Dodgeball League Rules

Last updated:  2018 April

Overview

BSR dodgeball is the game you remember from middle school, but slightly updated for today’s adult. Have fun and remember this is a social league.

Participating Players

• Each game, teams may field to a max of 10 players
• At minimum, teams must have at least 6 players before a game can begin
• Each team must field at minimum 2 women & 2 men for each game
• At max 6 men can start a game
• A game win will be awarded to the other team every 4 minutes from the start of the match (scheduled game time) until the opponent is able to field a legal team (max 12 wins)
• Players may not sub while games are in progress
• Different players may start each game
• Valid starting lineups include but are not limited to
• 4 men and 2 women   (6 players)
• 2 men and 4 women   (6 players)
• 6 men and 4 women   (10 players)

• If your team wants to substitute a player, follow the rules outlined in the 'subs' section of the FAQ  (FAQ - League Information - Are subs allowed?).

Rosters

• You can have as many players as you want on your roster, but the minimum number of players is 12.
• We recommend having 16 players on each roster.
• Players who register as singles may be added to teams with rosters smaller than 14 players (captains will be notified first).
• Additional players, including players who register as free agents, can be added to the roster anytime until the third week of the season.
• Captains are responsible for the conduct of teams. This means they’ll need to make sure all players are legal and conform to league play standards.
• All players must meet league player requirements. (FAQ - League Information - Player Requirements)
• All players must wear their league tshirts to participate. (FAQ - League Information - What if I paid late and have not received a league tshirt or forget my league tshirt one night?)
• From time to time for various reasons players may become upset and curse, complain, and more.  When this occurs, our staff will respond and take actions from issuing a warning, to taking a time out, up to ejecting a player from the game.  For more info reference our FAQ. (FAQ - League Information - Ejections)
• Team captains can request the referee for a roster check on thier opponents.  The roster check must be requested before the game begins.  Exception: a player who showed up and joined in after the game began, in this case the team captain needs to request the check when that new player first enters the game.

Equipment & Setup

• All equipment will be provided by Be Social Richmond.
• 8 dodgeballs (4 of two different colors)
• A centerline will split the field in half.
• Depending on the location, there may side lines, a wall, or netting.
• An end line or back line will complete the playing area.
• The active game field is between end lines.
• Active players are NOT allowed to go outside the active playing area for any reason. If they do, they are “out”
• Players are allowed to reach over the active playing area, but players are NOT allowed to touch the ground outside that area.

League Scoring, Standings, Seeding

Regular season

• Teams can score points each night if they win more match games than their opponent
• A win = 3 points
• A tie = 1 point
• A loss = 0 points
• There is no overtime during the regular season.

Playoffs

• Teams with one or more forfeits during the regular season will be excluded from the playoffs.
• Teams caught using players that are not on their roster or whom were not signed up as legal subs will be excluded from the playoffs.
• Seeding details this single-game per night sport can be found in the FAQ (FAQ - League Information - How are standings calculated for the regular season?)
• A single elimination format unique each season will be used during playoffs.
• Expect a “best of” mini match to advance

What to Expect on Game Day

• The clock runs continuously during matches. (No time outs are allowed.)
• One ref will monitor the match clock and the other monitor the game clock.
• Games begin when the field is set and a ref blows a whistle.
• An equal number of dodgeballs are provided to each team.
• Players from both teams line up on their end line.
• The ref’s will quickly review the team’s lineups to ensure each team is fielding a valid lineup.
• If you see the other teams lineup is not valid, your team captain can quickly run out and mention it to one of the refs.
• No new players may join an active game in progress.
• Inactive players may pass, hand, or roll any ball that has crossed the “end line” to an active player on their team.
• At the start of the game, if a player(s) crosses his/her end line before the ref blows the whistle, it will result in a false start. Players will lineup to start again.

