Celebration:
Players are permitted and encouraged to celebrate with teammates and coaches in-between plays and after the game has ended.
Excessive celebration is prohibited directly in front of opposing players, coaches, or spectators. Actions involving taunting and disrespect will incur a 15-yard penalty for the 1st personal foul. A 2nd personal foul will lead to ejection and disqualification from the entire tournament. Any 3rd personal foul by a player from the same team will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.
No kicking, punting or throwing the ball of any act similar will be permitted, actions will incur a 15-yard penalty for the 1st personal foul. A 2nd personal foul will lead to ejection and disqualification from the entire tournament. Any 3rd personal foul by a player from the same team will result in the entire team being disqualified from the tournament.
Only the highest standards of sportsmanship and conduct are expected of players, coaches and others involved in the game. There is no place for unfair tactics, unsportsmanlike conduct or actions deliberately designed to inflict harm.
Penalties:
OFFENSE - ASSESSED - RESULT
False Start - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Illegal Formation/Shift/Motion - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Offsides - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Delay of Game - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Illegal Forward Pass - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Illegal Advancement - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Blocking - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Offensive Pass Interference - Line of Scrimmage - Loss of Down
Unnecessary Roughness - 15 Yards - Loss of Down
Unsportsmanlike - 15 Yards - Loss of Down
Fumbles - Dead Ball (Offense Retains Possession at the Spot)
DEFENSE - ASSESSED - RESULT
Enchroachment/Neutral Zone - 5 Yards - Repeat Down
Illegal Formation/Shift/Motion - 5 Yards - Repeat Down
Offsides - 5 Yards - Repeat Down
Provoking Offensive Cadence or Snap - 5 Yards - Repeat Down
Defensive Pass Interference - 15 Yards - First Down
Holding - 5 Yards - First Down
Unnecessary Roughness - 15 Yards - First Down
Unsportsmanlike - 15 Yards - First Down
Offensive hands to the face: Loss of down
Defensive hands to the face - 5-yard penalty - First down
Offensive delay of game: 5-yard penalty unless occurs at 40-yard line, then loss of down
Defensive delay of game: 5-yard penalty, first down
If offense commits two consecutive delay of game penalties, change of possession occurs and opposing defense is awarded 2 points
If offense commits delay of game penalty in final five minutes of playoff game, game clock stops until next snap
What Qualifies as Delay of Game:
Offense taking more than 25 seconds to snap ball once referee marks it ready for play.
Quarterback throwing ball well after play is blown dead.
More than 7 players on the field for either the offense or defense.
Delay by either offense or defense in retrieving and returning the ball to referee.
Throwing or launching ball into the air.
What Qualifies as a Personal Foul:
Excessive force, such as shoving, pushing or striking a blow on an opposing player.
Defensive player diving at an offensive player.
Unnecessary or avoidable contact with another player.
Directly taunting an opposing player, coach or spectator — some trash talk is OK, but keep it clean!
Excessive celebration after any play — anything that disrupts flow of game and instigates opposing players or coaches.
Kicking or punting the ball (unless done with intent to give to referee or field monitor).
Tackling or running into a receiver when a forward pass obviously is underthrown or overthrown is disregarding the ball and is illegal.
Coaches that need to have conversations with officials about specific rulings within the game must do so from the Team Area. Coaches are encouraged not to enter the field of play or leave the Team Area to debate officiating decisions, and those that do so will have committed an automatic Unsportsmanlike Conduct Foul.
Appeals/Roster Request:
Appeals are not permitted during pool play games, all questions and interpretations may be brought up to a field monitor for any explanation needed.
In playoffs, teams must use their timeout to appeal a rule interpretation or penalty enforcement. If the appeal is successful, then timeout will be rewarded back. If the appeal is not successful, then the timeout will not be rewarded back.
In playoffs, field monitor can stop clock in game and discuss referees’ ruling with them at their discretion
All appeals and roster protests must come from coaches, not players
Requests for roster protests are allowed at any time. Coaches must notify officials and the field monitor before or during the game. Coaches are limited to protesting 1-3 players. The game will continue without interruption as tournament staff officials review the rosters. If the protest is successful, the opposing team will forfeit the game with a score of 28-0. If the protest is unsuccessful, the game will be recorded as is. Roster protests requested after the game will not be permitted.
Event Conduct:
No fighting will be tolerated. Any player who initiates a fight where a punch is thrown with an open or closed hand will be immediately ejected from the tournament.
No players are to leave the sideline and enter the field if a fight breaks out during a game. Those players will be immediately ejected from the current game and subject to ejection from the tournament.
Parents and fans are to remain away from the bench area of teams. Any parent who instigates a fight with an opposing player or coach will be removed from the event and team may be subject to ejection from event. Sidelines are to remain clear of any non-banded personnel.
Any parent or fan entering the field of play during a game for any reason (except injury) will be immediately ejected from the event and the team may be ejected from the tournament.