Coaching NFL FLAG 5v5
Teach quick passes and clean handoffs. The quarterback can't run, and 2 rushers come from 7 yards back. Some spots on the field are pass only. This guide covers 10U, 12U and 14U, which play the same rules. 6U and 8U each have their own guide.
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
- Coaches of NFL FLAG league and tournament teams, 10U to 14U.
- Level
- 10U, 12U and 14U
- Ages
- Ages 9 to 14
- Format and rules
- 5v5, NFL FLAG 5v5
They can run a small playbook, read one defender and play a simple zone. They want to compete, so give every drill a score and every player a job.
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
- 10 minTeam period
- 15 minScrimmage
- 5 minCooldown
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
Take the angle that cuts the runner off, not the one that chases her. Break down, near hand to the near flag, finish through it.
- 2
Route basics
Depth and timing. A 5-yard out is 5 yards every time. Receivers who run the same route twice the same way get the ball.
- 3
Snap and handoff
Add the fake: the quarterback shows the handoff and keeps it to throw. Fakes only work if the real handoff is clean.
- 4
No-contact habits
No screening on routes, no lowered shoulders, no stiff arms, hands off your own flags. Penalties here cost a down, so they cost drives.
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.Your quarterback does not run
The rule: Handoffs, pitches and laterals only behind the line. One forward pass. It must start behind the line and cross it. The quarterback can't run with the snap. No center sneak.
Practice handoffs every week. The quarterback can't run the ball past the line herself. Every run starts with a handoff or pitch behind the line. You get 1 forward pass a play, thrown from behind the line. On game day, a dropped handoff costs you the play.
Watch: Logging a rushHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:40)2.Two rushers, from 7 yards, on a pass clock
The rule: Up to 2 rushers, each with a hand raised. They start at the 7-yard rush line. Anyone may rush after a handoff or pitch. The passer has 7 seconds. A sack is pulling the quarterback's flag behind the line. No rushing in league play for 8U and younger.
Up to two defenders rush, each with a hand raised and starting at the rush line. Your quarterback has a short clock to throw, so build plays with a throw ready on the third step.
From a real gameDesert Ridge Coyotes vs LC LegendsScore 13-162nd half1st and goalBall on opp 14
Trailing 16-13 late, Desert Ridge had 1st down 14 yards from the end zone. The quarterback's flag was pulled behind the line for a 5-yard loss.
That is a sack. In NFL FLAG, up to 2 rushers may come from 7 yards back. The drive ended without a score.
Watch: Logging a sackHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:41)3.Two no-run zones every drive
The rule: 2 on every drive: the 5 yards before midfield and the 5 yards before the goal line. No running plays across the line there. League play skips them for 8U and younger.
The 5 yards before midfield and the 5 before the goal line are pass-only. Practice two pass plays you trust from each spot.
From a real gameLakeview Lady Hawks vs SoCal Fire EliteScore 0-71st half2nd and goalBall on opp 3
A 13-yard run put Lakeview 3 yards from the end zone, trailing 7-0. Inside the 5, NFL FLAG allows no running plays.
So Lakeview had to throw. After an incompletion, it scored on a 3-yard pass.
Watch: Logging a rushHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:40)4.Four downs to midfield, three to score
The rule: 4 downs to cross midfield. Then 3 downs to score.
Midfield is the first down. Past it, the offense has three tries to reach the end zone. Call plays by series, and save your best play for the down you cannot waste.
From a real gameSoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady HawksScore 0-01st half4th and 3 to midfieldBall on own 22
SoCal Fire Elite faced 4th down at its own 22, 3 yards short of midfield. A 7-yard pass got them across.
In NFL FLAG, crossing midfield earns a new set of 3 downs to score. They scored on the 3rd one.
Watch: Moving the ballHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:36)5.Punts are declared, not kicked
The rule: No kicking. On 4th down (or 3rd) the coach calls punt or play. A punt gives the other team the ball at its own 5.
On the last down before midfield, you choose. Run a play, or give the other team the ball at its own 5. Decide before the game when you will punt.
Watch: Punting on 4th downHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:26)6.Flag guarding costs a down
The rule: It means blocking a flag pull. That covers a stiff arm, or dropping your shoulder, arm, hand, head or the ball in the way. A jersey over the flags counts too. Penalty: 5 yards and the down.
Teach ball carriers to run with arms free and shirts tucked. Stiff arms are a foul. So is dropping a shoulder or covering a flag. On game day, it costs 5 yards and a down.
Watch: Logging a penaltyHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:32)7.Nobody blocks, nobody screens
The rule: No blocking or screening. No holding the ball carrier or running through them.
Receivers clear space with routes, not bodies. Teach them to run past defenders, never to set up in a defender's path.
Watch: Logging a penaltyHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:32)8.Ball carriers keep their feet
The rule: No jumping, leaping or hurdling. The ball is spotted where you left the ground. Spins and jump cuts are fine. Defenders may dive to pull a flag or make a catch.
No jumping or hurdling to avoid a pull; spins and jump cuts are fine. Defenders may dive, but at youth ages we still coach them to stay up and pull.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)9.Interceptions come back
The rule: Yes, you can run them back. A return touchdown is 6 during regular play. It is 2 on a try or in overtime. A backward pass behind the line can be picked off and run back too.
Teach defenders to catch, tuck and run. A pick can be run back for a score. Teach your offense to chase the ball the moment it is picked.
From a real gameHarbor Point Mariners vs Rosemont RockersScore 6-142nd half2nd and 8 to midfieldBall on own 17
Trailing 14-6, Harbor Point took over at its own 5 after a punt. Two plays later, a pass was picked off and returned for a touchdown.
In NFL FLAG, a pick-six is worth 6 points during regulation. It made the score 20-6.
Watch: Logging an interceptionHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:32)NFL FLAG §VII.3; §XII.4NFL FLAG changes #4NFL FLAG rules page
10.Pick the try before you snap it
The rule: Touchdown: 6. The try after it: 1 point from the 5 (pass only) or 2 from the 10 (run or pass). You call your choice. Changing it costs a timeout.
1 point from the 5 must be a pass. 2 points from the 10 can be a run or a pass. Have one play ready for each, and know which you want before the touchdown happens.
From a real gameSoCal Fire Elite vs Lakeview Lady HawksScore 6-01st halfTry from 5 (1-point try)Ball on opp 5
After the game's first touchdown, SoCal Fire Elite chose the 1-point try. It was good, making it 7-0.
In NFL FLAG, the 1-point try starts at the 5 and must be a pass. The 2-point try starts at the 10.
Watch: Logging the extra pointHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:39)
The official rulebook
- NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (Revised March 24, 2025)
- NFL FLAG Flag Football Rules (Web page, as of October 6, 2026)
For your level
10U
Keep it to 4 or 5 plays and 1 zone defense. At NFL FLAG tournaments, girls' 10U uses the smaller black ball. Practice with the ball you will play with.
12U
Add a second read for the quarterback and a man coverage to go with your zone. Start coaching the try decision and the punt decision as real choices.
14U
Players are ready for motion, option routes and disguised coverages. Many will play high school flag next, where the rules change: see the girls' high school guides.
Gear every NFL FLAG player needs
Mouth guards are required for every player on the field, and the ball should suit the age group.
Coaches stay on the sideline
From 10U up, you coach from the sideline. Only the younger divisions allow a coach on the field.
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 call for every 4th down: go for it, or take the punt your ruleset allows.
Stat your games free in BreakAway
- Statting is free.
- Pick the NFL FLAG 5v5 preset in the app. Change what your league does differently. Then 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.