RULES:
(updated 04/29/06)

REQUIRED WAIVER

1. TEAM FEES:
All team fees need to be paid in order to play. Your team will not be scheduled into the tournament until your fees have been paid.

2. PLAY AREA:
The "Center Line" divides the court and a player may not step on the center line or touch any part of the opposing team's court. They may reach over to retrieve a ball. All non-eliminated players must remain within the court area during play.

3. EQUIPMENT:
Two 8.5" rubber dodgeballs are used.

4. TEAMS:
A full team consists of up to 8 players, age 14 or older with no gender requirements. Only 6 can be on the court at any time. Extra players will rotate in on ball catches, from the side line if there are less than 6 players on the court. You may start with less than 6 players, but will be disadvantaged. A minimum team size is 3. A player may play for only 1 team during a tournament.

5. TIME/RESULTS:
a) Game Time: Fifteen minutes is allotted per match. A round is won by eliminating all of the opposing players. The two teams will play as many rounds in the time allotment as possible. The team with the most winning rounds wins the match.
b) Over Time: If time is called during a round, the round goes into overtime. Overtime is played with single elimination rules not allowing eliminated players to return onto the court.
c) Tie-Breaker: In case of a tie-breaker, the game will then be played with single elimination rules not allowing eliminated players to return onto the court.
d) Time-Outs: Each team will be allowed one 30 second timeout per match.

6. PLAY:
a) Start: To start the game each team lines up behind their end-line. The 2 dodgeballs are placed on the center line. At the whistle blow the teams can advance on the balls to retrieve them and begin game play.
b) Hits: If a player is hit by a "fly ball", before it hits the floor or wall and after being thrown by a player on the opposing team, that player is out. A ball rebounding off a wall, ceiling, or player does not eliminate a player. A thrown ball can not eliminate more than one "hit" player.
c) Catches: If a player catches a "fly ball", the thrower is out. ALSO: The "catcher's" team returns an eliminated player to their team. Players come back into the game in the order they were eliminated. A ball rebounding off a "catch" attempt may be caught before touching the floor/wall by any in-bounds player on the "hit" player's team. Result: the thrower is out, the player who missed the catch is still in, and an eliminated player is returned to their team.
d) Deflecting: A ball deflected by a held ball, whether caught or not, does not result in player elimination, unless the held ball is dropped. The deflected ball becomes a "fly ball" and can eliminate a teammate or be caught.
e) Out-of-Bounds: Catching a ball out-of-bounds does not count. If a fly ball is deflected off one player and he/she or a teammate catches it out-or-bounds, the first player is still out because the catch does not count. Anything caught or thrown or being hit outside of the boundaries of the court does not count. Audience members may return dodgeballs to any team of their choosing.
f) Holding: A team can not possess all of the dodgeballs for more than 5 seconds. If the ref counts down from 5 to 1 and a ball is not thrown, the ref can choose to eliminate a player to the side lines for rotating back in.

7. SAFETY:
a) Head Shots: A player who is hit in the head (if they did not duck) is not out. The thrower is out. If the player hit in the head did duck, there is no consequence to the thrower.
b) Ref Shots: A player who intentionally hits a ref with the ball is out and the ball is dead.
b) Kicking: A player may not kick the dodgeball.

8. AREA OF ELIMINATED PLAYERS:
a) Eliminated players on each court will form single file lines on their side of the court. Keep in order of being eliminated with the first person eliminated standing by the center line at least 2 feet off the sideline. Re-enter on a "caught" ball in the same order eliminated.
b) Eliminated players may throw an out of bounds ball back to their team; they may not throw a ball at the other team or hold onto a ball.

9. REFS:
a) There will be 3 refs on the field during play. One on each side calling plays and one line ref.
b) If an argument on a play occurs, the time clock will be stopped and the refs will discuss the play with both captains, other players will be asked to stand back until the play is called. Captains must be able to control their teams. If a teammate is out of line he will be removed from the game or the team will be forced to forfeit. All ref calls are final.