EVW Youth Football
2007 League Rules
Pee Wee’s – 3rd/4th Graders
Jr. Midgets – 5th/6th Graders
Midgets – 7th/8th Graders
Rules for the EVW Football League are rules and regulations from reputable handbooks and the Nebraska High
School Association. The Board of Directors will enforce them.
Goal of the League
To provide kids the opportunity to play organized football.
To teach kids fundamentals of tackle football, in a safe manner.
To have kids enjoy the game and to keep any pressure of winning.
Coaches
1. Remember that you are a role model for the time you are with the players.
2. Watch your language that you use around your players.
3. No alcohol or drug use will be tolerated. Any violations will result in expulsion from the league.
4. Allow the officials to do their jobs. There will be no yelling at the officials. No one call can cost a team to lose.
5. HEAD COACHES – You are responsible for the actions of players, assistant coaches, and parents. Please
talk with all parents to let them know that bad sportsmanship will not be tolerated. It could mean they would be asked
to leave until the end of the game.
6. Make sure that every child is given the opportunity to play football. There will be a minimum play rule in effect
for the Pee Wee, Jr. Midget and Midget level players.
Pee Wee Coaches
Pee Wee teams may have 1 coach on the field for offense and 1 coach for defense. Coaches are allowed into
huddle, but must stay 12-15 yards behind the line of scrimmage once team breaks the huddle.
Field
The field will be 100 yards X 53 yards. The bench area will be marked at both 30-yard lines and officials can
penalize a team if the players are out of the marked areas. No parents are allowed in these areas, unless they are
assisting with the game.
Ball
A good grade of leather football will be used by all teams on game day and are provided by the league.
Pee Wees will use a TDJ
Jr. Midgets will use TDJ
Midgets will use a TDY
Rosters
Team rosters, with jersey numbers, signed by the head coach with names and e-mail addresses of assistant
coaches must be presented to EVW Board of Directors Representative at the first weigh-in.
The placement of any player registering after the first game will be handled in the following manner:
It will be the responsibility of the Board of Directors of each community to place the new registrant on a team. If there
is more than one team eligible, the succession of criteria for placement is:
1. The team with the least amount of players will be granted the new registrant.
2. If all eligible teams have the same number of players, the team with the least amount of players the same age of
the new registrant will be granted the new registrant.
Details of the above mentioned procedure must be submitted in writing to EVW Board of Directors Registration
Chair, before the new registrant can play in a game.
Team Size/Number of Players
The maximum # of players allowed per team will be 25.
8-Play Rule
All players are required to play a minimum of 8 plays per half. Plays to be counted can include kick-offs, extra points,
and 4th down automatic punts. Each team is required to have one coach designated to track each player’s playing
time.
Grade/Weight Requirements
Pee Wees will consist of children in the grades of 3rd and 4th.
Jr. Midgets will consist of children in the grades of 5th and 6th.
Midgets will consist of children in the grades of 7th and 8th.
Pee Wees will have a running back weight limit of 80 lbs. Any player over 80 lbs. will not be allowed to touch the ball
and must play in between the tackles.
Jr. Midgets will have a running back weight limit of 120 lbs. Any player over 120 lbs. will not be allowed to touch the
ball and must play in between the tackles.
Midgets will have a running back weight limit of 155 lbs. Any player over 155 lbs. will not be allowed to touch the ball
and must play in between the tackles.
Players that are over (80 lbs. Pee Wees / 120 lbs. Jr. Midgets/ 155 lbs. Midgets) must have a horizontal stripe on
their helmet. The tape must be visible on all sides of the helmet and must be 1” wide. Light colored helmets must
have black tape and dark colored helmets must have white tape.
Grade/Weight Requirements…Cont’d
Stripers players must play from tackle gap to tackle gap. Striper players must be in a 3-point stance unless on the
kick-off or kick receiving teams or if a team starts an offensive play with its lineman in a 2-point stance.
A play will be blown dead if, and when, a striper comes into possession of the ball.
The exception is if the punter is a striper. In this case the punter must punt; he cannot fake a punt or advance the
ball.
Official Game Times
Pee Wees Four 10 minute quarters and a 10 minute halftime
Jr. Midgets Four 10 minute quarters and a 10 minute halftime
Midgets Four 10 minute quarters and a 10 minute halftime
There will be a stop and go clock.
Scoring
Pee Wee’s & Jr. Midgets Midgets
Touchdowns 6 points Touchdowns 6 points
Point after TD by Play 1 point Points after TD by Play 2 points
*Points after TD by Kicking 2 points Point after TD by Kicking 1 point
Safety 2 points Safety 2 points
*Field Goal 3 points Field Goal 3 points
*Pee Wee’s & Jr. Midgets: Kicking team must alert the officials that they are going to attempt an extra point or field
goal. The officials will alert the defensive team that an extra point or field goal is going to be attempted. The
defensive team will not be allowed to make contact with any player on the offensive team. The defensive team will be
allowed to jump and waive their arms, but touching an offensive player will result in an offside penalty being
assessed.
Once the offensive team snaps the ball, they have 10 seconds to get the ball kicked. After the ball has been
snapped, and before the kicker kicks it, the football may not be touched by any player on the offensive team except
the holder. If the ball is not kicked in the allotted 10 seconds, the play is dead and no points are awarded. The head
official will be responsible for timing the kick.
