2010 CROSSROADS YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE RULES
1.00 - COACHES AND GAME STAFF
1.01 No member may hold more than one coaching position.
1.02 The President shall be the overall authority in all coaching matters and shall have full authority and responsibility to conduct the athletic program for all Crossroads Youth Football League (CYFL) teams.
1.03 The League shall appoint a Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach for each team.
A. Each team will supply a minimum of two coaches at game; practice, performance or League approved outside activity.
B. Team levels are defined as Pee-Wee (6-7), Junior (8-9) and Senior (10-12).
1.04 The Board must individually approve all football coaches each year.
1.05 All Head Coaches and Assistant Head Coaches must attend the CYFL’s annual coaching/certification clinic.
1.06 Coaches must adhere at all times to the League’s Coach’s Code of Ethics.
1.07 Coaches will, at all times, promote the ideals and goals of the CYFL including:
A. Coaches must display good conduct at all times in front of the players. They must never argue between themselves or with other officials in front of any player.
B. No coach shall ever, unless teaching a fundamental stance or play; grab, punch or hit any player under his supervision. This includes grabbing the facemask.
C. No coach shall use any derogatory remarks toward any player under his supervision or to any player of the opposing team. The use of profanity is strictly forbidden at all times.
D. No coach shall badger, ridicule, or harass any official; nor shall he allow any members of his team or coaching staff to do so during a game.
E. No coach shall accost any official assigned to his game during or following such game or use derogatory or abusive language. He may, at any time during or after play, request information relative to some infraction.
F. No coach shall purposely teach any player under his care any unethical practice.
G. No coach may reward or offer incentives to players to encourage in any way injuring another player.
H. No coach may punish a player in any way for inadvertently incurring a penalty.
I. Every coach should instill the spirit to win, but above all, teach good sportsmanship whether they win or lose.
J. Head Coaches are responsible for the actions of the entire team and coaching staff and will be held accountable for such.
1.08 Any coach ejected from a game as a result of a confrontation with a game official is suspended from CYFL immediately and shall not be allowed to participate in any CYFL sanctioned coaching position or activity. He must immediately depart the game site or the League may assess additional penalties to the team up to and including forfeiture of the game. The game site includes adjacent fields, bleachers, parking lots, buildings, or any area in which the individual is still in view of the game. Eligibility may be restored only by application through his personal appearance before the League Executive Board and a majority approval of the Executive Board. The decision of the League Executive Board is final.
1.09 The League Board will review any complaints against any coach and will have the authority to remove any coach at any time by 2/3 vote of the Board.
1.10 Each team shall have a maximum of 8 adults (6 coaches, athletic trainer and a statistician) during Senior and Junior level games and no more than 4 adults (coaches and others) on their team sideline at the Pee-Wee level. All persons must wear like attire with similar colors and should possess League issued credentials, which should be made available for inspection upon request of League officials. Coaches must stay within their team’s designated area (see rule 9.27).
2.00 - PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
2.01 Participants of the CYFL may not play or be enrolled in any other football program.
2.02 All players must be in regular full-time school attendance or provide verification of home-schooling in accordance with local and state law.
2.03 A player’s age as of September 1st of the current year shall determine his/her eligibility to participate in CYFL football and at what age level he/she will play (Pee-Wee, Junior or Senior). In order to be eligible to play CYFL football, a player cannot be thirteen (13) years of age as of September 1st of the current calendar year, regardless of grade level.
A. He/She shall be in the sixth (6th) grade or lower in school in the current season.
B. He/She may also be in the seventh (7th) grade if his/her school does not offer a tackle football program.
2.04 The Head Coach of any player found to knowingly be in violation of any part of this section shall be suspended immediately. Team roster information will be reviewed and approved by all Head Coaches (includes CYFL and all affiliated organizations) during the first week of practice. If an ineligible player is later discovered to have played for that team during the season, the team will be required to forfeit all games in which the ineligible player participated.
A. All Head Coaches must possess government issued birth records for each player on their roster along with a complete listing of player weights, as certified by the coaches and/or league officials during the first week of the season. These records must be made available for review, upon request, at any time, by a CYFL Board member or opposing Head Coach/Asst. Head Coach.
