INNER TUBE RULES Intramural Sports

RULE ONE: THE GAME, PLAY AREA, EQUIPMENT

Section One: General Provisions A. Eligibility 1. This activity will be conducted according to standard eligibility rules as set forth in the current LSU University Recreation’s Intramural Participant’s Manual 2. Participants must be listed on their respective team rosters prior to participating, sign risk and liability waiver and must show their LSU Tiger Card prior to entering a contest. 3. The participation by an ineligible player will subject the offending team to forfeiture of the contest in which the ineligible player participated, and possibility of the team being removed from the league. B. Players 1. The game shall be played between two teams consisting of six (6) players each: three (3) members of each sex (the goalie may be of either sex). All games are Co-Rec. There may never be a difference greater than 1 between male and female players. 2. A team may begin and finish a game with a minimum of four (4) players, with a minimum of two (2) of each sex. i. Games may start with three (3) players (2F/1M or 2M/1F). The team will have a seven minute grace period for a fourth team member to check in. The fourth team member must make the gender ratio 2F/2M. (i.e. If a team starts a game with two (2) males and one (1) female, the fourth team member must be a female.) If a fourth member does not arrive by the end of the seven minute grace period, the game will be immediately stopped and recorded as a forfeit for the team with three (3) players. 3. Team representatives (players, substitutes, coaches, trainers, and other persons affiliated with the team) are subject to the rules of the game and shall be governed by decisions of officials assigned to the game. C. Sportsmanship Rating The Intramural Sports Program expects all participants to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner, using the sportsmanship rating guide outlined in the Intramural Sports Handbook.

Section Two: The Play Area. A. The Play Area 1. The court is the rectangle formed by the pool and lane lines. 2. A is considered in-bounds until it makes contact with the pool deck or pool surface outside the boundary area. 3. The ball changes possession when it goes out-of-bounds. 4. A player may make a play on a ball outside the play court as long as: a. The ball is in the air, the player’s tube is in-bounds, and the player remains in their tube. B. The Goal Box 1. Is the area between the edge of the pool and 5 feet in front of the goal. It extends to both sides of the pool. 2. Only the goalie is permitted within the goal box. 3. A defensive player may not be in the goalie box. Penalty: penalty shot. 4. An offensive player may not be in the goalie box. Penalty: goalie free throw.

Section Three: The Equipment. A. The Ball 1. The ball shall be an official water polo ball provided by the Sport Programs Office. No other will be allowed during competition.

B. Inner tubes will be provided by Sport Programs. It is requested that participants do not jump on their inner tubes. C. Attire 1. Participants must wear appropriate swimwear for the duration of their contests. Athletic shirts and shorts are recommended to wear instead of or over bathing suits. Cut-off shirts and sleeveless shirts may be allowed but must be cutoff directly at the shoulder. D. Illegal Equipment 1. Players must remove all jewelry prior to participation, including (but not limited to) piercings, watches, necklaces, and bracelets. 2. Protective equipment may be worn by any player at all times. However, it must be worn properly. Padding must cover splints, braces, and/or casts. 3. The Intramural Sports staff may prohibit the use of any type of protective equipment that presents considerable risk to the safety of other players. 4. The Intramural Sports staff may prohibit the use of any equipment that may perceptibly affect the game, compromise the safety of participants or fans, or enhance a player’s performance 5. Equipment that includes computers, electric components, or mechanical devices shall be declared illegal. 6. Players are encouraged to wear Water Polo headgear, however it will not be provided.

RULE TWO: TIME FACTORS, GAME PLAY, and SCORING

Section One: Game Play, Timing, and Scoring A. Timing 1. The game will consist of two (2) halves, fourteen minutes (14) minutes each. The clock will run continuously for the entire game. GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME. 2. Time between halves will be five (5) minutes. 3. Teams switch goals at half time. 4. TIMEOUTS: Each team will be allowed one (1) one-minute timeout for the entire game. Time- outs must be called by the player in control of the ball. B. Starting the Game 1. At the start of each half, teams line up on a line with the pool flags at their respective ends of the pool. All team members must in proper position in their tubes. 2. Play begins when the referee blows the whistle and throws the ball into the middle of the pool. Both teams can paddle to the middle to retrieve the ball once the whistle is blown. There is no minimum number of players that need to be sent to retrieve the ball. C. Scoring 1. Each goal will be worth one (1) point. 2. A goal is scored when a legal shot, taken outside the goalie box, completely crosses the goal line. 3. A goal DOES NOT count if, during the process of scoring, the scorer falls out of the inner-tube a. At the official’s discretion, a goal may be allowed if the ball is released before the player is out of the tube, depending on the reason for that player coming out of his/her tube. 4. MERCY RULE: If a team is winning by ten (10) or more points with two (2) minutes remaining in the last quarter. D. Substitutions 1. Teams may only substitute during injuries, when a goal is scored, timeouts, or during official stoppages such as half time.

