Coaching 6U NFL FLAG
6U and 7U NFL FLAG is about fun and first skills. Kids can run anywhere, and nobody rushes the passer until a handoff. You can stay on the field during the play. A dropped snap gets 1 do-over. Keep drills short, make them games, and let every kid try every spot.
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 7U and 6U (1st grade and below) teams.
- Level
- 7U and 6U, 1st grade and younger
- Ages
- Ages 5 and 6
- Format and rules
- 5v5, NFL FLAG 6U
First-timers. Attention lasts a few minutes, so every block is short and most of them are games. Success is every player touching the ball, pulling a flag and wanting to come back next week.
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
- Waits until the ball is handed off behind the line. Then she runs at the ball carrier 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
Eyes on the hip, not the ball. Grab the flag, lift it high and shout so the official sees it. Pulling is the whole defense at this age.
- 2
Route basics
Two routes only: run straight (the go) and run to the sideline (the out). Use cones so they know where to turn.
- 3
Snap and handoff
Slow and steady wins. A clean snap and a handoff to the belly matter more than any play design.
- 4
No-contact habits
Hands go to flags, never to shirts, arms or backs. If two players are about to bump, both slow down. Praise it every time.
9 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.A coach on the field, before and after the snap
You can line players up and stay out during the play. Keep a safe distance from the ball. Point to spots; don't move kids by hand.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)2.A dropped snap gets one do-over
If the snap hits the ground, the down is replayed once; a second miss in a row uses the down. Snapping is still worth practicing every week.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)3.Defenders start 5 yards off
Before the snap the defense lines up at least 5 yards back, 3 when the ball is inside the 5. That cushion gives your offense room to complete the handoff.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)4.Run anywhere, and nobody rushes
No no-run zones, and defenders wait for a handoff before crossing the line. Your quarterback can take her time and look for a receiver.
Watch: Logging a flag pullHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:44)5.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)6.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.
Watch: Moving the ballHow to stat it in BreakAway (0:36)7.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)8.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)9.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)
The official rulebook
- NFL FLAG Official Playing Rules (Revised March 24, 2025)
For your level
Mouth guards and the ball
Every player wears a mouth guard on the field, and the ball should be sized for small hands.
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.
- A list of who plays where, so every kid tries every spot this season.
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.