IceBowl 2009

(click here to download the rules in .pdf format)

RULES

1. THE GAME: The game will be played between two teams of seven players on the field (minimum of one female). If you do not have a female, your team must play one man down when the other team has a female on the field. Entire roster may consist of no more than fifteen players two of which must be female. Players cannot be added/traded once games have begun. The game will be played under the supervision of two to three refs. 

2. SIZE: The field is 100 yards x 20 yards (includes 10 yard end zones). 

3. LENGTH OF GAME: Playing time will be 40 minutes in duration with two 20-minute halves and a halftime of three minutes. 

4. START OF THE GAME: A team must begin the game with a minimum of six players. 

5. FORFEITURE OF GAME: Less than six players available five minutes after scheduled game time or at any time during the game. 

6. ADVANCING THE BALL: A team, in possession of the ball, will have four consecutive downs to advance the ball to the next zone line-to-gain. All offensive plays will start with a legal snap and will begin no more than 25 seconds after the referee gives the ready for play signal. The ball will be placed on the 20-yard line to start each half and after each score. 

Penalties: Delay of Game & Illegal Snap ~ 5 yards Simulating Snap Count (defense is barking out commands with the express intent of confusing the offense) ~ 15 yards 

7. LINE: Team A must start each down with at least three players on the line of scrimmage within arms length of one another and shoulders approximately parallel to the line of scrimmage. Team B must line up one yard off the line of scrimmage. Team B can line up on the line of scrimmage when the line of scrimmage is within the 5-yard line. A violation is considered Illegal Formation. No player, team A or B, can be in a three or four point stance. Only two point stance is allowed in order to avoid the potential of bull rushing. 

Penalties: Illegal Formation, Encroachment, & False Start ~ 5yards Illegal Stance ~ 15 yards 

8. BLOCKING: The offensive must block below the shoulders and above the belt with open hands - no forearm blocking. No hands or blows to the face. No clipping or chop blocks.

  • LINE OF SCRIMMAGE BLOCKING: After initial contact is made on the line of scrimmage the offense can drive the defender beyond the line of scrimmage until contact is lost. The offensive player can never reengage in a driving block after initial contact is lost.
  • DOWNFIELD BLOCKING: No offensive player may block past the line of scrimmage. A great potential exists for serious injuries when a player loses his footing at full speed. The offense may set stationary blocks only. As always, the offensive may move as necessary behind the line of scrimmage while attempting to protect the QB from oncoming defenders.

Penalties: Hands to Face, Illegal Use of Hands, & Holding ~ 10 yards Tripping, Clipping, Chop Block, Downfield Blocking Reengaging in a Drive Block ~ 15 yards 

9. RUSHING: A pass rusher who crosses the line of scrimmage into the "offensive backfield" can raise his hands and jump in an attempt to block a pass, HOWEVER, NO contact with the QB will be allowed, incidental or otherwise. Hands must be straight up and not towards the QB's arm in any way. NO Exceptions! Pass rusher may only attempt to pull the flags of the passer, or deflect the pass attempt. Any contact with the QB will result in a personal foul and at the discretion of the referee to be deemed overly aggressive play. The ball carrier cannot leave their feet (includes diving and leaping, but excludes attempt to catch a pass).

  • BULL RUSHING: In attempting to get to the ball carrier (as is the case most often with a defender trying to get to the QB), a defender must avoid straight on contact by "splitting the offensive linemen" (running between two linemen), "swimming", spinning or running around the offensive player. BULL RUSHING will carry a 15 yard penalty. This applies to offensive plays as well particularly when the quarterback rushes.
Penalties: Diving, Leaping, Stiff Arms & Bull Rushing ~ 15 yards 

10. OFFENSIVE MOTION: One player may go in forward motion prior the snap. That player may not cross the line of scrimmage prior to the snap of the ball. 

