Dallas Dodgeball League Rules
(Draft League Rules Are Listed Below)
Uniforms: Teams should wear uniforms. Uniforms do not require names or numbers. Fun costumes are highly encouraged. (Uniforms/costumes are not required.)
Each team starts with 7 players on the court. A team must have at least five players in order not to forfeit the game.
Players must be 18 years old or older, though waivers are available to those under 18 deemed competitive by the commissioner.
The object of the game is to eliminate all players on the opposing team.
No time-outs, except for injury timeouts called by the ref.
Format
Each team plays 12 regular season dodgeball sets over six weeks (each team plays two 22-minute sets per night). Teams play as many games as possible during the 22-minute sets.
Week 7 is a championship tournament (all teams qualify). Seeding in the tournament is based on wins/losses in the regular season. To play in the tournament, players must have played in at least two games (for that team) in the regular season.
Starting the Game
Games begin at the scheduled time (for example 7:10). If games begin late, games still end at scheduled time (for example 7:32).
Six balls are placed on the middle line, three on each side of the court. One of the six balls is a burden ball (yellow). That ball is placed on the right side with the two other balls for that side (the right side when viewing the courts from the entrance side.)
The referee will start the game either with a whistle or with the words “on your mark, get set, dodgeball.” Players rush for the three balls on their right side of the court. (They do not rush for the three balls on their left side of the court.) After retreiving the balls, the balls must be checked back to the attack line to be actively thrown. (The balls can still be used for blocking prior to being checked back.)
Getting Out
Balls are considered live until they hit the ground, ceiling, basketball goals or side walls.
You are out if you get hit with a thrown ball before that ball touches the ground, ceiling, etc.
You are out if you throw a ball and a member of the opposing team catches that ball before that ball touches the ground, ceiling, etc.
You are out if you drop a ball to the ground while attempting to block a ball.
You are out if you block a thrown ball with a ball but the thrown ball still hits your body before it hits the ground.
You are out if you cross the middle line.
A catch that is made as the catcher is struck by another live ball is a valid catch and the thrower is out. The catcher is still out by contact from the other ball(s).
You are out if you are out of bounds. A player is out of bounds when the player’s entire body is outside the lines of the court. To be in bounds, some part of your body must be touching the playing court.
NEW: You are out if you touch a wall.
Examples
A ball hits three players before hitting the ground. All three players are out.
A ball hits three players but a player catches the thrown ball before it hits the ground. The three players are not out. The person who threw the ball is out.
A ball is deflected from a blocking ball and caught before it hits the ground. The player who threw the ball is out.
A ball is deflected into a player. The player the deflected ball hit is out.
A ball strikes a player and is popped up and is still in the field of play. The struck player catches another ball before that popped up ball hits the ground. The catch still counts as an out.
General Rules
If a player catches a ball and gets an opponent out, then an out player can return to the game (first one out, first one back in.) If no players are out then no one can return to the game (outs are not saved or accumulated.) Only players that start the game are eligible to return to play during that game.
Out players must leave the court immediately and not interfere with further play by blocking thrown balls, loose balls, etc.
A trapped ball (a ball that hits a player and the floor at the same time) is considered an out.
Fingers are considered a part of the ball for purposes of blocking. A ball striking a blocking player’s fingers will not eliminate that player. If the ball strikes the player’s hand while blocking, the blocking player is eliminated. The knuckle (where the fingers join the hand) marks the beginning of the “hand” for purposes of this rule.
Time Rule: If play stalls, the referee will initiate a five-second countdown. The team with the most balls (ball count) must throw a ball within the five-second countdown. If both teams have the same amount of balls then the team with the yellow (burden) ball must throw at least one ball by the end of the five-second countdown. If a player or players do not throw a ball within the five seconds, then all balls in the offending team’s possession are forfeited to the other team.
If a game stalls due to balls near the center of the line being inaccessible to players without those players potentially getting out, then a referee will redistribute those balls equally among both teams, or if odd number of balls, then one ball is placed on center of center line.
NEW: Once a game is 1 vs 1 there is no blocking with a ball. A player who blocks a thrown ball will be called out.
Retrieving balls that leave the court: Eliminated players and spectators are encouraged to return balls that leave the court. Players may not leave the court to retrieve balls. Players that leave the court for any reason are ruled out.
Players are encouraged to be honest and fair, and to play with good sportsmanship. If out, a player is encouraged to go out even if not called out by a ref.
