League Rules

2024

N.Y.F.L. LEAGUE RULES

 

Article I.  Age/District Player Eligibility

Football Divisions

                                                                                                                                                       

Little Tikes - 8 years old or less on or after 6/1/2024 or in 3rd Grade for the 2024/2025 School Year

Mighty Mites - 9 years old or less on or after 6/1/2024 or in 4th Grade for the 2024/2025 School Year

Pee Wees - 10 years old or less on or after 6/1/2024 or in 5th Grade for the 2024/2025 School Year

Bantams - 11 years old or less on or after 6/1/2024 or in 6th Grade for the 2024/2025 School Year

Juniors - 12 years old or less on or after 6/1/2024 or in 7th Grade for the 2024/2025 School Year

Cruisers - 8th Grade or below for the 2024/2025 School Year

 

Players must provide a birth certificate to validate age and must play in a division in which they are age-eligible.  Waivers for players who do not meet the age cut must show proof of grade to be eligible to play with their own grade.

 

Article II.  Roster Size

 

  1. All teams are limited to 36 players.  Minimum roster size for team to play a game is 15.  Any requests for exceptions must be submitted to the NYFL league president for approval. Exceptions must be for “in district” players.
  2. Players may be added until the completion of a team’s second regular season game on a roster-add form if roster falls below 36 players for independent teams.  An official revised roster must be submitted to the NYFL league office before those players can compete in a contest.  Each NYFL team must have a certified copy of their team roster available for review upon request by the NYFL head coach of the opposing team.
  3. Each team will fully determine their own criteria for how they create their 36 player rosters.  “Tryouts” are discouraged.

Article III.  NYFL Team Eligibility

 

  1. Any teams playing in the NYFL tackle football program must adhere to all NYFL rules, policies, zero tolerance, and the coach’s code of conduct.  A failure to do so will result in removal from the tackle league.
  2. All players are required to supply a birth certificate.
  3. Prior to the NYFL Jamboree, all teams are required to provide, for each game, a roster card provided by the NYFL showing each player’s name, jersey number, and certified NYFL roster.
  4. Each Franchise should build rosters accordingly to their district.  The NYFL is a feeder to high school league. Recruiting and building rosters from outside your district are limited to 3 players and can only be allowed when roster size are below 22 players

 

Article IV.  NYFL Tackle Football League-Specific Rules

 

  1. BALL SIZE:  Little Tikes use a Pee Wee sized ball, Mighty Mites and Pee Wee divisions use Junior sized ball.  Bantams, Juniors and Cruisers use Youth sized ball.  Football brands allowed include Wilson, Nike, and Baden, and Under Armour.
  2. KICKOFFS:  Except for the Little Tikes division, normal NFHS rules apply to kickoffs.   In the Little Tikes division, the ball is placed at the receiving team’s 40 yard line at the beginning of the half and after touchdowns.   It is placed at the kicking team's 40 yard line following a safety.
  3. PUNTS:  Except for the Little Tikes division, normal NFHS rules apply to punts.  On 4th down in the Little Tikes division, the team may elect to “punt”.   The ball is then placed 20 yards from the line of scrimmage and possession moves to the other team.  This is only applicable if the line of scrimmage is the defense’s 21 yard line or beyond.   A team cannot elect to punt inside the defense’s 21 yard line.   However, the ball will be placed at the defense’s 1 yard line if the election is made at the defense’s 21 yard line.  
  4. GAME TIME: All games will consist of four (4) 8-minute quarters.  Each game will have a 1:45 hard stop. All games will be played under NFHSA rules except for league-specific rules detailed in this section.  All games will be “stop clock.” When a game has reached the 1:45 limit, the team ahead will be declared the winner.
  5.  MERCY RULE:  When any team has a 28-point or more advantage, this rule is in effect.  At this point the team that is ahead is the official winner of the game.  The scoreboard shall change to zero for both teams and the clock will convert to a RUNNING CLOCK after the kick off in the second half for the remainder of the game.  Games declared “Mercy Rule” shall not prevent the next scheduled game from starting on time.
  6. POINT AFTER TOUCHDOWN:  Run or pass conversions after a touchdown will count as 1 point, point-after kicks will count as 2 points.  Extra-point kicks are not allowed for the Little Tikes division.
  7. In kicking situations, normal NFHS rules apply meaning the defense can rush the kicker.  However, the center snapping the ball cannot be engaged.
  8. WEIGHT LIMITS:  There is no weight limit for players at any position.

 

