Rules - *** New Rules for Season #5 in yellow ***

Starting the Game and the Basics

  • Teams start on opposite sides of the court.
  • There is one ball in the middle and a female from each team has one ball. All players must start touching the wall.
  • When the whistle blows, anyone is free to grab the ball in the middle. There is no protection when you are in the middle of the court and anyone can hit you.
  • The female must throw first. If you don't have any females on your team, The other team gets both balls and throws first. In addition, I suggest some personal reflection on why it's such a sausage fest on your side. Just saying.
  • Every team has 10 seconds to throw a ball that is on their side. Balls that are not thrown in time are forfeited to the other side. A player is not out if they get X number of dead ball fouls. The ball does not need to be picked up for the count to start. If your team has more balls than players, the count will only apply to the the same number of balls as players. (ie, One player will have 10 seconds to throw one ball. Then 10 seconds to throw the next one.) The referee will only count aloud starting at 5 or 6. If the ref deems the game is going too slowly, they may speed up the count. This is up to the ref's discretion.
  • If you get hit by a throw that hasn't bounced off any object (wall, floor, etc), you are out.
  • If you catch a ball without it touching any inanimate object, the thrower is out and you get a player back in. The first player that was hit is the first player back in. You remember FIFO from school? Same thing... though I guess this is actually FOFI. Whatever.
  • When all players have been eliminated, your team has won the game.
  • If you win 2 games, you win the set. If you win 3 sets, you win the match and then can start drinking.
  • The referee has the final say, even if the they have the rules wrong. You can always rate the referee after the game.

1. Rules of Throwing

As mentioned above, the team with 2 or more balls on their side has 10 seconds to throw all balls. If your team has all 3 balls, a woman must throw the third. If no women are available to throw, the 3rd ball cannot be thrown until both balls have hit an object (person, floor, wall, etc). If the referee finished to say the word "ten" during the count, the throw does not count and the other team gets the ball. All balls must be thrown by the 10 second count.
"Pinch" throws are not allowed. Similarly, only actual throws count. Kicking or spiking (like in volleyball) don't count.

2. Suicide Throws

A suicide throw is then the player jumps over the center line and throws the ball before they land on the opponents side. Sorry, you can't do it. If you do, the throw doesn't count and you are out. If you are clumsy and step over the line after the ball was released, the throw still does not count. If you step on the line before you throw, it does not count and you are out. Odds are if you are stepping over line, you are a beginner and your throw was just caught anyway. So this is kind of like a blessing.

3. Deflecting the Ball With Another Ball

You can do this, but if in the process of deflecting you drop the ball, you are out. Catching either ball after the thrown ball has knocked out the ball in your hands will not count. Once the ball that is thrown hits the ball in your hands, it is "dead" to other players. They cannot catch it or get out by it.

4. Close Catches

The player must demonstrate complete control of the ball before it touches anything else. If the ball hits the ground and it was caught at the same time, neither the thrower nor the target are out.

5. Ricocheted Shots

If you get hit incidentally after it hits someone else, you are out unless the ball has hit an inanimate object before hitting you. If the ball has not hit any inanimate objects and is caught, it counts as a standard catch and only the thrower is out.

6. Arguing With the Ref

The player who received the call against them is allowed one clarification question after a play happens that they disagree with. Examples are:
* Did that hit the ground?
* Wasn't the ball already dead?
However, you are not allowed any follow up questions, arguments, comments or complaints. Any comments are subject to a technical foul. If you say anything along the lines of the call being BS or someone cheating, you will be given a technical foul.
If you get called for a technical for saying something to the other team and then proceed to argue with the ref (remember, you get one question), then you will be given a second technical foul and will be done for the night.
Anyone, not just the team captain, is allowed to discuss the rules or a call in between games.

7. Arguing With the Other Team

Not allowed. You can talk trash only if they like it. If they are taking it seriously and you are talking trash which is pissing them off, you will get a technical foul. So be sure your comments are well received. The point of this rule is to ensure that people are having fun and not getting angry. Regardless of who started it, anyone caught arguing with the other team will receive a technical.

