Conference rules

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CONFERENCE 127

 

Youth Football Rules and Regulations

Established May 27, 2022 - Updated July 1, 2023

C127 follows the rules set forth by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association for football with exceptions noted below.

1. Participating Organizations: Currently C127 is made up of the following organizations

  • Commissioner - Seth Darnell
  • Anderson County Youth Bearcats - Brandon Carney
  • Berea Horsemen - Derek Baird
  • Clark County Youth Cardinals - Cody Liggett
  • Danville Admiral Youth Football - Steven Newton
  • Frankfort Youth Bengals - Larry Bush
  • East & West Jessamine County Youth Football - Mike Foster
  • Madison County Packers - Nathan Nance
  • Mercer County Youth Football - Cody Skinner
  • Montgomery County Youth Football - Patrick Manning
  • Somerset Youth Football - Brandon Brooks
  • Woodford County Youth Football - Mike Kissick

1A. Participating organizations are required to acquire and maintain insurance before the start of Conference 127 play.

2. Board of Directors: Each member league will nominate one representative yearly to serve on the Conference Board. For counties with multiple organizations, one board member will be elected to represent the county as a whole. Additional representatives may attend meetings but only the representative may vote. Representatives elect a commissioner at the first board meeting of the season. If the commissioner is affiliated with an organization, he or she may not also be the representative. The Board will develop and enforce conference rules and regulations. Conference rule infractions will be handled by a majority vote (greater than 60%) of the Board.

  • Commissioner changes require a majority vote (greater than 60%) of the Board.
  • Commissioner will only vote on action items in the event of a tie.

3. Rule Changes: Rule changes or additions require a majority vote (greater than 60%) of

Conference board members. Each board member gets one vote.

4. Additional Conference Teams: Additional teams will be added with a majority vote (greater than 60%) of the Board. Each board member gets one vote.

5. Age and Residency Requirements / Restrictions:

  • Pee Wee
    •  Grades K - 2nd (Player must not be 9 years old before August 1st of current season)
  • Junior Varsity
    •  3rd/4th Grades (Player must not be 11 years old before August 1st of current season)
  • Varsity
    • 5th/6th Grades (Player must not be 13 years old before August 1st of current season)
  • Residency Requirement: Participants must live in or attend school in the school district of their youth football program. Any students living in one county or school district, but attending school in another school district will have the choice to play for either the school district/county in which they reside or the school district/county in which they attend school. Any player who participated in an organization prior to the establishment of C127 may continue with that organization.
    • Special circumstances will require an agreement to be agreed upon between the two participating organization representatives. A cross-league agreement form will be signed by all involved parties.

Penalty: Ban from postseason play

6. Rosters: Rosters for all conference teams consisting of head coach and assistant coaches, player names, jersey number, pre-season weight (ball carrier), date of birth, school and home address must be submitted to the Conference before the first conference game of the season.

An organization with 34 or less players per age group shall participate as one team. If that age group has between 35-39 players, the organization can participate with two teams in that division. If players exceed 39 per age group it is required for the organization to compete with two teams in that age division.

7. Kick Off Bowl: Each conference season will start with a Kick Off Bowl/Weigh In event at a neutral site. All participating organizations that send volunteers to help with registration, gate and concessions will receive equal partial proceeds.

8. Weight Restrictions on Ball Carriers: Each player will be weighed once preseason to verify eligible ball carriers. Players will be weighed without equipment. This will take place during the Kick Off Bowl registration or agreed upon time/location prior to the Kick Off Bowl.

  • PeeWee: Ball carriers not to exceed 90 pounds.
  • Junior Varsity: Ball carriers not to exceed 120 pounds.
  • Varsity: Ball carriers not to exceed 140 pounds.

8A. Eligible Ball Carriers: Eligible ball carriers will be provided with a helmet decal during the Kick Off bowl weight registration. This decal must remain on the ball carrier’s helmet throughout the season or the player will be re-weighed. Organizations are allowed as many eligible ball carriers as needed. Organizations are responsible for the cost of decals. Tampering with or transferring of decals will result in forfeiture of the game and postseason play.

8B. Ineligible Ball Carriers: Players who are not approved ball carriers are not limited to offensive line positions and are permitted to be eligible receivers. These players may receive passes only past the line of scrimmage.

8C. Fumbles, interceptions and kick returns can be returned by any member of a team.

9. Start of Practice: Participating organizations will observe the KHSAA dead period. Early conditioning, camps, and workouts have no start date and are not affected by the dead period.

10. Scheduling: Conference schedule will be created by the C127 Commissioner and approved by the board. The first conference game will be the 2nd Saturday in September. Scheduling with non-conference teams should be done after the conference schedule is finalized. Organizations cannot miss conference play to compete with non conference teams. Every effort will be made to allow a BYE week for organizations to fall on the weekend before or after Fall Break. Conference Schedule will be released by July 15 prior to the upcoming season. Organizations should know how many teams will be participating by July 1.

10A. Games will be held on Saturdays. Make-up games may be held any day of the week as long as both coaches agree to the day. Peewee games will be held at 10:00 AM, Junior Varsity at 11:30/12:00 PM and Varsity games at 1:00/1:30 PM PM. Game times can be pushed back 30 or 60 minutes for travel as long as both coaches agree.

10B. Re-scheduling may be granted and administered under the discretion of both organizations' head coaches and the C127 Commissioner.

10C. Cancellations are at the discretion of the host league. Notification should be given to the participating organizations and C127 Board as early as possible. Notification must be given 24 hours prior to kick off time.

11. Admission: Admission fees may be charged to fans for no more than $5.00 per person with school-aged children free. All coaches, players, cheerleaders, and sponsors shall not be charged admission.