2.05 Ball carriers shall be subject to a maximum weight limit of 140 lbs. in the Senior Division; 110 lbs. in the Junior Division and 80 lbs. in the Pee-Wee division. No player who exceeds the ball carrier weight limit may line up in the offensive backfield or split wide. This includes Tight Ends that exceed the ball carrier weight limit. A Tight End can weigh up to 20 pounds above the ball carrier limit for each age group. If the Tight End exceeds the ball carrier weight limit, he/she may receive a forward pass but cannot take a hand-off on a reverse. Players exceeding the ball carrier weight limit, including Tight Ends, will not be allowed to line up deeper than the front line of a kickoff or punt return formation. They may, however, advance the ball on a fumble, short kickoff, short punt, blocked punt, or interception. Senior Division only – Any player over the running back weight limit that lines up to punt or kick a field goal must report to the referee that he is an ineligible ball carrier. This player will only be allowed to punt or kick the ball. He may not run, pitch, hand off, or pass the ball. This includes a muffed snap, fumble, blocked kick, or other loose ball. Any attempt by this player to do any of the above will result in the play being whistled dead at the spot. On a punt, the ball will then go over to the other team. On a field goal attempt, it will be declared “no good”. If the player over the running back weight limit does not report in to the referee, and it is caught before the next play is run, a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be assessed against the offending team. Any subsequent violation of this rule will be addressed by rule 2.06. A player’s weight and subsequent eligibility as a ball carrier and/or tight end will be established on the current season’s opening day or during the week prior to the League’s opening day, for players on teams having an off-date that first week of the season. Using identical (preferred) or similar scales in all areas and Board members as monitors at each game site, coaches will weigh in all players on their respective rosters prior to kickoff (first game of the season only). Weights will be recorded for players on each team and certified by both Head Coaches and the CYFL Board member present during the weigh-in. All teams not playing on opening day will weigh in at a time and location as determined by the Board. Roster information, with player weights, will then be made available to all Head Coaches within the League prior to week 2 games. These “opening day” weights shall establish ball carrier and tight end eligibility for the duration of the CYFL regular season. Players will remain subject to reweighs at the request of the League President or Executive Board only. A player’s “official” weight shall be that which is measured without any equipment or shoes.
2.06 Use of illegal or ineligible players in the backfield, at tight end, or behind the front line in a kickoff or punt return formation shall result in the following penalties being assessed:
A. A 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct will be assessed by game officials when notified of the violation by the opposing team’s Head Coach prior to the next play.
B. If a second violation occurs, the offending team will again be penalized 15 yards, along with the ejection of the team’s Head Coach from the game.
C. If a third violation occurs or video evidence is presented to the CYFL President and/or Executive Board following the conclusion of a game, that clearly establishes violation of rule 2.06 on three (3) or more plays during the contest, the offending team shall be required to forfeit the contest and the team’s Head Coach will be suspended for a minimum of one (1) game, subject to review by the League’s Executive Board.
2.07 Upon conclusion of the CYFL regular season, all playoff eligible teams will be reweighed, in order to establish ball carrier and tight end eligibility throughout post-season play. Playoff weight limits will be increased five (5) pounds over regular season limits to allow for normal growth by players during the regular season. Playoff weigh-ins shall take place at the direction of the CYFL President.
3.00 - REGISTRATION
3.01 It shall be the responsibility of the League President to hold registration to enlist players for football teams.
3.02 Certain children shall have the right to reserved positions on teams coached by family members or on teams with their family members on them. Reserve status priority shall be extended whenever possible to:
A. A child or grandchild of the Head Coach and Assistant Head Coach.
B. A nephew or niece of either the Head or Assistant Head Coach.
C. For the purposes of rule 3.02, “siblings” shall be defined as children residing together within the same household.
3.03 Under normal circumstances, each team shall have a maximum of two (2) protected coach’s children unless otherwise approved by the Board. For example, if Team A protects its Assistant Head Coach’s son in Year 1 and the protected player is still on the team in Year 2, another player cannot be protected, regardless of the coaching status of the team’s Assistant Head Coach. Exceptions to this rule can only be made by the Board and all reserved/protected player positions are subject to review prior to each season. The Board has the right to decline any such arrangements when it deems that an uncompetitive balance would be the likely result of any such arrangement.