Penalties: False Start, Illegal Motion & Illegal Shift ~ 5 yard 

11. FORWARD PASSES:

  • LEGAL FORWARD PASS: During a scrimmage down and before a team possession has changed, a forward pass may be thrown provided the ball when it leaves the passer's hand is on A's side of the line of scrimmage. All players are eligible to touch, throw, or catch a pass. Only one forward pass can be thrown per down. One foot inbounds with possession of the ball constitutes a legal catch. It is an interception when caught by the defense inbounds. When a legal forward pass touches the ground or anything out-of-bounds it becomes dead and is ruled as an incomplete pass.
  • ILLEGAL FORWARD PASS: A forward pass is illegal if A is beyond the line of scrimmage when the ball leaves the hand or there is more than one forward pass per down. Once a player in possession passes the line of scrimmage, his team may not throw a forward pass during that down. It is an illegal forward pass and penalized as such. BACKWARD PASS OR FUMBLE: A backward (lateral) pass or fumble may be caught in flight in bounds by ANY player and advanced. A backwards pass or fumble is dead at the spot when it goes out of bounds or touches the ground. The ball belongs to the team last in possession, unless lost on downs. 

Penalties: Illegal Forward Pass ~ 5yards (loss of down)

12. PASS INTERFERENCE: During a down in which a legal forward pass is thrown, contact which interferes with a receiver who is beyond five yards down field, it is pass interference unless it occurs when two or more receivers make a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, contact, or bat a pass.

  • I. OFFENSIVE INTERFERENCE: After the ball is snapped, and until a receiver has touched it there will be no offensive interference beyond the five-yard zone while the ball is in flight.
  • II. DEFENSIVE INTERFERENCE: After the passer throws the pass, and until it is touched, there will be no defensive interference beyond the five-yard zone while the ball is in flight.
Penalties: Offensive Pass Interference ~ 15 yards (loss of down) Defensive Pass Interference ~ 15 yards (from previous spot and automatic first down)

13. FLAG REMOVAL: Offensive players must have possession of the ball before they can legally be deflagged. A flag removed inadvertently (not removed by grabbing and pulling) does cause play to stop. A player that removes a flag prior to a player taking possession of the ball is illegal flag removal. The player which pulled the flags is required to return the flags to the deflagged player.

Penalties: Illegal Flag Removal ~ 5 yards (spot foul), Not handing the flag back to the deflagged player ~ 15 yards unsportmanlike

14. FLAG GUARDING: Ball carriers will not protect their flags by blocking, with arms, hands, or the ball. Team members need to keep their shirts tucked in at all times. Flags will be worn down the side of the pant leg. Attempts to conceal or alter flags will result in a penalty. No tying flags to body.

Penalties: Flag Guarding ~ 5 yards

15. PUNTING: On fourth down the team with the ball has the option to go for the line to gain for a first down or punt. A punt places the ball 30 yards down field (ref will walk it out) from the line of scrimmage.

16. SCORING: Each team will be allowed the opportunity to score by advance the ball across the opponent's goal line by running or passing. The mercy rule: When either team leads the other by 21 or more points at anytime in the second half the game is over. Scores will then be called into the scorer's table by a presiding score keeper. Team captains can report to scorer's table to find out next game time and field. POINTS: The following methods will be used in scoring a game:
  • Touchdown 6 points 
  • Safety 2 points 
  • Forfeited Game 2 points 
  • TRY-FOR-POINT: An opportunity to score one or two points will be granted a team scoring a touchdown. Running or passing from 5 yards - 1 point Running or passing from 10 yards - 2 points 
17. RUNNING CLOCK: The clock will start when the ball is legally snapped. It will run continuously for the duration of the game, unless it is stopped for: Time out - time re-starts when ball is legally snapped Injuries Last seven plays of the game Referee's discretion Also, each team has a "huddle" time (a.k.a. play clock) of 25 seconds.

Penalties: Delay of Game ~ 5 yards

18. FINAL TWO MINUTES: Approximately two minutes before the end of the first half, the referee will inform both captains of the playing time remaining (AKA the 2-minute warning). At two minutes before the end of the second half, the referee will inform both captains of the 2- minute warning. If the score is within 8 points or less, the play clock is disregarded and there will only be seven plays left in the game. Try for point does not count as one of the seven plays.

19. TIME OUTS: Each team is entitled to three 30 second time outs during the entire game.

20. OVERTIME: Each team will get four downs each from the 20-yard line. The winner will be determined by whichever team advances the ball the farthest (after a full set of downs) or scores the most points in the fewest of the allowed four downs. Extra point attempt is not a part of the four allotted downs. Each team has one time out.