12. Game Rules:

A. KHSAA rules prevail in all situations not covered by the below Conference rules.

B. Field Dimensions/Chains: 80 or 100 yards in length (100 yard field preferred) Teams with 80 yard field length should be working towards 100 yard field. First down will be 10 yards on all fields.

C. Game Length: 7 minute quarters for all ages. The clock will stop on time outs, penalties and change of possession. In the last two minutes of the fourth quarter, the clock will stop on incomplete passes.

C1. An untimed/unofficial 5th quarter may be added to any game if both coaches agree. The 5th

quarter shall not delay the next scheduled game. This should be used to give players with

limited game reps a chance to participate in additional reps.

D. Halftime: 8 minute Halftime

E. Running Clock: The clock will run continuously when a 29-point lead has been established.

The clock will NOT revert to a controlled clock if the lead becomes less than 29 points.

F. Overtime: Each team gets four downs from the 10 yard line in the first overtime. Additional overtimes each team will receive one attempt from the 3 yard line. Regular season games have a limit of three overtimes.

G. Timeouts: Timeouts length is 60 seconds with 3 per half.

H. Play Clock: 40 second play clock will be used for all age levels.

I. Coaches on the Field: Coaches must keep a safe distance from the play (behind the deepest player).

  • PeeWee: 2 coaches are allowed on the field.
  • Junior Varsity : 2 coaches are allowed on the field.
  • Varsity: Coaches only permitted on sidelines.

J. Field and Sidelines: Only official coaches, players, trainers and managers are allowed in the team area during the course of the game. This includes pregame and halftime. If a game must be stopped to remove someone from the team’s area or sideline, a delay of game penalty will be assessed. Photographers are permitted on sidelines only.

J1. All coaches and additional sideline staff shall have a background check on file with their organization.

K. Footballs:

  • Pee Wee: Pee Wee/K2 sized football
  • Junior Varsity: Pee Wee/K2 sized football
  • Varsity: Junior sized football

L. Cleats: Only rubber-molded cleats may be used. NO metal cleats allowed.

M. Helmets: Only clear visors allowed. NO Dark Visors and NO Bandanas.

N. Jerseys: League Issued Jerseys will be worn at every game. A player's jersey number must match the submitted roster number. Head coach should notify officials and opposing coaches of any changes in player numbers prior to the game.

O. Officials: The Head Official shall be certified with KHSAA. All attempts will be made for the entire officiating crew to be certified with KHSAA. Three officials will be used at all age levels.Host leagues are responsible for arranging and compensating officials.

P. Kicking Game:

P1. Kickoffs-

  • If an 80-yard field is used, live kickoff from the 30-yard line. The ball must travel 10 yards. If a 100-yard field is used, live kickoff from the 40-yard line. The ball must travel 10 yards.
  • Peewee will have no live kick off. Ball will start with a first down on the 25-yard line.
  • Junior Varsity/Varsity will have live kickoffs.

P2. Punts: The Offensive team must notify the head official of their choice to punt before the snap. The official will then notify the defensive team. The defensive/return team may only have a maximum of two returners.

  • PeeWee: Punts will be walked off 30-yards. Teams cannot be pinned inside the 10-yard line. All punts will have a 15 second runoff despite time on game clock. Clock will remain stopped until the receiving team’s next offensive snap.
  • Junior Varsity/Varsity: NO rush punts. Once the ball is kicked, the play is live.

P3. Extra Points/Field Goals: The Offensive team must notify the head official of their choice to kick before the snap. The official will then notify the defensive team. There will be no rush on field goals or extra points. After the ball is kicked, the ball is dead.

P4. Extra Points/Two Point Conversions:

  • The Offensive team must declare their intent to go for 2 points by pass or run, or to attempt a non-rushed extra point kick to the head official so the try can be communicated to the defense.
  • The ball will be spotted on the three (3) yard line for all extra points and two point conversions.
  • Extra point attempts - if the holder drops the snap and must bring knee off the ground to control the ball, the play is dead and there will be no kick attempt.

P5. Kickoffs following a safety: A Free Kick following a safety will be from the 25 yard line

R. Defensive Rules: Pee Wee and Junior Varsity defenses are allowed to align in any formation within the following guidelines. Violation of these guidelines will result in one warning per game. Additional infractions will result in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

R1. Formations and Alignments:

  • No more than eight players in the box.
  • No more than eight players on the LOS including the defensive backs outside the box.

R2. Blitzing: Blitzing is allowed.

  • There will be no blitzing until after the snap of the ball.
  • Only one player may blitz between the A gaps once the ball is snapped.

R3. Linebackers / Defensive Ends:

  • Inside Linebackers must be 3 Yards off LOS.
  • Outside Linebackers must be 3 Yards off LOS or outside the last down lineman.
  • Outside Linebackers or Stand Up Defensive Ends must be head up or outside of the last offensive down lineman.

R4. Interior Defensive Linemen

  • Must be in 2 techniques (head up to the offensive guard).
  • Interior defensive lineman between four techniques must be in a 3 or 4 point stance (Four technique is head up to offensive tackle).

S. Offensive Rules: Peewee and Junior Varsity

  • Offensive lineman splits may not spread the defensive tackles more than one yard fromthe ball.
  • Quarterbacks under center may not advance the ball between the offensive guards (No quarterback sneak under center). Quarterbacks in the shotgun formation may advance the ball through any hole (shotgun formation quarterback must be 3 yards behind the center).

13. Post Season: Postseason game location will be determined by the C127 board when theseason schedule is released.

14. Tiebreaker: Head to head record will prevail then the tiebreaker procedure will be used if necessary to determine postseason seeding. Tiebreakers will be decided by a coin flip in person or on live video.