Hmong Flag Football

Hmong Flag Football is a fast growing sport in Hmong Community. It's a 9 vs. 9 flag football using various modified rulebooks. Almost all teams nationwide use the EC (Eau-Claire) Rulebook [http://hmongfootball.proboards40.com/index.cgi?board=rulebook&action=display&thread=1231] . It is a highly competitive sport among the teams, each striving to be the best nationwide, through regular practice schedules, scrimmages with other teams, state or citywide leagues, and various tournaments throughout the year. The biggest tournament for Hmong flag football is the July 4th Soccer Tournament, known among enthusiest of the sport as "The Big Dance". It is hosted annually in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The team that places 1st at the Big Dance is generally considered the best team in the nation. Currently the winning men's team (July 5-6, 2008) is Lights Out, a team from Fresno, California and the winning women's team is Valkyries from St. Paul, MN

The sport is getting even more popular with women. As women's teams have started to form at an astonishing rate

Overview

Team rosters can have an unlimited number of players, but the most allowed on the field is 9 at a time. The least allowed on the field at a time is 7. This usually restricts teams to a roster of 20-30 players as everyone wants a chance to compete. Although rosters have grown up to 60 members in some cases. The members of a team are usually broken down into the Quarterback, Running Back, Offensive Line, Receivers, Defensive Line, Linebackers, Corner backs, and Safeties. The game is designed to emulate tackle football as closely as possible. To allow this, there is blocking by the O-line, unlike most flag football, and rushing by the D-line like traditional American Football. Although tackling and lowering of the shoulder into competing members and chop blocks is severely frowned upon and can result in the disqualification of the whole team, even if only one member has participated in the illegal acts.

tructure

The field is 80 yd by 40 yd with 10 yd end zones. 10 yd for a 1st down. 4 downs to try for a 1st down. There are no fumbles to discourage a "pile-up" of people. The only special teams allowed is the punt unit, and then they cannot rush at the long snapper, allowing him time to set up for a block. There are no field goals.

There are 2 halves per game, with a 5 minute half-time. At two minute warning of the last half, the clocks stop on all incomplete passes. The clock also stop after each drive. Each team is provided with 3 timeouts per half. There is a 35 second play clock to reduce stalling.

A touchdown equals 6 points with an extra point try at the 2 yd line, or a 2 point try at the 8 yd line.

Teams

The known teams of Hmong Flag Football are:
4 Him, Twin Cities, MN
4Bidden Souljahz, Green Bay, WI
All Madden, NC
AK, St.Paul, Mn
Apocalypse, Fresno, CA
Apostles, WI
Avengers,MN
Black Venom, Twin Cities, MN
Bombsquad, Green Bay, WI
Dare Devils, Twin Cities, MN
Dawgpound, AR
Demons, Twin Cities, MN
Devil Dawgs, Lansing, MI
DIEHARD, Twin Cities, MN
Double L, Fresno, CA
Drunken Tigers, Twin Cities, MN
E.C. Scorpions, MI
Elite, Twin Cities, MN
Exile Force, Twin Cities, MN
F.O.S, Philadelphia, PA
Freedom United, MI
Gold Rush, WI
Goldenboyz, Morganton, NC
H20 (His to own) Milwaukee, WI
Hellrazors, Green Bay, WI
Heroes, Fresno, CA Hmooblanders, Twin Cities, MN
Hurricanes, Twin Cities, MN
Icons, Twin Cities, MN
IDK, Twin Cities, MN
Inferno, MI
Iron Men, NC
J-Crew, NC
Kamikaze, Twin Cities, MN
Kangsmen, Eau Claire, WI
Knockout, NC
Konvicts, ??
Krytonite, NC
Ligers, MI
Lights Out, Fresno, CA, 2008 "Big Dance" Champions
Lunatics, Kannapolis, NC
ManiaX, Twin Cities, MN
Midcoast, Twin Cities, MN
Midwest Invasion, Twin Cities, MN
Murda Squad, Twin Cities, Mn
Nemesis NC, NC
Nemesis WI, Madison, WI
No-Town, Fresno, CA
No Limit Twin Cities, MN
Omega, Twin Cities, MN
Outkast Fresno,CA
Outkasts, Twin Cities, MN
Oxtails, Milwaukee, WI
Paralysis, WI
Plaza Boyz, Twin Cities, MN
Predators, Twin Cities, MN
Rapids, CA
Reapers, CA
Red Rum, Twin Cities, MN
Rokit, Green Bay, WI
Ruff Ryders, Detroit, MI
Sac Warrior, Sacramento, CA
Sanstorms, San Diego, CA, 2006, 2007 "Big Dance Champions"
Scorpions, Fresno, CA
Smurfs, Fresno,CA
Soldiers, Twin Cities, MN
SOS, Twin Cities, MN
Storm Ridaz, AK
Stunnerz, Fresno, CA
SWAT, Fresno, CA
Team Fresno, Fresno, CA
Team RAMPAGE, Hickory, NC
Team T.H.A.N.E, Seattle, WA
The Incredibles, Green Bay, WI
TKO, Twin Cities, MN
TNT, WI
Trap Star, ??
Tsiaj, Twin Cities, MN
Tswv Xyas, Twin Cities, MN
Underdawgs, NC
Unrated, Twin Cities, MN
Usual Suspects, Philadelphia, PA
Warriors, Twin Cities, MN
Wolfpac, Twin Cities, MN
X-Conz, Twin Cities, MN
Young Gunz, Twin Cities, MN

[http://www.hmoodle.com/football.asp]

There are also many High School teams not listed here. These are just the Mens teams.

Women's Teams

Annihilators, Green Bay, WI
Black Widows, Twin Cities, MN
Blitz, Twin Cities, MN
Ingenuine, Wausau, WI
K-Dynasty, Eau Claire, WI
Lady Bombsquad, Green Bay, WI
Lady Patriots, Twin Cities, MN
Lady X, Twin Cities, MN
Legit, Twin Cities, MN
Matriarx, Twin Cities, MN
Osseo, Twin Cities, MN
Regulators, Twin Cities, MN
Showtime, Twin Cities, MN
Show Stopperz, Green Bay, WI
Titans, Twin Cities, WI
Tswv Xyas, Twin Cities, MN
Upgrade, Twin Cities, MN
Valkyries, Twin Cities, MN
Viragoes, Twin Cities, MN
Virus, Twin Cities, MN

References

[http://hmongfootball.proboards40.com/index.cgi]