7th/8th Tackle

National Federation of State High School Associations’ Rules will be

used to govern play. The following exceptions have been approved

by the PLKC:

TEAM DIVISIONS – The Kansas City Parochial League Football

Program is a 5th/6th grade boys and a 7th/8th grade boy’s league.

Participating schools may enter single‐grade teams at their discretion.

Participants who do not attend a member school & they do attend the Parish

School of Religion (PSR) may participate provided all the PLKC

PSR requirements have been met.

OUTSIDE COMPETITION FOR FOOTBALL ‐ Violations of this

rule shall make a student ineligible for the remainder of that sport

season.

a) The team shall forfeit all games in which the ineligible player

competed.

b) A student who is a member of a PLKC athletic squad (effective

August 1st – until the end of the PLKC football Season), may not

participate as a member of an outside football team or as an

independent competitor. NOTE: Informal participation on the part of

the student‐athlete, such as that experienced on the black top

(concrete), in the park, local “Y”, etc., is not considered a violation of

this rule, provided it was not formally called or organized, no

coaching takes place, where no official score is kept, time kept,

officials used ,etc. EXECPTION: For Pass, Punt & Kick; NOT

violations of this rule.

c) A student becomes a member of a PLKC football team when he

first participates in a practice session or is listed on a PLKC Team

Roster submitted to the PLKC Office. The student ceases to be a

squad member after his or her last contest for the PLKC team in that

sport or when the membership on the squad is terminated.

SECTION 1. A Minimum of sixteen (16) players is required to enter

a team in the KCPL Football Program. All players who don’t attend

the parish school must receive permission for the PLKC Director

prior to be eligible to participate. The KCPL Director reserves the

right to assign non parish school players to other school teams as

needed.

SECTION 3. Each team will submit an official roster containing each

players, name, jersey number, and weight status (“X” indicating that

a player exceeds the weight limit) to KCPL Director before the first

football game. A copy of this roster of players, updated changes if

necessary, will be available on each team’s sideline.

SECTION 4. The game shall be divided into four quarters. Each

quarter will consist of a total of twenty‐two (22) plays for the 7th/8th

grade division and eighteen (18) plays for the 5th/6th grade division.

A play shall be counted each time the ball is snapped from center;

exclusive of kickoffs (including a free kick following a safety); and a

try for extra point following a touchdown. The snap of the ball on the

last play of the quarter equal’s time expired.

SECTION 5. MANDATORY PLAYING TIME: It is the

responsibility of the coach to make sure that all players present in

uniform be permitted to play a minimum of playing time set forth,

unless they are unable to play due to an injury or disciplinary reasons.

A member of the coaching staff must notify the scorers prior to the

start of the contest of the players unable to play unless the reason

occurs during the game. The scorers shall record reported players

unable to play on the back of the score sheet, noting the time

reported. Minimum playing time: 12 plays per player per game for

teams with 25 or more players or 15 plays for teams with 24 or fewer

players. Kick off and extra point try and free kicks count as play

played towards minimum playing time.

SECTION 6. Qualified persons (one from each team) working in

unison, shall perform the following duties:

a. Record the number of plays in each quarter.

b. Inform the officials when a quarter is completed.

c. Record all scores.

d. Be responsible for score sheet being turned in at the Concession

Stand, promptly after conclusion of the game.

SECTION 7. The intermission between the second and third quarter

shall be seven (7) minutes, with the third quarter beginning 10

minutes after the end of the second quarter. (7 minute half – 3 minute

warm up)

SECTION 8. POINT SPRED: When a point spread of 30 points is

reached at the end of the third quarter, or at any point during the

fourth quarter, the game will continue, however, the starting

offensive backfield players must be taken out and substituted for, and

any subsequent scoring by either team will not be kept. All plays will

count as plays of the game including kickoffs and extra points.

SECTION 9. The game shall be considered complete and the results

shall stand, if following the first half of play, the KCPL Director or

the game officials stop the game.

SECTION 10. NO STUNTING allowed by any player within three

yards of the line of scrimmage. (Stunting is defined as forward

movement by any player within the three yards limit prior to the snap

of the ball to gain momentum.) Penalty: FIVE YARD ‐ illegal

procedure.

SECTION 11. ILLEGAL PERSONAL CONTACT – OFFICIALS

ARE INSTRUCTED TO USE A QUICK WHISTLE

Examples are:

a. Grasp an opponent’s face mask or any edge of a helmet opening

b. Illegal helmet contact

c. Spearing, this is the intentional use of the helmet in an attempt to

punish an opponent.

SECTION 12. ONLY FOOTBALL SHOES with MOLDED

non‐removable cleats are legal provided the cleats do not exceed ½

inch in length and are made of rubber type synthetic materials that is

not abrasive and does not develop a cutting edge.

