How We Play Dodgeball

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How we get our dodge on!

THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE

All Players are reminded that in any dodgeball league you are on the honor system and when hit by a ball are expected to go out of the game. This is a SUPER rec league, and although dodgeball can get competitive, we expect all players to be honest and fair about playing. Cheating to win is VERY LAME. It’s not possible for the ref to catch every single thing in these games, especially determining if you got hit. If the referee sees someone get hit and remain in the game, that team will receive a warning. If it happens again that a player on the same team does not go out after being hit by the ball then they will automatically forfeit that game. If it continues to happen you will forfeit the match.

Basic Info

Teams must have at least 4 players with at least 1 of each gender to avoid forfeit. Each team member must have signed the waiver before the season begins. If a team is found out to be playing with a player who has not signed the waiver, the team will forfeit all of the games during which this player participated.

A maximum of 8 players per team may take the court at the beginning of each game. A normal full team on the court is 5 guys and 3 girls. Teams may have no more than 5 guys on the court at one time. If a team is short on players, they may recruit subs prior to the match THAT ARE NOT RINGERS OR FROM ANOTHER TEAM THAT JUST PLAYED AND WHO MUST SIGN THE WAIVER BEFORE PLAYING. A team may only brings subs or pick up players if they are below the 8 needed to play.

If a team fails to have 4 people 10 minutes after the scheduled game time, that team shall forfeit the first game. They will forfeit each consecutive game every 5 minutes after that.

How We Play

1. In each 45 minute match time slot, 2 teams will play a match of 9 games.
2. Each game will be no longer than 4 minutes.
3. Each game counts as 1 point. A game ending in a tie will result in each team receiving 1/2 a point. There is no overtime/sudden death for tie games. The overall winner at the end of the match will receive 2 additional bonus points.
4. If all players from the other team are out, your team of course wins that game. Also, if time runs out in the game, the team with the most players remaining on the court wins the game. If each team has the same number, it’s a tie.
5. Play is continuous until all players on one team have been put out or time expires. If the official blows the whistle and steps onto the court play is paused and any ball thrown after will not count. Play will not resume until the official is off the court and the whistle is blown again.

6. Substitutions may only occur between games – any player who does not start a game may not enter the game unless an injury to a player has occurred and the ref has granted permission.

7. If you get hit, get in line to go back in if your team catches the ball. We play first out, first back in. If your team is caught putting players back in out of order, you will for sure lose that game, and may forfeit all games won in that match.

How We Play

1. Teams will no longer start games by running to the mid line to retrieve balls. This change is to reduce unintentional player collisions and prevent damage to the balls with both teams grabbing at them. Instead, each team will begin the game along the back wall with 3 balls. Then the ref will blow his whistle indicating that the game has begun.

2. There is no rule with regards to how long a single player has to throw a ball after picking it up. Once a game has 6 or less total players (including both teams) left on the court a ball must be thrown within 10 seconds of the last ball thrown. If there is no throw in ten seconds then all players holding a ball will be called out. If you drop the ball on purpose to avoid this, you will be declared out at the end of the ten seconds.
2a. If no one has a ball the ten second count will start when the first player picks a ball up.

2b. If one side has no balls then the ten second count will start once there is at least one ball on both sides.

3. Players with or without a ball in hand, can kick another ball to another teammate. But you cannot hand a ball to someone.
4. Players may NOT leave the designated court area. Any player who goes out of bounds will be called out.

5. If a ball rolls outside the court, players from your team may kick the ball back in play from your side only, but active players may not leave the court to get a ball. You MAY NOT step onto the court to kick a ball back.

6. You may drop your ball to catch another ball that is thrown at you. If you’re still holding a ball when you catch another, you must drop one before throwing. Any ball thrown while holding two balls will not count unless caught by the opposing team. You will be called out if you use a ball to deflect a thrown ball while holding two balls.
7. A player is out when:
a. Struck by a ball before the ball hits the ground, wall, ceiling or any other stationary object (i.e basketball hoop).
b. The ball thrown by the player is CAUGHT by a player on the opposing team prior to striking the ground or wall.
c. Going go out of bounds
8. Center line rules
a. If you excessively cross the center line into the opposing team’s zone you are out. This is up to the discretion of the official.

b. If you cross the center line while throwing your throw will not count unless caught.

c. You cannot jump over the center line to throw the ball at someone. If you do, you’re out and the throw does not count unless caught.

d. If you cross and touch the other side of the center line to retrieve a ball from the other side then the ball must be returned to the back wall of the opposing side.