4.00 - TEAM STRUCTURE
4.01 All organizations will register and maintain a roster of teams. The Junior and Senior divisions shall have a minimum requirement of 15 players per team and a maximum requirement of 31 players per team. (When a team reaches 32 players, an additional team shall be added. For example, if one of six Victoria teams reaches 32 players, a 7th team must be added.) The Pee-Wee division shall have a minimum requirement of 10 players per team and a maximum requirement of 19 players per team. (When a team reaches 20 players, an additional team shall be added. For example, if one of six Victoria teams reaches 20 players, a 7th team must be added.)
4.02 A player may be reassigned as follows:
A. New player - If, following registration, it is determined by the head coach (after observation of a player under practice conditions) that a player should more appropriately compete on the next higher level, he may be reassigned with parents' permission and League approval. Should permission be withheld and further participation of the individual on a lower team is considered hazardous to the safety of his/her teammates, his dismissal from the program may be effected by action of the Executive Board.
B. Extreme Personal Conflict - if an extreme personal conflict exists between a coach and the parent(s) of a player, or between parents with children assigned to the same team. The Board can re-assign players as deemed necessary. Any reassignment during the season is made at the sole discretion of the League Executive Board and is irrevocable.
4.03 Should a vacancy on a team occur after the registration period has closed, it should be filled according to the following priorities:
A. All late signups, who have not been assigned to a team, will be allocated randomly to those teams with the fewest number of players on their roster.
B. No vacancy shall be filled after the first week of practice without Executive Board approval.
4.04 Under no circumstances will a player be reassigned from one team to another team on Game Day during regular season play.
5.00 - EQUIPMENT
5.01 All equipment will at a minimum conform to UIL/NCAA equipment standards and shall include the following:
A. Headgear - Helmet shall be secured by a four-point chin strap and shall include a facemask or double bar type guard. All chin strap snaps shall be fastened at all times. Facemasks not supplied by the League, tubular face guards and transparent plastic eye/face shields may be installed only with the approval of the League’s equipment coordinator or League President.
B. Jersey - NCAA Rule 1-4-3.a requiring visitors to wear white jerseys does not apply.
C. A mouthpiece is required to be connected to the facemask with a visible attachment. This includes the quarterback.
D. Only player number, team name, player last name, or team sponsor shall be permitted on player's game uniforms. If two players with the same last name participate on the same team, their first initial may be added.
E. The NCAA recommended player numbering system for offensive players and formations applies only as a reference but coaches are encouraged to follow it. NCAA mandatory numbering applies except: (a) jersey numbers "0" through "00" are permitted (b) two or more players on the same team may not wear the same number.
F. The use of any tacky substance on fingers, hands, or clothing to improve ball-handling capabilities is prohibited.
G. Casts - Padding of any type, material and thickness protecting, covering or camouflaging any cast or splint is strictly prohibited. Hard, abrasive or unyielding substances on the hand, wrist, forearm or elbow are likewise prohibited regardless of padding.
H. No modifications or additions shall be made to any team’s headgear or uniform without express authorization from the Board. Exceptions include providing award decals for helmets and game jerseys being hemmed to waist length, provided they appear to be professionally altered.
5.02 It shall be the responsibility of each team’s coach to ensure that their players are supplied an ample amount of water or similar beverages for hydration in the team area at all games and practices.
6.00 - SUSPENSION OF PLAYERS, COACHES, OR PARENTS
6.01 Players, coaches, or parents guilty of persistent incorrigible misconduct may be suspended or banned from further participation in the League and all its associated activities, upon action of the League’s Executive Board.
7.00 - PRACTICE AND SCRIMMAGE
7.01 A practice session is defined as any occasion when three or more participants and one or more coaches assemble for scrimmage, practice, game/performance film or videotape review, instructions, and /or lectures. It is also considered practice anytime the team assembles early or remains later at a practice site any other team designated place to conduct any football related team activity including organized, systematic physical conditioning regardless of direct supervision, coaching, etc.
