football rules

football rules

  1. Each individual adult participant (19+ eligible) must create a profile on our web site and electronically sign the roster/waiver form in order to be eligible for participation in any Cities Sports Connection – CSCSPORTS.com league/event/tournament or other associated activity.  Please be aware that there are inherent risks to participating in any athletic activity. CSC does not provide insurance for the participants of our leagues. Each player as a result of participation in the leagues assumes all liability and risk of injury. It is strongly recommended that each player obtain medical and liability insurance prior to participating in any athletic or league activity.
  2. All TEAM ROSTERS are deemed final at the end of regular season play. PLAYERS must participate in THREE (3) OR MORE MATCHES/GAMES during the regular season in order to be CONFIRMED on the team roster. ONLY CONFIRMED TEAM ROSTER PLAYERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO PLAY DURING THE POST-SEASON SCHEDULE.
  3. As a rule, each participant is allowed to be on one team roster per league/level/night. We are happy to allow people to play on more than one team/night if facility space allows and if you inform CSC prior to the start of the league season. Any player not confirmed on a team roster is not eligible to play on that team during the post-season. Any player who is confirmed on multiple rosters during the regular season MUST choose only one team to play on following the initial round of post-season play.
  4. Substitutes that have played with your team during the season are not allowed to participate in the playoffs in any of our CSC leagues (it’s a basic fairness issue for all of the other teams in your league). The Honor Code is always in effect here as well. For any exceptions, please contact CSC Sports.
  5. Teams consist of six (coed=4M/2W) players on the field at any one time (coed=max of 4 men). Teams must play with a minimum of three players in the field. Coed teams must play a minimum of two (2) from each gender to play six (6) people. Coed teams may play with less than two (2) women, however, they may not play with more than four (4) men in the field at any time. A forfeit will be called if a team has less than three players after the official start time.
  6. Each team is required to have team uniforms or an identified “TEAM COLOR”. Each team member needs to bring this uniform or team color shirt to each game, along with a WHITE SHIRT in case the other team uses the same color, to use for identification purposes. Ask a CSC representative or give us a call @ (612) 929-9009 for further assistance.
  7. All games will be officiated by Cities Sports Connection officials. Please respect the officials calls. We are all in this league to have a good time playing recreational touch football… Have Fun Out There! THE DECISIONS OF THE OFFICIALS ARE FINAL!!!
  8. Start of play: The game begins with a coin toss. The winner of the toss chooses to take ball or direction. Teams will automatically switch sides & ball possession in the second half.
  9. Length of play: Each game consists of TWO 22-MINUTE running-time halves with a two minute half-time. Each team is allowed one time-out per half. The final :30-seconds of the each half will be played with stopped-time rules in effect. Clock will stop when the following occur during stop time periods: Change of Possession, Incomplete passes, Player out-of-bounds, Extra Points, Injured player, Penalties (where no advantage is gained), Official time-outs, Charged time-outs, etc… Clock will remain in running time mode in the second half if the score differential is 20 points or greater.
  10. Overtime (post-season only): Teams rotate offense/defense. Teams start 10 yards from the goal line in a 2nd & goal situation. All game rules are still applied as if this were a standard series of plays. In first overtime, teams have option of going for 1-pt or 2-pt conversion after scoring. Additional overtimes require a try for 2-pt conversion attempt.
  11. Scoring: A touchdown is worth six points. An extra point from the three yard line = one point, from the eight yard line = 2 points. (CSC Indoor leagues): In order to utilize as much field space as possible and to keep games as fun and safe as possible, all scoring (except during an interception) is done in the officially marked end zone area of the football fields at each indoor facility.
  12. Game Ball: All CSC leagues must play with official size & weight game balls at all times. CSC provides game balls for use in your game if needed, however, most teams use their own game ball when their team is on offense. Coed leagues must use game balls of official INTERMEDIATE or larger size.Men’s leagues must use game balls of official FULL size (ie. NCAA College balls or NFL balls or similar).
  13. Player involvement (coed): At least 1 of every 3 plays must directly involve a female player in the play going forward or attempting to go forward (sometimes called a “gender” play). This requirement can be satisfied in numerous ways, including a woman quarterback being tagged down, by a woman throwing (or attempting to throw) a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage, by a woman running the ball from behind the line of scrimmage, by a woman catching a forward pass (or attempting to catch a pass that falls incomplete), or by a woman finishing a play where she has advanced the ball beyond the last point of contact by a male player on her team. The official is not required to remind a team when a *gender* play is required.
  14. Kickoffs: Kickoffs are not utilized in CSC league play. Following a score, the opposing team will start with a first down mid-field-to-go from their own territory’s eight-yard marker. (CSC Indoor leagues):Teams start with the ball 10-yards in front of the back field border line to start the next series of plays.
  15. Punts (outdoor): Punts must be announced prior to the beginning of the play and they must be punted. NO FAKE PUNTS. Offense must stay behind the line of scrimmage until the ball is punted. Defense is required to have at least two players on the line of scrimmage until the ball is snapped during a punt. (CSC *Indoor* leagues): When *punting* indoors, the punting team selects a distance to move the ball between 1-25 yards. (this modification of the *punting* rule is in effect due to our indoor facility partners not allowing any actual kicking/punting of the ball)
  16. Interceptions: A ball that is intercepted is a live ball and can be returned until the player carrying the ball is legally downed. (CSC *Indoor* leagues): An intercepted ball is live and can be returned. The 50-yard line is used as the *end zone* scoring line during a live interception play. After the intercepted player is downed, all subsequent offensive play will then reverse-field and be played in the direction of the official end zone area as marked on the football fields.
