Canadian Football

The Canadian football is a sporting discipline.

History

Born in 1882, Canadian football is, with the American football, one of the two North-American descendants, by its modification and rewritings of the rules, the Rugby football (union) imported of England in Canada in 1865 by the soldiers of the garrison of Montreal.

The Ground

The adventure playground ( Field-of-Play ) measurement 110 Rod S (Yard S) length (100,58 m) out of 65 rods broad (59,44 m). It is thus longer than that used to play American football which makes 100 rods length (91.45 m) out of 53 ¹/₃ (49.39 m) broad. The zones of goal ( endzones ), located at each end, prolong the ground of 20 rods each one (18,29 m). The limits of the ground are materialized by the internal side of the lines framing the surface formed by the adventure playground and the joined together zones of goal. One thus finds two side lines ( Side-Lines ), two lines of goal ( Goal-Lines ), four side lines in zone of goal ( Side-Lines-in-Goal ) and two lines of end ( Dead-Lines ).

The adventure playground is marked by lines perpendicular to the main roads of the ground, separated by 5 rods (4,57 m). On the level of these lines, small perpendicular segments are traced at a distance from 24 rods of the side lines (the Hash Marks ). On each half of adventure playground, marks of distance are placed all the 5 rods and indicate the distance covered since the line of goal.

The goal-posts are placed in the center of each line of goal. The distance between the two posts is of 18 feet and 6 inches (5,64 m). Their height is of 40 feet (12,19 m). A transverse bar connects them. It is placed at a height of 10 feet (3,04 m).

The Balloon

The red leather balloon is inflated with a pressure which varies between 12,5 pounds per square inch and 13,5 pounds per square inch. A lawful soccer ball of the LCF measures between 11 inches and 11,25 inches length. The exposed laces cannot measure more than 4 ³/₈ inches length and more than 1 ¹/₈ inch of width. The balloon weighs between 14 and 15 ounces.

Play

Duration

The part lasts 60 minutes and comprises two periods called " demies" separated by one half-time. Each half is cut out in two pennies periods called " quarts" ; each quarter lasts 15 minutes.

Objective

The goal of the play is to forward the balloon in the unfavourable zone of goals in order to mark points of one in the following ways:

the Touched ( 6 points ): One touched is marked when a player is in possession of the balloon in the unfavourable zone of goals or if part of the balloon carried by a player crosses (touches) the plan of the unfavourable line of goals. With the image of professional American football (but contrary to university American football), when a master key is made in the zone of touched the 2 feet of the receiver must be in the zone so that touched either good (with university American football, only 1 is necessary).
the boot of precision ( 3 points ): a balloon boot by a player passes above the transverse bar of the unfavourable goal, between the two posts. The boot of precision or " field goal" is worth 3 points. If the boot is missed, but that the balloon does not leave the limits of the ground, the play continues.
the Touched safety ( 2 points ): Touched safety (" safety") is worth 2 points. It occurs if the carrier of the balloon is plated in its own zone of goals or leaves the limits of this one or if a fault of the team to the attack is made in this zone.
the Simple or Red ( 1 point ): Simple is granted if the carrier of the balloon is plated in its own zone of goals or leaves the limits of this one following a boot release or a boot missed placement.
the Converted ( 1 or 2 points ): Following one touched, the team which marked can obtain 1 or 2 additional points:

By bottant the balloon on the same model as the boot of precision starting from the unfavourable line of 5 rods. This type of transformation, is worth 1 point.
By marking the equivalent of one touched, following a handing-over concerned of the balloon to the unfavourable line of 5 rods. This type of transformation is worth 2 points. This type of transformation is much more difficult to mark than a boot and thus is generally used only in particular cases where the team must quickly mark points.

Players

A Canadian football game proceeds according to two quite distinct tactics of play: the attack and defensive. At every moment match, one of the two teams is in phase of attack while the other is in defensive phase. The change between the two phases takes place on several occasions detailed low.