7.02 Pre-season practice dates will be set by the Board prior to each season. Players will be allowed to wear helmets only during the first week of practice for conditioning purposes only. No player equipment or contact is permitted until the second week of practice. No team practices or organized activities are permitted during the off-season, but players may participate in camps or group workouts, as long as they are not exclusive to any one team or program.
7.03 Before the first scheduled game, a team may practice any five days during the week, except Sunday.
7.04 No practice session is to exceed 2 hours on any given day for the Junior and Senior divisions and 90 minutes for the Pee Wee division and must include a mandatory water break at least every 30 minutes. Pee Wee practices must be over by 7:30 PM.
A. The decision to suspend or cancel any practice due to hazardous weather, field or other conditions is a Coaching Staff/League responsibility. Lightning in vicinity must be considered hazardous. Any practice shortened through any such decision is an official, complete practice.
B. The CYFL Board has authority to postpone or cancel practices at anytime.
7.05 No team may engage in a scrimmage or game with any other team without prior approval of a League Vice President or other Executive Board member.
7.06 After the first scheduled game, practice sessions will be limited to three (3) per week (not Sunday), with the exception that a team may hold one additional practice session during any week in which they have a "bye".
7.07 No player may participate while in a cast or known to have a serious injury and may not return to physical practices or a game without doctor's written release.
7.08 A coach may not smoke or use any other tobacco products at any time while participating in a CYFL event, including practice.
8.00 - MINIMUM PLAY RULE
8.01 Every player must participate in at least 8 plays in each and every game for which they are eligible to compete. Coaches are encouraged to ensure that all players receive an equitable amount of playing time. Coaches who violate this rule will receive a warning on the first offense, a one-game suspension on the second offense, and will be suspended for the rest of the season on a third offense.
8.02 The 'minimum play' privilege shall not be abridged except for the following reasons:
A. The player is absent.
B. The player is tardy for the start of the game.
C. The player is injured, ill or in a cast. The player may stand/sit in their team’s sideline area dressed in his/her jersey.
D. During the week preceding the game, the player missed one or more practices. (At coach’s discretion)
E. The player is ejected from the game.
F. At the player’s or parent’s request.
9.00 - GAME PLAY
9.01 Scheduling of regular season play shall be the responsibility of the Board.
A. Regular season playing schedules are adopted annually.
B. The first game date of the season shall be determined annually. (subject to change).
C. No team may play games on Sunday without prior League approval.
9.02 The decision to suspend or cancel any scheduled games due to hazardous weather, field or other conditions is made by any Board or Executive Board member present at the game. Their decision concerning postponement shall be final. Lightning in vicinity must be considered hazardous. Game officials should be consulted in considering all options available to them. Whenever possible, play should resume following a weather delay.
9.03 Preceding the first game of the day all team drills should be complete and field clear, ready for the first kickoff.
9.04 Games shall be played under the supervision of TASO certified officials whenever possible. If TASO officials are unavailable, officials agreed upon by both Head Coaches and at least one other Board Member may officiate the game. The Board Member who approves the arrangement cannot be one of the coaches involved in the game. If mutual consent cannot be obtained, the game will be re-scheduled.
9.05 The playing rules for the CYFL will be those promulgated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as issued by that body annually and modified as deemed necessary by the Board. All participants and teams in the League will be governed by the rules adopted and approved by the League Board. Unless otherwise specified, all rules shall apply to all classifications. Play at the Pee-Wee level only shall be 8-man football.
9.06 Pee-Wee division only: Only four (4) defensive players are allowed to rush and all must clearly be in position and set on the LOS prior to the snap of the ball. All players eligible to rush must be positioned in a 3-point or 4-point stance between tight end positions or similar position alignments along the LOS. Note – Defensive Ends may line up on the outside shoulder of the Offensive Tackle or Tight End (whichever is on the end of the line).
A. Linebackers and Defensive backs may not cross the line scrimmage until the ball is handed off or passed.
B. On any play, if the QB moves outside the tackles he is considered running the ball and all defensive players are eligible to cross the LOS and tackle him.
C. The penalty for "blitzing" will be 5 yards counted off against the defense and replay of the down on the First Offense. Subsequent infractions will result in a 10-yard penalty against the defensive team.