  17. First downs: A first down is obtained by passing the mid-field marker. Four downs will be allowed to obtain a first down, and each team can only get one first down on each possession (excluding penalties resulting in automatic first down).
  18. Defensive Rush: Rushing the quarterback is allowed once five (5) seconds have elapsed after the snap, announced by a *5-MISSISSIPPI* count by the defense. The rush cannot begin until the count is completed. The count must be a full five (5) seconds & is NOT A RACE to count as fast as you can. If the quarterback releases the ball to another player, the defense may then rush immediately.
  19. Quarterback Running (coed & mens): The quarterback may run the ball, but only after the 5-MISSISSIPPI count is completed, or once an obvious five seconds have elapsed after the snap. (mens only): The quarterback may run the ball immediately once every series of downs.
  20. Defensive blitzes (mens only): The defense can legally blitz once per series of downs (extra points count as part of a series of downs).
  21. Huddles: Huddles are 15 seconds max. The first infraction will be a warning and each additional violation will result in a delay of game penalty.
  22. Out of bounds: A pass is complete if a player makes a catch with one foot in-bounds. (indoor addition): A ball or player traveling beyond the end-line is deemed out of bounds. The result is a loss of that down & the ball placed on the yard line 10-yards in front of the back field border line to start the next play.
  23. Fumbles: All fumbles during any play result in a dead ball (i.e. anytime a person touches the ball and/or loses possession of the ball and the ball subsequently makes contact with the ground, the play is deemed over at that point).
  24. Incomplete passes: All incomplete passes (forward or backward) result in a dead-ball situation.
  25. Downed player: A ball carrier is down when legally & properly touched above the waist with two hands simultaneously. A player is also down if one knee touches the ground (or other similar scenarios equal to college rules). If a player with possession of the ball either dives or reaches the ball forward while being touched, the ball is then placed down at the body location where the dive began of where the person was touched down. The ball cannot be advanced further forward than the body of the player in possession of the ball. (As there is no diving to touch a player down, there is also no diving to advance a ball forward)
  26. Proper tags: A player is properly tagged when touched with TWO HANDS simultaneously above the waist. When tagging a player, one cannot leave their feet (no diving to touch a ball carrier). A defensive player may not run through an offensive player to make a play or to attempt to make a play. The defense may not touch an offensive player except to make a tag (no chucks at the line, etc.) There is NO INTENTIONAL OR FORCEFUL BODY CONTACT ALLOWED by the offense or the defense at any time.
  27. Permitted blocking: Blocking is done by positioning the body between the ball carrier and the defender with the intent to obstruct the ability of a player to tag the ball carrier. Arms may not be extended in any manner away from the body.
  28. Illegal blocking: There is no harmful or forceful body contact allowed at any time during the game, especially when blocking. There is ABSOLUTELY no blocking below the waist, from behind the back, and when leaving your feet. Any extension of the arms is prohibited, and no contact can be made with the head region. Downfield blind-side screen or shield blocking is strictly prohibited.
  29. Penalties: All infractions will result in the following penalties:
    + No yards, loss of down & still *gender play*: (coed “gender” requirement not satisfied in three consecutive plays) 
    + 4 yards & replay down: (off-sides, delay of game, illegal motion, illegal procedure, too many players on field, etc…) 
    + 4 yards & loss of down: (illegal forward pass, intentional grounding) 
    + 4 yards & automatic first down: (defensive holding) 
    + 8 yards & replay down: (roughing, excessive contact, illegal blocking, offensive holding, offensive pass interference) 
    + 12 yards & automatic first down: (personal foul, defensive pass interference) 
    + 12 yards & loss of down &/or expulsion from game: (unsportsmanlike conduct, fighting, verbal abuse, etc.)
  30. The official has the right to warn or eject any player for inappropriate or excessive behavior at any time. Keep it clean & fair out there… After all, the most important point is to have a good time playing adult recreational touch football!
  31. Games with a score differential of 30 or more points at any point during the game will have the score frozen at that point and no additional scoring will be recorded. Please remember that CSC does NOT USE scoring differentials to dictate standings (regular season) or (seeding position) post-season. We allow teams to complete any time remaining in a game, as our leagues are focused on participation and having a good time! Thanks for understanding and for displaying good sportsmanship at all times!
  32. Games called prior to completion due to circumstances beyond our control may possibly be resumed or replayed. The team managers and a CSC representative will confer to make this decision.
  33. League officials/supervisors are instructed to speak with team managers only. All other players, as long as they are nice and courteous about it, however, can feel free to chat with the umpires/supervisors whenever the like… After all, CSC Adult Recreational Touch Football is a social activity as well & should always be about having a good time! Players who choose to ignore this rule may be ejected by the CSC rep. The CSC rep may forfeit the game if physically threatened or verbally abused by any team member or spectator speaking in support of that particular team. If this happens in an adult recreational touch football game, you probably need to re-evaluate your life priorities…! Team managers are responsible for the conduct of all their players and fans. Players who get ejected from any game, for any reason, are automatically suspended from any further participation until they are reinstated by a CSC representative. This is kind of like the requirements in the small print you all know and love… 🙂
  34. Metal spikes are not allowed in any CSC activity at any time.
  35. Teams may wear the (appropriate) apparel of their choice. However, shoes, slacks/shorts & shirts must be worn at all times.
  36. Injuries: Please report all injuries to the CSC representative on-site. Basic first aid supplies are available.
  37. Thanks again for playing with CSC Sports… Have Fun Out There! 🙂