No fake extra points or field goals will be allowed in Pee Wee or Jr. Midget.
NHSA Rules apply to field goals.
Overtime Rule
Each team will be given 4 plays to score from the 10-yard line. If no team scores or both teams score and are tied
after the first overtime, we will attempt a second overtime. If the first team to have the ball scores, then the second
team must score in the same amount of plays or fewer to win. If still tied after the second overtime the game will be
ruled a tie. If tied in the Championship game the game will continue until there is an official winner.
Mercy Rule
Once any team is winning by 21 or more points the clock will run continuously. Coaches will have no input as to
whether or not this rule goes into effect. If a team’s lead becomes less that 21 points the Head Referee will instruct
the time keeper to start operating the clock under NSAA rules.
Forfeits
A forfeit of a game will only happen if the team does not have at least 11 players to play the game.
Kick-Offs
Kickoffs are by rule. An on-side kick must go 10 yards before being recovered by the kicking team.
Punts
Pee Wee teams have the option to punt the ball or ask the officials for an automatic punt. The punt will be on 4th
down only and the ball will be moved 35 yards automatically. The ball can be placed no further than the 20-yard line
on an automatic punt; you cannot pin your opponent back next to the goal line. If a Pee Wee team chooses to have
a player punt, no rush is allowed and no contact can be made with the offensive team until after the punt has
occurred. No fake punts are allowed.
Jr. Midgets must have a player punt, no rush will be allowed and no contact can be made with the offensive team
until the punt has occurred. No fake punts are allowed.
Midgets can punt and will follow high school rules.
Player Conduct
Butt-Blocking and Spearing
Butt-blocking and spearing will not be tolerated. Butt-blocking is a blow driven directly into an opponent with the
facemask front or tip of the helmet as the main point of contact. Spearing is deliberately driving the helmet into a
player who is down, is going down, or leaving the field of play. Tackling with helmets is unsafe and not proper
football. The penalty will be handled in the following manner:
1. One warning will be issued to the player plus a 15-yard penalty.
2. Player will be removed from the game for a second offense.
Players will be removed from a game for the following:
1. If injured, the player must leave the field for at least 1 play.
2. Profane language (1st offense will result in a warning by officials and if the same player is warned again
during the current game he/she will be ejected).
3. Spearing and butt-blocking (1st offense will result in a warning by officials).
4. The league will not tolerate fighting, hitting, or kicking a player while down, during or after a play.
Game Officials
Game Officials are hired and paid by the EVW Football League. A minimum of 2 officials per game will be used. The
head officials will keep time on the field. The home team will need to provide 2 people to run the chains. A “4-minute
warning” will be given by the head official and the commissioner will go to each head coach and make sure each
player has gotten in the game for the minimum number of plays. Have a coach in charge of tracking plays. The
warning will be given before half time and the end of the game.
There will be NO protest. When a game has ended it is OFFICIAL. Please remember this game is for the kids to
have fun and learn to play football. No one call makes a difference.
Season Standings
End of Season Tie-Breaker for Division Championship
1. Head to Head record.
2. Average Points allowed per game.
3. Record against the highest-rated common opponent. If both teams beat the highest-rated common opponent,
the margins of victory will be the deciding factor. If both teams lost to the highest-rated common opponent, the
process will default to the next highest-rated common opponent to determine the tiebreaker. This process will be
repeated until a tie-breaker can be achieved.
End of Season Tie-Breaker for Playoff Seedings 1 Thru 4
1. Head to Head record.
2. Record against the highest-rated common opponent. If both teams beat or lost to the highest-rated common
opponent, the process will default to the next highest-rated common opponent to determine the tie-breaker.
3. Coin Toss
Equipment
Coaches are responsible for handing out their teams’ equipment and need to check for proper fit and that all
equipment is worn properly.
Required:
1. Helmet
2. Jerseys
3. Shoulder Pads
4. Athletic Supporter/Compression Shorts
5. Pants with hip, kidney, thigh, knee pads
6. Mouth guard with strap and attached to the helmet (Cannot be Clear Color)
7. Rubber cleat shoes only.
8. If glasses are worn they must be safety glasses with a strap that fits securely around the head.
Coaching Limits/Guidelines
Each team will consist of 1 designated Head Coach and 3 designated Assistant Coaches. The children of the head
coach and the assistant coaches will be automatically assigned to that team and will bypass the draft.
*Practices Elkhorn Teams Only
Pee Wees and Jr. Midgets will be allowed to practice 4 nights a week until school begins, once school begins
practice will decrease to 2 nights a week. Scrimmages will be allowed once a week. A 1-hour walk-through practice
without pads will be allowed once a week. A walk-through practice will only be allowed the week of a teams
scheduled game.
Midgets will be allowed to practice 5 nights a week until school begins. Once school begins practice will be
decreased to 2 nights a week and on non-pad practice on Saturdays. Scrimmages will be allowed once a week. A 1-
hour walk-through practice without pads will be allowed once a week. A walk-through practice will only be allowed the
week of a teams scheduled game.
*EVW Football leaves practice schedules up to the individual communities’ Board of Directors to
regulate for their teams. The rules above apply only to Elkhorn teams.