8. Touching the Ball After You Are Out

You are not allowed to touch any ball after you are hit. Exceptions will be made if there was no way around it. If you get hit and in the process of walking off the court, prevent the ball from rolling to the opponents sides, you are subject to receive a technical foul.
Players that are out are not allowed to interfere with balls in play. This includes preventing the ball from returning to the other side of the court. If the ball rolls outside the playing area, it is fair game, but the ball must be completely out of bounds.

9. Technical Fouls

When you receive a technical foul for any reason, you must sit out the next game and your team will play one player short of that gender.
If you get two technical fouls, you are out for the night. If the referee believes an infraction was done as a mistake or the player didn't know the rules, the referee has the discretion to issue a warning. Please don't bother lobbying for a warning claiming ignorance!

10. Head Shots

Face shots are allowed except for "guys throwing at women in vulnerable positions". Is that kind of sexist? Probably. Get over it. The bottom line is that if guys throw head shots at women, you might get called out. Here are some examples when women are the target: If a head shot is called, the ball is still live and can be caught to bring another player in. The thrower is out regardless because of the head shot.
Target is out If the target is against the back wall and gets hit in the face without moving. Being against the back wall is generally not considered vulnerable.
Target is out Target dodges into the throw via jumping, ducking or moving sideways
Target is out If the ball also hits the target's shoulder in addition to their face
Target is out If the target blocks the ball completely with their hands to protect their face
Target is out If the target is somewhat close to thrower but the woman is on her knees (all jokes aside) looking to catch, she is not vulnerable.
Thrower is out If the target is some what close and the ref deems the target vulnerable or the head shot unnecessary.

11. Out of Bounds

You cannot go out of bounds (center or both side lines) for during any "active" play. If you do, you will be called out. If the other team is not throwing any where near you, you can go out of bounds to retrieve a ball. However, it is best to have your subs or teammates not in the game retrieve the ball.
If you catch the ball while in bounds and fall out of bounds, the catch is good and you are out. The important part is that you are in bounds after the catch is complete.
Feel free to run up the wall and do any Matrix-like moves. This is considered in bounds and should be entertaining to the ref.

12. Passing the Ball

Passing the ball allowed at any time.

13. Forfeits

As long as you have one person from your team there, game on.

14. Referees

This league is going to be officiated by your peers. Kind of like a jury of your peers, except this pays more per hour. For each game you ref, you receive $7 off the next season. If you are interested in helping us out, update your profile! If you are the type of person that argues with the refs or thinks other people cheat, you are exactly the type of person we need!

15. Bye Weeks

Don't count on having one. Where possible, the schedule will have double headers to avoid anyone having a bye week. This means more dodge ball.

16. Length of Season

8~10 weeks depending on the number of teams that sign up. You will be guaranteed at least 8 games. If more than 8 teams sign up, there will be more games.

17. Name of Team

Call it what you want to call it, but racist, sexist and homophobic stuff will be censored. Unless of course it is more funny than offensive. Just like OTL, part of the fun is coming up with funny names, so be creative.

18. Team size

The base number of people on the court are 5 guys and 4 women. If both teams have 6 of one sex, then both teams must play 6 of that sex. If one team has less than the base number, the opposing team can still play with the base number. For example, if one team shows up with 2 guys and 2 women, the opposing team can still play 5 guys and 4 women. This logic continues up to 7 people. You should not have more than 7 of one sex on the floor... unless both teams really want that many... because it's about the players.

19. High Throws

If the ball is thrown over the head of the tallest person standing upright, the ball is forfeited to the other side. This call won't be used often as it slows down the game, but is more for repeat violators.

20. Tie Breaks

The following are considered when ranking (in order of importance) 1. Win / Loss record 2. Head to head record 3. Set score record 4. Common opponent record 5. Common opponent set record 6. Coin flip

21. Running out of Time

If time is up, who ever is in the lead will record a 3-2 victory. If it's a tie, then it's a tie. You should have played faster anyway. The ref should attempt to speed up slower games by counting faster.

22. Subs

Subs are ok with us if they are OK with the other team. Don't expect to bring in a ringer for the playoffs, though.




dil  dil - 4th Grade Never EndedSan Diego Dodgeball Leagues, Tournaments and Pickup Games   Join us:    Mon Sep 06 18:24:38 PDT 2010