About
These flash cards for learning football rules were originally designed to help myself break down the complex information in the Rule Book into much smaller, more manageable bits. As a tool to aid in recall, they are color-coded and with different fonts for emphasis of aspects that are particularly important or difficult to remember. They are also cross-referenced such that if there is a rule that is similar but different between NCAA and NFHS, then the NCAA card shows which NFHS card has that information on it, and vice versa. The original cards were printed on rigid card stock, 3" x 5", so they would fit in a shirt pocket. That way, I could take some everywhere I went and study just about any time, anywhere. Once in a while, a fellow football official would see them. Almost every time this happened, the question would be asked, "Where did you get these?" My answer would be, "I made them myself." More than a few times, the comment was then made, "Man, I'd like to have a set. These are awesome."
I am more than happy to share any resource I have if it will be beneficial to a fellow football official. The problem was in the cost. Printing the cards, full-color, double-sided, on good quality paper was around $250.00 - and that's just for the NCAA cards. Also, this was every year because the Rule Book is revised/updated every year, and it's necessary to keep all the information complete and current. Enter the idea of putting them online.
This would allow anyone with internet access to use this study tool easily and affordably...without having to pay $250. It also eliminates the possibility of damage to the cards, such as spilling coffee on them, misplacing some of them, or dogs mangling them. Best of all, this online format also allows for the opportunity to include video examples of fouls or rules. It's one thing to memorize the words that describe the six categories of defensive pass interference, for example, but it's quite another to actually see it. Seeing it is exponentially more memorable than just reading words. Much time and effort has been put into this project, but if it helps any other football official to have a better understanding and retention of the rules - and especially if it helps anyone to achieve goals with a higher level of success - then it is totally worth it. Included with your subscription is a complete day-by-day schedule of what to work on, when and how.
Card Examples
For both the NFHS and NCAA codes, there are sections for 5-yard penalties, 10-yard penalties, 15-yard penalties, rules, and enforcements. Let's look at an example of each so you can understand the layout and how they are designed to simplify the information yet also maximize the learning process.
The middle of the top bar indicates whether it's a 5-, 10-, or 15-yard penalty, or a rule, or an enforcement. The upper right corner of all cards simply has a number for purposes of cross-referencing the information to another flash card. In the center of the front side, you are prompted to provide all the information contained on the back of the card. The bottom left corner displays the Rule Book reference. The bottom right corner of every Penalty card displays the Referee's signal for that foul.
The back of the card is the answer to the prompt on the front. Sometimes, this may be just a word or a phrase. Other times, it may be a numbered list. For a Penalty card, it would be the action which constitutes the foul prompted on the front. In this example, there are seven different things a high school player could do which would draw a flag for illegal substitution For Penalty cards, the enforcement for that foul is given in green at the bottom. Some fouls have more than one enforcement possibility, in which case the different options are listed. When this is the case, each numbered item which describes the action that constitutes the foul will have a green number in green parentheses following it. That number corresponds to the enforcement in green at the bottom. Here, for example, a replaced player not leaving the field within 3 seconds of a substitute entering is a dead-ball foul, penalized 5 yards from the succeeding spot. The bottom right corner of some cards will give the reference to the corresponding or similar rule at the other level of play. In this case, it is directing you to the NCAA card for 5 Yard Penalty #8.
Here is the NCAA card for illegal substitution. "NCAA" in the upper left corner. Rule Book reference in the bottom left corner. Referee's signal in the bottom right corner. Yellow bar across the top. All information in black.
In college football, there are nine different actions which constitute a foul for illegal substitution, and three different penalty possibilities.
The green number in green parentheses after each item on the list indicates which enforcement that action carries.
There are two other NCAA Penalty cards that are similar to this, so they are noted below the list.
The bottom right corner displays the cross-reference to NFHS cards that are similar. Here, that is 5 Yard Penalty #2 and 15 Yard Penalty #25.
Ski slopes with an intermediate-level terrain are designated by blue on the trail map.
Fouls with a 10-yard enforcement are intermediate-level, so are written in blue.
This is what constitutes a foul for an illegal block in the back, along with the exceptions which you will also need to know on the field.
Enforcement information in green at the bottom.
Corresponding NCAA rules on cards 10 Yard Penalty #4 and 10 Yard Penalty #8.
"NCAA" in the upper left corner designates which level.
Rule Book references in the bottom left corner.
Referee's signal in the bottom right corner.
Yellow bar across the top.
All information in blue.
Describes what constitutes the NCAA version of the foul.
Green enforcement info is listed at the bottom.
Cross-reference in bottom right: NFHS #7.
For both NFHS and NCAA, fouls with a 15-yard enforcement are in red. Red means danger.
Information on what action constitutes the foul, and exceptions when applicable. Penalty enforcement information in green at the bottom. NCAA rule cross-reference in the bottom right corner: 15 Yard Penalty #8.
Same layout as with all the other Penalty cards
Likewise on the back of the card. In this case, two NFHS cards are cross-referenced: 15 Yard Penalty #4, and Enforcements #18. With many of the cards, there will be video examples of an actual game situation where the foul occurred. Some fouls even have specific sub-categories, in which case you will have access to video of each of those.
For all Rules cards, a brown box across the top of the front side symbolizes the football.
The layout is the same as the front of a Penalty card, except that there is nothing in the bottom right corner.
The back side gives all the information you need to know about the prompt on the front side. The goal is to get to a point where you can read what's on the front and then provide all the information on the back, from your memory - except for the cross reference in the bottom right corner. This one shows to go to NCAA Rules card #6 for a similar rule at the college level.
Same front and back layout as with NFHS Rules cards. All NFHS cards are in Times New Roman font, whereas all NCAA cards are in Aptos font. Both are easy to read, but the slight difference is also to help trigger your mind into recognizing which code you are studying, if you are studying both.
When information from one card is intertwined with that of another, the other card is also referenced so you can go to it and see how they fit together. In this case, you could see how the Blocking Zone pertains to defensive linemen 3-on-1 on a field goal formation, or to a planned loose ball play, by going straight to those cards in their 5 Yard Penalty section.
Enforcements have a green bar at the top to represent the grass or turf. As always, the prompt is in the center. Rule Book reference is in the lower left corner.
NFHS rule is cross referenced to the corresponding NCAA rule, which in this example is NCAA Enforcements #42
