Coaching Maryland girls' high school flag football
Maryland plays the NFHS rulebook with a few MPSSAA changes. The field is 80 x 40 yards. Belts have 2 flags in 2026 and 3 from 2027. Teams punt, but there are no field goals. Overtime is a drive from the 10. A 28-point lead late keeps the clock running.
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
- Maryland girls' high school coaches, varsity and JV.
- Level
- Maryland girls' high school (MPSSAA)
- Ages
- Ages 14 to 18
- Format and rules
- 7v7, Maryland girls' high school
Athletes who can learn a real playbook, read coverage and play several positions. Many are new to flag football but not to sport, so teach the rules early: fouls decide close games.
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
Positions in 7v7, and what each player does
Carry 10 to 14 players. Plan substitutions by series so every player gets real snaps on offense and defense.
Offense
- Center
- Snaps, then becomes a receiver underneath. A center who catches well turns every blitz into a free completion.
- Quarterback
- Reads the coverage before the snap, makes the call at the line and gets the ball out on time.
- Running back
- Handoffs, pitches and the check-down route. On pass plays she reads the rush and leaks out to the open side.
- Wide receivers (2)
- The outside threats. Their depth and speed move the safeties and open the middle.
- Slot receivers (2)
- Line up inside the wideouts and run the quick, option and crossing routes that move the chains.
Defense
- Rusher or rushers
- Pressure the passer within the rules of your ruleset. Even a rush that never gets there speeds up the throw.
- Cornerbacks (2)
- Match the wide receivers. Teach outside leverage first: push routes back toward help.
- Linebackers (2)
- Drop into the short middle, wall off crossing routes and pull the flag on runs and short catches.
- Safeties (1 or 2)
- Deep help. Read the quarterback's eyes, break on the throw and finish with a sure flag pull.
What to teach first
- 1
Flag pulling
Pursuit angles and leverage: force the runner back inside to help, then pull. Track missed pulls every practice.
- 2
Route basics
Releases, depth and the break. Teach how each route changes against man and zone.
- 3
Snap and handoff
Shotgun snap to a target, mesh point on handoffs, and one run play that looks like your best pass play.
- 4
No-contact habits
Know exactly what your ruleset allows for blocking and contact, and coach to the line. Flag guarding and illegal contact are drive-killers.
10 rules that change how you coach
In our words, with the rulebook section to check. Your league can change some of these, so confirm with your league before the first game.
1.An 80 x 40 yard field
The rule: NFHS field 1: 80 yards between the goal lines, 40 wide.
A compact field: teach quick, rhythm throws and tight zone drops.
Watch: Marking the yardageHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:38)2.Two flags now, three from 2027
The rule: 2 flags, one on each hip, are fine for 2026. A 3-flag belt is required from 2027.
Teach the pull on any flag now, so the switch to a three-flag belt changes nothing.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)3.Punts follow NFHS
The rule: No state rule needed. Punts follow the NFHS kicking rules.
Punting is part of the game here. Practice the punt team and the return.
Watch: Punting on 4th downHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:26)4.No field goals or kicked tries
The rule: None. No goal posts, no tee, no field goals and no kicked tries. Punts follow NFHS.
No goal posts and no tee. Every try is a play.
Watch: Punting on 4th downHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:26)5.A 10-minute halftime
The rule: 10 minutes. Both teams may agree to cut it to 5 at the pregame meeting with officials.
Or as short as 5 if both teams agree before the game.
Watch: Calling halftimeHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:29)6.Overtime is a possession from the 10
The rule: Each team gets the ball at the 10, with 4 downs to score. After a touchdown, try from the 3 for 1 point or the 10 for 2. The defense may run back an interception or fumble for a touchdown. The visitor calls the toss. 1 timeout per period. Earlier timeouts don't carry over.
Four downs to score, then a try, and the defense can return a turnover for a touchdown. Practice a red zone series, not just a try.
Watch: Logging the extra pointHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:39)7.28 points runs the clock
The rule: A lead of 28 or more in the 2nd half starts a running clock. It stops only for injuries, timeouts and period ends. It also stops for a score that cuts the lead below 28.
A 28-point lead in the second half keeps the clock running.
Watch: Calling halftimeHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:29)8.Tries from the 3 or the 10
The rule: Touchdown: 6. On the try, you pick 1 point from the 3 or 2 from the 10. Field goals (3) and kicked tries (1) count only where the state allows them. Then the other team starts at its 14. A team still behind may keep the ball instead. It gets 4th down at its own 20.
Go for 1 from the 3 or 2 from the 10. A team still behind after its try may keep the ball. Plan that call before the game.
From a real gameHarbor Point Mariners vs LC LegendsScore 6-0Q1Try from 3 (1-point try)Ball on opp 3
Harbor Point scored first to lead 6-0. On the try, a runner carried it in for 1 point.
In NFHS play, a 1-point try is snapped from the 3. A 2-point try is snapped from the 10.
Watch: Logging the extra pointHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:39)9.Flag guarding is 10 yards
The rule: Using the hands, arms or ball to stop a flag pull. It only counts if there is contact. Penalty: 10 yards. You keep the down.
It counts when hands, arms or the ball cause contact to stop a pull. Teach ball carriers to run with arms in.
Watch: Logging a penaltyHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:32)10.Rushers play the flag
The rule: Not fully checked. The rush rules are in a part of the book we have not read. The penalty list has no rush-line foul. Rushers must go for the flag. Hitting the QB's arm is roughing: 10 yards and a first down.
Contact with the passer's arm is roughing, 10 yards and a first down. Aim rushers at the hip.
Watch: Logging a sackHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:41)
The official rulebook
- MPSSAA Girls' Flag State Association Adoptions (2026-27)
- NFHS Flag Football Rules Book (2026-27)
The NFHS rulebook is sold by NFHS. BreakAway does not reproduce it: get your copy from NFHS.
For your level
The NFHS rules underneath
Everything MPSSAA does not change follows the NFHS rulebook. The girls' high school guide covers the NFHS rules that change coaching most.
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.
- Eligibility, uniforms and the belt style your association requires.
- Your plan for overtime and the mercy rule under your rules.
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.