Rules for the EVW Midget Football League are rules and regulations from reputable handbooks and the Nebraska
High School Association.  The Board of Directors will enforce them.


Goal of the League:

Provide kids the opportunity to play organized football.
To teach kids fundamentals of tackle football, in a safe manner.
To have kids enjoy the game and to keep any pressure of winning

Coaches:

1.        Remember that you are a role model for the time you are with the players.
2.        Watch your language that you use around your players.
3.        No alcohol or drug use will be tolerated.  Any violations will result in expulsion from the league.
4.        Allow the officials to do their jobs.  There will be no yelling at the officials.  No one call can cost a team to lose.
5.        HEAD COACHES – You are responsible for the actions of players, assistant coaches, and parents.  Please talk with all parents to let them know that bad sportsmanship will not be tolerated.  It could mean they would be asked to leave until the end of the game.
6.        Make sure that every child is given the opportunity to play football.  There will be a minimum play rule in effect for both the peewee and midget level players.

Field:

The filed will be 100 yards X 53 yards.  The bench area will be marked at both 30-yard lines and officials can
penalize a team if the players are out of the marked areas.  No parents are allowed in these areas, unless they are
assisting with the game.

Ball

A good grade of leather football will be used by all teams on game day and are provided by the league.  
                     
Pee-Wees will use a TDJ
Midgets will use a TDY

Scorings

     Touchdowns                                6 points
     Points after by run or pass          1 point
     Safety                                          2 points
     *Field Goal                                  3 points
     *Extra Point by kicking                 2 points
     
NHSA Rules apply to field goals

*Pee Wee’s ONLY: Kicking team must alert the officials that they are going to attempt an extra point or field goal.
The officials will alert the defensive team that an extra point or field goal is going to be attempted.  The defensive team will not be allowed to make contact with any player on the offensive team.  The defensive team will be allowed to jump and waive their arms, but touching an offensive player will result in an offside penalty being assessed.

Once the offensive team snaps the ball, they have 10 seconds to get the ball kicked.  After the ball has been snapped, and before the kicker kicks it, the football may not be touched by any player on the offensive team except the holder.  If the ball is not kicked in the allotted 10 seconds, the play is dead and no points are awarded.  The head official will be responsible for timing the kick.  

No fake extra points or field goals will be allowed.


Overtime Rule:

Each team will be given 4 plays to score from the 10-yard line.  If no team scores or both teams score and are tied after the first overtime we will attempt a second overtime.  If the first team to have the ball scores, then the second team must score in the same amount of plays or fewer to win.  If still tied after the second overtime the game will be ruled a tie.  If tied in the Championship game the game will continue until there is an official winner.

Official Game Times

Pee-Wees                    Four 10 minute quarters and a 10 minute halftime
Midgets                        Four 10 minute quarters and a 10 minute halftime

There will be a stop and go clock.

Butt-Blocking and Spearing

Butt-blocking and spearing will not be tolerated.  Butt blocking is a blow driven directly into an opponent with the facemask front or tip of the helmet as the main point of contact.  Spearing is deliberately driving the helmet into a player who is down, is going down, or leaving the field of play.  Tackling with helmets is unsafe and not proper football.  The penalty will be handled in the following manner:
 

Butt-Blocking and Spearing Cont’d.

1.        One warning will be issued to the player plus a 15-yard penalty.
2.        Player will be removed from the game for a second offense.

Players will be removed form a game for the following:

1.        If injured the player must leave the field for at least 1 play.
2.        Profane language (1st offense will result in a warning by officials and if the same player is warned  again during the current game he/she will be ejected).
3.        Spearing and butt-blocking (1st offense will result in a warning by officials).
4.        The league will not tolerate fighting, hitting, or kicking a player while down, during or after a play.

* Practices Elkhorn Teams Only:

Pee-Wees will be allowed to practice 4 nights a week until school begins, once school begins practice will decrease to 2 nights a week.  Scrimmages will be allowed once a week. A 1 hour walk-through practice without pads will be allowed once a week. A walk-through practice will only be allowed the week of a teams scheduled game.

Midgets will be allowed to practice 5 nights a week until school begins.  Once school begins practice will be decreased to 2 nights a week and on non-pad practice on Saturdays.  Scrimmages will be allowed once a week. A 1 hour walk-through practice without pads will be allowed once a week. A walk-through practice will only be allowed the week of a teams scheduled game.

* The EVW leaves practice schedules up to the individual communities Board of Directors to regulate for their teams.
The rules above apply only to Elkhorn teams.

Grade/Weight Requirements:

Pee-Wees will consist of children in the grades of 3rd, 4th and 5th. Midgets will consist of children in the grades of 6th and 7th.

