Winter Dodgeball Woolie [Tuesdays] Rules

1.    TEAMS Six (6) players will compete on a side; others will be available as substitutes. (Games played at smaller courts are minimum five (5) players. Substitutes may enter the game in-between matches, not during. A team may not have a squad greater than ten players with only six players allowed on the field at any one time, teams should be mixed gender. There must be a minimum of two (2) members of either sex on the field at the beginning of each game. 

2.    MINIMUM PLAYERS Four (4) players is the minimum number of players that a team can have without a forfeit resulting. Teams may commence games with four players provided there is at least one (1) member of each gender is on the field at the beginning of each game,

3.    THE COURT The game may be played indoors or outdoors. The playing field is usually a rectangle at least 50 ft long and at least 30 ft wide, divided into two (2) equal sections by a centre-line and attack-lines 3m from, and parallel to the centreline.

4.    BOUNDARIES During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines. Players may leave the boundaries through their end-line only to retrieve stray balls. They must also return through their end-line. (When playing in caged courts, it’s acceptable to leave from the side line)

5.    THE OBJECT OF THE GAME is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them "OUT". This may be done by:

• Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball
• Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground.
• A player is eliminated if they drop a ball while attempting to make a catch or a ball is knocked out of their hand by an attacking ball. 
• Definition: LIVE: A ball that has been thrown and has not touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player, official or other item outside of the playing field (wall, ceiling, etc)
• Dead ball: A thrown ball becomes dead if it touches another ball, the floor, walls or any other object (including a person, or another player)

6.    THE GAME BEGINS with either the UR Rep blowing the whistle or yelling “DODGEBALL!”

7.    THE OPENING RUSH Game begins by placing the dodgeballs evenly along the centre line. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the centreline to retrieve the balls. This signal officially starts the contest. Teams must retrieve only one ball each. Once a ball is retrieved it must be taken behind the attack-line by the person who collected it, before it can be legally thrown. Please don’t play tug-o-war with the balls, if the rep sees this happening, they will call both players out. 

8.    DEAD ZONE is the middle area between the centre line, and attack line. You may enter the dead zone, after the opening rush, but not to cross the centre line after the opening rush is finished. If you cross the centre line, you are out. 

9.    TIMING AND WINNING A GAME The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner. A 3-minute time limit has been established for each contest. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the 3 minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner. If there are even team mates on the field, Golden Point rule will be established. The ref will wait till the current game ends, before calling half or full time. 

10.    GOLDEN POINT If a game goes on continually for more than 3 minutes and at the end of that game, there is an even amount of players, there begins a Golden Point game. The original six players are welcomed back on the court for a new game, the first person that makes a hit, wins that game for their team.

11.    MAKING A CATCH If you catch a ball of the opposing team’s throw, you win another one of your players to enter the field. Players that are eliminated are able to return as a result of a caught ball. Players must return in the order in which they were eliminated – first off is first back on. Sometimes you need to make the other player aware you caught their ball, as it may not always be obvious to them. 

12.    DEFLECTING A BALL you can use the Dodgeball in your hand/s, as a mechanism to deflect or divert a ball without touching your body. This must be a clear direction divert, if the ball still fumbles its way onto make contact with your body, you did not successfully deflect the ball. 

13.    KAMIKAZE this technique is used for high risk execution. A player may jump over the middle line, and into the oppositions side, while in the air, the ball they throw must land on another player, before the executor lands on the ground. In doing this technique the player forfeits their position on the court and must immediately go off. If a ref does not see the technique performed successfully, and with sureness, the technique will not be called. 

14.    DODGING OUT OF PLAY If you are dodging a ball, and a consequence you step out of the court boundaries, then you are out. 

15.    HOT BALL In order to reduce stalling, a violation will be called if as player hold a ball for more than 10 seconds. The Ref will count you down after yelling “Hot Ball” If you still have not thrown the ball after the 10 seconds, you will be sent off. 

16.    THE SWEEPER (applicable to large uncaged courts only) 

• There is 1 sweeper permitted at all times to help retrieve the balls from the outside of the court. 
• When the sweeper is not retrieving balls, they must back against the wall
• Sweeper is to retrieve the balls, and return to original position, not stand in any other area of the court
• If a player is out, they may take on the role of the sweeper, any other additional players who are out can help retrieve the balls from the outside of the court, without crossing half way, but they then must immediately return to their position in the “out box”
• Balls are to be fed back into the game immediately, no balls may be kept out of play
• Balls are to be rolled into the court, not hand fed into the players
• Sweeper is not allowed to travel past half way of their own side of the court
• If no sweeper is available, players may exit the court from the rear to retrieve their balls, must not cross the halfway lines, and must re-enter the court from the rear. 
• Only players in the game may touch and interfere with the balls. By definition, this means if you were not in the starting 6, or a sweeper, you are only a spectator, you cannot touch the balls. 

17.    RULE ENFORCEMENT During matches, rules will be enforced primarily by Urban Rec’s Play Fair System. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or whether they were legally eliminated. Players on the opposition should not make calls against their opposing team. All contests will be supervised by an Urban Rec Event Host. Their responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. (i.e. a player constantly crossing the centre line without calling themselves out)

18.    SQUEEZING/TUGGING BALLS Players are NOT allowed to kick or squeeze the balls so that they impact the shape of the balls. If you tug a ball in the opening rush, you are (both) out. 

19.    FAIRPLAY SYSTEM each league night you will have a referee onsite, but these guys are not official referees. Urban Rec is proud to be the only non-competitive league which practices fair play, meaning you should be making your own calls on the game. The referee will be there to make the calls not made by individuals, keep time, and help guide the games within the game play rules. The Urban Rec Referee has the final say on any issue that cannot be self-resolved.

20.    SPORTSMANSHIP if you are seen to be rude or not playing within the respect of the rules you will be asked to sub, and warned by one of our Rep’s if after two times you do not show your sportsmanship, you will be asked to leave the field, and an assessment will be made if you can play again. We do not tolerate idiots. Play fair. 

FAQ’s
Q: I threw a ball, and it hit two members, are they both out?
A: No, the ball has already hit a person, and so therefore became a dead ball by the time it hit the next player. 
Q: The team keeps feeding balls back into their own team’s side of the court, is this allowed?
A: Yes, there is nothing illegal about retrieving the balls, and sending them into their own field. Team members who are out are NOT allowed to hold the balls out of court and feed or throw them back in on demand. A player will be forfeited off the field for this. 
Q: The ball hit me on the foot, and I couldn’t tell if it was a bounce, or it got me?
A: Benefit of the doubt says you likely got hit, Go off, and karma will come back to you. 
Q: I caught a ball off the back or rebound of a fence/wall/player is that a catch?
A: No, it’s not a catch; the ball is deemed dead after it hit the first object, so you essentially caught a dead ball. If you are playing in a caged environment, catches off the cage may be allowed. 
Q: I am injured, and need a break, but I am not out, can someone come on for me?
A: Sure, make sure you let the ref know what you are doing.
Q: The ball hit me on the forearm, am I still out?
A: Yes, you did not deflect the ball successfully, you are out. 
Q: I deflected the ball, and it hit my stomach/leg/foot on the way down, am I out?
A: Yes, you did not deflect the ball successfully, you are out.
Q: I failed to deflect a ball, and it hit my face, is this a headshot?
A: No, it’s a failed deflection, sorry you’re out.