WACC Board (amended on 3/12/25)
1300. The National Federation Football Rules, as modified by the CIF, NCS and WACC are the official rules of the WACC.
1300.1Any competition between schools shall be considered a game or scrimmage. Teams shall follow the NCS-approved maximum number of contests rule.
1300.2 Varsity games shall have 12-minute quarters. JV, F/S or freshman games shall have 10-minute quarters and a ten-minute halftime.
1300.3 A qualified adult shall operate the game clock for varsity games. An official on the field may keep the game clock for non-varsity games. Time clocks may be used as per NFHS rules. The chain gang and down box shall be located on the visitor’s side of the field and shall be manned by qualified adults. The host athletic director shall have the authority to replace a qualified adult with a qualified student and to move the chain gang and down box to the home side of the field upon notification of the visiting coach.
1300.4 The “25 -yard tie-breaker procedure,” adopted by the CIF and used in NCS playoff games as outlined in the National Federation Rule Book will be used in all varsity games; the tie-breaker will determine the winner of the game. Please see Football Attachment A for specifics of this procedure.
1300.5 In case of unsuitable playing conditions on a football field, the home principal or his/her designee shall consult with the visiting principal or his/her designee regarding the postponement on the contest. In cases of disagreement, the home principal’s decision shall prevail. The suggested date for the postponed contest is the following Monday.
1300.6 The postseason meeting shall be held on the Thursday after the first week of the NCS playoffs.
1301. WACC football competition shall be conducted at two levels; varsity and JV. The varsity team shall consist of players who meet CIF and NCS guidelines to compete at the varsity level. The JV team shall consist of juniors who are unable to compete at the varsity level, sophomores, and freshmen. Student-athletes may play on a different squad level from one week to the next subject to the above. Exceptions to the above may be made by AD’s for health and safety reasons. A three level may be formed of freshman and sophomores unable to compete at the JV level.
1302. Double practice sessions may begin on the first day of NCS-allowed practice and must conclude on the Saturday of the second week of NCS-allowed practice. The CIF practice guidelines shall be used in scheduling double practice sessions. There are no restrictions on Saturday practices.
1303. The home school shall decide the date, time, and site of a scheduled game. This must be done by the January AD meeting. The suggested starting time for evening league contests shall be 7:00. The suggested starting time for JV or Frosh/Soph games that are part of a varsity evening doubleheader shall be 4:30. The starting time of other afternoon contests shall be agreed to by both schools.
1304. A National Board Certified (NBC) trainer, doctor, paramedic, nurse, OR emt shall be in attendance at all football games provided by the host school. The NBC trainer is there for medical emergencies; coaching staff provides for First Aid. Should the visiting school provide its own NBC trainer, that NBC trainer shall make medical emergency decisions for that visiting school.
1305. At the conclusion of the regulation of four quarters of a freshman game, an additional quarter shall be played subject to NCS rules, unless otherwise agreed to by both coaches prior to kickoff. The quarter shall be ten minutes of “running time;” all football rules shall be followed; coaches shall officiate the 5th quarter; coaches may enter the playing field at their discretion.
1305.1 Participation shall be limited to players who played sparingly or did not play at all during the regulation four quarters. A reasonable effort shall be made to play all members of each team.
1305.2 Administratively, this period shall be considered as part of the regular contest; personnel mentioned in #1305 and other field attendants must be present. No score shall be kept. There shall be no kickoffs; the ball shall be put in play on the offensive team’s 35 yard line.
1306. Each school shall make available a varsity roster to each other league school prior to the start of the league season which includes height, weight, playing position(s), number, and year in school.
1307. Each student-athlete may be allowed to participate in only one game per Monday through Saturday period. A postponed game shall count as being played on the originally scheduled date. Participation in one play shall constitute playing in a game.
1308. Spring football drills may be conducted following NCS rules.
1309. The use of field glasses, video cameras, or other aids in or around the end zone while scouting league opponents is prohibited.
1310. Each team shall have one-half of the field for pre-game drills. The home team shall make the decision about which half of the field to use during warm-ups.
1311. If a school starts the league season with a team at a given level and withdraws before the season is complete, each unplayed contest is declared forfeit. If a school does not start its league season with the first scheduled game for that team, but does commence competition late in the season, all unplayed games at the beginning of the season are declared forfeit.
1312. The NCS approved football is the suggested football for WACC league play, but there is no official league football.
