Heart O' Texas Youth Football will follow USA FOOTBALL RULES and Local League Rules
listed below.
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Local League Rules *Updated May 18, 2011
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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
FEES
All players will be required to pay a fee (reviewed yearly) to cover the cost of insurance,
equipment rental, and League operating expenses.
AGES AND WEIGHTS
Cut off date for League age is AUGUST 1.
Pee Wee Division
Junior Division
Senior Division
Age and weight verification will occur immediately before the first game.
TEAM ASSIGNMENTS
AREA DETERMINATION
Each player meeting the criteria set forth above will be assigned to a team based on the
following factors:
- Players living in an area outside Waco that have a team in their division will play on that
team. Areas will be determined first by school districts and then by geographical location
of practices.
- Players living in Waco or in an area without a team in their division will be selected
through a skills assessment and draft and placed on a Lake Air team.
- Players may appeal to play outside their area; the Board of Directors will decide
requests on a case-by-case basis.
- Teams will be limited to 22 players and will be filled on a first come first served basis.
- A minimum of 16 players, as assessed on the final day of regular registration, will be
required to form a team.
- Areas with more than one team can split when multiples of 16 are reached and must split
when multiples of 17 are reached.
- When an area reaches the maximum roster limit of 22 players, a waiting list will be
formed until it can be determined that the area can reach the minimum multiple of 16
players per team.
- Any player on a waiting list after it is determined there will not be a roster
opening in his/her area will be given the opportunity to participate in the next
closest geographical location with an open roster spot.
- Grandfather rule: Any player who has played the previous year for a team and then
moves out of the area that team resides in may continue to play for that team as long as
they meet the age and weight requirements for that team. This rule is voided once a
player changes age/weight divisions or plays for another team in the same
age/weight division.
SKILLS ASSESSMENTS AND DRAFTS
When an area has enough players to form more than one team, a skills assessment and draft
will be conducted. The following procedures will be followed to provide for a fair draft:
- A team may pick up two unrestricted (that did not play the previous year) players before
the day of the draft. These players must meet the guidelines as outlined above in area
assignments.
- All existing teams will retain players carried over from the previous year’s roster. *The
exception to this rule is if an area decides to place all players in a pool and draft from
scratch. There will be no selected player trades between existing teams without consent
of the Board of Directors.
- Teams will draft according to the final record of the previous season. The first selection
is awarded to the team with the worst overall record the previous year. In the event there
is a new team formed in the area, the new team will be awarded the second selection. A
coin flip will be utilized to break ties.
- Teams will draft on a rotating basis until the end of the fourth round. At that time the team
(s) with the least number of players will continue selecting until all teams have an equal
number of players. The draft will resume at this point until all players are selected.
COACHES
Requirements
Coaches will be selected based on the following requirements:
- All Head Coaches and Assistant Head Coaches will be certified by USA Football.
- Any person requesting to coach a team, whether a head coaching or subordinate
coaching position, must have a completed application on file with the Board of Directors.
- A Head Coach must be at least 21 years old.
- An Assistant Head Coach must be at least 18 years old or a high school graduate.
- A Team may have 2 additional coaches that must be at least 16 years old.
- A team may only have 4 coaches and must carry a Head Coach and an Assistant Head
Coach.
Playing Rules
Except as specifically modified for Heart O' Texas Youth Football, Inc., all games are to be
played according to USA Football rules. All games will be officiated by SOFA officials and they
are in complete control in interpreting all rules as they pertain to the games played.
ALL TEAMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE DRESSED AND READY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO
SCHEDULED KICK-OFF.
THE FIELD
- The teams of the first game are responsible for setting up the field.
- The teams of the last game are responsible for clearing the field.
- The home team of all games is required to provide the chain crew.
- The visiting team of all games are required to operate the scoreboard.
- The bench area is reserved for players, coaches, and authorized team personnel only!
NO SPECTATORS!!!
- Home team is on the scoreboard side of the field.
Points
THE GAME
- NO COACHES WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE FIELD, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF TIME
OUTS, AFTER THAT TEAM’S FIRST GAME.
- ONLY ONE COACH WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE FIELD DURING A TIME OUT UNLESS
ATTENDING TO AN INJURED PLAYER.
- NO MEMBER OF A TEAM (PLAYER OR COACH) WILL BE ALLOWED PAST THE 20-
YARD LINE.
- RUNNING BLITZES ARE NOT PERMITTED IN ANY DIVISION.
- ALL PLAYERS ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE MUST BE IN A 3 OR 4 POINT STANCE.
LINEBACKERS AND DEFENSIVE BACKS MUST BE NO CLOSER TO THE LINE OF
SCRIMMAGE THAN THE HEEL OF THE DEFENSIVE LINEMAN.
PEE WEE AND JUNIOR DIVISIONS:
Punts are free kicks with all players on the line of scrimmage with the exception of the
punter and receiver. No player will leave his or her position until the ball is kicked.
POST SEASON SEEDING SYSTEM
At the conclusion of the regular playing season, teams will be seeded to compete for the
League Championship. Teams will be seeded adhering to the following guidelines. The
guidelines must be applied in the order listed.
1. Best record against Division opponents. * It is a possibility, that due to uncontrollable
circumstances, that games may be cancelled and not rescheduled. In the event that this
occurs and teams have not played all division opponents; Best winning percentage against
Division opponents will be utilized.
2. If one or more teams are tied at the conclusion of number 1 above, the following, in
order, will be utilized to break those ties. Once the tie has been broken, but there are still more
that one team tied, the following process should be started over from the beginning.
- Head to Head results
- Best record against all opponents
- Fewest amount of points allowed
- Coin toss
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