SECTION 13. One overtime period shall be played if the game is tied

at the end of regulation. If after one overtime period the game is tied,

the game shall end and be recorded as tied. Exception – playoff

games – play as many overtime periods as needed to declare a

winner. The NFHS overtime procedure will be used for any overtime

period. Ball will be placed at the ten (10) yard line. First and goal.

SECTION 14. WEIGHT LIMITS: 5th‐6th Grade – 115 Lbs.; 7th‐8th

Grade – 145 Lbs.

SECTION 15. All players shall be weighed by the KCPL Director or

his representative, approximately one (1) week before the first game.

Each player shall be weighed wearing shorts and shirt for the first

weigh‐in. Players who are not weighed (wearing shorts and shirt

ONLY) shall not be eligible to compete in the KCPL Football

Program.

SECTION 16. For those players making weight by five pounds or

less at the preseason weigh‐in, will be required after the third week of

the season to reweigh. Any player who exceeds the weight limit by

five pounds or less at the pre‐season weigh‐in, may re‐weigh at the

re‐weigh after the third week of the season. Players competing in the

5th/6th & 7th/8th grade divisions will be allowed one pound increase

per month with a maximum of two pounds before the second weigh

in. The League Director reserves the right to re‐weigh teams again

prior to the playoffs following the same procedure mentioned above.

SECTION 17. Athletic Directors shall be notified at least twenty‐four

(24) hours before their parish is to report for the weigh‐in. Parish

Athletic directors or their representatives shall attend and shall be the

only parish representative present in the area that the weigh‐in takes

place. Several parishes may be assigned the same day and location

for their weigh‐in.

SECTION 18. Each team is permitted ONLY SIX players who

exceed the weight limit on the field at any one time.

SECTION 19. Offense players exceeding the weight limit shall be

restricted to line positions (center, guard, tackle or tight end) and

must be in a two or three point stance. Players exceeding the weight

limit playing the tight end position will remain an ineligible receiver.

SECTION 20. Players exceeding the weight limit shall be restricted

to line positions on defense. All interior linemen on defense are

required to be in a three or four point stance prior to and during the

snap of the ball. Failure of a player to be down in a three or four point

stance shall constitute an illegal procedure calling for a five‐yard

penalty. Defensive ends are allowed to line up in the standing

position. Those players who exceed the weight limit are allowed to

line up at the defensive end position.

SECTION 21. During extra points the ball will be placed at the three

(3) yard line. One point (1) will be awarded for a successful kick try

and two points (2) will be awarded for a successful try by a pass or

run.

SECTION 22. Players, exceeding the weight limit, may kickoff,

place kick or punt. They may also intercept passes, receive short

kicks and recover fumbles, but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES

SHALL THEY ADVANCE THE BALL MORE THAN A STEP

BACKWARD OR LATERALLY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

The BALLBECOMES DEAD when any player exceeding the

weight limit gains possession, other than to be the kicker. Any player

exceeding the weight limit playing any other position than those

positions set forth shall constitute an illegal procedure calling for a

five‐yard penalty.

SECTION 23. Players exceeding the weight limit shall wear a helmet

with prescribed KCPL marking denoting weight status. The marking

shall be explained at the Mandatory Coaches’ Meeting. Violations of

this rule shall make the player ineligible for the contest until the

helmet is properly marked. The head coach shall be liable to

suspension.

SECTION 24. PRACTICE INFORMATION and beginning date for

conditioning and practice with full pads will be mailed to parish

athletic directors prior to the beginning of the football season. A team

is limited to FOUR PRACTICE SESSIONS OF ONE AND ONE

HALF (1 ½) HOURS EACH or THREE PRACTICE SESSIONS

OF TWO (2) HOURS EACH per week (seven days). A ten (10)

minute rest and refreshment period for all players shall occur at the

midpoint of the practice time. Violations of this rule will make the

coach liable to suspension.

SECTION 25. COACH CONTROLLED Scrimmages or practice

games are permissible ONLY WITH OTHER CYO TEAMS

WITHIN THE SAME WEIGHT CLASS.

SECTION 26. The OFFICIAL BALL used for all KCPL Football

games will be provided by the PLKC. 5th/6th grades use the junior

ball, 7th/8th grades use the youth ball.

SECTION 27. Official KCPL sideline passes are required for sideline

personnel. Sideline passes are provided for the head coach, five

assistant coaches, and one score keeper, and three chain crew (when

assigned). The head coach shall be liable to suspension for not

requiring all sideline personnel to be in compliance, and anyone not

properly displaying such pass may be denied access to the

playing field areas.