Flag Football Essentials: The $6 Sports Series, #3

By John Johnson

The book explains the basic fundamentals, the theory needed to win and how to develop game plans that will defeat your opponents. It also gives hints for effectively coaching youth and it illustrates the rules differences between the men’s game, the women’s game, the coed game and the youth game. Interesting videos can be seen in the ebook version.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Total Health Publications
• Release date: Feb 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781507011119

John Johnson

John Johnson has brought love to children of all ages in the beloved guise of Santa Claus over four decades. He began his journey in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, where he was also an actor, musician, playwright, and historical presenter. He has performed Santa in every possible setting. He lives with his wife, Michelle, on the South Carolina coast, where he shares Christ’s message of love, peace, and goodwill.

Book preview

The Game for Everyone

A Video Text

Second Edition

Dr. John Johnson

TOTAL HEALTH PUBLICATIONS

Oslo, Norway

Copyright 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Watching the Videos...........................................................................................................................

INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................

The International Picture

CHAPTER 1 THE BASICS..................................................................................................................

The Field

First Downs

The Players

The Tackle—deflagging

Blocking for the Ball Carrier

Terminology...........................................................................................................................................

The field

The Players

The Passer

Offense

Defense

The Rules

CHAPTER 2  OFFENSIVE FUNDAMENTALS............................................................................

Starting the play...................................................................................................................................

Carrying the ball...................................................................................................................................

Handoffs

Running Back Moves

Passing the ball....................................................................................................................................

Catching the Ball.................................................................................................................................

Common Errors in Catching...............................................................................................................

CHAPTER 3  RECEIVERS AND PASS PATTERNS...............................................................

Receivers.................................................................................................................................................

Individual Pass Patterns....................................................................................................................

Inside  routes

Outside routes

Double breaking routes

Names of Patterns

Common Pattern Names

CHAPTER 4  THE OFFENSE...........................................................................................................

Formations

Choosing formations

The Use of Motion

Running

The Running Game..............................................................................................................................

The Lateral Pass

Passing Theory

CHAPTER  5  DEFENSIVE FUNDAMENTALS.........................................................................

Deflagging

Basics of Pass Coverage

Ready Position

Keys and Reads

Read

Read your specific keys and diagnose the play then REACT

Interception

Points to Stress in Coverage

Individual Secondary Techniques

The Ready Position

Elements of a Good Back Pedal

Run and Turn Technique

Press Cover

Ways that Receivers Attempt to Defeat the Mirror Technique

Outside Man Technique for Corners in Deep Alignment

Inside Man Technique for Man Cover from Deep Alignment

Zone Techniques

PRACTICE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES..................................................................................................

CHAPTER  6  DEFENSIVE THEORY.............................................................................................

Examples of Coverages for Pass Defenses

CHAPTER 7  DEVELOPING YOUR THEORY OF DEFENSE................................................

CHAPTER 8  KICKING........................................................................................................................

CHAPTER 9  SCOUTING AND YOUR GAME PLAN................................................................

Scouting the Offense...........................................................................................................................

Defensive Strategy...............................................................................................................................

Scouting the Defense..........................................................................................................................

Offensive Strategy................................................................................................................................

The Running Game.............................................................................................................................

Against Man-to-Man Coverage

VS. Zone Coverage

CHAPTER 10  COACHING YOUTH FOOTBALL.......................................................................

Coaching Children...............................................................................................................................

Is the activity fun for the children?...................................................................................................

Making it enjoyable............................................................................................................................

How can the skills and theories be taught most effectively?........................................................

The Safety Factors You Must Consider

Injuries to the Bones...........................................................................................................................

Injuries to the Ligaments...................................................................................................................

Preventing Sprained Ankles...............................................................................................................

Preventing Sprained Wrists................................................................................................................

Preventing Knee Injuries....................................................................................................................

Preventing Shoulder Injuries..............................................................................................................

Injuries to the Muscles.......................................................................................................................

Preventing Concussions......................................................................................................................

The Warm-up........................................................................................................................................

Flexibility............................................................................................................................................

Developing Agility................................................................................................................................

Agility Drills........................................................................................................................................

APPENDIX A

SAMPLE FLAG FOOTBALL RULES FOR MEN’S TEAMS

APPENDIX  B...........................................................................................................................................

SAMPLE ADULT COED RULES.......................................................................................................

APPENDIX C  SAMPLE YOUTH  RULES....................................................................................

APPENDIX D  INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RULES..........................................................

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Watching the Videos

If you are reading the $6 e-book version and are connected to the Internet, there are many videos you can watch by clicking the link within the text. Obviously printed books do not have this option.

INTRODUCTION

Flag football has been with us for over 70 years, touch football even longer. Both games have given more people the opportunity to play the most exciting game in the world. The strategy and tactics required in American football have made it the most popular game in the United States and a very popular game throughout most of the world. While tackle football requires a great deal of equipment, exceptional physical conditioning and a number of coaches,  touch and flag football can be played with only two players per team. However as the game has become more organized, teams are more likely to be required to have 5 to 8 players on the field.

In this book we will examine the essential fundamentals of play and some team concepts for strategy (the preparation for the game) and tactics (the adjustments to make to the opposing team’s offense and defense during the game). The fundamentals stay the same from the six-year-old flag player to the NFL Super Bowl player. The correct way to throw a pass is the same at every level. The correct way to carry the ball is the same at every level. The correct way to catch the ball is the same at every level. What changes are the skill levels of the members of a team and the rules that govern the game you are playing.

