2017 By-Laws

Article I-League Officers

Section A: Executive committee shall consist of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Equipment Manager.

Section B: Nominations are held in November every (2) years and voted on in January.

Article II-Voting

Section A: Each member of the Executive committee shall have (1) vote.

Section B: Each head coach shall have (1) vote, in the coaches absence the assistant coach votes.

Section C: Votes shall be ballots or by show of hands, majority rules.

Section D: Any changes of the bylaws, rules or regulations shall be voted upon. All changes are made in February. Changes sit of (30) days on the table before voting.

Article III-Player and Eligibility

Section A: Any child who is (5) years of age is eligible to participate. Children who are (4) may play flag with parent’s permission. Any child who turns (15) before August 1^st may not participate. Birth certificates are required.

Section B: Junior ages 7,8,9 and 10. Weight 50-105 pounds.

Senior ages 11,12 and 13, weight up to 160 pounds.

Senior players aged 14 must weigh 145 pounds or less and must weigh in prior to each game by a member of the board or opposing team coach.

Children over 105 pounds must play in the senior division regardless of age.

Article IV-Team Rosters

Section A: Each team shall carry a minimum of (12) players and a maximum of (20) players. Children’s playing time in a game will be at the coaches and league’s discretion.

Section B: If a team goes below the fielding regulation, (9) players, that team can pull players from other teams with the coaches approval. All substitute players will only play on the offensive and defensive lines. This is limited to first year players only.

Article V-Player and Cheerleader Misconduct

Section A: A player or cheerleader who is fighting results in an ejection, there are no warnings.

Article VI-Officials & Coaches

Section A: Coaches ejected for the game will be out for the remainder of that game as well as the next. This is mandatory.

Section B: Coaches shall set an example of good sportsmanship. Coaches shall deal with misconduct of their team in a manner that he/she sees fit. A coach controlled penalty, (15) yards, will be assessed for throwing helmets, shoulder pads, etc. All other penalties are (5) and (10) yards. Exception, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a coach is a (15) yard penalty. A second unsportsmanlike will result in an ejection from the game.

Section C: Only coaches and captains can call time out during the game.

Section D: Coaches refusing to shake hands at the end of the game will not be allowed to coach during the next game.

Section E: Only coaches and assistant coaches should interact with the team members of this league and will have criminal and child abuse check clearances. Kids under the age of (18) are exempt from criminal checks.

Section F: Coaches can only be head coaches of (1) team. Head coaches can assist another team as an assistant coach but not as a head coach.

Section G: No smoking around kids during practices or games.

Section H: All new coaches are on probation for (1) year.

Section I: There should be a minimum of (3) junior and (2) senior officials for each game. All officials must meet league approval. The head referee will run (30) second clock for seniors and (35) second for juniors.

Section J: Coaches (or assistant coaches) of the 1^st game each weekend will need to be at the field to help set-up at 7:30am. Failure to do so will result in forfeit of (2) timeouts, one each half.

Section K: Any coach not present for (2) consecutive meetings with no other representation (assistant coaches) without speaking with board prior will be removed as a coach from the league.

Article VII-Drafting New Players

Section A: The last place team will have the first pick of all new players. Each coach will pick (1) player in the first round and (1) player in the second round, if they do not exceed the maximum of (20) players.

Section B: Siblings must play on the same team unless parents request otherwise. In that case they would have to meet with the Executive committee for a decision.

Section C: Drafting shall be conducted in a manner so that all teams are even in numbers. Only players that have been weighed in shall be put on the draft sheet. A parent signing up a child who is not weighed in by the time of the draft will be assessed and assigned to a team by the board.

Section D: Players signing up after the draft will be assessed and assigned to teams according to skill and teams need.

Article VIII-Veteran Players

Section A: Veterans players shall return to the team they played for the previous year. Any player that quits and then returns the following year shall go into the draft as a new player.

Section B: Any veteran played not signed up before craft day will automatically be assigned to a team. Unless they are claimed on a roster.

Section C: Veteran senior players who are overweight at sign-ups must make weight by the first game. Players will be weighed by the Executive committee and uniform will only be issued after weight is made.

Article VIIII-Equipment Manager

Section A: The equipment manager will keep a list of all equipment.

Section B: The equipment needs to be returned to the league with the exception of non-returnable items such as girdles, protective cups, bloomers, mouth pieces etc. These must be supplied by the player’s parents.

Article X-Protests

Section A: Only a given play can be protested and only for misapplication of a rule. If a misapplication of a rule is found it will be an unofficial time out. If there is no misapplication of a rule then it is a team time out.

Article XI-Playing Rules

Section A: On defensive offside a flag will be dropped which will result in the play being blown dead. There is no getting back on encroachment call. If there is an encroachment on a play which results in movement by offensive lineman, opposite of defender, the penalty will be called on the defense.

Section B: Hoarse collar rule: An attempt to pull offensive player down from behind by grabbing inside of shoulder pads or shirt collar is a (10) yard personal foul.

Section C: (12) players on the field at the snap is an illegal participation penalty which is a (10) yard penalty, but a live ball.

Section D: The center must have a chance to return to normal position prior to contact on a punt.

Section E: There will be no intentional tripping of any player.

Section F: Whistle blow stops play.

Article XII-Length of Play Season

Section A: Each team in the league will only player each other (2) times to constitute a season. Unless seniors only have (3) teams.

Section B: To determine league placement should (2) teams end in a tie, each team will have (4) plays from the (10) yard line to decide league placement. The game will be determined by the Executive committee.

