FLAG FOOTBALL

What ancient Greek game are football, rugby, and soccer believed to have descended from?

Harpaston.

How was harpaston described in classical literature?

A very rough and brutal game.

How were points scored in harpaston?

By crossing a goal line by kicking the ball, running with it, or throwing it across the line to another player.

What was the objective of the opposing team in harpaston?

To stop the other team by any means possible.

What were the field conditions and rules of harpaston?

No specific field length, no sideline boundaries, no specified number of players per team, and very few rules.

When is the birth of football in the United States generally recognized?

November 6, 1869.

Which two universities played in the first intercollegiate football game?

Rutgers and Princeton Universities.

How many players were on each team in the first intercollegiate football game?

20 players per team.

What sport did early American football more closely resemble?

Rugby.

Who was Walter Camp?

A Yale coach who helped develop modern American football.

What important change did Walter Camp help introduce to football?

DISAGRRED W THE IFA AND CREATED The 11-man team, the final step in the evolution from rugby-style play to modern American football.

When did Walter Camp introduce the system of downs?

1882.

What was the original distance teams had to advance the ball under the downs system?

5 yards in 3 attempts.

When was the distance changed to 10 yards?

1906.

When was the fourth down added?

1912.

How long has touch and flag football been around compared with tackle football?

Nearly as long as tackle football.

When was organized touch and flag football first remembered as being played?

The 1930s.

Where and when was flag football developed as a recreational sport?

On military bases in the early 1940s.

When did recreational flag football leagues begin developing?

The late 1940s and early 1950s.

What were recreational flag football leagues patterned after?

The softball league format.

Where was the first national flag football organization established?

St. Louis.

What was the first national flag football organization called?

The National Touch Football League (NTFL).

When was the NTFL formed?

The 1960s.

Since when has the NTFL played a national championship game?

1971.

What did the NTFL produce?

The first standardized rulebook and a Hall of Fame for flag football players.

What happened to the NTFL Hall of Fame?

It was adopted by other national organizations.

When was the United States Flag Touch Football League (USFTL) formed?

1988.

Who formed the USFTL, and how was it connected to the NTFL?

NTFL regional director Mike Cihon broke away from the NTFL to create it.

Where is the USFTL National Flag Football Tournament held?

Orlando.

How is the USFTL National Flag Football Tournament described?

The largest non-college flag football tournament in the nation.

How many teams competed in the USFTL tournament in January 2002?

175 teams.

How many national champions were crowned at the January 2002 USFTL tournament?

11 national champions.

How many players can be on a flag football team?

Up to 9 players.

Can flag football be played indoors and outdoors?

Yes.

What shape should a flag football field be?

Longer than it is wide.

What is the maximum length of a flag football field according to the notes?

80 yards.

Where does play begin in flag football?

On the hash mark near the offensive team's goal line.

How is first possession determined?

By a coin toss.

How many points is a touchdown worth?

6 points.

How many points is a running conversion worth?

1 point.

How many points is a passing conversion worth?

2 points.

How many points is a safety worth?

2 points.

How long is a flag football game?

Two 20-minute halves.

When does the clock stop during the last minute of each half?

On each dead ball.

When does the clock stop for time-outs?

During time-outs.

How many time-outs does each team receive per half?

Two time-outs per half.

How long is each time-out?

1 minute.

How long is halftime?

5 minutes.

What is a down?

A play or attempt that ends when the ball becomes dead.

How many downs does a team have to score a touchdown or cross the centerline?

Four downs.

What must the offense do within four downs?

Score a touchdown or advance the ball across the centerline.

What happens on fourth down if the offense has not scored or reached the centerline?

The offense should punt the ball or risk turning it over at the line of scrimmage.

When does a ball become dead in flag football?

When the ball carrier's flag becomes detached, their body other than hands or feet touches the ground, a pass is incomplete, a fumble occurs, or the ball goes out of bounds.

What happens when a ball carrier's body, other than their hands or feet, touches the ground? OR What happens when the ball goes out of bounds? OR What happens to an incomplete pass? OR What happens when a fumble occurs?

The ball becomes dead.

Can a team advance a fumble after recovering it?

No. Fumbles become dead balls and cannot be advanced by the recovering team.

What is a handoff?

An exchange of the football from the quarterback to a teammate.

How many handoffs are allowed during a series of downs, according to the notes?

Only one.

What is the center?

The offensive lineman who snaps the football to the quarterback.

What is the end zone?

The area between the goal line and the end line where touchdowns occur.

What is a fake?

A move made by a player to deceive an opponent.

What is a first down?

The first of four attempts to move the football forward into the end zone or across the centerline.

What is the line of scrimmage?

An imaginary line drawn from the forward tip of the football to the sideline.

What is offside?

Movement across the line of scrimmage before the football is snapped.

What is a safety in flag football?

Removing an opponent's flag while they have the ball behind their own goal line.

What is pass interference?

Contact during a legal forward pass that interferes with an eligible receiver, except when two or more eligible receivers simultaneously make a genuine attempt to reach, catch, or bat the pass.

What is the penalty for guarding your flag with your arms or hands?

15 yards.

What is the penalty for a defensive player holding, grasping, or obstructing the ball carrier's forward progress while attempting to remove the flag?

15 yards.

Can clothing cover any portion of a player's flag?

No. No article of clothing may cover any portion of a player's flag.

What type of flag belt must each player wear?

A one-piece belt worn at the waistline with three permanently attached flags.

Where must the three flags be attached to the belt?

One on each side and one in the center of the back.

What happens when a flag belt is clearly removed from the ball carrier?

The down ends and the ball is declared dead.

What must a player do after removing a flag belt?

Immediately hold the belt above their head to help the official locate the spot where the capture occurred.

Where may defensive players make contact when attempting to remove a flag belt?

They may contact the opponent's body and shoulders with their hands.

Can defensive players hold, push, or knock down the ball carrier while trying to remove the flag?

No.

Can the defense drop the removed flag belt at the spot of capture?

Yes, with no penalty.

What happens if a ball carrier loses their flag belt accidentally, inadvertently, or on purpose during a play?

The play reverts to a one-hand touch of the ball carrier between the shoulders and knees.