Hello Coaches,
I hope your off-seasons are off to a great start.
We are looking to hold our second 7v7 Tournament on Saturday, July 9 at Whitehall High School. This year we are partnering with St. Luke’s Sports Medicine to provide even better coverage for our athletes throughout the tournament. In the Lehigh Valley every summer there are two big Summer League Basketball tournaments that promote the sport of basketball. We are looking to do that for the football community as well. We will provide greater Athletic Training coverage than we had last year thanks to St. Lukes and their team. We want to make this the premier tournament in Eastern PA all while keeping the cost reasonable.
The format will consist of a three-game pool play, followed by a single-elimination tournament-inspired playoff. Every team is guaranteed at least 4 games. Everyone participates in the tournament playoff and seeding will be based on pool play. A basic set of rules are included in this email so you can see the style of play. There will be no “small school” and “big school” categories. Pools will be divided as fairly as possible.
The cost of attending the day will be $100 per team (Checks made payable to “Varsity W Club”) due on the day of the tournament. This will cover the PIAA officials working every game. We will not have volunteers as referees and we feel these officials should be paid accordingly.
We are hoping to secure 20 teams, with a possibility of expanding to 24 teams if field space permits. Registrations will be handled on a first-come basis. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are planning on attending so we can reserve your spot.
Thank you for your time!
Please contact Matt Senneca at mattsenneca@gmail.com or 610-442-8929
Info:
Field Dimensions:
The field Length will be 50 yards. 40-yard playing field with a 10-yard end zone.
S
tarting Each Game:
1. Coin Toss. The toss of the coin will take place within two minutes of the scheduled start time of the game. The toss will be called by the team captain (Ref’s Discretion) before the coin is flipped. The winning team will begin possession of the ball on the +40 yard line with their choice of hash.
2. A whistle will begin each game.
3. Each game lasts 25 minutes with a running clock (Overtime in Playoffs).
4. Official will declare when the clock is under 2 minutes
5. The clock never stops.
6. A whistle will end each game.
7. The referees will keep the official score and time on the field for each game.
8. Helmets and Mouthpieces must be worn at all times by all players.
Moving the Ball:
1. Offense always starts on +40 yard line with their choice of the hash. After any change of possession.
2. All snaps at the +40 yard line.
3. Offense has three (3) downs to gain a first down. First down markers will be at the 25 and 10-yard
lines.
4. Once inside the 10-yard line, the offense has 3 downs to score a touchdown.
5. Quarterback can NEVER run the ball.
6. A conversion after a touchdown, the offense can choose to go for 2 points. (TD is 7 points if going for
2 points TD is 6 points)
7. 2 point conversion if from the 10-yard line. The offense chooses hash for ball placement.
Coaching your Team:
1. There will be one offensive coach allowed on the field at any time.
2. The coach must be positioned behind the offensive huddle.
3. Coaches are not allowed to challenge any official ruling.
4. Remaining team coaches can work from the sidelines.
5. NO defensive coaches allowed on the field. They may go in the huddle between plays.
Special Rules:
1. NO blocking.
2. Blocking will result in a loss of down, return to the previous spot.
3. Ball carrier is legally down when touched below the neck with one hand. A defender may leave his feet
to make a tag.
4. Fumbles (Including snap) are dead balls at the spot with the last team in control retaining possession
at the spot.
5. Offensive team will have 25 seconds to put the ball into play. Delay of game is a loss of down.
6. The offensive team is responsible for retrieving and returning the ball to the official. The clock does
not stop, and any delay of the offense in retrieving and returning the ball to the official will result in
the delay of game.
7. Defensive pass interference or defensive holding will result in a first down at the NEXT 1ST DOWN SPOT
of the foul. DPI inside the 10 will result in a 1st down at the spot of the foul or the 1-yard line if the foul is
in the endzone.
8. Offensive pass interference will result in a return to the previous spot plus a loss of down.
9. QB is allowed 4.0 seconds to throw the ball. Referees will stop play if 4.0 seconds is surpassed
10. An interception will result in an immediate stoppage of play and a change of possession with the
interception team gaining possession at the 40-yard line.
11. A game cannot end on a defensive penalty. If this occurs, the offense will have an untimed down if
time has expired.
12. Any 3 Down Defensive teams must rush at least one LB to take a knee at the LOS.
Tie Breaker: (Playoffs Only)
1. Any pool game that ends in a tie will be declared a tie. For playoff games – There will be a coin toss at
the beginning of the tiebreaker with the home team calling the toss. The winner will choose to be on
either offense or defense.
2. Each team will have 3 snaps from the 10-yard line to score, choice of hash.
3. If a team scores they have an option to go for 2 points.
4. If still tied after each team gets a possession the tiebreaker will be repeated with the team that lost
the initial coin toss making the choice to take either offense or defense.
5. This format will be repeated until there is a clear winner is declared.
6. This tiebreaker format will be used only in playoff games.
PLAYOFF WINNER WILL BE DETERMINED BY:
1. Head to head Competition.
PLAYOFF SEEDING DETERMINED BY:
1. Overall Record
2. Head to Head
3. Total Points Scored
4. Point Differential
5. Total Points given up
6. Common Opponent
PLAYOFF SEEDING TIEBREAKER – WILL BE DETERMINED BY:
1. Head to Head
2. Defensive Yield
3. Back to Head to Head after team is eliminated
POINT VALUES:
1. Offensive touchdown 7 = points. (6 Points if going for 2)
2. Extra point from the +10 = 2 points.
3. Tiebreaker victory = 1 point.
