1. Membership in the RVSA Football league consists of the following teams: Bert Church, Bow Valley, Chestermere, Cochrane, George McDougall, and Springbank.
2. Additional teams may be added upon approval of the RVSD superintendent of schools.

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1. Eligibility rules are those set forth in the ASAA Handbook.
2. A team roster (including birthdays and course load), signed by the principal, must be submitted to the sports coordinator by September 15.

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1. The RVSA Football league holds three annual Coaches’ Organizational meetings:
   1. Pre-season meeting at the end of April.
   2. Post-season meeting at the end of November.
   3. Scheduling meeting at the beginning of February.
2. Coaches must declare which tier their team will play at the pre-season meeting. Tiers can be changed before September 30 if school enrolment numbers are different than anticipated. If a team opts up in the spring they cannot change tiers.
3. A football commissioner is approved by the RVSA for a two-year term.
4. All RVSA Football teams must be members of Football Alberta. Football Alberta fees are paid by the RVSA and are a part of plug-in fees.
5. The league schedule may vary each season depending upon school sizes.
6. In a two-tiered schedule, the play off structure is 4 vs. 1, 3 vs. 2 in the semi finals with the winners playing for the championship. Teams with the best win/loss records host.
7. All league and play-offs games are to be completed one week before provincial play-offs.
8. The sports coordinator arranges for physiotherapists to be on site for each game.
9. All schools are given an equal vantage point to view and/or video tape the game where possible. RVSA Football teams are not to provide any game film to any opponent outside of the RVSA Football league.

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1. All games are played according to Canadian Amateur Football Association (CAFA) rules.
2. Games are 48 minutes in length with 12-minute quarters. The final three minutes of each half shall be played stop time. The clock is stopped during the straight time intervals when the following occurs: penalties, injuries, points scored or at the referees’ discretion.
3. In the event the score is tied at the end of the second half of a game overtime, is played. Each team is given the opportunity to score using the following procedure:
   1. The first team, as determined by a coin toss, scrimmages the ball at the opponent’s 35-yard line and may advance by consecutive series of downs until it makes a score or loses possession.
   2. The second team then scrimmages at the same 35-yard line and proceeds as above. They must tie or beat the first team. If they beat the first team the game is over and they are declared the winner. If they do not beat them, then the first team wins.
   3. If the teams remained tied the play continues in this manner. The only exception to both teams having equal opportunity to score is if the defensive team takes possession from the offensive team during a play and scores. The game is then over.
4. As per ASAA regulations, member schools are eligible to begin organized practices 15 calendar days prior to the league's first scheduled game.
5. Member schools are allowed to organize spring training camps prior to June 30; however, no organized activity may take place between June 30 and the first official day of practice.
6. Players receiving a major infraction penalty are required to sit out for three plays with the exception of an unintentional facemask penalty which is not considered a major infraction.
7. The following disciplinary procedure is in effect:
   3 major penalties - warning letter
   4 majors - one-game suspension
   5 majors - warning letter
   6 majors - one-game suspension and a game for every subsequent major penalty.
   Copies of the letter are sent to the coach, principal and sports coordinator.
8. Players/coaches who are ejected from a game are automatically suspended for the next game, league or play-off and receive a letter from the commissioner, with copies sent to the principal and sports coordinator.
9. In the event of a tie, the following tie breaking procedures are used to determine the higher standing:
   1. Win-loss record between the tied teams
   2. Points for vs. points against between the tied teams
   3. Win-loss record between the tied teams and the first place team, or second place team or third place team etc.
   4. Points for vs. points against between the tied teams and the first place team, or the second place team, or the third place team etc.
   5. Overall points for vs. overall points against
   6. Total points against
   7. Total points for
   8. Coin toss

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1. The designated home team provides one Wilson CFL or Top Flight Spalding ball, one kick-off tee, two stop watches, one scorekeeper, one minute flag, and a set of down markers and yard sticks.
2. The designated home team provides a score keeper’s table, located between the two teams.
3. All schools must meet the minimum equipment standards with regards to approved helmets and pads, free of cracks and other inferior qualities.
4. Every attempt is to be made by the home team to have players and spectators appropriately separated.
5. Home teams are to wear dark jerseys and visitors shall wear light jerseys whenever possible. If teams are purchasing uniforms, buy a light and a dark jersey.
6. The RVSD will continue to have the RVSA play offs on their home fields.
7. For all play-off and championship games, the team with the better win/loss record during the regular season has home-field advantage.
8. Gate receipts from all play-off games go to the host school.

