OFFICIAL RULES                                       RULE 3   PERIODS, TIME FACTORS AND SUBSTITUTIONS                               PAGE 16
SECTION 1 --  START OF EACH PERIOD. 

Article 1 - First and Third Periods/Second and Fourth Periods.  Program games will have four periods of play.  The first and third periods will be running-time segments of each half.

The visiting-team as designated by schedule will exercise the coin-toss right to call.

Each game half will begin with a kick-off.  Choices for teams prior to a game are these:
  1. Which team will kickoff and which team will receive the ball.
  2. Which goals will be defended by the teams.
  3. To defer the choice of kicking or receiving to the second half.
Article 2 - Halftime Change of Goal Requirement.  Teams must change goals they defend for each half.  This is never an option for team choice even if a team defers its selection to the second-half.  Before the second-half, the team exercising the option to choose will determine only which team will kick or which will receive.  Teams do not change goals to start the second or fourth quarter.

Article 3 - Extra Periods.  A regular-season game tied in score at the end of regulation time will have one extra period of play allowed to dissolve the tie.  A play-off game tied in score at the end of regulation time will play as many extra periods as needed to produce a winning team.

SECTION 2 --  PLAYING TIME AND INTERMISSIONS.

Article 1 - Length of Games, Periods and Intermission.  Program games will be a full 60 minutes in playing-time divided as required by league into four periods that may differ as to their running-time and stopped-time segments of each half.  Timing units are to be strictly observed.  A minimum five-minute intermission will occur between halves and before any extra-period except as extended by Program order for championship or special event games.

No half can end until the ball is dead.

A half can not end when a protected kick has been requested and granted but not made.  This means that once granted, a protected kick must be made even when time expires before the actual completion of this down.  If a team granted a protected kick has not snapped the ball before the time expires and thereafter mishandles the snap in any fashion, the half will continue with the opposing team having one scrimmage-play from the spot that the ball was at for the kick that was not delivered.  If the protected kick is made but goes out of bounds before being touched by a Team B player, that team will have one scrimmage-play even though the game-clock has expired.

Article 2 -Timing Adjustments.  No game can be altered in time except when a team accepts a forfeit by withdrawing its players from the field, or, when terminated by referee as allowed in Regulations governing team and participant behavior.  A forfeit must result for any game affected by timing adjustments.

Article 3 - Game Clock.  The Program as Game Management will determine when game-time will be kept by a staff person or referees.  When games are played at fields where a scoreboard and clock are available, this may be designated the official game-clock.

Article 4 - When Game Clock Starts.  The game-clock, once started in a half, is to run without interruption except as required in these Rules and Regulations, for the period of minutes as set by the league involved as running-time.  This running-time segment of a half will be followed unless a delay for any reason occurs that is one-minute in duration.  On such interruptions, the game-clock shall stop one-minute after the onset of the delay and not start again until play is allowed.  There will be no loss of playing-time for any delay greater than one-minute!
OFFICIAL RULES                     RULE 3   PERIODS, TIME FACTORS AND SUBSTITUTIONS                               PAGE 17
Article 5 - When Clock Stops.  Game-clock in all leagues will stop when the running-time segment for a half has been obtained for the purpose of notifying the field-captain of each team and each team sideline that two-minutes remain to be played in that half.  The clock will resume on the snap for the next play from scrimmage or kick after this notice.

Article 6 - Two-Minute Warnings.  As noted in the above rule, both team captains and the coach-spokesperson for each team on the sideline will receive notification in each half of the time remaining to be played.

SECTION 3 --  TIME-OUTS.  A team will have three time-outs allowed in each half of a game.  These time-outs can not be accumulated and are lost to a team if not used in that half.  If overtime extra-periods are played, each team will receive one time-out in each of such periods played which will be non-cumulative.  A team will be charged with delay if it requests a time-out after its allotment for a half or extra-period has been consumed.

Article 1 -  Time-Out in Running-Time Segments.  A time-out in a running-time segment of a half is to be limited to 30 seconds.  If a team requests a time-out longer than 30 seconds, it shall be charged with taking two time-outs in that half.
        
Article 2 - Time-Out in Stopped-Time Segments.  At no time shall a team be granted more than one running-time segment time-out in a game.  A team requesting a second running-time segment time-out in a game after once had such a time-out will be in violation and assessed a delay penalty.

Article 3 - Injury Game Delay Time-Out.  A game delay caused by an injury to a player on the field or other reason shall not exceed in consumed playing-time more than one-minute.  When such instances occur, the referees are to note the passing of time after the injury or other delay and stop the game-clock after 60 seconds on possible playing-time lost to the teams.

If an injury occurs during the running-time segment of a half, the game clock is to be halted after one-minute and remain inactive for the duration of the injury delay and will resume only after the injured player is able or has been removed by authorized medical assistance from the playing-field.

