All rules of the PIT Football League and the rules of the Official Touch Football Rule Book are in effect throughout the 2013 outdoor regular season and playoffs. It is the responsibility of the respective team representatives to advise team members of the rules and regulations.

 

General Rules:

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• On the field the referee's decision is final. All protests must be indicated to the referee immediately at the time of the specific infraction or ruling. You cannot question the judgment call, but you can protest the application of the rule. 

• Game protests must be submitted in legible writing the day of the game protested and will be ruled and decided upon by the Executive Committee in conjunction with a review of the referee's game report.

• Score cards will be provided by the league and submitted to the referee's before game time. It is the responsibility of teams to cross out any names of players who are not at the game. 

• It is the responsibility of team representatives to pick up and drop off goal post pads according to the goal post pads' pick-up and drop-off schedule when necessary. The first team listed on a given day is responsible for picking up pads, the last team listed is responsible for returning pads (the only applicable field with goal posts is Maple Grove).

• A team may not add a player after registration without prior approval from the Executive Committee.

• Team representatives must ensure that all players have registered and signed an insurance waiver form before any player steps on the field for a regular season game.

• All players must be dressed in similar color jerseys. A coin flip will be used to decided which team is required to change jerseys if both teams wear identical colors.

• Fighting during a game automatically incurs a game misconduct. Further action may be taken by the Disciplinary Committee (see disciplinary procedures).

• In order to retain use of playing fields all teams are responsible for picking up stray garbage, bottles, and any miscellaneous items left by either players or spectators. The league reserves the right to introduce fines for offending teams. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated. 

• The PIT league has a strict no alcohol policy. Players/teams caught drinking on the field will be automatically suspended. Again, we do not want to lose our fields so there is zero tolerance for drinking at our field locations.

• Verbal criticism and bad-mouthing towards referees, league representatives and opposing players or fans on or off fields of play is inexcusable and will not be tolerated. Regardless of the situation it can do nothing but degrade the quality and status of the PIT Football League. Offending individuals will be handled with strict disciplinary measures.

• In maintaining an organized, balanced and operational league the Executive reserves the right to make changes as necessary during each season of operation.

   

Touch Football Rule Book:

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• The Official Touch Football Rulebook used by the PIT Football league can be found at the following link: Touch Football Rule Book

• The Rule book is also available on the PITFootball.com website under “Forms & Files” by clicking on the link “Official Touch Football Rulebook”.

   

Team Responsibilities:

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• Team captains must have a valid email address entered into the pitfootball.com website and are expected to check their email frequently. Team captains will be contacted throughout the year for various reasons and email will be the main method of contact.

• Team captains must have a current phone number entered into the pitfootball.com website. If information is to be conveyed to a team in short order this will be the primary mode of contact.

• Team rosters must be completed online at pitfootball.com before the registration deadline. Any roster additions after the registration period require board approval.

• Players must be on the team roster on the pitfootball.com website prior to playing in order to be considered eligible to play for that team.

   

Waiver Forms:

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• A waiver form is required to be completed prior to playing in the first game of the season. Players who signed waiver forms in the fall or winter indoor session will remain covered, any new players must have a waiver form signed.

• All league members are required to have a waiver form submitted to the league. The waiver form may be handed to the head ref prior to playing in a game otherwise they are considered ineligible players.

• Waiver forms can be found here: Waiver Forms or by clicking on "Forms & Files" on the navigation toolbar.

• Teams who use ineligible players will be subject to a default.

   

Eligible players must satisfy all of the following:

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• The player has submitted a waiver form to the league.

• The player has been added to the roster via the PIT football website.

• The player has submitted a parental consent form if they are under 18 years of age.

• The player is not currently serving a suspension from the league.

   

Playoff Eligibility (General):

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• Roster deadlines will now be set the day of registration in order for us to better place teams into competitive divisions. All players who are not on the rosters by the deadline will have to be passed through the league executive to obtain permission. As of registration rosters will be locked on the website and teams will not be able to add players themselves. The only people that will be able to add players to teams will be the league administration.

• Players must play a minimum of six games to be eligible for playoffs.

• Players will not receive credit for a game played unless they have shown up to the game prior to halftime.

• Team representatives should monitor all game card entries to ensure players make their six games. The league will not go back to check previous game cards in the event there is a discrepancy between the website and team. The website will be considered accurate.

