By: Ava-Caroline Schmidt
As the season of fall starts to spread over Southern Adventist University’s campus, flag football has been added to the list of sports for students to participate in this semester. There are now not only futsal and double tennis matches taking place, but flag football games as well.:
Between fields three and four, two newly installed metal poles have sparked questions among students. According to Troy Walker, Southern’s intramural director, the poles put between the fields are one of four new scoreboards that will be built for intramurals. Walker does not know exactly when all of the boards will be finished, but he is hopeful that the first one being put into place will be running before flag football playoffs.
Intramural flag football has been set with women’s and men’s teams. For the women’s, there are six teams in A league and nine teams in B league. For the guys – since there are 28 teams overall – they have been divided into four divisions.
Unlike regular college football, flag football on campus is designed to be a more laid back, less competitive version of football, so students can spend more time enjoying the playing instead of stressing about the result of the game.
Some subtle differences between regular football and flag football include the number of players required on the field. Traditionally, there would be eight players on the field, but for Southern, a minimum of four rostered players is required to play a game, but a starting total of seven players constitutes a team. Regular flag football games have a timespan of 20 minutes with three-minute half times on the field in order to play, and of course, one of the main questions talked about is the Southern Intramural flag football rules, especially with regard to screening and blocking.
According to Southern’s flag football sports rules, players must use proper footwork to stay in front of their opponents. Contact must be made with open hands within the opponent’s frame, below the head and above the waist. Arms and elbows may not be extended or locked, and grasping, holding or encircling players is not allowed from opposing teams.
Walker expressed that he hopes “above all things that everyone has a great experience, maybe meet a new person or two and make a new friend or two.”
The intramurals program is also doing a trial run with some new flags.
“We knew going in that the new flags would be harder to pull, but that’s a way it probably should be, with more of an emphasis on flag-pulling as a defensive football skill,” Walker said.
Walker added that he hopes the use of the new flag system will be a positive experience for everyone involved.
Two students who play for the same team, “Punt Intended,” were asked the question, “What comes to your mind when you hear the term flag football?”
Abby Zinke, a sophomore business administration major, commented on the fact that it’s a great way to connect with friends and play a sport that everyone loves.
Her teammate Teagan Randall, a junior business administration major, added that flag football is more of a classic sport than others. She called it a great fall activity and a way for people to experience something fun and new if they have not played before.
Instead of studying in the library or your dorm room, bring a few friends, your laptop and a blanket and go to the outdoor track to watch your fellow classmates play. Not only will it be an opportunity to get some work done, but it will also be a social time to spend with friends and watch your peers compete.
