ARENA FOOTBALL GLOSSARY
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fair catch
An unhindered catch of an opponent's kick. The player wanting to make one must signal for a fair catch by waving an arm overhead while the ball is in the air. After that signal, if he gains possession of the ball it is dead immediately and opponents will receive a fifteen yard penalty for hitting him.
ield of play
the area between both the goal lines and the sidelines, and in some contexts the space vertically above it.
field goal
score of 3 points made by place- or drop-kicking the ball through the opponent's goal other than via a kickoff or free kick following a safety; formerly, "goal from the field".
flanker
a player position on offense. A wide receiver who lines up 1 or more yards off the line of scrimmage. The flanker can line up either outside the tight end, outside the split end, or in the slot between the split end and the offensive linemen.
flat
an area on the field between the line of scrimmage and 10 yards into the defensive backfield, and within 15 yards of the sideline. Running backs often run pass routes to the flat when they are the safety valve receiver.
formation
the arrangement of players on a team prior to the ostensible beginning of a play.
Flea flicker
a trick play in which a running back laterals the ball back to the quarterback, who then throws a pass a wide receiver or tight end.
forward pass
a pass that touches a person, object, or the ground closer to the opponent's end line than where it was released from, or is accidentally lost during a forward throwing motion.
four-point stance
a down lineman's stance with four points on the ground, in other words, his two feet and his two hands
free kick
a kick made to put the ball in play as a kickoff or following a safety (the score; "safety touch" in Canadian football) or fair catch.
free safety (FS)
a player position on defense. Free safeties typically play deep, or "center field", and often have the pass defense responsibility of assisting other defensive backs in deep coverage (compared to strong safeties, who usually have an assigned receiver and run support responsibilities).
fullback (FB)
a player position on offense. Originally, lined up deep behind the quarterback in the T formation. In modern formations this position may be varied, and this player has more blocking responsibilities in comparison to the running back or tailback.
fumble
a ball that a player accidentally lost possession of; in Canadian football the term includes muffs.
goal
a surface in space marked by a structure of two upright posts 18 feet 6 inches apart extending above a horizontal crossbar whose top edge is 10 feet off the ground. The goal is the surface above the bar and between the lines of the inner edges of the posts, extending infinitely upward, centered above each end line in American, and each goal line in Canadian football.
goal area
the end zone in Canadian professional football.
goal line
the front of the end zone.
gridiron
a football field, so called for its markings.
guard
one of two player positions on offense -- see linemen. A 5-player defensive line will have one, and a defensive line of 6 or more players, two guards, while a defensive line of fewer than 5 players has no guard.