Uniform & Equipment

Article 1 – General

• a) No player shall wear equipment of any kind which may injure the opponent. The Referee may have removed from the game any player who is wearing equipment which, in the Referee's opinion, endangers a participant.
• b) No team shall wear uniforms that blend closely with the color of the ball. Teams must wear uniforms where the numbers are easy to identify.
• c) The following equipment is mandatory and shall be worn by all players. The prime responsibility of proper equipment rests on the Head Coach or their designate. The equipment shall be designed and manufactured by a professional manufacturer and cannot be altered in any way.
  • 1. Knee protection in the form of soft padding entirely captured within a continuous material or knee protection specifically designed for and insertable in football pants. Knee protection cannot include any strap featuring a buckle, Velcro, clip, or strap that could become unfastened during play.
  • 2. thigh guards.
  • 3. hip pads, with tailbone protector.
  • 4. shoulder pads.
  • 5. mouthguard covering all the upper jaw teeth, as specified in Article 3 of this Section 11. It shall be illegal for a player to have a second mouthguard, which would include but not limited to an extra-oral mouthguard attached or fixated to the helmet or facemask.
  • 6. shoes which meet the specifications as in Article 4 of this Section 11, or which may provide less fixation to the ground, such as ripple soles, or broomball type shoes, where no «cleats» are provided. No player shall participate in the game without being properly equipped and wearing shoes as specified.
  • 7. Items 1, 2, 3, 4 and including all Back Plates and Rib Protectors must be covered by the pants or jersey, exception being for players who are wearing a snap in soft foam hip and tail pad system.
  • 8. Helmet and face guard as per rule 1-11-2 (Uniform & Equipment)
• d) Adhesive material, grease or any other slippery substance, applied on a player's person or clothing, that affects the ball or an opponent, is illegal.
• e) Any gloves which have any type of webbing between the digits are illegal.

f) All players' numbers must conform to those listed on the score sheet. Players shall retain the same numbers throughout the game, except when permission to change is given by the Referee. Where a sweater is torn, the Referee shall allow reasonable time for a substitution, but any change in number must be reported to the scorer.

g) It is illegal to tie or knot team jerseys

Penalty a) b) f) g): the offending player shall be removed from the game until the illegal equipment is replaced or the score sheet is corrected.

Penalty c): Loss of 5 yards from point where the ball would have been put into play, if no other foul had occurred, or added to the penalty for any other foul. The offending player shall be removed from the game until the illegal equipment is replaced. Immediate substitution will be made, but the game shall not be delayed. If more than 1 player offends on the same play, only 1 penalty L5 will be applied for that play. Fouls on subsequent plays will be penalized in the same way – L5 on each play where 1 or more players offend

Penalty d) e):

• Team A 1,2D-L 10 DR, 3rd DG- L 10, DNG-LB PBD.
• Team B L 10 PLS

The offending player shall be removed from the game until the illegal material, substance or gloves have been removed. Immediate substitution will be made but the game shall not be delayed. If more than one player offends on the same play, only 1 penalty L 10 will be applied for that play. Fouls on subsequent plays will be penalized in the same way-L 10 on each play where 1 or more players offend.

Article 2 – Helmets and Imitation of the Ball

• a) Only helmets and facemasks approved by the National Operating Committee on Safety in Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) shall be worn by players.
• b) All visors must be clear, not tinted No medical exceptions are allowed.
• c) A player shall be required to wear the helmet while in bounds and shall not voluntarily remove it while the play is in progress.
• d) The use of the helmet or other objects to deceive opponents as to the location of the ball is illegal.
• e) If a player's helmet involuntarily comes off during the play, except as a result of a foul, he/she shall be required to leave the game for 3 plays.
• f) If any player loses their helmet the player must stop participating in the play.

• g) Hitting a player who has lost their helmet is to be ruled Unnecessary Roughness
• h) Leagues can approve and administer the use of communication devises, providing such devices do not alter or change the construction of the helmet.
• i) A player has the option of wearing a manufactured protective helmet cover "Guardian Caps" during practices and or games. The helmet cover must be designed and manufactured by a professional manufacturer and cannot be altered in any way.

Article 3 – Mouthguard

A player shall wear an intra-oral (within the mouth) mouth and tooth protector, which includes an occlusial (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) and an optional labial (protecting the lips) portion. It is also recommended that the protector be either (a) constructed from a model made from an impression of the individual's teeth, or (b) constructed and fitted to the individual by impressing their teeth into the mouth and tooth protector itself.

It shall be illegal for a player to participate in the game unless the mouthguard is being worn in the proper position by the player.

Note 1: Subsequent infractions, if deemed deliberate, will be ruled and penalized as objectionable conduct.

Note 2: A penalty card, or similar card should be used to record the number of the player warned, in order to ensure accuracy.

Article 4 – Footwear

For all playing surfaces, a cleated shoe with the following specifications will be accepted. Turf or running shoes are also acceptable.

• i. Minimum of 7 cleats per sole, with a minimum cleat tip diameter of 3/16 inch (4.8 mm).
• ii. Additional cleats may be of lesser tip diameter, provided the maximum length is 1/2 inch (12.7 mm).
• iii. Maximum cleat length of 1/2 inch (12.7 mm).
• iv. A cleat made of metal or with a metal tip is illegal.

Note 1: Illegal cleats include those made of metal, or with a metal tip, or made of any material that burrs, chips, or fractures.

Article 5 – Coach's Certification

The head coach, or the designated representative, shall certify to the umpire before the game that all players:

• a) have been informed of the mandatory equipment as specified in the rules, and what equipment is illegal
• b) have been provided with the mandatory equipment as specified in the rules
• c) have been instructed to wear the mandatory equipment, and how to wear it during the game
• d) have been instructed to notify the coaching staff when equipment becomes illegal for any reason during the game

Article 6 – Game Equipment

The following equipment shall be provided for the use of the minor officials as follows:

• a) Distance chain Two rods shall be connected near the lower end with a chain so that the distance between the rods is exactly 10 yards (10 metres). The rods shall be made of wood or aluminum, at least 6 feet (1.8 metres) high, preferably with a distinctive marking device at the top of each rod.
• b) Downsbox shall be a wooden or aluminum post, with plates or a box numbered from 1 to 3, with numbers at least 10 inches (25 cm) high, and clearly visible to all officials and players.
• c) Timer's Flag shall be a standard flag, preferably of contrasting colours to make it visible from any part of the field.
• d) Stop watch or Timer's clock.