D. Rule 9.06 does not apply during short yardage situations when the defense is protecting their end-zone and the offensive team is within the defensive team’s 10-yard line.
9.07 The total playing time per quarter for all games shall be 10 minutes continuous running time in the Pee-Wee division; 10 minutes continuous run time in the Junior division and 12 minutes continuous run time in the Senior division. During continuous run time, the clock will stop only on called timeouts (restarted on the snap), injuries (restarted after the injured player leaves the field), and (Junior/Senior only) after all scores (restarted when the ensuing kickoff is touched by the receiving team.) All games will have a “Two Minute Warning” at the end of each half. At this point the clock will stop until the next snap and the game will be played under normal NCAA clock regulations until the end of the half. Time will be kept by an on-field official, as well as, a designated scoreboard operator (when a scoreboard is available) for each game.
9.08 The intermission between halves should be 10-15 minutes.
9.09 Playing field size whenever possible will be 80 yards for Pee-Wee/Junior division games and 100 yards (regulation) for Senior division games.
9.10 The playing field shall be reserved for pep squad or cheerleading performances during the half-time intermission.
9.11 The kicking game - No Junior or Pee-Wee team shall attempt a field goal or kick for point after.
A. Pee-Wee - There is no kicking game. Game play will begin by a toss of the coin to determine the "kicking" and "receiving" teams. The "receiving" team will put the ball in play from their 20 yard line. On fourth down the "punting" team must announce its' intention to punt. Once a team announces their decision to punt, the ball will be placed either 25 yards up field or half the distance to the goal line (whichever is less).
B. Junior- The kicking team shall kick-off from the 35 yard line. Punting: During punts both teams must hold their position for 5 seconds or until the ball is kicked. The punter must not move outside the tackles and must punt the ball within 5 seconds of receiving the snap. A 5-yard delay of game penalty may be assessed for violation of this rule.
C. Senior- Deep Snapper Protection – On a field goal, extra point, or punt attempt, no defensive player can line up directly over the Deep Snapper. Linebackers may not blitz directly over the Deep Snapper from a distance of less than 3 yards. Failure to comply with this rule will result in: First offense – 15-yard penalty. Second offense – 15-yard penalty and Head Coach ejected from game. Third offense – Forfeit.
9.12 The point-after-touchdown awards shall be one (1) point for a running the ball into the end zone, two (2) points for a forward pass caught in the end zone, three (3) points for a regulation extra point (Senior only). The defense can score two (2) points on a PAT try if they return the ball by interception, fumble recovery, or blocked kick to the opposite end zone.
9.13 A modified NCAA format tiebreaker will be utilized as follows: At the end of regulation play, a coin toss will determine which end of the field will be used and which team will receive possession first. Each team will receive equal possessions beginning at the 15 yard line (10 yard line for Pee-Wee). Extra point values remain the same as in regulation play. All divisions - during all games and the playoffs, each team will receive equal possessions in overtime until there is a winner.
9.14 Incomplete, cancelled, or games cancelled due to hazardous weather conditions or other causes, shall be rescheduled by the League if possible. If the game is halted due to hazardous weather conditions and cannot be completed on the same day, the score at the time the game was suspended shall be the final score, if at least one full half has been played. If less than one half has been played the game will be re-scheduled in its entirety whenever possible.
9.15 Coaches from both "Home" and "Visiting" teams shall report game scores to their designated League representative.
9.16 Scouting of opponents' practices or games:
A. Scouting of any practice is prohibited.
B. Scouting of any game is allowed and the use of note pads and video recorders is permitted.
C. Scouting of pre-season scrimmages is permitted, however, the use of video recording devices are prohibited, except for the teams participating in the scrimmage.
D. One (1) photographer/videographer per team will be allowed access to their team’s sideline area and endzone areas of the field during the course of a game for scouting purposes or to take player photos for team/parent use only. Authorized individuals must present League issued credentials upon request by any game official, coach or Board member. All photographic and video images captured at CYFL games are strictly intended for team/parent use only and shall not be marketed for profit by any party, by any means, without prior authorization from the CYFL Board.