Section Two: Game Play. A. Stoppage of Play 1. The official blowing his/her whistle always signals an immediate stoppage of play and a dead ball. This can be for free throws, fouls, injuries, time-outs, penalties, or any other reason the official deems necessary. 2. The play also stops when the ball is thrown out of bounds.

B. Throw Ins 1. When the ball has completely crossed the sideline it is put back into play by a throw in from the spot where it went out and by a player from the opposite team that last touched it. 2. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw in. C. Possession 1. All players, except the goalie, must sit in a horizontal position, facing up inside the inner tube, with arms and legs over the side. A goalie must have at least one body part through the hole in the inner tube. They may also sit in the tube. The tube must stay on the water. 2. If a player falls out of their tube, the player may not participate in the game in any way until he/she gets back onto the tube. The ONLY thing you can do when you are not in your tube is get back in your tube. 3. Players can move with the ball by pushing it in the water, holding it between their knees, holding with hands, holding it in their lap. 4. A player may not hold the ball completely under the water. 5. Players may not deliberately hold the ball to delay the game. 6. Feet may not be used to knock the ball out of player possession. 7. Officials are often charged with determining who receives the ball as a result of a tied-up ball or other infractions. D. Goalie 1. The goalie may not abandon his/her tube in an attempt to block a shot from entering the goal. a. If a goalie leaves his/her tube while blocking a shot on goal, this will result in a penalty shot for the offensive team. 2. The goalie may never pass the ball beyond the mid-pool line. 3. The goalie may not leave the goal box area during play. 4. Once the goalie gains possession of the ball, he/she will have 3 seconds to release the ball. 5. A ball in play may be passed back to the goalie. The goalie will have 3 seconds to release the ball. 6. A goalie can be pulled for another attacking player during normal substitutions. E. Goals/Scoring 1. A goal is scored when a legal shot (taken outside the goal box) completely crosses the goal line. 2. A shot taken from inside the goal box will be disallowed and the ball will be given to the goalie for a free throw. 3. After a goal is scored, the team that was scored upon will start with the ball in their goalies possession. Play cannot begin until every defensive player is on their side of the pool, past the midline; all offensive players must be on their goal side of the pool. The official must blow the whistle before play starts. F. Overtime 1. Overtime will only occur during the playoffs; regular season games will end in ties. 2. In the event of a tie in a playoff game, there will be a five minute sudden death overtime until a team scores. If a team does not score, there will be a two player shootout to determine a winner. a. Each team will receive one timeout for the overtime period.

Section Three: Penalties A. Contact Between Players 1. Inner tube to inner tube contact is legal. 2. Incidental inner tube to body contact is legal. 3. A defending player may touch the ball when it is in possession of an opposing player. This includes swatting the ball out of a player’s hand. If there is a “jump ball” the possession will stay with the original offensive player. 4. Any illegal contact between players will result in a free throw. B. Closely Guarded 1. An offensive player may not hold the ball longer than seven seconds if a defensive player is within a tube length of them. It is at the officials’ discretion when seven seconds has passed. 2. Offending teams will be required to give up possession to the opposing team.

3. Play will commence with a free throw. C. Free Throws 1. Free throws are awarded for violations at the point nearest the spot of the infraction. 2. During a free throw, the person who starts the ball into play has 5 seconds to pass the ball to a teammate. 3. A goal may not be scored until a second offensive player touches the ball after the free throw. 4. The defense must provide 3 feet of space from the point of the free throw. 5. Players may not interfere with another player, with or without the ball, by holding, pushing, hitting, splashing, dunking, or tackling. 6. A ball that goes out in the goal box is given to the goalie for a free throw. D. Penalty Shots 1. Penalty shots shall be taken by the offended player fifteen (15) feet from the goal. 2. No defensive player may be within 2 feet of the shooter. 3. If the result of the penalty shot is not a goal, the ball remains in play. 4. A penalty shot will be awarded in the following scenarios if a defensive player enters the goal box to make a play or a goalie abandons his/her tube to block a shot.

** Please note – Rules are subject to change**