Two formations -12 players are deployed as on the diagram opposite, with some alternatives depending on the strategy of the moment. Each player corresponds to a position and a strategic role identified as follows:

In attack (blue):

the center (" C")
the guards (" G")
the blockers (" B") or tackles
distant receivers (" RE") or wide receivers
inserted halves (" DI") or tight ends
theback one (" QA") or quarter back
the center postpones (" CA") or full back
the offensive half (" DO") or tailback

In defensive (red):

defensive platers (" PD") or defensive tackles
defensive wingers (" AD") or defensive ends
halves of corner (" DC") or corner backs
the secondeurs (" S") or line backers
the half defensive (" DD") or half back
the petty thief (" M") or safety

Course of the play

The play starts with a boot of sending . This boot is used starts each beginning of half of it or to take again the play after a team marked one touched. It is, in the majority of the case, used to further send the balloon possible in the opposing side. A player of the opposing team must catch up with the balloon and try to advance balloon in hand. The place where the player going up the balloon will be plated will determine the place where the phase of attack will begin for its team.

The team having the balloon is in phase of attack and lays out of three attempts called tests to traverse 10 rods. If, at the conclusion of the three tests, the team did not traverse this distance, the possession of the balloon is given to the adversary. The adversary then recovers the balloon at the place or the attack stopped: it is a reversal . To avoid that the opposing team does not recover the balloon too much close to the zone of goals and is thus in situation to mark too favorable, the team with the attack can carry out a boot (generally carried out during the third test) in order to release the balloon. This play bears the name of boot of release or.

In phase of attack two means of progression can be used:

the race: In this mode of play the balloon passed directly from hand to hand by the quarter-back ( quaterback ) to another specialized player called running back . This one must then run with the balloon by avoiding the unfavourable defenders. There exist many alternatives of this type of attack, theback one can for example run with the balloon or can transmit it to the running back by the means of a short master key.
the master key before: The quarter-back lance a master key with one of the receivers who will be, au préalable, moved on the ground while following a well détermninée trajectory. This trajectory, known in advance of the two players, allows, in addition to synchronization between frontier runner and receiver to destabilize the defensive by using atypical trajectories. Once the balloon caught by the receiver, this one can continue to run balloon in hand. So that a master key is lawful the balloon must be caught without it touching the ground by a player having his two feet inside the limits of the ground. If it is not the case the master key is known as incomplete . If the master key is caught by a player of the opposing team, there is reversal.

In both cases the whole of the team can carry out blocks in order to protect the players carrying the balloon (quarter-back, runner or receiver). The blocks must be only carried out by pushing the adversary or by making him obstruction without use of the arms or the hands to retain it.

In phase of defense several methods can be employed to stop the progression of the balloon:

the plating: The goal of the plating is to put on the ground the carrier of the balloon. The play stops as soon as the carrier of the balloon is on the ground, the next attempt at attack will begin at the place where the player was plated. Only a player carrying the balloon can be plated. A plating carried out on theback one is called sack . If the carrier of balloon loses the balloon, the balloon can be recovered by one of the two teams. This particular event, being able to give place to a reversal if the defensive team recovers the balloon, is called escaped ( fumble ).
the interception: It takes place when a defender intercepts a master key intended for a receiver. The defender having carried out the interception can progress balloon in hand until it is plated. Its team will then begin her phase from attack at the place where the plating took place.

Tie

In the event of tie, each team is entitled to an additional possession starting from the line of 35 rods of the opposing team. Each possession finishes when the team with the attack marks or undergoes a reversal. The team which counted the most points after the two possessions is declared gaining. If the two teams marked the same number of points, an additional series of possessions is played, and so on until determination of one gaining. It is however impossible to gain the part by carrying out simple or red.

Strategies

There exists a way of playing a boot of engagement which consists of a boot runs (it must exceed 10 rods to be lawful) in order to recover the balloon in the place of the opposing team and of thus starting a phase of attack. This particular manner to carry out a boot of sending names onside kick and is not generally used, only if the team having to carry out it is in the obligation to go back quickly to the score. If the team which boot does not manage to recover the balloon before the opposing team, this one begins her phase of attack at a distance close to the line of the goals. This distance will generally enable him to try, with minima, a boot of good precision for three points.