Article XIII-Extra Point Options

Section A: Extra Points:

Running from (5) yard line (2) points.

Running from (2) yard line (1) point.

Section B: The clock will stop to change the defense and offense squads.

Article XIIII-Super Bowl & All-Star Game

Section A: The super bowl game will be played by the playoff winners to determine the league championship team.

Section B: A league all-star game will be played a week after the super bowl game. All-star players are selected by coaches.

Section C: The (1^st) place team will play with the (4^th) place team and the (2^nd) place team with play the (3^rd) place team to form all-star teams.

Section D: (8) players from each team will play in the all-star game.

Article XV-Game Duration

Section A: The clock running time for a game will be (40) minutes, consisting of (4) (10) minute quarters. Seniors (30) second play clock, Juniors (35) second play clock.

Section B: Intermission after the (2^nd) quarter (half time) shall not exceed (10) minutes.

Section C: Approximately (2) minutes before the end of each half, the referee shall notify the field captains and their coaches of the time remaining. If the time is not stopped, the referee shall order the clock stopped.

Section D: Games will start promptly at 8:30am. The referee shall declare the game forfeited after a delay of time of (30) minutes.

Section E: Depending on the length of the games teams shall be ready (30) minutes before the next game. The referee with the mutual agreement of the (2) head coaches and the President shall have the authority to suspend any game if the weather conditions or other extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the league or game officials jeopardized the health or wellbeing of the players. A suspended game shall be continued from the point at which it was suspended at a time and place designated by the league President.

Article XVI-Time Outs

Section A: No more than (3) charged time outs shall be allowed to each team during each half. A charged time out shall not exceed (1) minute.

Section B: One coach from each team will be allowed on the playing field during each time out. (Water is allowed).

Section C: During official’s time outs for an injured player(s) (no parents) only coaches and team attendants may enter the playing field to attend to the injured player(s). (At referee’s discretion, water may be taken out on the field. When a player is hurt head referee must be notified. (the player must leave the field for (1) play). No talking to the players on the field at this time, water only.

Article XVII-Field and Player Equipment

Section A: The playing field shall be (80) yards long and (40) yards wide with end zones of at least (5) yards.

Section B: The ball shall be a type and size approved for little league play.

Section C: Shoes with molded rubber, molded soft plastic cleats, soft rubber soled sneakers or rubber rippled soled shoes may be worn. No metal cleats.

Section D: Mouth pieces attached to the facemask are mandatory for practice and games. Players with braces can have a mouth piece approved by his or her dentist. A (10) yard penalty is given for mouth pieces not in during games. All girls must wear breast protection and pads during practices and games. No jewelry of any kind will be permitted during the game. THIS RULE IS STRICTLY ENFORCED. (Player must leave game until corrected).

Section E: A coach must notify the President of the league when a child breaks a bone. He or she must have a doctor’s release before returning to play.

Section F: Visual injuries to a player/cheerleader need a doctor’s excuse; all other injuries will require parental release.

Section G: Any ball carrier must have black (only) stripe on helmet.

Article XVIII-PIAA Rule Exceptions

Section A: Unless there’s a penalty, each team kicks from the (35) yard line.

Section B: A moving violation on a kick off penalty will be (5) yards. The (1^st) out of bounds kick off team will be penalized (5) yards. On the (2^nd) out of bounds kick off the ball will come into play where it went out of bounds or at the (35) yard line.

Section C: Any team inside the (20) yard line may declare a free kick. The head referee must be notified. No rushing by the defense is permitted. No offensive team member will be allowed down the field until the ball is kicked.

Section D: In a punt formation the blocking back of the kicking team must be positioned inside the tight ends. Violations of this rule will be an illegal position. If the penalty is accepted the ball shall be moved (5) yards from the previous spot.

Section E: At the time of a snap the offensive team must have (7) men on the line of scrimmage. (THE DEFENSE CAN HAVE ANY FORMATION THEY WANT).

Section F: Any open head tackle is a major penalty called at the referee’s discretion. Note, head tackles within (5) yards of the line of scrimmage are legal. Referee’s discretion. (1^st) warning sit a play out, anything over that will be brought to the Executive committee for disciplinary action.

Section G: All major penalties are (10) yards.

Section H: Overtime, the possession of the ball will be determined by a toss of a coin. The ball will be placed in play on the (10) yard line. Only (1) time out per team will be permitted.

Section I: Safety, the ball will be punted from the (20) yard line. The kicking team will be on the (20) yard line. The receiving team will be (15) yards from the line of scrimmage. Any penalty will be half the distance from the goal line on a safety.

Section J: Play will be stopped and a player found without his or her mouthpiece in at snap of ball will have a (10) yard penalty assessed. If a player is seen with his or her mouthpiece out after play has started, the play will continue and penalty will be added or subtracted at the end of play.

Section K: Fumbles may be advanced by anyone as long as his or her knee did not touch ground while picking up the ball. All other fumble recoveries must be spotted and downed at the point the ball was recovered.

Article XVIIII-Miscellaneous Articles

Section A: In event your practice day is missed due to weather conditions, practices may be made up the following day. Do not cross into another coach’s territory.

Section B: As always Friday practices can be held until school starts. Keep your parents in mind, they may have other commitments.

Section C: Any taunting will not be tolerated. If touchdown occurs during this, the ball will be brought back to the original line of scrimmage. Also, any conduct unbecoming of a player that is unsportsmanlike, ball will be brought back (10) yards.

Section D: Last week of practice before (1^st) game, each junior and senior team can have the field for one hour.