Official Dodgeball Rules
RULE 1: TEAM INFORMATION
Section1. Roster
1. Number of Players. There is no maximum numberof players allowed on a team roster. All players must be listedon the roster and sign the RCSSC waiver to participate.
2. Adding Players. Players may be added at any time until the final teeshirt order date. After that time, until the third week of play, a team must drop a player before it may add a player. Thedropped player must provide his/her tee shirt to the added player.
After the third week of play, team rosters are frozen. Teams must provide an updated roster to the Commissioner at the end of the third week. See the Commissioner for additional roster forms.
3. Players on the Field. A team can field no more than 10 playersat a time. At least 4 of the players on the field must be women. A team must have at least 6 players, and at least 2 women, present at game time to avoid a forfeit. As long as you have 2 women, your team may play with up to 6 men.
4. Playing Short. A team may play with a full team of 10 if its opponent is short players.
5.Coaches Responsibilities. Keep reminding your players that this is a very SOCIAL league and unsportsmanlike conduct will ensure them a seat on the curb. Please take your team back to our sponsor bar for theSOCIAL part of the league.
Section 2. Player Restrictions
1. Age. Players must be 22 years old at the start of the season.
2. League Membership. Players may only play for one team.
3. Violations. Teams that violate the rules in this section will forfeit the entire season's games and must pay a fine.
Section3. Uniforms
1. Tee shirts. RCSSC will provide each team with tee shirts for its roster. All players must wear the RCSSC tee shirt for each game.
2. Permitted Alterations. Players may add their names, numbers, and other similar personal information to their tee shirts. Players may also add depictions of the American flag. Players'additions may not cover the RCSSC or sponsor logo.
3. Excluded Alterations. Players may not add any corporate information to their tee shirts, including website addresses and company names. Players may not include any offensive material on their tee shirts. Commissioner has the exclusive right to determine whether addition are offensive.
4. Penalty. Players who do not wear the official RCSSC tee shirt will be sidelined for that game. Players who are caught exchanging shirts will also be sidelined, and if the players are not listed on the team roster the team will forfeit the game and must pay a fine. Teams with players who violate alteration guidelines must purchase new RCSSC shirts ($15/shirt), and the team will forfeit all games until it has paid for the new shirts.
RULE 2: MATCH AND FORFEITS
Section 1. Fields
1. Field Location.All games will beplayed at SCOR—Sports Center of Richmond or RVC—Richmond Volleyball Club (Westmorland St location).
Dimensions: court 34ft x 60ft. ½ court 30ft w/ attack line 10ft from centerline.
2. Fields. The playing field shall be marked with sidelines (yellow), end-lines (red) and a centerline (white) with a hash mark marking the center. All errand balls leaving the field must be retrieved equally by both teams to avoid delays in the game.
Section 2. Match
1.Match Time. All matches will last 45 minutes. Each game will have a 5-minute limit.
2. Games. The game shall be played between 2 teams of 10 players each, with 6 males and 4 females.
a. Game time is defined as the scheduled start time.
b. If a team does not have the minimum number of players by game time, they must still start the game.
c. If the minimum number of players do not show up 10 minutes after game time, a forfeit will be called. SEE forfeit fine.
3. Game Regulation.The first team to eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner of that game. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of regulation, the team with the greater number of remaining players will be declared the winner. If an equal number of players remain after regulation play, the game will be called a tie.
4. Start of game. Home team is listed first on the schedule. Home team will start the game on the bleacher side. Substitutions from each team will line up on opposite sidelines to help retrieve errand dogdeballs. All games must start on time, no exceptions.
a. Prior to starting a game, an equal number of dodgeballs are place along the center line
b. A standard game consists of 8 balls, 4 on each side of the hash mark.
c. Players then take a position behind their end line.
d. A RCSSC Official will blow a whistle to start the game.
e. Teams may approach the center line to retrieve the balls.
f. Teams may only retrieve balls placed to the RIGHT (as they face the center line) of the centerhash mark.
g. Balls become live only after they have reached behind the attack line (dotted line 10ft).
h. If balls remain on the center line after a team has retrieved and moved their balls beyond the attack line, those balls may be retrieved by either team.
i. A False Start will be called if players cross their end line prior to the official's signal to start the game.
j. Penalty--play will be stopped and one ball from offending team's sidewill be moved to opponent's side of hash mark. Repeat for each infraction.
5. Ball. Standard 8 inch NADA Dodgeballs.
A standard game consists of 8 balls, 4 on each side of the hash mark. Balls are provided by RCSSC.
