Dodgeball

Objective

• To win a game, a team must eliminate all 6 opposing players from the court.
• Matches will consist of as many games that can be played in the 55 minute time period.  Each game won will count for one point.  If a game is still being played when time expires, the team with the most live players on the court at the time will win the game.  Ties are allowed during the regular season.
• We encourage, although not required, a final ‘all-in’ game that does not count towards games won.  This is a fun game to end your match with all players on the court at the same time.  In this game, players are not allowed to come back in if a teammate catches a ball.  Once a player is eliminated, they are out of the game.

Game Length

• Games are 55 minutes in length with a 5 minute stop for halftime.
• Games start and end according to your online SSC schedule. 
• If games start late, games must finish at the scheduled time (e.g. 6:15pm-6:55pm).

Equipment (mandatory)

• Teams are required to bring two dodgeballs (8-inch) to every game.
• Dodgeballs are available to rent through SSC.  A $75 refundable deposit is required, payable through online registration.  Equipment is provided for the All-Sorts-of-Sports League.
• Players are not allowed to play with gloves, bare hands only.  Wraps or single-sided tape for supporting recovering injuries are acceptable, however cannot be performance enhancing.

Players on Court, Gender Ratio and Defaults

• Teams are comprised of 6 players.
• Teams must play with a minimum of 2 males and 2 females on the court at all times.
• A team can play with a minimum of 4 people, as long as 2 of the players are male and 2 are female. 
• Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum players and gender ratio before the game starts.

Game Set-Up

• To start the game, each team stands at their respective back wall with two dodgeballs each.
• Four dodgeballs will be used simultaneously for each game. 
• Teams start the match by shouting, "Ready, Set, Dodgeball".
• Once play has started, players must remain on their own side of half. 
• Eliminated/substitute players should stand/sit on the side of the court out of the way of play as much as possible. A bench area should be defined and then considered out of bounds. Live players may only enter this area to retrieve balls.
• Sidelines – If the gym/court requires the use of a sideline (a wall is not present) to determine the width and/or length of the playing space, the following rules apply;
  • All sidelines must be confirmed by both team captains prior to the start of the game.
  • Players cannot touch or cross a sideline (similar to the centre line), unless they are attempting to retrieve a ball and bring it back into the playing space.   
  • If a player is not retrieving a ball and any part of a player touches the sideline or past the line, that player is out.
  • If a player is retrieving a ball, they must return back to the game playing space immediately or that player is out.
  • If a player is retrieving a ball past the sideline, they are still considered ‘live’ and can be hit by a thrown ball and can also catch a thrown ball, etc.
  • Teammates who are not playing in the current game (or have been previously eliminated), should help retrieve balls and place them back into the playing space at the location they went out.
• Teams should switch sides at the half-way point of the match.

General Game Rules

• The 6 players that start each game are the only players that can play during that particular game (i.e. for that point). Teams can alter their roster for each game as long as gender requirements are met.  Injured players can be substituted midway during a game if necessary (keeping gender ratio).
• It is the responsibility of all players to make a fair and honest call as to whether or not they were hit. If a player/team accuses another player of being out, it is up to the player in question to decide whether they were hit or not.  Clothing is considered a part of your body if hit by a ball.
• Players cannot remain static in areas that conceal or partially conceal their body, e.g. door entrance ways. 
• Defensive players cannot lie down, kneel or crouch before a ball is thrown.
• Players cannot kick the ball at an opponent.
• It is considered unsportsmanlike to squeeze the dodgeballs before throwing them.
• When 2 players remain on the court (1 from each team), the timekeeper should announce the two players have "one-minute" to eliminate each other. After the one-minute has expired, if the game has not yet ended, each team will return one player to the court (again, each team must abide by their order of returning players).

Player Elimination and Player Addition

• To eliminate an opposing player, a ‘live’ ball must hit the player from the shoulders downwards. An opponent that is hit in the head is NOT eliminated but the thrower of the head ball IS eliminated.
• If a player is hit in the head at any time and in any position, the thrower is out.  Players cannot purposely use their head to block a ball.
• Once a player has been hit with a ball and is out, they must raise their hand while exiting the floor. This way opponents will not intentionally strike again.  Any ball that hits an ‘out’ player as they are heading off the court is a dead ball.  Please leave the court quickly.
• A ball is considered ‘dead’ as soon as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling or any other obstacles around the court (e.g. basketball hoops, etc). A player is not eliminated after being hit by a dead ball. All other balls are considered ‘live’.
• If a thrown ball hits an opponent and comes back across the centre line, the ball is considered to be dead and only the person who is hit is out.
• If a player catches a ‘live’ ball the thrower is out.  In addition, the team that caught the ball can return a previously eliminated player to the court. The player that returns to the game must be the first player who was ruled ‘out’ during that particular game (and the order of returning players should be maintained - e.g. the third player to be eliminated will be the third player to return to the court). This player is considered a live player as soon as the ball is caught.  It is recommended players line-up in order of elimination on the bench. 
• If a ‘live’ ball hits a player then rebounds and hits another player on the court and the ball hits the ground or wall, both players are out. If the ball rebounds off a player and another player catches it (as a continuous action without touching the ground) the thrower is out and the player who had the ball rebound off them is safe.
• Players cannot cross the center line.  Players may lean over the half line to retrieve a ball, but the player cannot touch the middle line or any part of their opponents half of the court. If any part of a player touches the line or other half, that person is out.  If a ball is thrown by a player who steps on and/or over the line, the ball is considered dead and cannot eliminate an opponent.
• Players cannot jump from their own side of half and land on their opponent's side in the attempt of getting an opponent out. Only the thrower is out in this scenario.  This is also known as the kamikaze rule.

Ball Possession

• Players cannot be in possession of a ball longer than 10 seconds. This rule applies as soon as a player touches a ball (excluding stopping the ball with a player’s foot).  Therefore, if a player puts the ball down on the ground or passes it to another teammate, the ball needs to be thrown within 10 seconds.  If a ball is not thrown within the 10 second window, the opposing team receives the ball.
• Teams should not stockpiling the balls on their own side of the court if it causes players to be in possession of a ball for longer than 10 seconds. If all 4 balls are on one side of the court, the remaining players need to throw at least one ball within 10 seconds. Please abide by this rule as it will speed up the pace of play.
• Players can only be in possession of 1 ball at any given time. If a players catches a 2nd ball, then the thrower is not out and the catcher must immediately drop the 2nd ball.  As well, the team whose player caught the 2nd ball is not allowed to bring a player back onto the court.  This is considered a neutral play – no player is out.
• A player holding a ball can use it to deflect/block another ball thrown at them by an opponent. However, if the ball being held is dropped due to the 2nd ball, the person who dropped the ball is out. A deflected ball is still considered ‘live’ until it hits the ground. If it hits another player before hitting the ground, the hit player is out.
• If a player has caught a ball, deflects a thrown ball, places current ball down, and catches new ball, the thrower is out and the player is safe.

Playoffs

• A game can end in a tie during the regular season. 
• Playoff games should only be 50 minutes in length in anticipation of needing the extra time to settle a tie. 
• In the playoffs, a game that is tied at the end of regulation time is decided by one final game.
• Team playoff position:  Ties in the standings will be broken first by head-to-head play. If there are more than 2 teams that are tied, all the teams must have played each other in order for the results to go to head-to-head. Otherwise, least points against, then +/-, then most points for will determine the placement in that order.
• The SSC office will update the playoff schedule once all scores have been submitted and after the last regular season game.  Please do not assume the time/location of your playoff game until team names have been posted into the schedule.