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BI-STATE YOUTH FOOTBALL CONFERENCE

Age/Grade Requirements
The following participation guidelines shall be as set forth below:

 

No seventh graders regardless of age
Grade    Max Age prior to August 1st
6th    12
5th    11
4th    10
3rd    9

 

• Moving Up: You may only move players up one grade level to reach the following roster quantity: 3rd 25 players, 4-6 20 players. These players will need to be on the roster of the grade level they will be playing. The can't be on a higher grade roster and play at a lower grade at any point. 

• The approval to play up mest be first approved by the Toown Director and communicated to the League President.

• A player may play up temporarily if the next grade up only has 13 players to a maximum number or 16 total players  for the game. The same player(s) may not play up in consecutives (back to back) games. Teams may only bring up enough temporary players to reach 16 players.

• Head coaches will maintain a file/binder with a copy of all player’s proof of ages and listed school attending.  If the school attending is disputed, proof of school attendance will be requested of town director to provide.  Penalty for falsifying school listed will result in forfeiture of all games to that point, immediate expulsion of the player from the league for the remainder of the season, and investigation into Coaches(Head & Assistants) knowledge of inaccurate school/home address listed.   Coaches and/or Officials found to have had knowledge of violation will face disciplinary actions from suspension to a complete expulsion from the league.  The disciplinary committee members will have the final say.

• Home school students will play for the school district of their domiclie.  

 

With the approval of their town a player may play up one grade level only.  A player that plays up may not play down during the same season.
A player may play up temporarily is the next grade up has only 13 players.

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The same player may not play up in consecutive games.  Teams may bring enough players up that week to reach a maximum of 16 players.

Head coaches/Team moms will maintain a file/binder with a copy of all player’s proof of ages and listed school attending.  If the school attending is disputed, proof of school attendance will be requested of town director to provide.  Penalty for falsifying school listed will result in forfeiture of all games to that point, immediate expulsion of the player from the league for the remainder of the season, and investigation into Coaches(Head & Assistants) knowledge of inaccurate school/home address listed.   Coaches and/or Officials found to have had knowledge of violation will face disciplinary actions from suspension to a complete expulsion from the league.  The disciplinary committee members will have the final say.  

 

Home school students will play for the school in the district of their domicile.

Eligibility

Players must play in the school district in which they attend.  If they live within a district that does not participate in 11-man football they must play for the team that is nearest to their domicile address, even if that team is not in the Bi-State League.  Private school students must play for the school district team in which the school is located. 

If there are any waiver request for special accommodations, those requests should be submitted to league presidents prior to August 15 of that season.  Only move in request will be considered after August 15.  Approvals will be sent in writing to the town director to be included in the coach’s binder. 

Roster’s must be finalized/frozen prior to September 1.  Complete Rosters by team and grade should be emailed by Town Director to Bistateyouthfootball@gmail.com  Any additions after rosters are frozen need to be communicated and eligibility established prior to playing in any contest.  

 

Practices
 
Practices will be managed by each town under their own guidelines and responsibility except for Heat Index guidelines.  The league will follow the recommendations of the Arkansas Activities Association for games and practices.  Rules are below: 

 

Heat Index:

Each Head coach or designee shall download and use the OSHA/NIOSH Heat Index App.  To monitor HEAT Index:

105+ NO Practice/Outside Activity

100-104 Helmets only, minimum 4 water breaks per hour

95-99 Full pads, minimum of 4 water breaks per hour

94 and below, normal practice conditions

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Coaches

All coaches must be willing to consider the player first, the team second, and winning third.  The coaches must be able to remain calm under pressure and always show respect for officials, the opposing team, and other coaches.  The coach must be a strong leader who is consistent throughout the season.  Coaches may not use tobacco, alcohol, or drugs during practices or games, or be under the influence of alcohol/drugs at any time around the team.  

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3rd grade teams may have one coach on the field for offense and one coach on the field for defense.  At the snap of the ball the coach needs to be 10 yards behind the deepest player on each side of the ball.  Once the ball is snapped, the on-field coach must stop providing any coaching(i.e., yelling right, left, pass, run, etc).  Coaching on the field during live play will result in the coach being removed and replaced with someone who can refrain from coaching during live play.  

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No coach/volunteer will physically or verbally abuse any player or official.  

The league will not tolerate excessive hollering, abusive language or sarcastic actions by any coaches or volunteers.  These actions could result in suspension/expulsion from the program/league by the league directors.

Each league member is responsible for ensuring their coaches meet all background requirements to coach youth football and to be in the presence of minor children.

 

The Head Coach is responsible for their sideline.  They will ensure all coaches are demonstrating proper conduct and sportsmanship.  Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their parents/guardians/spectators.  Parents/Guardians/Spectators making derogatory remarks about players on their own team, or the other team will be removed from the stadium, area of play, or spectator view.

 

The number of non-player personnel on each football team’s sideline shall not exceed 8.  This includes all coaches, water aides, play counters, etc.  Maximum of 8, and they will all be under the direct supervision of the Head Coach.  

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Footballs & Equipment

3rd, 4th, 5th – Wilson Junior Size or equivalent

6th grade Wilson TDY or equivalent

Each player should have an appropriate mouthpiece

NO Tinted Visors

Football Cleats should be of rubber or molded plastic designed for American Football.  No baseball cleats or those containing metal.

 

Officials

Three Certified Officials will be required for each game.  They must be at least certified to officiate sub varsity games.  Coaches or members from the organization will NOT be allowed to referee a conference game, regardless of certification.  A game may be played and officiated with two officials if unavoidable. 

