Dodgeball League Rules

Court

The official dimensions for the dodgeball court in The Hitting Zone Dodgeball League will be as follows:

• Court divided into two 25’ x 30’ areas with a 4’ x 30’ neutral zone located at center court separating the two sides.
• Out-of-Bounds line of approximately 3’ will surround the court with an endline at the back of each side.
• The queue area will be designated by a 3’ x 10’ box for players deemed “out” of the action.

Equipment

• Six (6) regulation size dodgeballs will be used in play.
• Helmets are not required but may be worn if a player desires.
• Knee pads are not required but may be worn if a player desires.

Players

• Teams consist of six players with rosters size up to eight players.
• Substitutions may be made prior to the start of the game. No substitutions can be made during a game, except in cases of injury.

Retrievers

• Retrievers are players “out” or those designated to retrieve any ball that goes out of play. Teams are responsible for designating to the Referee which player is the retriever if there are no players “out”. There will only be one (1) player designated as retriever should all players be “in” action.
• Retrievers must remain out of bounds at all times while “out” of the action.
• Retrievers are only allowed to field balls from their side of the court.

Matches

A regulation match is played in a best-of-five format. Only the best-of-five format will be used in the standings although additional games may be played to guarantee a 30 minute “play time”. Games do not have a time limit but the Match is limited to 35 minutes total. A new game cannot start after 30 minutes of time has elapsed. Games will be played as an elimination game (see definition below) until the 30 minute time mark has been reached. If the final game is not completed before the 35 minute match limit the final game will be played as a scored game (see definition below).

Game Types

• Elimination Game – a game played until all opponents on one side have been eliminated. The first team to eliminate all its opponents is declared the winner.
• Scored Game – a scored game is initially played as an elimination game, but due to time constraints the game’s winner will be determined by the number of players remaining “in” at the end of the allotted time.

Beginning Play

Play begins with all players positioned behind their team’s endline. Upon the Referee’s call of 1,2,3, Dodgeball players will initiate the Rush. False starts will constitute a restart. Two consecutive false starts by a team will cause the designated retriever to be deemed out for the next restart.

The Rush

• The Rush occurs at the beginning of each game or reset.
• Upon the official’s signal, both teams rush to center court and attempt to retrieve as many balls as possible.
• A team may rush with as many or as few players as it wants, but at least one person from each team has to Rush.
• There is no limit to how many balls an individual player may retrieve.
• Players may not slide or dive head first into the neutral zone or they will be called out.
• Crossing over the neutral zone will result in an “out”.
• Players may not physically grab or pull another player across the neutral zone or prevent them from returning to their side of the court.

Putting a Ball in Play

The player and the ball must go completely behind the attack line. During the Rush, any ball retrieved from the neutral zone must be taken out of the neutral zone before it may be thrown at an opponent.

Time Outs

There are no team time outs. Only the Referee can call a time out and the decision about any player’s status as being “in” or “out” based on balls in play during the timeout call will be at the Referee’s sole discretion.

Outs

A player shall be deemed “out” when;

• a live ball thrown by an opponent hits any part of the player’s body or clothing on a fly.
• a player is hit by a live ball rebounding off another player or a blocker ball is dropped after direct contact from a thrown ball by the opponent.
• a defending player catches a live ball you have thrown.

Players shall return to the field of play from the Queue in the order they were put “out” (i.e. first “out”, first “in”)

Blocking

• 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”.

Stalling

• The act of intentionally delaying the game is considered stalling.
• If a Referee determines that a player or team is stalling, the referee will warn said players or team with a 3 second countdown. The stalling player(s)/team(s) must forfeit the balls on their side of the court by advancing them into or past the neutral zone.
• If both teams stall, a reset may be required with the remaining “in” players.

Out of Bounds Rule

• If any part of the player’s body touches the endline, sideline or center line, the player shall be deemed “out”.
• Momentum may carry a player out of bounds while making a catch providing control of the ball was established and one foot was down inbounds prior to going out of bounds.

Neutral Zone Rule

The neutral zone is a 4’x 30’ area around the center line. A player may safely step into the neutral zone but not across. Any player crossing over the center line is deemed “out”.

Headshots

A headshot occurs when a player is hit directly in the head by a high thrown ball. Headshots are to be avoided and any thrower committing a headshot deemed on purpose may be called “out” at the discretion of the Referee.