PENALTIES
Sportsmanship/Roughing:
- If the field monitor or referee witnesses any acts of tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, blocking, or any unsportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped, and the player will be ejected from the game. FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
- Trash talking is illegal. Foul language used at any WAA facility is illegal. Officials have the right to determine offensive language. (Trash talk is talk that may be offensive to officials, opposing players, teams, or spectators.) If trash talking or foul language occurs, the referee will give one warning. If it continues, the player or players will be ejected from the game AND THE PLAYER AND PARENT WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR 1 ADDITIONAL GAME! ! !
- If a parent is the one using trash talk or foul language, the referee will give one warning. If it continues, the parent and their player will be suspended for that game and 1 additional game.
- All penalties will be called by the referee. A penalty can negate a first down (spot foul penalties that push the ball back)
- Personal Foul: 10-yard penalty no loss of down. Will apply to both offense and defense.
- Stripping the ball is not allowed and is a 10-yard personal foul penalty. Hitting the ball out of the Qb’s hand is a strip and automatic first down.
Defense:
- Offside: 5 yards and automatic first down, not a dead ball play. Play continues offense can choose result of the play or penalty.
- Pass Interference: 10 yards and automatic First down
- Illegal contact (holding, pushing, blocking, etc.): 10 yards and automatic first down.
- Illegal flag pull (pulling a player’s flag when they do not have the ball): 10 yards and automatic first down.
- Illegal rushing (starting the rush from inside 7-yard marker): 10 yards and automatic first down.
- If a rusher "jumps" the snap count he must go back behind the marker and then rush in. Play continues.
Offense:
- Illegal motion/ FALSE START: more than one person moving, false start, etc. Dead Ball. 5 yards & replay down. After 2 false starts in a row, every false start is a loss of down and 15-yard penalty for that team for the rest of the game. Sportsmanship issue.
- Illegal forward pass 2 forward passes: 5 yards and loss of down.
- Illegal contact: Blocking, pushing off/away defender from either a blocking back or WR: 10 yards and loss of down.
- Down field screen: Once the ball crosses the line of scrimmage no blocking is allowed even if is a screen block. Spot foul 10-yard penalty
- Non-contact flag: The offensive players must stop and cannot move if they are in front of or near the WR who catches the ball. A team cannot have 2+ players running side by side down the field or have players running in front of the ball carrier. All WR must stop and stand still like a "basketball pick" block. The official will judge if the players did this to gain an advantage on the play
- Flag guarding: 10 yards (from spot of the foul) and loss of down.
- If the Offense is in the no run zone, they cannot benefit by having a penalty pushing them out of the no run zone. EX If the O is on the 3 you cannot have a delay of game penalty or any other to push you out of the no run zone. You will get the penalty AND it is still a no run play for the rest of the series.
- Delay of game: Clock stops, 5 yards no loss of down.
- Illegal substitution/ sleeper play: 10-yard penalty. Players must be in the huddle and or be identified by refs prior to a play. EX a player standing on the sideline cannot sneak on the field.
- Last man to beat penalty: Will place the ball at the 6-yard line, automatic first down, 4 DOWNS TO SCORE run or pass for all downs--- Ref decision if flagrant.
Referees determine incidental contact that may result from normal run of play. All penalties will be assessed from the line of scrimmage.
Only the team captain may ask the referee questions about rule clarification and interpretations. Players cannot question judgment calls.
Games cannot end on a defensive penalty unless the offense declines it.