1313. An All-League team shall be selected at the end of the season for each league.
1313.1 An All-League team shall be selected at the end of the season for each league. The league commissioner of the hosting league shall conduct the election. The procedure for the nomination process shall be disseminated to conference schools. The WACC website shall be used for nominations and balloting in odd-numbered years. The MVAL Commissioner shall determine the nomination procedure in even-numbered years.
1313.2 Each school has a minimum of six nominations, plus two additional nomination(s) for each league game victory to a maximum number of 16 from any one school.
1313.3 Players shall be nominated by position. On offense those positions are receivers (3), tight end (1), linemen (5), quarterback (1), and running back (2). On defense those positions are linemen (4), linebacker (4), and defensive backs (4)
1313.4 Coaches shall rank their choices. A coach may not vote for his own players. If a tie occurs, all players in the tie shall be selected to the all-League team. If there is a tie for first team, the number of players selected for the second team shall be reduced. If there is a tie for second team, all players in the tie shall be given second team honors.
1313.5 If some positions are unfilled at the end of the balloting, the floor shall be open for nominations; voting procedures outlined above shall be followed.
1313.6 Each school shall have a nomination for “kicker” and “return specialist” for which there will be first team selections only. These nominations shall not count against a school’s number of nominations outlined in 1314.2 above. These nominations are open to all players regardless of their contributions at other positions
1313.7 An all-league 1st team and an all-league 2nd team shall be selected. All players nominated, but not selected, for 1st or 2nd team honors shall be placed on the “Honorable Mention” list.
1313.8 An Offensive Player-of-the-Year and a Defensive Player-of-the-Year shall be selected before any other voting for 1st/2nd team takes place.
1313.9 League commissioners shall ensure that coaches keep their discussion to performance-related comments. A 30-second time limit per nominee is suggested for information presentation by coaches with a total discussion-time per player at a maximum of one minute.
1313.10 The league commissioner, working with the league commissioner of the MVAL, our partner league in football, may adjust the above process and above numbers to accommodate both leagues
1314. The three league champions shall be the automatic representatives to NCS. The following prioritized formula shall be used to break a first place tie:
1314.1 The records of the teams within the tie against each other.
1314.2 The records of the teams within the tie against the team immediately below them in the league standings.
1314.3 The records of the teams within the tie against the next lowest team immediately below them in the league standings. This process shall continue using all the teams in the league standings.
1314.4 A draw from a hat by the league’s AD’s at the first AD meeting of the year.
1314.5 If a league champion is unable to participate in the NCS playoffs, the principals or their designees shall select the NCS-representative team.
1315. There shall be an unedited film exchange program of any two tapes per team unless both the involved coaches agree otherwise. Schools shall attempt to “roll the tape” as the team breaks from the huddle. The tape exchange process shall begin on the Wednesday of the week prior to the scheduled game with a phone call from the coach in need arranging the time and nature of the exchange. Schools are allowed unrestricted taping of the other team’s games subject to 1309 above. The league commissioner shall review this rule at the preseason meeting.
1317. 25-Yard Line Overtime Procedures – (Revised 12/5/18)
a. Immediately after the conclusion of the fourth quarter, officials will instruct both teams to retire to their respective team areas. The officials will assemble at the 50-yard line and review the tiebreaker procedures.
b. The officials will escort the captains to the center of the field for the coin toss. The referee shall toss a coin at midfield in the presence of not more than four field captains from each team and another game official, first designating the field captain of the visiting team to call the coin toss. The winner of the toss may not defer the choice and shall choose one of the following options: 1. Offense or defense, with the offense at the opponent’s 25-yard line to start the first possession series. 2. Which end of the field shall be used for both possession series of that overtime period.
c. The loser of the toss shall exercise the remaining option for the first extra period and shall have the first choice of the two options for subsequent even-numbered extra periods.
d. Extra periods: An extra period shall consist of two possession series with each team putting the ball in play by a snap on or between the hash marks on the designated 25-yard line (unless relocated by penalty), which becomes the opponent’s 25-yard line. The snap shall be from midway between the hash marks, unless the offensive team selects a different position on or between the hash marks before the ready-for-play signal. After the ready-for-play signal, the ball may be relocated after a charged team timeout, unless preceded by a Team A foul or offsetting fouls.
e. Possession series: Each team retains the ball during a possession series until it scores or fails to make a first down. The ball remains alive after a change of team possession until it is declared dead. However, Team A may not have a first down if it regains possession after a change of team possession.
f. Scoring: The team scoring the greater number of points during the regulation and extra periods shall be declared the winner. There shall be an equal number of possession series, as described in (e) above, in each extra period, unless Team B scores. Beginning with the third extra period, teams scoring a touchdown must attempt a two-point try. Although not illegal, a one-point try attempt by Team A will not result in a score.
