Boca Flag Football Rules

Player minimums

• 8v8 teams need 7 eligible players. One game may be played with 6 after a warning; repeat violations forfeit 14-0.
• 9v9 teams need 8 eligible players. One game may be played with 7 after a warning; repeat violations forfeit 14-0.
• There is a 10-minute grace period when a team lacks the minimum players.

Field and sidelines

• The visiting team calls the coin toss. The winner may receive, kick, defend a goal, or defer.
• Players must be on the field at the kickoff or snap; sleeper plays are illegal.
• Coaches, players, and parents remain between the 20-yard lines and 5 yards off the field. Parents stay on the parent sideline.

• Two 25-minute running-clock halves, a 5-minute halftime, and a 1-minute water break around the 10-minute mark of each half.
• Play clocks: Varsity/Senior 30 seconds; JV 40 seconds; Tigers 45 seconds.
• The final 2 minutes use special clock stops for incomplete passes, out-of-bounds plays, possession changes, first downs, and penalties.
• If a team trails by 18 or more in the second half, the clock runs continuously except for team timeouts.
• Each team gets two 1-minute timeouts per half. An injured player leaves for one play.

• Kickoffs are from the 35-yard line using a tee.
• An out-of-bounds kickoff, or one traveling fewer than 10 yards, may be accepted where dead or re-kicked after a 5-yard penalty.
• Tiger and JV teams may place the ball at the receiving team’s 35 instead of kicking off.
• A declared punt must be kicked within 8 seconds. Tiger and JV may choose a 20-yard placement unless on or inside the opponent’s 25.
• Touchbacks are placed at the receiving team’s 15-yard line.
• All divisions snap between the center’s legs to the punter or holder.

• The ball is spotted at the center of the line. Teams use a center and two guards within elbow length.
• With 7 or 8 players, at least 5 line up on the LOS. With 6 players, a center and two guards line up there.
• Cadence: Varsity/Senior “Ready - Set - then anything else”; JV through “Hut 2”; Tigers “Ready - Set - Hut.”
• Once set, players cannot move before the snap. No offensive motion is allowed at the snap.
• All players are eligible receivers; one foot in bounds completes a reception.
• Inside the 5-yard line - 3 for Tigers - plays use shotgun.

Ball carrier safety

• Ball carriers must avoid contact and may not charge, straight-arm, lower the head, dive forward, or hurdle.
• Spinning is allowed. Jumping is allowed only to avoid injury.
• The play is dead when a carrier falls, loses a flag, wears flags improperly, or receives the ball without a flag.

• The defensive line is 1 yard from the LOS in Senior, Varsity, and JV, and 3 yards away in Tigers.
• Defenders play the flag, not the player. Holding, pushing, grabbing clothing, stripping, and running through a carrier are prohibited.
• Defenders may not contact the passer or attempt to block the ball as it leaves the passer.
• At most two defenders may rush immediately, lined up head-to-head across from the guards. No nose tackle lines up over center.
• Other defenders cross only after release or two steps sideways/forward, except after a dropped or errant snap.

• Legal blocks use a two-point stance, open hands, slightly bent arms, and contact between waist and shoulders.
• Blockers stay on their feet. Excessive drive, pancake, low, diving, high-low, cross-body, rolling, jersey-grabbing, locked-hand, and above-shoulder blocks are illegal.
• Beyond 10 yards from the LOS, only non-contact shadow blocking is allowed.
• Intentionally throwing or shoving a player down is unsportsmanlike conduct.

• Insulting or obscene language, disrespecting officials, intentional interference, fighting, and intentionally throwing a player down are prohibited.
• Two unsportsmanlike penalties cause automatic ejection and suspension.
• If two coaches from one team are ejected in one game, that team forfeits.
• A referee or Board member may eject a parent, player, or coach for detrimental conduct.

• The fumbleroosky and direct handoffs to the center, guard, or tackle are illegal.
• No protests are allowed. A timeout may be used to raise a rules issue; judgment calls cannot be challenged.
• Players wear the current jersey tucked in and solid black shorts with no pockets or stripes.
• An approved, non-clear mouth guard with no protrusions must be in the mouth when the center touches the ball.
• Players must play in 50% of regular-season games for playoff eligibility, subject to special-circumstance review.
• Noisemakers, speakers, and other distracting items are prohibited.

POI = point of infraction; LOS = line of scrimmage; A = automatic first down; L = loss of down. The official PDF contains the controlling enforcement details.

• Standings use winning percentage; a tie counts as one-half win and one-half loss.
• Seeding tiebreakers: head-to-head, points per game allowed head-to-head, points scored head-to-head, then coin toss.
• The same formula applies to three-way ties using games among tied teams.
• Playoff and championship games are double elimination.
• Playoff ties continue under the scoring tiebreaker until a winner is determined, subject to Board modification before playoffs.