Dodgeball Rules and Regulations

1. Teams – Each team is made up of 8 active players and can have up to 2 subs on the roster (youths under 18 require a waiver signed by parent or guardian). Teams must be co-ed, having at least 2 females/males starting on each team.

2. Object – to get all players “OUT” on the opposing team.  A player is considered “OUT” if he or she is hit by a ball (without bouncing), or if he or she throws a ball that is caught by an opposing player.  If a team catches the opposing teams’ thrown ball, that team may welcome back a player who had been previously called “OUT”.  A “SAVE” can occur if an opposing player is hit with a ball and a player from the same team catches the ball before it hits the ground.  Following a “SAVE”, the thrower is “OUT” but the catching team is not allowed to bring a player back in.  All “OUT’s” and “SAVE’s” are judged through the HONOR SYSTEM and referee.

3. Start of the Game – Play is started by the referee, with all players beginning on their own end-line.  Six balls will be placed on the centerline.  Play will be started by the referee’s whistle.  Players will charge centerline, retrieve dodgeballs, and return to their end-line before any balls can be thrown.  If a player crosses the centerline while retrieving a ball, or throws a ball prior to returning to the end-line, that player is “OUT”.

4. Game – Each game will be 5 minutes. All matches (playoffs) will be best of 3 games. A winner is declared when all players are knocked out on the opposing team or a team has more players remaining when time has elapsed.  If a tie occurs when time runs out, there will be a “sudden death” overtime.  The first team to lose a player loses the game.

5. Playoffs – Seeding for matches (playoff stage) will be determined by wins and points accumulated in the opening round (heat stage).  Tiebreakers are based on 1) SURVIVORS: total number of players remaining from the heat stage, 2) POINTS: total points accumulated (kills and catches), 3) TOTAL ANNIHILATION: time it took to eliminate opposing team (quickest time wins).

6. Timeouts – One 45 second timeout is available for each heat and playoff series.

7. Boundaries – All players must stay within the playing area during the entire game. If a player throws a ball when stepping over the centerline, it will result in that player being declared “OUT”. No player may cross the centerline at anytime, (but can reach over to retrieve a ball); if so they will be considered “OUT”. All “OUT” players must sit, kneel, or squat in the designated area in order of elimination so players are cycled back in with the same order.  No active player may stand behind the end-line.

8. 5 second rule – No team can have possession of all 6 balls for more than 5 seconds. Every time this occurs, that team will have to give three balls to the opposing team.

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