In traditional tackle football, an offensive lineman must have a mixture of brute strength and brainpower -- especially the center, whose job it is to direct complex blocking schemes and hold his own against massive defensive tackles. In flag football, little contact is legal, and the mental aspect of the game and agility are the most important characteristics of the center's job.
Step 1
Get into your stance. The center starts the play by crouching into a snapping stance, bent at the waist, one hand in the dirt and the other holding the ball. The tip of the ball can touch the dirt, or you can simply hold the ball at shin height. When the quarterback calls for the snap, hike it to him between your legs and spring out of your position.
Step 2
Eye the defense and call out orders. In casual leagues, there are no blocking schemes, so you won't need to direct your fellow blockers. But if your team takes its strategy seriously, you'll survey how the defense is lining up and determine where a blitz might be coming from. If you see a defender inching up to the line of scrimmage, point him out to a teammate, who'll then know to shift over in an effort to block him.
Step 3
Keep your hands to yourself. Unlike tackle football, using your hands and arms to block usually is prohibited in flag football. Some leagues require blockers to keep their hands behind their backs while blocking, and even if your league has no such rule, it'll make it clear to the referees that you're not blocking illegally.
Step 4
Keep your feet moving. You can block opposing defenders by sliding into their path, using your body as an obstacle. If you successfully block them, they'll have to adjust their route, which can create an extra second for your quarterback to survey the field. It also can force them to take a wide path, freeing running lanes for your teammate. You also can elicit a penalty this way; when you quickly shift in front of the oncoming rusher, he might run into you, drawing a flag and gaining your team some free yardage.
Step 5
Get open for a pass. In most flag leagues, blockers can double as receivers. So if the opponent isn't rushing and you have no one to block, make yourself useful and scamper out to the flat -- the area five to 10 yards in front of the quarterback -- and look for a pass. Defenses usually will be focused on defending the receivers, so you can take advantage of being wide open and break off big gains this way.
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