Coaching adult rec and coed flag football
Adult and coed leagues each set their own rules. Some play 5v5, some 7v7 or 8v8. Agree on the house rules before the first snap. Warm up, and keep the playbook short. Then save those rules once in BreakAway and stat every game.
Updated · Coaching 101
Who this guide is for
You don't need to know football. Most new coaches are parents who said yes. This guide gets you through your first practice and your first game.
- Who
- Captains and coaches of adult, coed, company and intramural teams.
- Level
- Adult rec, coed and intramural
- Ages
- 18 and over
- Format and rules
- 5v5, your league's house rules
Friends, coworkers and former athletes. Most play once a week and skip the warm-up. Your first job is keeping everyone healthy. Your second is agreeing on the rules before kickoff.
Your first practice: 60 minutes
Use the same 5 blocks every week. The full plan has the drills, coaching points and a free PDF.
- 10 minWarm-up
- 20 minSkill stations
- 15 minTeam period
- 10 minScrimmage
- 5 minCooldown
This plan is written for 7v7. Run the same blocks 5 a side, and use 5v5 plays in the team period.
Positions in 5v5, and what each player does
Carry 7 to 10 players so everyone rests and everyone plays. Rotate quarterback and center in practice: every player should know both.
Offense
- Center
- Snaps the ball to the quarterback, then releases into a short route. In most 5v5 rulebooks the center is an eligible receiver, so they are your safety valve.
- Quarterback
- Calls the play, takes the snap and either hands off, pitches or throws. Teach a quick read and a quick release: the rush is coming.
- Running back
- Lines up beside or behind the quarterback, takes handoffs and pitches, and runs a short route on pass plays.
- Wide receivers (2)
- Line up wide, run the deeper routes and stretch the defense. One usually runs a go or post to pull the safety away.
Defense
- Rusher
- Starts back at the rush line with a hand up. On the snap, she runs straight at the quarterback and reaches for the flag.
- Cornerbacks (2)
- Cover the wide receivers. Stay between her and the end zone. Pull the flag the moment she catches it.
- Linebacker
- Plays the middle: watches the center and running back, takes away short throws and fills fast on runs.
- Safety
- The last line. Stays deep, keeps everything in front of her and is the one who must not miss a flag pull.
What to teach first
- 1
Flag pulling
Adults reach and grab. Teach the break down: shorten your steps, eyes on the hip, then pull.
- 2
Route basics
Agree on depths. A curl is the same depth every time, so the quarterback can throw before the break.
- 3
Snap and handoff
One snap style for the whole team, and a handoff that does not hit the ground.
- 4
No-contact habits
Set the blocking and contact rule out loud before kickoff. Most adult arguments start with a screen nobody agreed on.
House rules to settle before kickoff
Adult leagues write their own rules. Agree on each of these with the other captain, then save them as a BreakAway ruleset.
- How many players a side, and the fewest you can play with. Any coed rule, like how many women must be on the field.
- Field size, where the first downs are, and whether there are no-run zones.
- Who can rush, from how far, and how long the quarterback has to throw.
- Whether the quarterback can run, and whether a coed play counts for more.
- Blocking and screening: none, or screens without contact.
- Tries: from where, and what each is worth.
- Game length, timeouts, overtime and any mercy margin.
- Punts: declared, kicked, or none.
For your level
Start from a rulebook
Most leagues borrow from a published rulebook and change a few things. The rules comparison shows where they differ, so you can pick a base and write down only your changes.
Game-day checklist
- A flag belt and flags for every player, plus spares, in a color that does not match anyone's shorts.
- Mouth guards, water and a first aid kit.
- Game balls in the size your ruleset sets for this age.
- Your roster with jersey numbers, and who starts at quarterback and center.
- A short play sheet: three or four plays, one for the goal line, one for the try.
- A quick word with the other coach and the official on the rules you are playing.
- Someone to stat the game in the BreakAway app. Families follow along, and every player gets a stat card.
- Your house rules written down and shared with the other captain.
Stat your games free in BreakAway
- Statting is free.
- Start from the closest preset in the app. Change what your league does differently. Save it to your team and stat every game.
- 100,000+ ruleset combinations, so your league's rules fit.
- Every game you stat gets a live game center families can follow from anywhere. You also get a box score and a stat card for every athlete. Team leaderboards, season totals and recaps come with it.
A completed pass, logged in seconds.