NO excessive Squeezing of ball for purpose of throwing. (the raisin look)
Section 3. The Clock
1. Clock. All dogeball matches will have a 45-minute time limit. The arena's clock will be the official match clock.
2. 5 minutes. Game time will be kept by a RCSSC Official.
Section 4. Officials
1. Officials. The River City Sports & Social will provide TWO officials at each field.
a. Rules will be enforced primarily by the "honor system."
b. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or whether they were legally eliminated.
c. The Officials responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. They are there to Monitor the games not make calls.
Section 5. The Dodgers
1. Dodgers. The maximum numbers of players on the field is 10 (6 men, 4women) minimum number of players is 6 (4 men, 2 women). There are no limits to the number of females allowed on the field at one time. However, there cannot be more than 6 men on the field under any circumstance.
2. Substitutions. Substitutions can only be made at the end of the game, or in the case of injury. Teams may not substitute male for female. Players may enter the game at any time if they are running late. (If team started short on players)
Section 6. Play
1. Start the Play. All balls retrieved at the opening rush must first betaken behind the attack line before it may be legally thrown at opponent. Players must start from behind the end line.
a. Following the opening whistle, a player rushes and is the first to secure a ball from the center line.
b. That player must then carry or pass the ball back to the attack line before it may be legally thrown at an opponent.
c. Once the balls have reached the attack line it may be thrown from anywhere on the field, short of center.
2. Scoring. TWO points will be awarded to the winning team of each game. ONE point will be awarded to each team if the game ends in a tie. At the end of 45 minute time limit, the team with the most game points will be declared the MATCH winner. If a game is in progress when time expires, RCSSC officials will count the remaining numberof players left on the field from each team. The team with the most players left will be declared that games winner.
3. Boundaries. During a game, all players must remain within boundary lines.
a. Players may pass through their end line only to retrieve stray balls.
b. You must also immediately re-enter the playing field only throughyour end line.
c. A player not immediately re-entering the playing area will be declared OUT.
d. A player may be handed a ball from out of bounds.
e. The player receiving the ball must remain completely within their team's field boundaries.
Section 7. Forfeits
1. Avoiding Forfeit. If a team contacts the Commissioner by 5:00pm Thursday, a forfeit fine will not be assessed, since the Commissioner will have sufficient time to notify the opposing team of the forfeit. Email forfeits to rivercityssc@aol.com .
2. Minimum Players. If a team does not have the minimum number of players (6: 4 men, 2 women) by game time, they must still start the game. If the minimum number of players do not show up 5 minutes after game time, a forfeit will be called. A $50 forfeit fine will be assessed.
3. Fine. The forfeit fine will be contributed to the forfeiting team's opponent's bar tab the following week. The fine recipient must use the tab the following week of their game: the fine will not be carried over.
Section 8. Play Offs & Overtime
1. Time. Game time length 30 minutes.
2. Overtime. Play offs ONLY
OVERTIME( PLAY-OFFS ONLY ):
3. First overtime period. A play-off overtime game will begin with a minimum of three (3) players from each team.
a. If less than three players were standing at the end of regulation, players must be added.
b. Play starts with each team holding (3) balls in hand and standing at their end line. You must wait for the official to signal the start.
c.The first team to eliminate any ONE opposing player will be declared the winner.
d. After 2 minutes, if no players have been eliminated, an additional player from each team will be added every minute afterwards. Until someone is eliminated.
RULE 3: LIVE BALL, OUTS & PENALTIES
Section 1. Live Ball
1. Live. A thrown ball that strikes or is caught by an opposing player before:
a. contacting the ground.
b. contacting another ball. (grounded ball or ball in player A's hand) Exception: The ball is still live to player A and player A only. If player A catches the ball, the thrower is out. If the ball hits player A (after hitting the ballplayer A is holding) and then hits the ground or any other object, including another player, player A is out.
c. contacting an official or sidelined player.
d. contacting other objects. i.e. Wall, net, etc.
2. Block. A player may block a thrown ball with a ball in hand.
a. If ball in hand is dropped as a result of the contact with thrown ball, then that person with whom had the dropped ball is out.
b. A LIVE ball deflecting off a held ball is a LIVE ball ONLY to PlayerA.
c. A LIVE ball deflecting off Player "A" remains LIVE and canbe legally caught by "A" prior to any contact stated above in rule "1."
3. Buzzer. All LIVE balls in flight when the game ending buzzer sounds, remain LIVE, and may eliminate an opponent.
Section 2. Outs
1. Object. The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them OUT. An OUT is scored by:
a. Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball below the shoulders.
