Dodgeball Rules

Players

1. team will consist of 6 players. A team must start with 4 players.
   • There must be one female on the court to start each game. Teams will play a man down if they do not have a female.
2. No substitutions or time-outs are allowed during the games.
3. You may switch players in between games.
4. All players must wear clean athletic shoes.
5. Participants must remove all jewelry before playing.
6. Hats and bandanas may not be worn.
7. The court shall be marked with sidelines, end lines, attack lines, and a center line with center has mark.
8. During play, all players must remain within boundary lines.
   • Players may pass through their end-line only to retrieve stray balls.
   • When retrieving a ball, the player must also immediately re-enter the playing field only through their end line.
   • Players who leave to retrieve a ball may pass another player in a ball inbounds, but still must re-enter the playing field through the end line with only one ball in hand.
   • Players may pass balls to one another within the boundary lines; if a ball is dropped the player who dropped it will be declared out.
   • There is no bouncing, kicking, or dribbling of the balls. Players must have completely possession of their ball until they throw it to the other side.
9. A player shall not:
   • Have any part of their body contact the playing surface on or over a sideline, attack line, center line, or end line (unless retrieving a ball).
   • Exit or re-enter the court through their sideline.
   • Leave the playing field to avoid being hit by, or attempt to catch, a ball.
   • Have any part of their body cross over the center line and contact the ground on their opponents’ side of the court.
10. PENALTY: for rules A.-F., player will be declared out. 

The Match

1. The match will be 30 minutes in duration with 15 minute halves.  Teams will play as many games as can be fit into the 30 minute time block.  The team with the most game wins at the end of 30 minutes wins.
2. The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them out.
3. The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner.
4. An out is scored by:
   • Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball below the shoulders.

   NOTE: If a player ducks and this clearly is the cause for the player being hit above the shoulders, they are out.

   • Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent. Once a ball is caught by a player, his/her teammate who was previously declared out can re-enter the game.
   • Causing an opponent to drop a held ball as a result of contact by a thrown LIVE ball.
   • An opposing player steps out of bounds.
   • A player who strikes a player in the head with a thrown ball will be declared out for that game. A second occurrence will result in an ejection from the match.
   • A player may block a thrown ball with a ball being held, provided the held ball is not dropped as a result of the contact with the thrown ball.

   NOTE: A ball deflecting off a held ball and striking the holder is no longer a LIVE ball.

   • A ball is no longer a LIVE ball once it had made contact with the ground.
   • LIVE (def.): A thrown ball that strikes, or is caught by, an opposing player without/before contacting the ground, another player or ball.
5. Prior to the beginning of the game, six dodge balls are placed along the center line equally spaced.
6. Players will take position behind their end line and at the official’s signal may approach the center line to retrieve balls.
7. Teams may retrieve any balls place on the line, but may NOT control all of the balls to start the play.
8. Each/every ball 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.
9. A team trailing during a regulation game must be given the opportunity to eliminate an opposing player.
10. It is illegal for the leading team to control all the balls for more than five seconds. If the leading team controls all the balls- i.e. All balls are located on their side of the center line- they must make a legitimate effort to get at least one ball across the attack line an into the opponent’s backcourt. This does not include throwing a ball over and through an opponent’s end line.
11. If this is not done within five seconds, a five-second violation is called.
    • First Violation: Stoppage of play and balls will be divided evenly between the teams. Play will continue with balls-in-hand.
    • 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.