Sportsmanship & Roughing Penalties

• 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(1) warning.
• If Trash Talk continues, the player, or players, will be ejected from the game. THE PLAYER(S) AND PARENT(S) WILL BE SUSPENDED FOR 1 ADDITIONAL GAME!
• If a parent is the one using trash talk or foul language, the referee will give one(1) warning. If it continues, the parent and their player will be ejected/suspended for that game plus one(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: Not an allowed play, results in 10-yard personal foul penalty.
  • Hitting the ball out of the QB’s hand is considered a strip and automatic first down.

Defensive Penalties

• 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.

• 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

Offensive Penalties

• 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.
  • Example: If the O is on the 3 yd line, there cannot be a delay of game penalty, or any other penalty, to push them out of the NO RUN ZONE.  They 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. 
  • Example: 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 --- Referee decision if it's flagrant

Dead Balls

• Play is ruled dead when:
  • Ball carriers flag is pulled
  • Ball carrier steps out of bounds
  • Ball carriers knee hits the ground
  • Ball carriers flag falls out
  • Touchdown or safety is scored
  • Inadvertent whistle

Dead Ball Fouls

• If a team incurs two(2) dead ball foul penalties on the same down, the clock will be stopped until a successful play is run.  
  • Example: A false start and another false start. We have a running clock in the league, and this is to prevent abuse of the clock.
• Yardage penalties will be assessed on both penalties and the clock will stop on the second one.
• If this happens more than once in a game a 15-yard personal foul unsportsmanlike will be called and the clock stopped.

Note: There are no fumbles. The ball is spotted where the ball hits the ground.