NOTE: If a player ducks or takes a position with their head below where their shoulders would normally be when standing, the player is out and the throw is considered legal.
b. Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent.
c. Causing an opponent to drop a held ball as a result of contact by a thrown LIVE ball.
d. An opposing player stepping out o bounds.
e. Once a player is OUT, they must immediately drop any balls in hand and exit the playing field at the nearest sideline. Raise hand to let opposing team know you are out.
f. If an OUT player intentionally contacts a live ball before exiting the playing field, opponents will be awarded a free throw.
g. Throwing ball across the center line from the start prior to ball and player both returning behind the attack line. Exception, ball may be thrown to another player (same team) who is behind the attack line.
h. Picking up wrong set of balls during the start of each game. Teams pick up balls from the right side of the hash only.
2. Boundary Penalties: Player will be declared out.
a. Have any part of their body contact the playing surface on or over a sideline.
b. Exit or re-enter the field through their sideline.
c. Leave the playing field (sideline or end-line) to avoid being hit by, or attempt to catch a ball.
d. Have any part of their body cross over the center line and contact the ground on their opponents' side of the field.
e. Many players will cross the center line during the "opening rush." Officials should refrain from calling players OUT at this time unless a definite advantage is gained by the action.
Section 3. Stalling
Stalling. Stalling is not allowed. It is illegal for the either team to control all the balls for more than five (5) seconds or hold any ball more than 15 seconds.
5 seconds. A 5 second call will be made if either team controls the balls. If all balls are located on one side of the center line—that team must make a legitimate effort to get at least two balls across the attack line and into the opponent's backfield.
If this is not done within 5 seconds, a 5 second violation will be called.
A team may avoid a 5 second violation by getting 2 balls into the opponent's backfield.
First time offense: Game will be stopped; balls will be divided evenly between the teams, Play will continue with balls in hand.
Second time offense: (same 5 min game) one free unobstructed throw will be rewarded to the opposing team. This throw cannot be caught for an out.
Third time offense: (same 5 min game) Ejection of one (1) player from offending team.
15 Second hold. No player may hold a ball longer than 15 Seconds for the purpose of stalling. This rule will be determined and called by RCSSC Staff as they see fit. No stalling to get to the last minute of the game, especially from the start of the game. If this is called, the penalized team will lose all but 2 of their balls to the other team. Game will stop and the balls will be given to the other team, then play will resume. A ball may be held longer for use as a shield within reason. EX. You are the last one standing and the other team has 7 balls in their possession, ready to be thrown at you
Section 4. Ejections
1. Illegal Conduct. Officials can/will sit player(s) who displayunsportsmanlike conduct during the game. That player(s) willstand on the sidelines and cannot be replaced with another player. (Read below for types of illegal conduct)
RULE 4: FORFEITS AND FINES
1. Forfeit fines. If a team does not have the minimum number of players by 10 minutes after game time, a $50 forfeit fine will be assessed.
2. Time of Payment and use. All fines must be paid before the team's next scheduled game. Teams that receive a forfeit fine must use it the following week of their game or lose it. (No carryover).
3. Failure to Pay. Teams that fail to pay an assessed fine before the subsequent week's game will have two points subtracted from their win total. After the second week, the fine will double.
4. Ejection. After three weeks of nonpayment, the Commissioner may eject the team from the league.
RULE 5: SPORTSMANSHIP
1. Social Aspect of League. Teams should patronize the sponsor bar after its game. The league's focus is on being social, not winning or losing.
2. Unsportsmanlike Conduct. Any RCSSC member that does not conduct himself or herself, whether on or off the field, in a manner that demonstrates courtesy and respect for his/her own teammates and other teams will be removed from the league.
RCSSC staff will keep a record of all players and/or teams who engage in unsportsmanlike conduct.
3. Types of Illegal Conduct. Unsportsmanlike conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a. Unsportsman like conduct.
b. Arguing with the officials or other players.
c. Abusive or insulting language to a player or referee.
d. Throwing the ball at another player in an unsportsman like manner.
e. Hits above the shoulders or with intent to harm.
f. Abuse of the "honor system."
g. IF ejected, you cannot play at the following week's game.
4. Player Penalties. Players who engage in two offenses will be suspended from the league and be ineligible to participate in any RCSSC sports for one year.
5. Team Penalties. Teams who engage in two offenses will be ineligibleto participate in any RCSSC sports for one year.
6. Fighting. Fighting will result in a player's or a team's permanent suspension from participation in the RCSSC.
RULE 6: Other
NO GLASS containers!
NO Gum!
NO Beer on Courts!
PLEASE police yourself.
Coaches are responsible for controlling their team. We are all adults. Enough said.
The RCSSC officials have final ruling.
RiverCity Sports & Social Club, LLC (c) 2004-2011