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1. The designated home team provides all minor officials: one timer, one scorekeeper, two yard-stick personnel, one down-marker attendant and two gate admission persons if desired.
2. All teams are to train personnel for the jobs they perform.
3. All recorded statistics (official RVSA Football Score Sheet and Game Evaluation Sheet) are to be forwarded to the designated stats coordinator the morning of the next school day.
4. Both teams’ coaches and the head official must sign the score and evaluation sheets immediately following the game. No notes are to be written on the official score sheet once it has been signed.
5. Minor officials shall operate according to the rules of the CAFA unless otherwise instructed by the RVSA Football commissioner. Such instructions result only from decisions made by coaches at the Coaches’ Organizational meeting and ratified by the RVSA governing body at a Sports Parameters meeting.
6. The time keeper and score keepers for all league and play off games must be responsible adults.

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1. The RVSA Football league utilizes the Calgary Football Officials Association (CFOA) for all league and play off games.
2. The officials operate according to the rules of the CAFA unless otherwise instructed by the RVSA Football commissioner. Such instructions result only from decisions made by coaches at the Coaches’ Organizational meeting and ratified by the RVSA governing body at a Sports Parameters meeting.
3. Officials follow a strict interpretation of the game rules as set down by the CAFA, in particular to all areas of rough play and unsportsmanlike conduct.
4. Officials are required to give an explanation of all serious infractions to coaches.
5. Officials are required to make written notations of circumstances, and players involved, regarding major infractions on the game evaluation sheet after each game. The home team must forward the game evaluation sheet to the sports coordinator for review.
6. Players are sent off the field for a minimum of three plays for any major foul (15 yards) and/or unsportsmanlike conduct.
7. Officials can, at their own discretion, send a player off the field for three plays if they feel the player is close to losing control of his emotions.
8. There is no penalty for a player being sent off the field by the official for emotional control.

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All athletes and parents must sign the RVSA Code of Conduct for Athletes and Spectators prior to participating in any exhibition or RVSA event. Coaches must also sign the RVSA Code of Conduct for Coaches. Failure to complete the form results in that participant being disqualified from play and may result in his/her team forfeiting points gained while participating with an ineligible participant. 

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1. In the event of an official school conflict with a scheduled game, the coach must, once conferring with the opposing team's coach, contact the sports coordinator to reschedule the officials. This is to be done at least two weeks in advance to ensure that officials are available.
2. In the event that schools choose to postpone a game due to bad weather and/or poor road conditions, the travelling team’s coach must, once conferring with the host team's coach, contact the sports coordinator to cancel the officials and to reschedule the game. If teams cancel games without informing the sports coordinator, they are responsible for paying the officials.

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1. All grievances are dealt with according to the RVSA Appeal Policy - RVSA By-Laws Article XII.
2. Disciplinary action is the responsibility of the RVSA Football commissioner and the sports coordinator. Their decisions are based upon standards set by the RVSA governing body.

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1. The RVSD sponsors awards for Divisional Championship games. They include the following:
   1. First and second-place medallions for both Division I (Tier 2) and Division II (Tier 3) teams (up to 50 per team).
   2. RVSA Divisional Championship trophies for both Division I and Division II.
   3. Game MVP trophies for both Division I and Division II.
   4. RVSA Divisional Championship banners for Division I and Division II.
2. The RVSA Football league holds an annual awards banquet in the following rotation:
   1. 2009 – Bow Valley
   2. 2010 – Bert Church
   3. 2011 – George McDougall
   4. 2012 – Chestermere
   5. 2013 – Springbank  
   6. 2014 – Cochrane
3. If a team defers when it is their turn to host, that team moves to the bottom of the list. The team that does agree to host does not lose its original designated year.
4. The following awards are handed out at the awards banquet:
   1. Six Heart awards: one per team
   2. Divisional All Star awards:
      1. First place team: 8
      2. Second place team: 6
      3. Third place team: 5
      4. Fourth place team: 4
      5. Fifth place team: 3
      6. Sixth place team: 2
   3. Coaching Staff of the Year award
   4. 10 Major awards:
      1. Most Valuable Player
      2. Defensive Lineman
      3. Offensive Lineman
      4. Defensive Back
      5. Running Back
      6. Quarterback
      7. Linebacker
      8. Receiver
      9. Rookie* of the Year
      10. Special Team   
          *A rookie player is considered a first year player in either Grade 9 or 10. Coaches are required to inform the officials at their game of any player eligible for this award.    
5. The host school sells banquet tickets. Award costs are covered by RVSA Football plug-in fees.

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