The NFL FLAG definition of REC is the following: A Recreation Team must be a Boys and Girls Club, YMCA, JCC (Jewish Community Center), PAL (Police Athletic League), or a Park and Recreation NFL FLAG Program. Only athletes that have participated in one of the above NFL FLAG leagues in the last 12 months of the date of the event are eligible to register in the Recreation division.
Player's school address must be within a 75-mile driving radius of the league location address. If an organization has multiple leagues, the player's school address must fall within 75 driving miles of at least one of those league locations.
August 1st cutoff
High School Girls Division – must be enrolled in the 2024/2025 school year
Rule changes for 2024
1. Pitches, laterals, and backwards passes are permitted behind the line of scrimmage only. Shovel passes will now be legal with a 2 handed release.
2. Rushers must now identify themselves by raising their hand pre-snap. Maximum of 2 rushers per play
3. Rush MUST be immediate. NO delayed rushing permitted. (Safety)
4. Fumbles/ loss of possession: ground contact must be made for the play to be dead. “A fumble is loss of possession by a player resulting in the ball contacting the ground”
5. Any time prior to making the ball ready for play on 4th down, the referee must ask the coach to declare “PUNT or PLAY”. The coach must answer or risk a delay of game penalty at that time.
6. Verbiage added ball placement by the referee. The ball will be placed in the middle of the field to start every play. The ball may be moved toward either boundary by the referee if asked by the offense before the ‘ready for play’. The ball may not be spotted less than 10-yards from either boundary .
7. Electronic communication of any kind is prohibited and will result in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Will result in automatic disqualification.
8. Jumping and leaping is not permitted. (Safety) Play to be blown dead.
9. Illegal contact penalty added: Spot foul 5-yards and AFD or LOS
10. School/grade based 7U and 6U: The defensive 5-yard alignment cushion will be reduced to 3-yards any time the ball is spotted on or inside the 5-yard line
Rules still in place that effect interpretations to some of these changes are:
1. ALL forward passes, including shovel passes, must be received beyond the line of scrimmage.
2. Once the ball is advanced beyond the LOS, the current ball-carrier is the only player allowed to have possession of the ball until the play is dead.