Referees are to immediately halt a game when it is discerned that players in the game are bleeding.  The bleeding players must leave the field of play to have the wound treated.  They can not return until treatment has been completed to the degree that all evidence of blood on the players or their uniforms have been removed with the wounds effectively and completely covered by an appropriate and secure bandage or medical dressing.

If a team by the loss through removal of a bleeding player can not field the number of players required for a game by its league format, the following shall result:
  1. If in running-time segment of a half, the team shall have one-minute their condition or be charged with a forfeit.
  2. If in the stopped-time segment of a half, the team shall have up to its available three one-minute time-outs to remedy its condition or be charged with a forfeit.
Teams are expected to have extra numbered game-jerseys and pants available at games to be used when a bleeding injured player is able to return to a game after medical treatment.  Such a player can not return to the game wearing any jersey or pant which has not-dry blood.

Game referee and/or Program staff are the sole judges who determine when a player who was bleeding can return to a game.  Any change of jersey must be reported to the Referees who will note on the Game Report Card the new jersey number for an injured player allowed to return to the game.  When in question as to whether a player removed for bleeding is allowed to return, the decision is to be not allow a return.

OFFICIAL RULES                     RULE 3   PERIODS, TIME FACTORS AND SUBSTITUTIONS                               PAGE 18
Article 4 - Referee Discretionary Time-Out.  The referee may declare an official's time-out for any contingency not elsewhere covered in the Rules.

If a time-out is required to repair or replace a player's uniform or equipment which became illegal through game play, the Referee shall charge himself with the time-out, otherwise he shall charge the team whose player required the delay.

Referees are to halt a game when a player injury occurs to assure that proper care and attention is provided to an injured player on the field; and when a player has been injured and is bleeding to assure the removal of this injured player.

SECTION 4 --  DELAYS.

Article 1 - Delaying the Start of a Half.  A team will be penalized 15 yards for delaying the game at the start of a half when it is not ready to play when the Referee signals the game to start or continue.  No half can begin until a team has the number of players required in its league of membership.  No half can begin when the home-team does not have the required sideline aides vested and at their stations with readied down-box and ground-arrows prior to a kick-off.  No half can begin at an enclosed field when non-authorized persons have gained access to the field area.  A game is to be delayed until all unauthorized persons leave the field-area.  Teams are responsible to assist in clearing unauthorized persons from their side of an enclosed field under threat of delay penalty or forfeit.

If a team can not field the number of players required by its league at the start of a game, a 15 minute grace-period will commence with the referee call for a conference.  Foe a second-half, a five-minute grace-period begins with the referee call to resume the game.  If a team can not field the required number of players at the end of a grace-period, the game is forfeited.  In the event a prior game intrudes on the starting time for a game, the grace period still commences with the referee call to conference.

Article 2 - Illegal Delay of Game.  A team will have 25 seconds after the ball is ready to play to snap it for a down.  Illegal delay will also include the following:
  1. Deliberately advancing the ball after it has been whistled dead.
  2. Failing to promptly submit to an official's deflagging after a score from the field or failure to promptly return thereafter the ball to a game official.
  3. Failure to physically return the flag-belt to the deflagged player or a referee.
  4. Not being ready as a team to start a half, resume play after a time-out or after a score, or at anytime the Referee orders the ball be put in play.
  5. Taking the ball off the field or out of the end-zone or any delay in returning the ball to an official after a down has ended.
  6. Any act that involves the illegal use or abuse of the game-ball, referee, game or field equipment.
  7. Requesting time-outs when: 1)the team's allowed time-outs have been exhausted; 2) the team has just had a time-out granted; or, 3) there is a violation of the conditions allowed for a coach's conference.
 
OFFICIAL RULES                     RULE 3   PERIODS, TIME FACTORS AND SUBSTITUTIONS                               PAGE 19
Article 3 - Unfair Game Clock Tactics.  The referee shall order the game-clock to resume, continue or halt as appropriate when in his opinion, either team is trying to conserve or consume playing-time by tactics he judges to be obviously unfair.

SECTION 5 --  SUBSTITUTIONS. 

Article 1 - Substitution Procedures.  Free and unlimited substitutions are allowed but can not delay a game.

Article 2 - Substitution Aimed to Deceive an Opponent.  No pattern of substitutions can be allowed that aims to deceive an opponent as to what players will be on the playing-field nor the positions such players will hold.

Article 3 - Substitution During Dead-Ball Interval.  During a dead-ball interval, no player shall enter as a substitute and then depart until one-down has been played.  During a dead-ball interval, no player can depart from the field by crossing a sideline and then re-enter the game until one-down has been played.  Only exception to these limits are when a half has ended, in the interval between halves, after any score, or, during any time-out.

Article 4 - Legal Substitutions.  Substitutes who enter a game must conform to all uniform and equipment standards set for players in that game.