Uniform Codes and Rules on illegal items and equipment; 2) All team players have been inspected prior to that game; and, 3) All team members are in full compliance with these codes.

The team person who makes such a certification will be disqualified from the game if any subsequent uniform violation is thereafter noted.  Each team member found to be in uniform violation may be disqualified and the team penalized 15 yards for each such violation.