g. Fouls after a change of team possession: 1. Penalties against either team are declined by rule in extra periods (Exceptions: Unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, dead-ball personal fouls and live-ball fouls treated as dead-ball fouls are enforced on the succeeding play). 2. A score by a team committing a foul during the down is canceled. (Exception: Live-ball foul treated as a dead-ball foul.) 3. If both teams foul during the down and Team B had not fouled before the change of possession, the fouls cancel and the down is not repeated.
h. Timeouts: Each team shall be allowed one timeout for each extra period. Timeouts not used during the regulation periods may not be carried over into the extra period(s). Unused extra-period timeouts may not be carried over to other extra periods. Timeouts between periods shall be charged to the succeeding period. Radio and television timeouts are permitted only between extra periods (first and second, second and third, etc.). Charged team timeouts may not be extended for radio and television purposes. The extra period(s) begins when the ball is first snapped.
Approved Rulings
I. Other than on a try, Team B scores a touchdown after intercepting a forward pass, intercepting or recovering a backward pass or fumble, or returning a blocked field goal attempt. RULING: Period and game are ended, and Team B is the winner.
II. During the first possession series of a period, Team B intercepts a forward pass, or intercepts or recovers a fumble or a backward pass, and does not score a touchdown. RULING: Team A’s possession series is ended and Team B starts its series. Team B becomes Team A when the referee declares the ball ready for play.
III. During the first possession series of a period, Team A’s field goal attempt is blocked and does not cross the neutral zone. Team A recovers the ball and runs for a touchdown. RULING: Six points for Team A. Team B begins its possession series after the try.
IV. Team A’s field goal attempt is blocked and does not cross the neutral zone. A23 recovers the ball and is tackled beyond the line to gain. RULING: Team A retains the ball to continue its possession series. First and 10.
V. On first, second or third down, Team A’s field goal attempt is blocked and does not cross the neutral zone. A23 recovers the ball and is tackled short of the line to gain. RULING: Team A’s ball, next down.
VI. During the first possession series of a period, Team B gains possession and then loses possession to Team A, which (a) scores a touchdown; (b) does not score a touchdown. RULING: (a) The score counts. In both (a) and (b), Team A’s possession series ends and Team B begins its possession series.
VII. During the first possession series of a period, Team A fumbles into Team B’s end zone on second down of a series. Team B recovers and downs the ball in its end zone. RULING: Team A’s possession series is ended. Team B begins its possession series.
VIII. During the first possession series of a period, B10 intercepts a forward pass on his six-yard line and downs the ball in his end zone. RULING: Safety: two points for Team A. Team A’s possession series is over. Team B will put the ball in play, first and 10 on the 25-yard line at the same end of the field.
IX. Team A’s field goal attempt is untouched beyond the neutral zone until B17 muffs it at the five-yard line. A75 recovers at the three-yard line. RULING: Team A’s possession series continues; first down for Team A at the three-yard line.
X. On the first possession series of a period, Team A scores a touchdown. On the try, Team B intercepts a pass and begins to return it, as if they were a college team, under college rules. RULING: The ball is blown dead as soon as Team B secures possession or as soon as it is apparent that a kick has failed to score. (Rule 4-2-2i) There is no 2-point touchdowns on PATs in High School (NFHS). In High School Rules only Team A may score during a try. (Rule 8-3-3)
XI. After the end of the first possession series by Team A, Team B commits a dead-ball foul. RULING: Team B starts its possession series on the 40-yard line, first and 10.
XII. During the first possession series of a period, A12 throws a forward pass and Team A is flagged for an illegal shift. B25 intercepts the pass, and B38 clips before B25 crosses Team A’s goal line. RULING: Score not allowed. The fouls cancel and the down is not repeated. Team A’s possession series is ended, and Team B begins its possession series at the 25-yard line. The penalty is not carried over.
XIII. During the second possession series of a period, B25 intercepts a pass and carries the ball across Team A’s goal line. During the run, B79 clips at midfield. RULING: No touchdown. Either the game is over, or the next period will start with first and 10 at the 25-yard line, since the penalty is not carried over.
XIV. During the first possession series B37 intercepts a forward pass and has a clear field to the goal line when he makes an obscene gesture toward the nearest opponent. RULING: Six points for Team B. The enforcement of the unsportsmanlike conduct foul, if accepted, will be on the try, as there is no subsequent kick off
25-Yard Line Overtime Procedures – (Revised 12/5/18)