• Only teams in good standing (e.g., not defaulted three games) with the league are eligible for playoffs.

• Players not currently serving a suspension from the league.

• All games played by teams with ineligible players will incur a default loss as well as a default fine.

   

Playoff Eligibility (Players in Divisions Elite through Three):

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• Players from upper divisions will be more closely scrutinized if they are requested to be added after the roster deadline. Captains should have higher division players on the roster by the roster deadline date as there will be very little chance of adding higher division players after the roster deadline.

• Players in Division 1 will now have to play a minimum of nine games (half the season) to be eligible for playoffs in any divisions lower than the highest division they play in (such players still only have to make six games on their highest division team to be eligible for playoffs). Thus a player who plays in Division one, if they are also on a division four roster, they must must make nine games for the division four team to be eligible for playoffs. A division four player however will not have to make nine games for a division six team. That player may still be eligible for playoffs by attending six games for each team as this the rule only applies for players in Division 1.

• Substitute players (if teams are short players) are still allowed however the player that substitutes cannot be of higher caliber than the player that is missing for the game. If a player from a lower division substitutes for a team in division 1 will not have to make a minimum of nine games for their lower division team unless they are make enough games in the higher divisions to be eligible for playoffs (six). So a player can technically sub up to five times with a team in division 1 before the nine game rule comes into effect.

• The intent of the rule change is to force teams to declare higher division players at the start of the season to ensure divisional parity, to ensure the players are not added after the roster deadline, and to make sure that the upper division players are actually part of the team and not ringers

 

Disciplinary Procedures:

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Players and referees should not be subjected to player threats, taunts, arguing or inappropriate conduct. Referees can assess objectionable conduct penalties, a five minute (game time, not running time!) player “timeout” or eject a player from a game for such conduct. An ejection carries an automatic one game suspension and potentially more depending on the severity of the offense. A single objectionable conduct will result in a 15 yard penalty; a second objectionable conduct penalty carries with it an automatic five minute player timeout. A third objectionable conduct penalty carries with it an automatic ejection. As per the referee’s judgement the escalation of penalties can be expedited. For example, a player may get a five minute timeout or be ejected on the first objectionable conduct penalty depending on the severity of the offense.

• Any player ejection for a major foul or abuse of an official carries a mandatory minimum one game suspension.

• Ejections for major fouls carry suspensions from one to eight games.

• Gross misconducts carry suspensions from six to eighteen games.

• Fighting carries a minimum six game suspension. 

• Physical abuse of an official carries a minimum eighteen game suspension.

• Players who are on multiple teams will be suspended from all teams for the duration of the initial suspension. For example, if a player is suspended for three games on Team A, they will miss all games with Team B (Team C, etc) until the three game suspension with team A has been completed.

• In the event of dissatisfaction with a disciplinary decision a case may be taken to the Appeals Committee if a written request explaining the reason for the appeal is received by the Executive within 14 days of the decision being issued. A $50.00 per player fee must accompany the appeal request. The fee will be refunded if the decision is revoked or the penalty reduced.

   

New Objectionable Conduct Policy:

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• Objectionable conducts will be tracked for the duration of the season (outdoor is one season, indoor [Fall/Winter/Spring] will be considered one season).

• Six objectionable conduct penalties in a season will result in a one game suspension.

• Every objectionable conduct penalty after six will result in a one game suspension.

• Penalties are cumulative meaning a person’s third objectionable conduct will result in a suspension however if the third objectionable conduct penalty is also a player's sixth (or seventh, etc) objectionable conduct penalty of the season then a two game suspension would be applied.

• Players who receive an objectionable conduct penalty after the conclusion of a game will automatically be suspended.

• Depending on the severity of the offense suspensions may be compounded or escalated.

 

Divisional Alignment:

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• The executive reserves the right to assign teams to divisions in order to provide the most competitive divisions.

   

Scheduling and Reschedule Policy:

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• Teams may submit schedule requests at registration - no late submissions will be accepted. See the schedule request form found under the 'Forms & Files' link on the navigation toolbar or hit up the link here: Schedule Request Forms

• All schedule requests must be placed on the official schedule request form. No other submissions will be accepted.

• The league will do its best to accommodate as many requests as possible.

• Reschedules can only be made by swapping games with other occupied time slots. All teams must agree to the swap and the league scheduler must be notified (at least 48 hours in advance) so that the website can be updated accordingly.