9.17 Radios, walkie-talkies, binoculars or equivalent may not be used to communicate information to coaches during game.
9.18 Once the team trainer examines a player and removes him from the game or determines he is unable to play because of injury or illness, no one with the team staff may override his decision.
9.19 Players must stay in the designated team area along the sideline. See rule 9.26.
9.20 Parents shall not enter the team sideline area during a game unless attending to an injured child.
9.21 During game play Pee-Wee division teams may have no more than two coaches on the field during play. Junior division teams may have one coach on the field during play. Senior division teams will have no coaches on the field.
A. Coaches must withdraw at least 10 yards from the LOS prior to the snap of the ball and must not provide direction of any kind once the ball has been snapped.
B. The first infraction of rule 9.22 will result in a warning from the game official.
C. Subsequent infractions will result in a 15-Yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty being assessed against the offending team.
9.22 Upon reaching a lead of 4 or more touchdowns at any time during the course of a game, the team leading the game shall remove its starting offensive backfield until their lead becomes less than 4 touchdowns. These players may play other offensive positions, but may not line up at any position in the backfield. If injuries to reserve players make this unfeasible in the opinion of the team’s Head Coach – the League President or an on-site Board member must approve any substitutions allowed to the exception and spirit of this rule. Junior/Senior division – teams shall also refrain from blitzing and will have a maximum 5 down linemen within the Tight Ends.
9.23 There shall be no smoking or any other tobacco use on the playing field or in the bench area. Tobacco use policies of the State of Texas and Local School Districts shall be strictly enforced as well as any City and County tobacco use policies.
9.24 The home team will provide the chain crew and scoreboard operator (where applicable).
9.25 Both teams will occupy the same side of the field during normal game play. Pee-Wee and Junior Division teams must remain between the 10 and 40 yard lines. Senior teams must remain between the 10 and 50 yard lines. Teams may be on opposite sides of the field in games played in stadiums or on other fields in which there is a physical barrier between the spectators and players/coaches (fence, etc). The NCAA requirement for staying between the 25 yard lines will then be followed.
9.26 CYFL will retain the 5 yard facemask penalty for an incidental facemask. The 15-yard facemask penalty will be called for a flagrant face mask. The game officials will determine the severity of the foul. (In 2008, the NCAA and UIL eliminated the 5 yard facemask penalty.)
10.00 TEAM SELECTIONS
10.01 All Divisions will conduct a draft for team selections.
10.02 Players selected by a team will remain with that team as long as they remain in that division. No returning player may re-enter the draft without approval from the Executive Board or League President. Players advancing to a higher level must enter the draft. Returning players will be inserted into the draft beginning in the 11th round.
10.03 Reserved players’ draft positions: Assistant Head Coach’s child will automatically be chosen by that team in the first round. All other reserved players, as defined in Section 3, will automatically be taken by that team beginning in the fifth rounds and continuing through subsequent rounds until all reserved players are chosen.
10.04 If siblings, or other relatives as defined in Section 3, enter the draft simultaneously, the Head Coach choosing one of them must take the remaining ones with his/her subsequent picks. For example, if there are two brothers and a first cousin all entering the draft and a Head Coach picks one in the third round, the Head Coach must take the remaining two in the fourth and fifth rounds.
10.05 Draft order – Each Head Coach will draw a number. The lowest number will choose first in the first round, followed by the second lowest, etc. The picks in the following rounds will then be staggered. For example, if there are five teams the first round pick order will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The second round will be 5, 1, 2, 3, 4. The third round will be 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, etc. This format will be followed until all players are chosen.
10.06 Players who do not participate in a required CYFL evaluation combine will not be eligible for selection during the player draft. These players will be chosen at random at the end of the player draft. Any player who purposely misses the combine to avoid the draft will not be eligible to participate in CYFL play.
10.07 A maximum of two coaches or team representatives per team shall attend and participate in a player draft. Any CYFL Board member is authorized to attend and monitor any CYFL or affiliated organization’s player draft.
10.08 Head Coaches may trade players on draft day after all player selections are made. No trades may take place after draft day. No returning players may be traded without parent and Executive Board approval. All trades must be approved by the League President.