Penalties

• Only ref’s can call/enforce penalties.   
  • If a ref has to enforce penalties to select a second player from a team, the refs are instructed to select whom they feel is that team’s best player remaining on the court.
  • The following will result in a penalty:
    • Failure to “honor call” and leave the field when you’ve been hit.         
      • The first time you will be out and warned.
      • The second time and beyond that, you and one other player from your team will be out.
• Throwing the ball and hitting someone in the head who is standing (not in a downward motion, crouched, or bent over).
  • The first time you wil be out and warned
  • The second time and beyond that, you and one other player from your team will be out.
• 2successive false starts.
  • For the second false start, a random player from the offending team will be out for that game.
• If an active player steps over the "centerline", "side lines", or "end line," they will be out.                      
  • Players are allowed to reach over, but they are NOT allowed to step over those lines.
• An inactive player throws a ball across the centerline or comes across the "end line" into the active game area.
  • The ref will select a random player from the throwing team to be out.
• An inactive player throws a ball across the centerline or comes across the “end line” into the active game area.
  • The ref will select a random player from the throwing team to be out.
• A player who is out intentionally contacts a live ball while exiting the field.
  • The ref will select a random player from the throwing team to be out.
• A player who is out and fails to immediately drop any balls in his/her hands, put their hands over their head to signal to the other team they are out, or those who do not immediately go to the “end line.”       
  • The ref will select a random player from the throwing team to be out.
  • Stalling or slowdown in game play      
    • If at any time all balls end up on one side of the court or game play all but comes to a stop, the ref will first give a warning to get playing.           
      • If play doesn't pick up, the ref will blow the whistle, and the balls will be distributed evenly to both sides.
      •  The ref will blow the whistle to resume the game.
• Ref's will have full discretion to decide when stalling is occurring.
• Teams guilty of excessive stalling will first be warned and then, at the ref’s discretion, a random player from the stalling team will be “out.”
• No pruning (squeezing) dodgeballs.   Penalty = out for game.  If outside of game will be enforced next game the player participates in.

Honor System

• Players are expected to follow rules and take the appropriate action if they were legally hit by a ball or a ball they threw was caught.

Outs

• If you are hit by a ball thrown threw the air by someone from the opposing team, you’re OUT.
• If a ball you’re holding is hit out of your hand by a ball thrown in the air by someone on the opposing team, you’re OUT.
• If a ball you threw is caught in the air by someone on the opposing team, you’re OUT.
• If you hit a player above the neck.
  • If a player who is standing or walking upright is hit above the neck, the player who was hit is NOT out and the player who threw the ball IS out.
  • If a player is doing anything other than standing or walking upright (sitting, ducking, kneeling, picking up a ball, etc.), the player who was hit IS out and the player who threwthe ball is NOT out.
  • Multiple head shots will result in the ref taking the action they feel is necessary to have that behavior stop.
    • This can include warnings, calling a player out, calling a second player from the offending team out for the game, kicking a player out of the rest of the games that night, up to being kicked out of the league for that season.

*Pay attention at all times when active games are in progress

Blocking

• A player may use a ball they are holding to block a ball thrown at them.
  • If the ball they are holding to block is dropped, then the block fails and they are OUT.
  • Any blocked ball is considered DEAD.

Dead Balls

• A dead ball cannot cause anyone to be OUT.
• A thrown “live” ball becomes dead when…
  • A ball hits the ground.
  • A ball hits another ball.
  • A ball hits the side wall (if applicable).
  • A ball hits the ceiling.
  • A ball has already hit another player.

Inactive Players

• Inactive players must stand out of play beyond the end line and never cross over the end line.
  • Crossing over the end line will result in the ref randomly selecting a player from your team to be out.
  • Inactive players should NOT attempt to distract active players still in the game.
  • Inactive players are allowed to pass, hand, or roll balls outside the field of play back into the field of play.

*Inactive players should always pay attention to the game so they don’t get hit.

Game Rules

• Games start with players in that game standing on the end line.
• Once a player is “out,” they must leave the playing area and go beyond the end line.
• Leave the playing area using the most direct route possible.
• Drop down any balls in your hand.
• Do NOT interfere with the game still in progress.
• Do NOT kick any balls.
• A nightly match will consist of as many games as the two teams can complete within 50 minutes.
• The first team to the field will choose their side.
• Teams will NOT switch sides.
• A game will end and a win will be awarded to a team once it eliminates all players from the opposing team.
• No one game will last longer than 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, the game win will be awarded to the team with the most players left on the court.
• If both teams have the same number of players on the court at the end of 5 minutes, neither team will be awarded a win for that game.
• After 45 minutes, no new games will be started.

Rules are subject to change when and as needed by BSR staff.