• It is the team’s responsibility to arrange for reschedules. The league will only make changes to the schedule once all teams involved have verified agreement to said schedule change.

• The league will endeavor to reschedule games within 24 hours of a rain out.

• All reschedules will take into consideration the team's original schedule requests, however teams must be ready to play after 72 hours of a rain out.

• The league reserves the right to reschedule games at any time pending lack of available dates.

   

Default Policy:

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• Teams may start the game one person down (ie, start the game with six players). Teams will be given a fifteen minute 'grace' period with penalties accruing for delay of game at game time, the five minute mark, and the ten minute mark of the grace period. After fifteen minutes the game is called as a default. Teams must start the game as soon as they have six players. Time will not be made up for late starts. Games will be shortened accordingly to fit the game within the specified time slot.

• Teams that do not have a minimum of six players present at the time of kickoff will lose choice both halves.

• The penalty for each default is a $75 fine, along with an automatic loss, minus two points in the standings, and no player on the defaulting team shall be credited with a game played. This fine must be paid to the league administrators prior to the defaulting team’s next game or that game is also forfeited.

• The penalty for a 3rd default is possible removal of the team from the league for the season. 

• All players on the non-defaulting team will receive credit for a game played.

• In the event of a double-default neither team will receive credit for a game played and both teams will be fined $75.

• Defaulted games will not be rescheduled.

 

Fields:

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• Teams are responsible for bringing the goal post pads to the games at Maple Grove.

• The first team on the schedule at a field is responsible for bringing the pads.

• The last team on the schedule at a field is responsible for returning the pads to their proper location.

• In order to retain use of playing fields all teams are responsible for picking up stray garbage, bottles, and any miscellaneous items left by either players or spectators. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated.

• A complete list of fields can be found under the "Field Locations" link on the navigation toolbar or here: Field Locations

   

Tie Games:

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• There are no ties in the PIT Football League. In the event of a tie game a series of convert attempts will be used to determine the winner.

• Each team will attempt three converts, alternating on offense and defense. Teams may attempt a one-point convert from the five yard line or a two-point convert from the ten yard line. The team with the most points after three attempts by each team will be declared the winner.

• In the event that the teams are still tied after three attempts by each team, they will continue to run alternate converts until one team has more points.

   

Coin Flip:

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• During the regular season the team calling the coin flip is up to the discretion of the referee (statistical probability states you will win 50% of the time regardless if you call the coin flip or not!)

• During playoffs there will be no coin flip, the higher seeded team will automatically be given choice.

   

Playoff Seeding (tie-breakers):

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• First tie-breaker: In the event that two teams are tied and one of those teams has defaulted a game during the regular season, the non-defaulting team (or team with fewer defaults) will automatically receive the higher seed.*

• Second tie-breaker: Head to head 

• Third tie-breaker: Head to head plus minus 

• Fourth tie-breaker: Plus-minus overall 

• Fifth tie-breaker: Points against

• Sixth tie-breaker: Coin flip

• Seventh tie-breaker: In the event the coin lands on its side a team drinking competition will ensue

   

Note I: In the event that three or more teams are tied, if two (or more) clubs remain tied after one team has been eliminated from the tie-breaker system during any step (i.e., made playoffs), the tie breaker reverts back to step 1 of the tie-breaker system
Note II: In the event that an unbalanced schedule occurs and seeding hasn't been decided by the first two tie-breakers the third and fourth tie-breakers will be as follows: Third tie-breaker: Plus-minus in games against common opponents, Fourth tie-breaker: Points against in games against common opponents. The fourth and fifth tie-breakers in the original tie-breaking formula will become the sixth and seventh tie-breakers in a scenario of an unbalanced schedule
Note III: If a defaulted game is advantageous to the defaulting team the league will remove said advantage. For example, if divisions are split for playoffs and a default puts the defaulting team in a better playoff scenario (i.e., bumps the team down a division) the defaulting team will instead receive the higher seed.

 

The stuff that needs to be said:

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• Any additions to rosters after the registration deadline are subject to approval by the PIT Football League Management.

• Any other interpretations not covered by the PIT Football rule book, the TFONT rule book or the outdoor rules noted on this post are subject to the Head referee's judgment and/or the league administration.

• Have a great season and enjoy the best game day football experience in Manitoba!

   

  
   

FOR THE PLAYERS ...           ... BY THE PLAYERS