9. If a thrown ball hits a player or players and then is caught, the player(s) who was hit is out, the player who threw the ball is out, and the team that caught the ball brings one person in. If no one is currently out on your team, the person who just got hit will be back in because the out was made before the catch.

10. Players may use balls to block a throw
a. If the ball being used to block is dropped after being hit by a thrown ball, the player who dropped the ball is out.

b. After a ball that is thrown is blocked by a ball being held by a player on the opposing team, the ball is DEAD. So if it hits the ball you are holding and then hits your body or another player on your team, you are NOT out. Or if it’s then caught it’s not a catch.

c. If the “live” ball is blocked and deflected back into the opposing team’s side and is then caught, no one is out.
11. A “live” ball may knock out more than one player IF the “live” ball bounces off one player’s body and strikes another player PRIOR to hitting the ground, wall, another ball or other stationary object.

12. Players may NOT hand balls to their teammates for any reason during game play. If a player is caught handing a ball to a teammate the ball must be returned to the back wall of the opposing side.

13. Headshots

a. ARE VERY BAD.

b. Players hit in the neck or head will not be called out (unless otherwise specifically mentioned in the rules)

c. The player who threw the ball which resulted in the headshot WILL be called out. We don’t like headshots so the ref will always err on the side of calling headshots if it’s close so AIM LOW! That’s better strategy anyways.

d. If a “live” ball is blocked and/or deflected and hits a teammate of the blocking player in the head, that does not count as a headshot and the player hit by the ball is still not out.

e. A Player MAY be ejected for excessive headshots – players will be given one warning.

f. Players may not intentionally initiate head contact with a ball in order to have the thrower called out. If a player is found to intentionally initiate head contact with a ball, they will be ejected.

14. Players may duck, try to dodge the ball, or throw themselves to the ground in an effort to avoid getting hit by the ball, but in this situation where their head is below normal head level the headshot rule does NOT apply.
15. Players MUST exit the sidelines quickly. While exiting, the game, players MUST raise one hand to indicate to the opposing team they are out and are exiting the field of play.
a. A player exiting the game is still considered “live”, if a ball bounces off of them and hits another “in” player that player is out.
b. If an exiting player is hit in the head it will still be considered a head shot and the thrower will be out.

16. We play first out, first back in. Players MUST line up next to the ref in order which they were put out (i.e. first one out next to the ref, etc). And you must stand back enough for the ref to see the court.

a. When a player comes back in after a catch, they will go directly to the back wall. Upon touching it they are in. Players coming back in must go to the back wall and touch it immediately, not hang out around the wall and wait to touch it.

17. There must always be at least one ball on each side of the court. If all balls are on one side of the court at any point during a game, the team with all the balls must give one ball to the opposing team.
​a. If any balls are thrown before the team with all the balls gives one ball to the opposing team any hit will not count.
b. If any ball is thrown before the team with all the balls gives one ball to the opposing team and is caught, this will count as a catch and normal rules apply (if you attack when they’re defenseless and your ball is caught, that’s your fault).

Standings & Playoffs

Playoffs will be run as a tournament the final night of games. We will have 2 independent divisions with the top half and bottom half of teams playing each other. More info will be provided on this after the regular season.

1. To determine a team’s rank in the regular season standings, teams will be seeded in the following manner:
a. Highest Amount of Points
b. Strength of schedule
2. Teams forfeiting 3 or more matches may be ineligible for the playoffs.
If your team forfeits a match during the season, the following rules apply:

Standings & Playoffs

First Offense: Loss of all 9 games and warning issued.
Second Offense: Loss of all 9 games and S3 reserves the right to remove team from playoffs with no refund for games not played.
Third Offense: Automatic removal from the league with no refund for games not played.

The reason for the harshness of this is because we want all teams to be able to play. If your team is a no-show, then the other team also doesn’t get to play, and that’s not cool. So just get subs or at least let us know if you’re not going to make it!

If you know in advance that your team will be forfeiting a match, you are required to email us at teams@s3leagues.com so we can let your opponent know that you won’t be showing up.