DODGE-A-BALL-A OFFICIAL RULES

Rule 1 Players, Field, & Equipment
Section 1: Team
Art. 1 Teams will be made up of 4-6 players. A minimum of 4 players (5 if one is a female) will compete on a side; others will be available as substitutions.
Art. 2. Substitutes may enter the game only during timeouts, or in the case of injury. A sub may not be a player that has been put out.

Section 2: Field Dimensions and Markings
Art. 1. The playing court shall be marked with sidelines, end lines, and attack lines.

Section 3: Boundaries
Art. 1 During play, all players must remain in boundary lines.
Art. 2 Players may pass through their end line only to retrieve stray balls. Stray balls are ones that have not been picked up and are lying on the ground.
Art. 3 When retrieving a ball, the player must also immediately re-enter the playing field only through their end line.
Note: A player not immediately re-entering the playing area may be declared out.
Art. 4 A player may be handed a ball, provided the player receiving the ball remains completely within their team's field boundaries. Players may be handed a ball while standing out of bounds.
Art. 5 A player shall not:
A. Have any part of their body in contact outside the playing surface or over sideline.
B. Leave the playing field to avoid being hit.
D. Have any part of their body cross the centerline and contact ground on their opponents' side of the court.
Note: A player may, without penalty, step on the centerline.
Penalty: Player will be declared out.
Exception: During the opening rush many players cross the centerline. Officials should refrain from calling players at this unless a definite advantage is gained by the action.

Rule 2 Game Play
Section 1: The Game
Matches will begin with the flip of a coin.
Art. 1 The team winning the coin flip will have a choice of sides to begin the match.
Art.2 Teams will alternate sides after each game.
Art.3 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, and this clearly is the cause for the player being hit above the shoulders, the player is out and the throw is legal.
B. Catching a live ball thrown by your opponent.

Note: A live ball is a thrown ball that has not touched the ground.
C. Causing an opponent to drop a live ball as a result of contact by another thrown live ball. (Usually occurs when a ball is being used to block a thrown ball.
D. An opposing player stepping out of bounds with momentum carrying a caught ball. Both thrower and catcher are out.
Art. 4 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.
Art. 5 Players can defend themselves by blocking the ball in flight with another ball but must retain control over the ball they are blocking with. A player dropping or losing possession of the blocking ball is deemed "out."

Any blocked ball rebounding off another ball is considered live. Any player hit by the rebounding ball is deemed "out."

Section 2: Timing, Time-outs, & substitutions
Art. 1 A 5-minute time limit has been established for each game.
Art. 2 Each team will be allowed one-60 second time out per game.
Art. 3 Only the court Official’s whistle starts and stops the clock.
Art. 4 All players are in jeopardy until the Court Official recognizes and signals, the beginning of a time out or end of regulation time.
Art. 5 During time outs, teams may substitute players. Substitutes may be players who did not start the game.

Section 3: Beginning the Game
Art. 1 Prior to beginning a game, an equal number of dodgeballs are placed along the centerline.
Art. 2 Players then take a position behind their end line.
Art. 3 Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the centerlines to retrieve the balls.

Section 4: Opening Rush Rule
Art. 1 Each and 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.
Example: Following the opening whistle, a player rushes and is the first to secure a ball from the centerline. That player must then carry or pass the ball into their backcourt before it may be legally thrown at an opponent.

Section 5: Declaring a Winner
Art. 1 The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner.
Art. 2 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.
Art. 3 In all overtime periods, the first team to legally eliminate any one opponent will be declared the winner.

Overtime
Art. 1 If an equal number of players remains after regulation play.
Art. 2 All overtime periods will begin with an equal number of "balls in hand" behind a team’s end line. The first team to eliminate any one opposing player will be declared the winner.
Art. 4 No time outs allowed during over time.
Art. 5 Substitutions may be made prior to the start of any overtime period.
Art. 6 Overtime will be played with four players on the court or 5 if one is a female.

Section 7: Stalling and 5-second violation
The following procedure will be used to prevent overtime.
Art. 1 A team trailing during a regulation game must be given the opportunity to eliminate an opposing player. This requires a ball to be at the disposal of the trailing team.
Art. 2 It is illegal for the leading team to control all the balls for more than 5 seconds. If the leading team controls all of the balls they must make a legitimate effort to get at least one ball across the attack line and into the opponent's backcourt. If this is not done within 5 sec., a 5 sec. Violation will be called. A team may avoid a 5 sec violation by throwing or rolling a ball into the opponent's backcourt. This does throwing the ball over and through an opponent’s end line.
Note: Only a court monitor or official may call a 5 sec violation.
Penalty for 5 sec. Violation:
First & Second Violation: Stoppage of play and the balls will be divided evenly between the teams. Play will continue with "Balls in hand."
Third violation: Ejection of one player from the offending team.

Rule 3 Officials and Their Duties
Section 1 Officials
Art. 1 All contests will be supervised by an Official.
Art. 2 Rules will be forced primarily by the honor system. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or they were legally eliminated.
Exception: During tournament play, All semi final and final round matches will be officiated by no less than 3 Officials. These officials will rule in all situations.
Art. 3 The Court Official's responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. A team may appeal to the Court Official if they feel a player has violated any rule. THE COURT OFFICIAL'S DECISION IS FINAL
Art. 4 Court Monitors may warn players and call technical follows on those who display unsportsmanlike conduct. Any players receiving 2 technical fouls in a game will be ejected and suspended a minimum of one game. Suspensions will begin with their next scheduled game. Severe infractions or multiple technicals may result in suspensions from matches or tournaments.
Note: A Court Official in not required to warn a player before calling a technical foul.

Section 2 Unsportsmanlike conduct
It may include, but is limited to:
1. 1. Foul language
2. 2. Hits above the shoulders
3. 3. Unnecessary roughness
4. 4. Arguing with officials, staff, participants, or fans
5. 5. Abuse of the honor system

Rule 4 Tournament Format and Tie Breakers
Pool play - match play
Art.1 Matches will be decided using a best of 3 format in which the first team to win 2 games will be declared the winner of the game.
Art. 2 During pool play, or round robin play, all games will be played, regardless of the results of the first two games.
Art. 3 The format used to determine a champion in a particular division will be decided by tournament officials, based on the number of teams registered.

Section 2 Scoring
Art. 1 A+/- score will be assigned to each game based on the number of team members left standing at the end of the game.
If team A eliminates team B and still has three players left standing, team A receives a game win and +3 rating and team B receives a game loss and -3 rating. Any team winning an overtime game receives a +1 rating. Losers of an OT game will receive a -1 rating.

Section 3 Tie Breakers Situations
In the case of teams finishing pool play with identical win loss match records, the following tie breaker procedures will be used:
Step 1: Head to head match record between tied teams
Step 2: Games win loss record between tied teams
Step 3: Total +- rating between tied teams.
Step 4: One game playoff sudden death

Code of Conduct
1. Understand, appreciate and abide by the rules of the game and the honor system.
2. Respect the integrity and judgments of game officials
3. Respect your opponent and congratulate them in a courteous manner following each match, whether in victory or defeat.
4. Be responsible for your actions and maintain self-control.
5. Do not taunt or bait opponents. Refrain from using foul or abusive language.