Wichita Falls Parks & Recreation Department will host a local NFL Punt, Pass & Kick Competition, Sunday, September 28th at Memorial Stadium. First place winners in each age division for boys and girls, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, will be eligible to advance to the sectional competition in Abilene. Registration will be from 1pm to 1:30pm with the competition beginning right at 1:30. Participants should enter on the west side of the stadium, must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and will need a copy of their birth certificate in order to participate.  Age is determined as of December 31, 2014. No cleats are allowed.

The NFL Punt, Pass, and Kick competition is "the oldest grassroots initiative at the NFL." It allows children ages 6-15 to "experience the fun of learning football fundamentals in an engaging and supportive non-contact environment." There is no charge for participation. Scoring is based on these rules:

  1. Each participant is allowed one punt, one pass and one placekick as part of his or her competition.
  2. Scores are based on both distance and accuracy. For example, if a participant passes the ball 100 feet, but the ball lands 30 feet to the right of the measuring tape, the final score is calculated by deducting 30 from 100, for a final score of 70. Scores are based on exact feet and inches (partial inches are rounded to nearest inch). Participants cannot receive a negative score, but they can receive a score of zero.
  3. A participant's final score is his or her cumulative total for the three individual events. For example, if the participant scores 40 for punting, 60 for passing and 22 for kicking, the participant's final score would be 122.
  4. If a participant goes over the line prior to or before releasing or making contact with the ball, he or she is penalized five feet. The only exception is in kicking, where a participant may go over the line without penalty, provided the tee is placed on or behind the line.
  5. There is no violation if the kicking tee is kicked with the football during the kicking event.
  6. Scores are determined from where a participant's punt/pass/kick first makes contact with the ground. Bounces or rolls do not add to the score.
  7. If a participant tries to punt, pass or kick and misses the ball completely, it does not count as an attempt, and another attempt is allowed.

For more information, parents can contact the City of Wichita Falls Recreation Department at 940-761-7490.

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