Referees

There are seven official on the ground at the time of a match of the Canadian Ligue of Football. The referee is responsible for all the operations. He is assisted in his work by a judge of fray, a judge of field, a back judge of field, a linesman, a line judge as a chief and a line judge.

Penalties

Hors-jeu (5 rods) No player can cross the zone of a rod which is between the teams offensive and defensive before the beginning of the play.
illegal Procedure (5 rods) Movement of a player of line before the setting concerned of the balloon.
Retained (10 rods) the use of the hands and (or) the arms to retain an adversary is illegal in any safe time to plate the carrier of the balloon.
Infraction with immunity (15 rods) No player can be inside a radius of five rods of the player who tries to catch a boot, except for a boot of sending.
illegal Passe (10 rods) When the quarter-back cross-piece the line of fray before launching the balloon or that a second front master key is carried out during the same play.
illegal Block (10 rods) To block an adversary other than the carrier of the balloon by the back in way such that the player sinks in the back of the adversary or falls on the back of its legs.
Interference against the master key (15 rods or place of the fault) To restrict the capacity of a player to collect a master key or to go to a launched balloon.
illegal Substitution (10 rods) the players are not authorized to enter on the ground to take share with the play after the referee announced the setting to the play.
Too many players (10 rods) More than 12 players on the ground.
to get rid of the balloon intentionally (10 rods or place of the fault) When the quarter-back lance the balloon on the ground or out of the limits of the ground without intention to find a receiver eligible
Led reprehensible (10 rods) Frequently decreed for antisportive control.
Retarder the part (5 rods) After the signal of the referee a team has twenty seconds to put the balloon concerned. Also called time of setting concerned.
illegal Blocking (10 rods) After escaped, an interception or the recovery of a boot blocked, it is illegal to strike a potential plater under the level of the belt.
Contact with the bottor (10 rods) It is illegal to come into contact with the bottor whereas it boot a release.
illegal Blocage by behind (15 rods) If a player, during the handing-over of the balloon: a) is with more than three rods of the offensive player of line or; b) is moving towards the balloon with less than three rods of the offensive player of line starting from a point located further towards outside, it is to him interdict to move laterally towards the balloon and to come into contact with an adversary under the level of the belt inside five rods of the line of fray.
Rudesse (15 rods and 1st automatic test with the team with the attack if the faulty team is the defensive) Tout violent gesture which does not find a justification in the context of the play. For example: to strike the frontier runner violently after the master key was launched; to strike the bottor violently after the balloon was boot; to strike or push a player who is out of the limits of the ground; to strike a player with the head violently; to use the helmet as arms ( to dart ); to violently strike a player located far from the action and which does not take part in the play; to clutch the facial guard of an adversary, etc
excessive Roughness (25 rods and 1st automatic test with the team with the attack if the faulty team is the defensive and expulsion of the faulty player for at least time remaining with the match) Any act of roughness made with the obvious intention to wound.

Football amateur

Football amateur civil and school of levels secondary and collegial is played 4 tests (as with the American football) contrary to 3 to the levels junior, academic and professional. The other rules are those of Canadian football (there are 12 players on the ground; the ground is of the same length i.e. 110 rods, etc).

Gaining Grey Cut

1995: Stallions of Baltimore
1996: Argonauts of Toronto
1997: Argonauts of Toronto
1998: Stampeders of Calgary
1999: Tiger-Cats of Hamilton
2000: Lions of British Columbia
2001: Stampeders of Calgary
2002: Larks of Montreal
2003: Eskimos d' Edmonton
2004: Argonauts of Toronto
2005: Eskimos d' Edmonton
2006: Lions of British Columbia
2007: Roughriders of Saskatchewan

See too

External bonds

Official site of the Canadian League of Football (French-speaking version)
Official site of the Canadian Association of Official of Football
Official site of the Provincial Association of the Referees of Football of Quebec
Official site of Devils of Laval, football league junior of Quebec

Simple: Canadian football

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