  1. OVERTIME:  In an overtime situation, the WIAA “Kansas Plan” format will be used with alternating possessions beginning at the 10-yard line to progressively moving closer at the event of no score (5-yard line, 3-yard line).  If the game has reached the 1:45-hour scheduled limit and is still tied after each team has had equal chances with the ball, the game will be officially over and declared a tie.
  2. Each team will have six (6) identification badges for coaches.  Only those individuals with badges will be allowed on the sidelines.  Identification badges will only be issued to coaches, cheer coaches, photographer, and/or trainers with a current NYFL certification.  The sideline is for coaches, players, and trainers only.  These coaches MUST bring their league ID badges to be on the sideline.  One additional sideline badge will be provided to a “First Aid/CPR” trained person.
  3. DOWN MARKERS AND YARDAGE CHAINS:  At all fields, the down marker and yardage chain shall be placed on the VISITOR side of the field. The VISITOR team shall provide THREE (3) chain crew volunteers to man the markers and during such time must refrain from using any technology (e.g., cell phones, etc.) 
  4. OFFICIALS:  Three Washington Officiating Association officials will be scheduled for each game.  A regular season game can be officially played with two referees.
  5. The NFHSA rules will be in effect except for league specific revisions/additions.
  6. COACH ON THE PLAYING FIELD DURING PLAY:  For Little Tikes and Mighty Mites Division only, ONE coach from each team is permitted on the field during play.  This coach must not interfere with play and may only instruct players BEFORE the ball is snapped.
  7. No team may practice for more than 2.5 hours in a 24-hour period.
  8. No team may begin practicing in pads before the first official practice during the week of July 29th 2024.  Conditioning sessions are allowed. No Padded scrimmages/games are allowed prior to July 31st
  9. The NYFL tackle football session will consist of a six (6) week season for all Divisions.  Post season play and league championship scenarios will be determined annually based on several factors including the number of teams in each league, facility availability, etc.

 

Article V.  Pre-Season Play/Scrimmages

 

  1. Practice games may only be played during the pre-season during a normal scheduled practice slot or during a bye week.  They count against your weekly practices. Once the 1st game starts in September you cannot play another game that week unless it is a bye week. The consequence for Article V violation is a forfeiture of your most recent win. If no games have been won, the next win will be a loss.The League reserves the right to select the forfeit game from one of your wins

 

Article VI.  Sportsmanship Standards

 

  1. Each coach should look after the best interest of all youth involved in the program.  Any intentional attempt to harm, embarrass or degrade another team or opposing player will not be tolerated.
  2. Each coach is a role model for his players and should conduct himself in a mature, reasonable and responsible manner.  Profanity, racial slurs or abusive language to officials, players or opposing coaches will not be tolerated. The ref and/or the League President may remove a coach from game play if the coach’s conduct fails to meet the NYFL Sportsmanship Standards. The suspended coach’s conduct will be reviewed and could be removed from coaching in the NYFL.  A Program Franchise failing to remove coaches that violate NYFL Sportsmanship Standards, will be reviewed by the NYFL board members and could face expulsion from the NYFL
  3. Each team and coach should be prepared to shake hands after every contest.   We want to teach youth the value of competing with class and sportsmanship.
  4. If any player, coach, or spectator is ejected by a referee, automatic suspension next game.
  5. Games may be taped when possible and that tape will be used as evidence in the case of rules or conduct infractions.
  6. Each Head coach should avoid “running up” the score on opponents.  At the point the game is clearly in hand, conservative play-calling, no blitzing, and mass substitutions should be expected.
  7. Each Head coach is responsible for the behavior of his team’s players, fans and parents.  Each team will receive six (6) identifications badges.  Any unauthorized person on a team’s sideline will result in continual unsportsmanlike conduct penalties until that person is removed.
  8. Headsets or use of phones from the sidelines are not allowed. First offense will result in an unsportsmanlike penalty. The 2nd offense will result in the head coach being ejected. That game will be forfeit.
  9. Any program found violating any of the above listed rules may face league expulsion. Any program can be expelled during the season if that program is found to repeatedly brake league rules.

 

Narrows Youth Football League Playoff Tiebreaking Procedures

 

Two Teams

  1. Head to Head – The winner of the regular season game between the two teams (if any).
  2. Best Won-Lost-Tie Percentage Among Common Opponents (Minimum of 2) – If the two teams played at least 2 common opponents, the team with the best record against those opponents.
  3. Strength of Victory – The team whose regular season opponents they defeated have the highest aggregate win-loss-tied percentage.
  4. Strength of Schedule – The team whose regular season opponents have the highest aggregate win-loss-tied percentage.
  5. Coin Flip

 

Three or More Teams

NOTE:  If any tiebreaker level results in a single team winning the tie.  The tie-breaker procedures start again with the remaining teams.  If only two teams remain, the tie-breaker reverts to the two team tie-breaker above.

 

  1. Head to Head –The best win-loss-tie percentage among the teams.  Usually only applies if all teams played each other, but not always.
    1. Example 1 – Team A beat Team B, Team B beat Team C, but Team A didn’t play Team C … Head to Head Tiebreaker doesn’t apply.  It is NOT assumed that Team A “would have” beat Team C – i.e. Rock/Paper/Scissors
    2. Example 2 – Team A beat both Teams B and C, but Team B didn’t play Team C … Team A wins the Head to Head Tiebreaker because it wouldn’t have mattered whether B or C won their matchup.
    3. Example 3 – Team A lost to both Teams B and C, Team B didn’t play Team C … Head to Head Tiebreaker doesn’t apply.  Tiebreaker moves to next criteria with no regard to Head to Head.
  2. Best Won-Lost-Tie Percentage Among Common Opponents (Minimum of 2) – If all the teams played at least 2 common opponents, the team with the best win-loss-tie percentage against those opponents.
  3. Strength of Victory – The team whose regular season opponents they defeated have the highest aggregate win-loss-tied percentage.
  4. Strength of Schedule – The team whose regular season opponents have the highest aggregate win-loss-tied percentage.
  5. Coin Flip

 

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