Flag Football Rules and Terms
Positions
 Quarterback: player who throws the football to his or her teammates
 Wide Receiver: player who catches the football and advances it down the field
 Center: player who “snaps” the football to the quarterback when they say “hike!”
o –Snap: the movement of tossing the ball from the ground, up to the
quarterback to start the play
Rules
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Kickoff: occurs each time you start a game and after a team scores. Walk 5 paces
from the “X” and kick off from there.
Downs: the offense has 4 “downs” (plays/ attempts) to get another 1st down or to
score a touchdown.
o On 4th down, the offense may either go for a 1st down or touchdown, or they
may “punt”
Punt: “drop-kicking” the ball down the field to give possession to the other team
Any time the ball hits the ground, it is a “dead ball,” meaning the play stops (no
fumbles)
o **the only exception is on kickoffs and punts, before the receiving team has
possession of the ball
Rushing the quarterback: after counting to “7 one thousand” the defense may cross
the line of scrimmage and run after the quarterback to try to pull his or her flags.
No flag guarding
No blocking of any kind
Field Positioning
 Line of scrimmage: the imaginary line running the width of the field where the ball
starts at the beginning of each play.
o Onside: when a player is on his or her correct side of the line of scrimmage
before the ball is snapped
o Offside: when a player crosses the line of scrimmage before the as the ball is
snapped
 First down: a team gets a 1st down when they pass the halfway line of the field (the
orange cones)
Scoring
 Touchdown caught by a boy: 6 points
 Touchdown caught by a girl: 10 points
 Extra Point (worth 1 point): one try after a touchdown from the dash
 Two Point Conversion (worth 2 points): one try after a touchdown from the “X”
Name_______________________ Period_______
Flag Football Study Guide
Choose the best answer to fill in the blank. Words may be used twice.
1. A(n) ______________________________ is when the defense catches the football that the
quarterback threw.
2. After a team scores a touchdown, if they want to go for a two point conversion, they
should start from the ________________________.
3. Every game starts with a(n) _______________________________.
4. When it is 4th down, the offense may either “go for it” or _______________________.
5. The player that throws the football is called the __________________________.
6. The player who snaps the ball is called the ______________________________.
7. The player run out to catch a pass is called the __________________________.
8. The imaginary line where the football starts at the beginning of each play is called
the ____________________________________________.
9. The offense gets ___________ downs, or attempts, to get a first down or a touchdown.
10. A touchdown that a boy catches is worth ____________ points.
11. A touchdown that a girl catches is worth ____________ points.
12. The defense must count to “_______________ one thousand” before crossing the line of
scrimmage to go after the quarterback.
13. After a team scores, they _______________________ to the other team.
14. The football should be placed ____________ steps from the “X” for a kickoff.
15. When an offense advances the ball past the cones in the center of the field, a
________________________ is the result.
Word Bank
Center
Wide Receiver
Quarterback
Punt
First Down
Interception
Kickoff
Line of Scrimmage
“X”
4
5
6
7
10