 

The Home/Host team is responsible for providing chain sets and crew to staff them. They will also be placed on the home side of the field.  The chain workers should be aware they are part of the game and to not be cheering/coaching/complaining from the chain markers.  
Football Rules

 

The National Federation of High School Football will be the rules utilized with the following exceptions:

 

Center Protection: No defensive player shall line up directly over the center unless down in a 3- or 4-point stance.  Any player standing must be 3 yards off the ball or outside the head of each offensive guard(i.e., No standing up in the A gap, must be on the outside shoulder of the guard).  Players standing inside the outside shoulder of the offensive guards may not be moving toward the line of scrimmage at the time of snap regardless of distance off the ball(i.e., no running starts to time the snap at 3 yards).

Length of Game

4 eight-minute quarters will be utilized with a 10-minute half time

It is important for games to start on time, a team must forfeit if they are not able to start the game within 10 minutes of the officials ready for play signal, unless there are mitigating circumstances mutually agreed upon by league officials.  

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A team must have a minimum of 10 players to start a game.

 

Overtime

High school rules apply to overtime, each team will get the ball at the 10-yard line with an opportunity to score.  There will be a maximum of 3 overtimes.  At the end of the 3rd OT the game will remain tied.  The exception would be playoff games where a winner must be determined.

Kicking Game

Unsportsmanlike Kick: At which time the Kicking team achieves a Sportsmanship Rule and attempts to onside kick against the receiving team; the kicking team coach will receive an unsportsmanlike penalty and the ball well be awarded to the receiving team on the kicking team’s 25-yard line.  

Kick Off’s: Players on the kicking team must be equally spaced across the entire field starting within 5 yards of the sideline for safety purposes.  All players on the kickoff team must be within 5 yards of the ball, except for the kicker.

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There will be no kick-offs for 3rd and 4th grades.  At the beginning of the game, start of the 2nd half, and after scores 3rd & 4th grade will start from their own 35-yard line.  

5th and 6th grade teams will kick off from the 40-yard line. 

Punts:  All grades’ teams can declare a punt on any down and move the ball 30 yards downfield, but not inside the receiving teams 20-yard line.

Field goals will be awarded 3 points, kicked extra points will be 2 points, offensive play from 2.5-yard line will be 1 point and 2 points from 10-yard line.

 

Field goals and extra point kicks are no rush attempts.  If the defense crosses the line of scrimmage during the kick attempt, the kicking team will get a re kick opportunity.

The ball must be kick within 5 seconds of the holder receiving the snap. 

 

The holder may not leave his position to retrieve a ball, they may stand up if necessary, but if they must leave their immediate area to retrieve the ball, it will be blown dead.

No fake kicks for field goals or extra points.

Blocked or missed extra points or field goals may not be advanced, the play is dead.

Blocked or missed field goals will be turned over to the opposing team on the 20-yard line or line of scrimmage, whichever is greater into the opposing team’s field.  

Sportsmanship Rule

If a team leads by 35 points at any point during the game or by 20 points in the 4th qtr., the clock will run continuously until time expires.

It will only stop for an official time out, end of a period, a charged time out by trailing team.  The leading team may not call time out.

 

Weather Conditions

The town director may call the games due to inclement/dangerous weather or field conditions.  There will be an attempt to make up the games when safe to do so, if a game is in the 2nd half and is halted and unable to continue, it will be considered final.  

Games in the first half or not yet started will be as if not played or yet started, rescheduled if reasonably possible.  

Teams must follow the host schools lightening protocols.  Lightening with 8 miles will result in a 30-minute halt to play and evacuation of the spectator area.  Town Directors and Head Coaches encouraged to download Lightening App that will notify you of lightening in the area.

Heat Index Rules Apply to Games as well.  Above 99 Heat Index, no play.  95 – 99 officials should provide water breaks during each period. 

Team Construction/Player Participation

Teams should be put together to facilitate learning football in a competitive environment but not as a stacked team.  Stacking teams is not in the spirit of the league and player development, there are leagues design for that, this league is not.  

Towns with more than one team per grade should distribute as equally as possible to ensure competitive learning environment.  

No town should have tryouts for teams and cut players.  

Each player must play a minimum of 6 plays, non-competitive plays do not count(i.e., extra points or kneeling plays at the end of a game). 

Insurance

Each town is its own organization and should carry adequate insurance. 

Disputes/Disciplinary 

Any issues will first be heard by the league Presidents and attempt to resolve completely.  If we can not resolve, then each town director will represent on the disciplinary review.  The members involved will not have a vote in the outcome and the League Presidents will only cast a vote in a tie breaking scenario.  Members must be present to participate in any proceedings and will be limited to the appointed Town Director.  No proxy or absentee vote will be counted.

Outcomes of issues could result in forfeiture of games, suspension of coaches/individuals from participating, probation, expulsion, or any other reasonable action determined.  

Sportsmanship/Conduct

Assaults, verbal abuse, profanity, display of poor sportsmanship by a coach, parent, spectator, player, club official, or guest will not be tolerated.  Excessive yelling at officials and coaches or any yelling at the opposing team’s players will not be tolerated.  

Any parent/spectator/guest that must be ejected from the stadium will result in the associated player/players being ejected from the game as well.  The parent/spectator/guest will not be allowed to return to the following weeks game either, the player may return to the next schedule practice.  

Players that are ejected from the game due to sportsmanship must sit out the following weeks game but must attend the game and be on the sideline not in pads.  

NO ARTIFICIAL NOISE MAKERS WILL BE ALLOWED DURING GAMES(EXAMPLES BUT NOT LIMITED TO AIR HORNS, COW BELLS, MEGAPHONES, ETC)