Dodgeball Rules
The Team
Teams will be made up of 11 players. A minimum of 8 players will
compete on a side, with a minimum of 3 females. Other will be available
as substitutes. Substitutes may enter the game only during timeouts or
in the case of injury.
The Game
The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting
the "OUT". This may be done by:
1. Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown dodgeball below the
shoulders. NOTE: If a player ducks or takes a position with their head
below where their shoulders would normally be when standing, i.e.
crouching, kneeling, sitting, diving, rolling or laying, and this clearly is
the cause for the player being hit above the shoulders, the player being
hit above the shoulder, the player is out and the throw is considered
legal
2. Catching a LIVE dodgeball thrown by your opponent
3. Causing an opponent to drop a held dodgeball as a result of contact
by a thrown LIVE dodgeball. (usually occurs when a dodgeball is being
used to block a thrown dodgeball)
4. An opposing player stepping out of bounds
LIVE (definition): A thrown dodgeball that strikes or is caught by an
opposing player without/before contacting the ground, another player,
dodgeball, official, or other object
A player may block a thrown dodgeball with a dodgeball being held,
provided the held dodgeball is not dropped as a result of the contact with
the thrown dodgeball
NOTE: A dodgeball deflecting off a held dodgeball and striking the holder
is no longer a LIVE dodgeball. A LIVE dodgeball deflecting off Player "A"
remains LIVE only to Player "A" and may only be legally caught by "A".
If a dodgeball is blocked & then caught by another teammate, the
thrower is out.
Once a player is OUT, the must immediately drop any dodgeballs in
hand and exit the playing field at the nearest sideline. If an OUT player
intentionally contacts a live dodgeball before exiting the playing field,
opponents will be awarded a free throw.
Prior to the game, 5 dodgeballs will be placed on the center line.
Players then take their position behind their end line. Following a signal
by the official, the teams may retrieve the dodgeballs. Each/every
dodgeball retrieved at the opening rush must first be taken beyond the
attack line and into the team's backcourt before it may be legally thrown
at an opponent.
Example: Following the opening whistle, a player rushes and is the first
to secure a dodgeball from the center line. The player must then carry or
pass the dodgeball into their backcourt before it may be legally thrown
at an opponent.
The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared
the winner. A 10-minute time limit has been established for each
contest. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the
10-minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will
be declared the winner. In the case of an equal number of players
remaining after regulation, a 3-minute sudden-death overtime period will
be played. All players that started in the game may come out and play
for the overtime. All game rules apply during overtime. If a second
overtime is needed, the first team to eliminate any ONE opposing player
will be declared the winner.
Stalling & 5-Second Violation
A team trailing during a regulation game must be given the opportunity
to eliminate an opposing player. This requires a dodgeball to be at the
disposal of the trailing team.
It is illegal for the leading team to control all the dodgeballs for more
than 5 seconds. If the leading team controls all the dodgeballs, they
must make a legitimate effort to get at least one dodgeball across the
attack line. If this is not done within 5 seconds, a "5 second violation"
will be called. Note: Only a court official may call a "5 second violation."
Penalty for 5 Second Violation
First Violation: Stoppage of play and the dodgeballs will be distributed
evenly between the teams
Second Violation: FREE Throw for the opposing team- a penalty in
which one player is allowed an unobstructed throw at their opponent(s)
without risk of elimination. This is possible because a caught "free
throw" does not result in an OUT for the thrower.
Third Violation: Ejection of one player from offending team
Time-Outs & Substitutions
Each team will be allowed (1) 60 second time out per game. At this time
a team may substitute players into the game
Rule Enforcement
Rules will be enforced primarily by the ref, with the help of the "honor
system". Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal
or whether they were legally eliminated. All contests will be supervised
by a referee. The Referee's decision is final---NO EXCEPTIONS!
Boundaries
During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines. Players
may leave the boundaries only to retrieve stray dodgeballs
Game Play
Matches will be 5 games a night