10.09 Players reentering the draft at the same age level are not eligible to become a protected draft pick as the child of an Asst. Head Coach.
11.00 PLAYOFF TIE-BREAKERS
2 teams tied for a playoff spot:
1. Head to head during the season
2. Records against common opponents
3. Overall record
4. Strength of schedule (combined records of opponents, team with toughest schedule gets in)
5. Wild-card playoff during the week before the first Saturday playoff game
2 teams tied for playoff position (both teams have already qualified for the playoffs):
1. Head to head during the season
2. Records against common opponents
3. Overall record
4. Strength of schedule
5. Coin flip
3 teams tied for a playoff spot:
1. Head to head during the season - if one team lost to both they are eliminated
2. Records against common opponents
3. Overall record
4. Strength of schedule
5. If none of these breaks the tie, a coin flip will be conducted. All 3 coaches flip a coin and the odd man out gets a bye. The other two teams play one half of a wild card game during the week with the winner playing the team with the bye one half immediately following the first game.
More than 3 teams tied for a playoff spot:
1. Head to head during the season
2. Records against common opponents
3. Overall record
4. Strength of schedule
5. Wild card tournament playing half games during the week with seeding determined by coin flip. All must be completed on the same day. When a wild card playoff is required, the Head Coaches of the teams that are tied must confer on the final day of the regular season and reach an agreement on the time/location of the wild card game. A Board Member not associated with either team must also be involved to determine availability of fields/officials. If the coaches can’t agree on a time/location, a coin flip will be conducted with the winning coach choosing the time/location of the wild card game.
12.00 CODE OF CONDUCT
12.01 No parent/spectator may physically or verbally abuse any players, coaches, other parents/spectators, League Officials, or Game Officials. Anyone who physically abuses any of those listed above will be immediately removed from the premises and will be subject to prosecution. Anyone who verbally abuses any of those listed above, depending on the severity of the incident, will either be warned the first time or immediately removed from the premises. Under no circumstance will this individual be allowed to remain on the premises if this rule is violated a second time.
12.02 Anyone removed from a game due to a violation of this rule will have to appear before the Executive Board before they may attend another CYFL event. The Executive Board reserves the right to ban anyone from all CYFL events for the remainder of the season. The Executive Board’s decision will be final. If the banned person appears at a CYFL game, the game will not be played and possibly forfeited.
13.00 ALL-STAR COACHING AND PLAYER SELECTION
13.01 The Board shall determine selection methods to be utilized in selecting a Head Coach(es) for all CYFL teams participating in All-Star tournament play based on post-season play opportunities presented to the Board.
13.02 All coaching and player selections are subject to CYFL Board approval.
13.03 All post-season and tournament play participation must be approved by the CYFL Board.
14.00 Conference/District Alignment and Playoff Structure
14.01 Final district alignment will be determined after registration each year. If cities with multiple teams are placed in multiple districts, the Head Coaches from these teams will draw for district placement. The CYFL will make every effort to group teams together to minimize travel.
14.02 Each team will play district opponents once and will play enough non-district games to ensure at least an 8 game season. District record will determine playoff eligibility except in certain tie-breaker scenarios.
14.03 Playoff Seeding will be determined as follows:
Round 1 Eight teams from each age division will qualify for post-season play with the teams being seeded based on their overall records. The two district winners with the best records (Seeds #1 and #2) will host one of the division’s two, at-large, “wildcard” qualifiers (Seeds #8 and #7, respectively). “Wildcard” qualifiers will be the two teams with the best overall records that were not a first or second place finisher in their district during regular season play. Ties for these qualifying spots will be broken in the same manner listed previously for determining playoff eligible teams. Seed #3 (the remaining District winner) will host Seed #6 and Seed #4 will host Seed #5.
Round 2 (Semi-Final) #1 will host the lowest remaining seed. #2 will host the other remaining seed.
Round 3 (CYFL Superbowl) The site of the annual CYFL Championship games will be determined before the season begins and will rotate among all CYFL towns based on stadium availability. The highest remaining seed in post-season play will be the “home” team at the Superbowl. The Board maintains the right to change playoff game locations due to official availability.
Additions and changes to these rules, as approved by the CYFL Board on July 14, 2010.