General Rules and Standard Procedures - Sand Wars Bahamas Tournament:

Team Composition:

• Each team must consist of a minimum of 7 players and a maximum of 12 players.
  • Youth Division Players must be at least between the ages of 5 - 17 years old
  • Adult Division Players must be 18 years old
  Attire
• Shirts must be tucked in.If a male player has no shirt color of your team should be represented (head band or arm band)
• Flags must be worn on each side of the players’ hips.
• No pockets are allowed on shorts or pants.

• Game Clock Format:
• Games are played 5-on-5
• Tournament Play – each game is 20 minutes long.  Two 10 minute halves and a 1-minute halftime
  
• Each time the ball is spotted, the offensive team has 15 seconds to snap the ball. (Officials will warn the offense when there are 10 seconds left to snap the ball).
• Teams must wait until the referees are set or a referee acknowledges they are prepared to start the play.  Only one official needs to acknowledge prior to start of play.
• The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Game Play:

• A coin toss determines first possession.  
• Team can elect to have offense, defense, defer, or direction.  
• Choice in the 2nd half will be awarded to the team that did not have 1st half election.
• The offensive team takes possession of the ball at their 10-yard line and has four plays to cross mid-field.
• Once a team crosses mid-field they have four plays to score.  
• If the offense fails to score, the ball changes possession.
  If the offensive team fails to cross mid-field, the ball changes possession.  
• All drives start from the 10-yard line except interceptions.

Time Outs

• Each team has one time out per half ( two per game )
• Time outs will only stop the game clock for 20 seconds. 
• The play clock will begin at the completion of the time out.
• If a time out is called after a touchdown the clock will not run until the change of possession and the offense snaps their ball.

Field Dimensions:

• The field is 50 yards long and 30 yards wide.
• End zones are 10 yards deep

Scoring:

• Touchdown: 6 points
• Extra Point (5 yards out): 1 point
• Extra Point (12 yards out): 2 points
• Safety: 2 points
• Quarterback can not run on extra points
  

Rushing the Quarterback

• Players that rush the quarterback must be a minimum of 3 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
• Players that are not 3 yards from the line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped may not enter into the backfield until there has been a hand-off or throw-back.
• The official will mark 3 yards from the line of scrimmage
  

Running

• The quarterback can run the ball
• The player who receives the pitch or handoff may throw the ball as long as he is not beyond the line of scrimmage.
• Multiple handoffs are allowed behind the line of scrimmage but only one pitch or throwback is allowed before a forward pass.  
• Once the ball has been thrown or pitched more than once in the backfield that player must run the ball past the line of scrimmage.
• The ball is spotted where the flag is pulled.
• The leading flag must break the plane of the midfield or goal line to be considered a first down or touchdown.
• The ball does not have to cross.
• Players may screen block behind the line of scrimmage.  
• Players can block down field.
• Jumping is legal as long as it doesn’t cause any contact.

Passing

• The quarterback has 10 seconds to pass the ball if there is no rush. If the ball is not thrown, the play is dead, resulting in a loss of down. The ball returns to the line of scrimmage. (Once the ball has been handed off or pitched there is no 10 second count).
• Intentional grounding is not a penalty.
• If the defensive team rushes the quarterback there is no 10- second count. 
• Interceptions may be returned. 
• The rusher may not hit the quarterbacks’ arm, or knock the ball out of the quarterbacks’ hand. The rusher must play the flags.

Receiving

• All players are eligible to receive a pass, including the quarterback, if the ball has been pitched back or handed off behind the line of scrimmage.
• Players must have at least one foot in bounds when making a catch.
• Players that run out of bounds during a play cannot be the first player to touch a ball when attempting to make a catch.

Start of a Play

• One official must acknowledge the offense prior to the start of play.
• Players may not be moving forward when the ball is snapped.
• The ball must be snapped between the legs with the center facing the line of scrimmage to start the play.

Play is ruled dead when:

• The offensive player’s flag is pulled. Note if a defensive player pulls the offensive players flag before they receive the ball, the offensive player must be touched to end the play.
• Ball carrier steps out of bounds.
• Touchdown is scored
• Incomplete pass.
• Ball hits or touches the ground, even if the ball is in hand.
• If a player loses a flag unintentionally, the defense only has to touch the ball carrier, not pull the flag.

*if the ball carriers knee touches the sand the play is not dead

Defensive Penalties:

• Offside-Illegal Rush.
• Pass interference.
• Illegal contact (holding, only one bump is allowed on receiver )*Note the officials will determine incidental contact which may result from normal run of play.
• Roughing the quarterback – the rusher may not knock the ball out of the quarterback’s hand or bump into them in a way that affects the quarterbacks throwing motion.
• Excessive contact – even if the defender is making a play on the ball.  If the official feels it was intentional or with intent to harm the player will be ejected from the game and may be removed from the tournament.
• All defensive penalties are five yards from the line of scrimmage ,except for holding which is added on to the end of the play.
• *It’s only holding if the player is impeding the next player

Offensive Penalties:

• Illegal motion /False Start. Not a loss of down.
• Pass interference (illegal pick, pushing off defender).
• Stiff arming is legal but not to the face area and neck area
• Flag guarding (players must keep their hands above their waist).
• But has to be intentional flag guarding (hit/striking a player hands)
• Charging (the offensive player must avoid the defender if they are set).
• Delay of game (all delay of game penalties stop the clock).
• Blocking - All Offensive players can block a do not have to be player is running the ball. You can  There is screen blocking past the line of scrimmage.
• Excessive contact – If the official feels it was intentional or with intent to harm the player will be ejected from the game.
• All offensive penalties are five yards from the line of scrimmage ,except for flag guarding which is from the point of infraction and illegal motion and false start which does not carry a loss of down.

Sportsmanship / Roughing

• Trash talking is allowed
• The official has the right to determine language that is offensive.  (Offensive e.i cursing language that may be considered offensive to the official, opposing team, or spectators).  
• The official may eject players from the game for cursing trash talking.
• If the official witnesses any act of tackling, elbowing, cheap shots, or any other sportsmanlike act, the game will be stopped and the player will be ejected from the game.
• UNSPORTSMAN-LIKE CONDUCT IS A 15 YD PENALTY
• The league director will eject the player from the league if necessary. 
• FOUL PLAY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!

Overtime Extra Point Shoot Out

• A coin flip determines first possession.
• Each team has one possession in overtime.
• They may elect to go for one or two points.
• If the score is tied at the end of the first overtime teams will go into a second overtime.
• If score is still tied going into a 3rd overtime, both teams will have one play from the 5 yard line facing the length of the field to gain as much yardage as possible.  Team with the most yardage will win.
• The winning team in overtime is awarded one additional point .