New games are not started if there are less than 45 seconds on the game clock.
Headshots
Headshots are discouraged but DO count as an out. Players are encouraged not to hit ladies in the head. Headshots on guys are considered funny.
Substitutions
Once a game begins there are no substitutions, even in the case of injury.
If a team does not have enough players to begin a game (less than five players from the roster), then substitutions from other non-scheduled teams (during that time slot) are allowed if both team captains approve. If one or both team captains do not approve then the team without enough players forfeits that match and the games are recorded 7-0 and 0-7 for the respective teams. Team captains are urged to seek approval from other team captains prior to the evening of the games if possible. Team captains should notify the referee on whether the game will be official or a forfeit and a notation should be made on the record-keeping schedule. If a forfeit, matches are still encouraged to be played with “pick up” players for the enjoyment of all.
Subs may play for more than one team per night (pending any applicable approvals).
Suggestion: Subs should be of comparable skill level to the person they are replacing in order to facilitate approval from the opposing team captain.
Teams may also use substitute players who are not on any other team rosters (pending approval). The substitute player must pay a $6 fee at the front desk of the Walnut Hill Rec Center. Team captains are urged to seek prior approval from other team captains for approval of subs from outside of the league to avoid confusion or delay at game time.
Players may not switch teams during the season without approval of both team captains and the Commissioner of Dallas Dodgeball.
Record Keeping
Wins and losses are recorded for each set. If a game is not finished at the end of scheduled time, then the team with the most players live on the court wins that game, or if same number of players then that game is a tie.
Penalties
Penalties are enforced to protect players and the integrity of games.
Suicide plays (where a player jumps over the middle line to throw a ball) are not allowed. A suicide play will result in an immediate out of the player and no results of the play can benefit the player’s team. A person committing a suicide play will not be eligible to play in the next game, and a second suicide play by a player will result in the player’s suspension for the rest of the night and also all games of the next league night.
Crumpling or pinching of balls is not allowed. A firm grip that results in a slight depression in the ball is allowed. Players that crumple or pinch balls will be ruled out. A second infraction of this rule will result in the player’s suspension for the rest of the night and repeated infractions may result in the suspension of the player from the league.
Players that curse at and/or demean other players and refs in a derogatory or mean manner will be called out and will not be eligible to play in the next game. A second incident will result in the player’s suspension (and removal) for the rest of the night and also all games of the next league night.
Unnecessary roughness will not be tolerated. This rule is specifically designed to protect female players from egregious and unnecessary throws to the face. Headshots, as stated above, are legal, but headshots intentionally thrown at near range into the face (or upper body) of a female player will result in the immediate out of the throwing player. A person committing unnecessary roughness will not be eligible to play in the next game, and a second offense by a player will result in the player’s suspension for the rest of the night and also all games of the next league night. Near-range headshots on males are strongly discouraged.
Interfering with play. A player who has been called out must leave the court immediately and not intentionally interfere with ongoing play to include blocking balls, diverting balls, kicking balls, approaching opposing players and the like. If a player intentionally interferes with play, then all balls on that player’s side will be forfeited to the other team and the player will not be eligible to play in the next game. A second infraction will result in the player’s suspension for the rest of the night and also all games of the next league night.
Draft League Rules
If the league is a draft league (where players are drafted) all above rules apply except for the following addendums:
Draft
Captains will draw numbers for draft order.
The draft will be in “snake” format (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,1,2,3…)
A supplementary draft may be held after the regular draft prior to Week 2.
Format
Each team plays 12 regular season dodgeball sets over six weeks (each team plays two 22-minute sets per night). Teams play as many games as possible during the 22-minute sets.
Week 7 is a championship tournament (all teams qualify). Seeding in the tournament is based on wins/losses in the regular season.
Teams start with seven players on the court. A minimum of five players is required to start.
Gender Requirements
There are no gender (male/female) requirements to start a game.
Guaranteed Play
If a team has more players in attendance than the maximum allowed number of players for a game:
A player may not sit out more than one consecutive game.
All players must be given equal playing time. Captains are responsible for ensuring all players receive equal playing time. (For example, team captains can number players from 1-10 so that a player with a certain number can sit out to the corresponding-numbered game.)
Players who do not receive equal playing time are encouraged to contact the Commissioner of Dodgeball Tom Wakefield.