Pee-Wees will have a running back weight limit of 105 lbs.  Any child over 105 lbs. will not be allowed to touch the ball and must play in between the tackles.

Midgets will have a running back weight limit of 128 lbs.  Any child over 128 lbs. will not be allowed to touch the ball and must play in between the tackles.

Players that are over (105lbs Pee-Wees / 128lbs Midgets) must have a horizontal stripe on their helmet.  The tape must be visible on all sides of the helmet and must be 1" wide.  Light colored helmets must have black tape and dark colored helmets must have white tape.

Stripers players must play from tackle gap to tackle gap.  Stripers players must be in a 3-point stance unless on the kick-off or kick receiving teams or if a team starts an offensive play with its lineman in a 2-point stance.

A play will be blown dead if, and when, a striper comes into possession of the ball.

The exception is if the punter is a striper.  In this case the punter must punt; he cannot fake a punt or advance the ball.


Older/Lighter Rule:

Pee-Wee:  If a player is in the 6th grade, not older than 11 as of November 1st and 80lbs or less they have the option of staying down in the Pee-Wees.  On offense these players may line up at any position except Quarterback.  
The only way these players can advance the ball is to receive a pass.  They cannot throw the ball or receive a hand-off.  They can play any position on defense and can advance fumbles and interceptions. Older/Lighter players will need to supply a birth certificate at weigh-ins.

Midgets:  If a player is in the 8th grade, not older than 13 as of November 1st and 110lbs or less they have the option of staying down in the Midgets.  On offense these players may line up at any position except Quarterback.
The only way these players can advance the ball is to receive a pass, kick-off, or punt. They cannot throw the ball or receive a hand-off.  They can play any position on defense and can advance fumbles and interceptions.

Older/Lighter players will need to supply a birth certificate at weigh-ins.

Older/Lighter Players will be designated by 2 horizontal stripes on their helmet.

Older/Lighter Players can return punts and kick-offs.

Mercy Rule

Once any team is winning by 21 or more points the clock will run continuously. Coaches will have no input as to whether or not this rule goes into effect. If a team’s lead becomes less that 21 points the Head Referee will instruct the time keeper to start operating the clock under NSAA rules.

Rosters

Team rosters, with jersey numbers, signed by the head coach with names of assistant coaches must be presented to E.V.W. Board of Directors Representative at the first weigh-in.

The placement of any player registering after the first game will be handled in the following manner:

It will be the responsibility of the Board of Directors of each community to place the new registrant on a team.  If there is more than one team eligible, the succession of criteria for placement is:

1.        The team with the least amount of players will be granted the new registrant.
           If all eligible teams have the same number of players:

2.        The team with the least amount of players the same age of the new registrant will be granted the new registrant.

Details of the above mentioned procedure must be submitted in writing to E.V.W. Board of Directors Registration Chair, before the new registrant can play in a game.


End of Season Tie-Breaker for Championship Game

1.        Head to Head record.
2.        Average Points allowed per game.
3.        Record against the highest rated common opponent.  If both teams beat the highest rated common opponent, the margins of victory will be the deciding factor.  If both teams lost to the highest rated common opponent, the process will default to the next highest rated common opponent to determine the tiebreaker.  This process will be repeated until a tiebreaker can be achieved.

Game Officials are hired and paid by the EVW Midget Football League.  A minimum of 2 officials per game will be used.  The head officials will keep time on the field.  The home team will need to provide 2 people to run the chains.
A 4 minute warning will be given by the head official, the commissioner will go to each head coach and make sure each player has gotten in the game for the minimum number of plays.  Have a coach in charge of tracking plays.  
The warning will be given before half time and the end of the game.

There will be NO protest.  When a game has ended it is OFFICIAL.  Please remember this game is for the kids to have fun and learn to play football.  No one call makes a difference.

A forfeit of a game will only happen if the team does not have at least 11 players to play the game.

Kickoffs are by rule.  An on sidekick must go 10 yards before being recovered by the kicking team.


Punts:

A team has the option to punt the ball or ask the officials for an automatic punt only at the Pee-Wee level.  Which will be on 4th down only and the ball will be moved 35 yards automatically.  The ball can be placed no further than the 20-yard line on an automatic punt; you cannot pin your opponent back next to the goal line.  Midget punts will follow high school rules.


Equipment:

Coaches are responsible for handing out their teams’ equipment and need to check for proper fit and that all equipment is worn properly.


Required:
1.        Helmet
2.        Jerseys
3.        Shoulder Pads
4.        Athletic Supporter
5.        Pants with hip, kidney, thigh, knee pads
6.        Mouth guard with strap and attached to the helmet
7.        Rubber cleat shoes
8.        If glasses are worn they must be safety glasses with a strap that fits securely around the head.