21. REVIEW OF PENALTIES
  • 5 YARDS 
    • Delay of game 
    • False Start
    • Encroachment 
    • Illegal Snap 
    • Illegal Motion 
    • Illegal Shift 
    • Illegal Forward Pass 
    • Illegal Flag Removal (Spot Foul) Flag Guarding (loss of down) 
    • Illegal Formation Illegal forward pass by A (loss of down) 
  • 10 YARDS 
    • Hands to Face 
    • Illegal Use of Hands 
    • Holding Illegal block 
  • 15 YARDS 
    • Striking
    • Bull Rushing
    • Kicking
    • Kneeing
    • Tripping
    • Clipping
    • Hitting
    • Chop block or tackling 
    • Offensive/Defensive pass interference (loss of down if offensive, automatic 1st down if defensive) 
    • Unsportsmanlike conduct (attitude, profanity, Any acts of unfair play, ) by player or bench, two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls committed by the same player, any team receiving three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties will result in that team forfeiting the game. 
    • Roughing passer (which includes ANY contact with a throwing QBs arm - automatic first down) 
  • EJECTION 
    • Fighting
    • Repetitive excessive profanity
    • Repetitive unsportsmanlike conduct
    • Two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls committed by the same player 
22. Jargon that might need explanation:
  • CHOP BLOCK: Player is being offensive player is being contacted high and a secondary defensive player hits below waist. 
  • CLIPPING: Running or diving into the back of an opponent; or throwing or dropping the body across the back of the leg(s) of an opponent; or pushing an opponent in the back 
  • DEAD BALL: A ball not in play. 
  • DEFLAGGING: Legal removal of a flag from an opponent in possession of the ball. Pushing, striking, holding, slapping or tripping is not permitted.
  • ENCROACHMENT: The position of a player, except the snapper, any part of whose person is beyond their scrimmage line or their restraining line when the ball is about to be played. 
  • FUMBLE: Loss of player possession other than by handing off, passing or kicking the ball. A fumble, which hits the ground, is immediately considered dead. 
  • TEAM A: Team that puts the ball in play. 
  • TEAM B: Opponent of Team A. 
  • TRIPPING: Using, the lower leg, foot, or arm extended in an obvious manner to obstruct an opponent (including the ball carrier) below the knee. 
  • ZONE LINE-TO-GAIN: The line your team needs to cross in order to get a first down and retain possession of the football.
  • BULL RUSHING: Running straight through a player (and thereby initiating full contact with the offensive player) to get to the QB. 
  • DRIVE BLOCKING: In a legal block where one player pushes another away from his/her original position. 
23. NEW FOR 2009:
  1. When the team B commits a live ball foul on a successful touchdown by team A, team A has one of three options: 
    • a) remove the points from the score and access the penalty
    • b) keep the score and have the penalty accessed on the try 
    • c) keep the score and have the penalty accessed on the succeeding "kick off" (in the case of the Ice Bowl, from the succeeding 20 yard line) NOTE: if there is a live ball penalty on the score and another on the try, team A has the option to accept one or the other penalty. Dead ball fouls (like unsportsmanlike conduct) will always be assessed on the next live ball and may be combined with any resulting live ball penalties. For example, on the successful touchdown, the team B commits a hold. And then on the try team B commits a minor facemask penalty and an unsportsmanlike. Team A will probably take the holding penalty and the ball will then be placed on the 5 yard line for the next "kick off" (the normal spot after a score is the 20 yard line. We would then assess10 yards for the hold and half the distance to the goal for the unsportmanlike).
  2. Whenever team B commits any act with the soul purpose of "drawing" team A off sides will be deemed unsportsmanlike (making a quick stop and go motion at the line and the referee deems that the action was other then trying to "time" the snap). 
  3. paragraph 6: removed the wording "Side judge will have arm extended if players are in the neutral zone" since this is immediate dead ball penalty against either team A or B 
  4. paragraph 12: Added the wording "The player which pulled the flags is required to return the flags to the deflagged player. Penalties: Not handing the flag back to the deflagged player ~ 15 yards unsportmanlike 
  5. paragraph 20 added "loss of down" to the flag guarding penalty
  6. paragraph 20 added "which includes ANY contact with a throwing QBs arm" to the roughing the QB penalty.
Michael DeSanto, the ICe Bowl, it's staff or volunteers, is not responsible for the behavior of those who participate in ICE BOWL.