In appendices A, B, C and D you will see sample rules for men's, coed and youth leagues—and an abbreviated set of rules for women’s international flag football.. You will notice that the rules can change from league to league and can vary significantly with the age group. For example the NFL flag rules for youth require that the defensive rushers be at least 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The coed rules (as illustrated by those from Michigan State University) do not have such a restraint. The defenders can be anywhere behind the line of scrimmage. In some leagues the players must be 5 yards from the line of scrimmage. In others they may not rush for two seconds after the snap of the ball.

In some men's leagues blocking is allowed as long as the blocker does not leave his feet. Most leagues allow for an offensive player to screen a defensive player. (Screening involves standing still with the arms at the side.)

Within the rules there are unlimited possibilities for attacking the defense or defending the offense. We will look at some of these possibilities. But because football is a stop – start type of game the tactical potentials in every situation are innumerable. In games that flow like: basketball, ice hockey, soccer, team handball,  lacrosse, field hockey, water polo and many other sports—tactical adjustments can be made every few seconds. Along with the fundamentals we will discuss, we will also show some of the nearly infinite tactical ideas that make football such a great game.

This book is meant for coaches of flag football teams and for students in flag football classes, but any interested player can learn more about the strategy and the fundamentals.

The International Picture

The development of young American football players in foreign countries has become a top priority with the amazing growth of American tackle football world wide.

New young players are flocking to the many American tackle football club teams in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Russia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Youth flag football teams are being sponsored by many of these American football clubs. The importance of flag football for young foreign American football players is emphasized by the old adage in regard to foreign youth: If you toss a foreign youngster a ball, he will catch it with his feet, but if you toss an American youngster a ball, he will catch it with his hands.

The point that is made here, is the fact that the basic skills of receiving are best taught in a pass-oriented game such as flag football.

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The potential for world-wide growth in flag football is increased by the number of colleges and universities in the United States that feature flag football as an integral part of their physical education and intramural programs, and the spread of flag football to U.S. military bases all over the world. Coed flag football is also becoming a fast-growing sport as a part of the numerous intramural programs in the United States.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow shall stop a flag football game!

For a look at the former Super Bowl champs, the San Franisco 49ers playing flag football, click this link in your Internet browser: https://vimeo.com/203989266/95ceea0923

CHAPTER 1 THE BASICS

Some of the principles that we will discuss can apply to all venues where the games may be played (competitive  leagues, physical education classes, fraternity or sorority games, pickup games at the beach or park, or even in the street)  and to both flag and touch football. We will concentrate on the organized leagues and physical education classes.

The Field

The field size will vary considerably depending on the fields available and the size of the teams. It will have two end zones of 6 to 10 yards and three or four zones marked by lines that will result in the first down if they are crossed. These zones can 15 to 20 yards each. Some leagues mark the zone next to the goal line as only 10 yards.

Commonly at American schools the 120 yard long tackle football field is divided into three fields laying across it, so the width of each field is 40 yards. The length of the field would be 53.3 yards (the width of the football field), but often there is additional ground beyond the tackle football field’s sideline. So the field may be longer.

Some leagues will play on the hundred yard field with two 10 yard end zones and four 20 yard first down areas.

There may also be markings for extra points after touchdowns.  There may be only one at 3 or 5 yards for one point. Some leagues will have a second mark at 10 to 15 yards for a 2 point conversion try. Some leagues will also mark no run zones 5 or 6 yards from the goal lines—and some leagues will add other no run zones before the first down lines.

Playing at the park or beach you may just set clothes to mark the sidelines and goallines. Playing pick-up  games at Venice Beach we used to mark one sideline in the sand but the other boundary was China,  so we could swim as far out as we wanted and still be inbounds!

First Downs

In American tackle football if a team advances the ball 10 yards in four tries (downs) that team gets another first down—a first and 10 as it is called. In Canadian football a team has three downs to go 10 yards. In touch football an often used rule is that if the offensive  team completes three passes in its four downs it gets another first down. In flag football it is normal to divide the field into areas, usually 15 to 20 yards each.  A  team has four downs to cross that line and get another first down. A 60 yard field might be marked into three 20 yard zones. An 80 yard field might be marked with 10 yard zones adjacent to the goal line and three 20 yard zones. So you see the marking of the field is not quite as strict as it is in 11 man tackle football where the field is always 300 feet long and 160 feet wide with 10 yard end zones behind the goal line.

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The Players

Coed games must have even numbers of each sex. Eight person teams are the most common. For all male or all-female teams six, seven or eight players are most common. Youth football teams may have only 5. However if you are playing in a picnic setting or just playing among friends, you may only have two or three players on a side.

The Tackle—deflagging

The tackle that is, stopping the ball carrier, in touch football is done by touching the runner with one hand anyplace, two hands anyplace, or with two hands below the waist. The choice may be left to the players or may be found in the rules if it is a competitive league. But the game is now usually played with flags. These can be strips of cloth (usually about 2 x 4 wide and 18 to 24 inches long. These are tucked into the waistband of the shorts or sweatpants of the player—one on each side and one in the middle of the back.. More often, the flags are commercially made of plastic and are attached by suction cups or Velcro to a belt which is worn around the waist of the players.

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Blocking for the Ball Carrier

Men's teams sometimes allow blocking, but the blocker must say on his feet throughout and following the block or it is a penalty. In tackle football, as you know, blockers may leave their feet. Some leagues allow blocking at the line of scrimmage but not downfield. Coed games and games between female teams do not allow aggressive blocking. They do allow