Rule Book

1. THE TEAM
   1. Six (6) players will compete on each side; others players will stand on the side of the court to rotate in when needed.
   2. Teams are not allowed to add players from other teams to play for them at any time, even if they have fewer than 6 players. The minimum number of players a team can start playing with is two (2). Players who show up after the game starts can only be cycled in when a ball is caught and there are 5 or fewer players on the court.
2. GAMES / MATCHES
   1. Each team will play two (2) matches per night.
   2. Each match consists of three (3) games.
3. THE OBJECT OF DODGEBALL
   1. The object of Dodgeball is to eliminate players on the opposing team by getting them “OUT”.
4. DEFINITIONS
   1. LIVE BALL: A ball that has been thrown.
   2. DEAD BALL: A ball that has touched the floor, hit an opposite player then hit the floor, hit an opposite player that is out, hit an official or other fixture outside of the playing field (wall, ceiling, basketball hoop, etc.).
5. A PLAYER IS DEFINED AS “OUT” IF…
   1. They are hit below the shoulders while the player is upright with a LIVE ball that eventually dies. Clothing is considered an extension of the body (i.e. if a LIVE ball brushes a player’s tee shirt and the ball dies, they are OUT).
   2. The LIVE ball that they throw is caught by your opponent before it is DEAD.
   3. He/she crosses the boundary lines with one or more than one whole body part while dodging a ball.
   4. He/she steps over the centerline.
6. A PLAYER IS DEFINED AS “IN” IF…
   1. The player is not OUT
   2. One of his teammates catches a LIVE ball and the player is the first one to rotate in. Note that players can be cycled in only when there are 5 or fewer players on the court.
7. SCENARIOS
   1. If a LIVE ball hits one teammate, then bounces off that teammate and hits another, and the ball dies, then BOTH teammates are OUT.
   2. If a LIVE ball hits a ball that a player is holding, bounces off that ball and hits another(s) teammate(s) and the ball dies, then that(those) other(s) teammate(s) is(are) OUT.
   3. If a LIVE ball hits a ball that a player is holding, bounces off that ball, is caught by another teammate and then it dies, then the person who threw the ball is OUT, and one player can cycle IN depending on the number of teammates on the court.
   4. If a LIVE ball hits a ball that a player is holding, bounces off that ball without knocking the first ball out of his/her possession, and then it dies, neither the thrower nor the opposing teammate are OUT.
   5. If a LIVE ball hits a ball that a player is holding, and knocks that ball out of their possession, then that player is OUT. It is fine to drop your own ball first to catch one LIVE ball thrown by an opponent player.
   6. A LIVE ball deflected off a teammate can be caught by another teammate, resulting in the person that threw the ball being OUT, and one player being cycled in depending on the number of teammates on the court.
8. THE GAME / OPENING RUSH
   1. Dodgeball game begins by placing the 4 dodgeballs along the center midcourt line.
   2. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the official, teams “rush” the centerline to retrieve only the 2 balls to their right of the center of court.
   3. Players cannot step over the center line to grab a ball. Doing so will immediately result in that player being OUT. By stepping over the center line it is understood that any part of the body touches anything past the center line different from a ball.
   4. Once a ball is retrieved the ball must be taken behind the back line (this is called “clearing” of the ball) before it can be legally thrown as a LIVE ball.
   5. The “clearing” must be done by a player; the player can not throw the ball against the back wall to count as “clearing”. Once the ball has been “cleared” it can now be thrown at the opposite team.
9. THE GAME / BOUNDARIES
   1. During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines.
   2. If any player crosses the boundary lines (back and side lines) with one or more than one whole body part, then they are OUT. That is, if one player’s whole body part is completely outside the court, then the player is OUT
   3. If any player steps over the center line then they are OUT. By stepping over the center line it is understood that any part of the body touches anything past the center line different from a ball.
10. THE GAME / TIMING
    1. 5-minute time limit has been established for each game.
    2. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the 5 minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner.
    3. A team with the majority of the balls must throw one ball within the 5 second countdown as warned by referees. Not throwing a ball within the 5-second time frame will result in a player from that team being called OUT by the referee. Captain decides who is OUT. Note: If both teams have each two balls then BOTH teams have the majority of the balls and hence both must throw a ball within the 5 second countdown.
    4. In the case of an equal number of players remaining on the court after regulation, a 1-minute “sudden-death” overtime period will be played. Each team selects one player to be added to the court. The first team to eliminate a player wins. One player gets added to the court every minute until one person is OUT.
    5. Only referees are allowed to call time out.
11. THE GAME / CYCLING IN
    1. When a member of your team catches a ball thrown by your opponent, a member of your team who is OUT can come into the game. Players will rotate into the game in the same order they were called out. Team can never exceed more than 6 players on the court.
    2. Players waiting to rotate in cannot interfere with the game in any way.
12. CODE OF CONDUCT
    1. NO HEADSHOTS OF ANY KIND: A player who throws a ball that hits an opposing player above the shoulders while that player is upright will result in the player who threw the ball being called OUT. A player who throws any high ball will be officially warned. Should said player throw a second high ball, they will be warned again that the next high ball they throw, they will be called out on (regardless of whether it hits someone or not). After two violations against a player, the referee will warn that player to stop throwing dangerous high balls. If that player throws another high ball, that player will be immediately called OUT.
    2. THE REFEREE HAS THE FINAL SAY ON ALL RULINGS. IF YOU ARE HIT YOU ARE OUT.
13. SPORTSMANSHIP
    1. Sportsmanship is defined as: fairness and respect for one’s opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing. All players are expected to conduct themselves with the highest level of sportsmanship.
    2. Threatening language and verbal threats, slurs against race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or gender will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Refs are in charge of making the calls. Threatening language and verbal threats, slurs against race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality or gender will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
    3. In the gym, any player who deliberately tries to harm or intimidate another player through the use of force, threatening language or verbal threats will be subject to league consequences including warnings, ejections from the gym, suspensions from games, and expulsions of the player from the league without any refund of his or her paid player fee.
14. PLAY OFFS
    1. A player must attend at least 50% of regular season games to be able to play in the play offs. Special circumstances must be presented to the Board.

This Code of Conduct is effective beginning March 1, 2010.