SHS IM DodgeBall Rules Updated October, 2009

The National Amateur Dodgeball Association was created as a recreational pursuit for nontraditional enthusiasts. It is an alternative sport requiring minimal equipment, set up and playing experience. Teamwork and strategy are more valuable factors in dodgeball than athletic skill and individual competitiveness. Anyone can play! Experience is countered by enthusiasm. Dodgeball promotes maximum social enjoyment.

NADA RULES: The following is an abbreviated version of the rules printed in the official NADA Rule Book. If you have questions regarding the rules please contact Mr. Eddy the Lead Supervisor: [email protected]

THE TEAM Rosters will be made up of 10-12 players. 6 (six) players begin each game; others can substitute at certain times. Subs can enter the game only during timeouts or in the case of an injury.

THE FIELD OF PLAY The game will be played on a standard court. Rectangular, split in half, and with an Attack line located 5 feet from the centerline. The court around the volleyball court represents the boundary for substitute players and players eliminated during play.

THE EQUIPMENT The official ball used in tournament play and league play will be an 8” rubber coated foam ball.

THE MATCH The “match” will consist of a “best of five” series of games. The object of the game is to eliminate all apposing players by knocking them “out”. This may be done in the following manner:

1. Hitting an opposing player with a “live” ball anywhere on the body. A head- shot is no longer considered illegal. Any intentional head-shots will be dealt with as a discipline issue, but a player hit with a ball will considered out in all other cases.

2. A “clean catch” of a ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground. A “clean” catch CAN be bobbled. The player must maintain possession in order to knock the other player out. If the player’s momentum carries them out of bounds on the catch, BOTH players are out.

Definition: Live: A ball that has been thrown and has not touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player, official or other item outside the playing field (wall, ceiling, etc.)

Definition: Clean Catch: A ball that is caught cleanly must NOT;

1. Deflect off anyone other than yourself, or the player throwing it is NOT out. 2. Trap the ball with the ground, on your foot, etc. The throwing player is NOT out. 3. If your momentum on a catch carries you out of bounds, the player throwing the ball IS out, and so is the player who stepped out of bounds.

THE FIELD OF PLAY During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines.

Players may no longer leave the court at any time. It is the responsibility of the other members of the team who are not in play to retrieve balls for the members of the team who are in play. If a team only has 6 (six) or less players. The team must designate and notify the referee of one player who will be able to leave to court to shag balls. The “shagger” must leave the court through their end line ONLY to retrieve stray balls. They must also return through the end lines, anyone stepping out of bounds in any other manner is considered to be OUT.

Substitute players or players knocked out during play must clear the playing field and remain behind the basketball baseline until the game concludes or time out has been called. These players have the job of fetching the loose balls and bringing them back into play. Neither team can cross the centerline to retrieve a ball, and the centerline extends all the way out on both sides of the court. Bringing a ball back into play can only be done through the END LINE. You cannot toss a ball to a teammate unless you are behind the end line. You are allowed to cross the basketball court and hand your teammate a ball, but you must then clear the basketball court immediately afterward.

THE OPENING RUSH Game begins by placing the dodgeball along the centerline – three (3) on one side of the center hash and three (3) on the other. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the centerline to retrieve the balls. This signal officially starts the contest. Teams may only retrieve the three (3) balls to their right of the center hash. Once a ball is retrieved it must be taken behind the attack-line before it can be legally thrown.

The first tem to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner. A 5-minute time limit has been established for each contest. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the 5 minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner. In the case of an equal number of players remaining after regulation, a 5-minute sudden-death 6 on 6 overtime period will be played.

OVERTIME Overtime is declared when the two teams have the same number of players remaining at the end of any game in the match. The overtime period will consist of a 1 minute 6 on 6 sudden death game. The first team to have someone eliminated loses the overtime game. If no players are eliminated after 1 minute, a second overtime period will start with 3 players on each side starting within the attack line.

TIME-OUTS AND SUBS Each team will be allowed on time-out per game. At this time, the team May substitute freely, even players who were eliminated earlier in the match.

STALLING Once a team has taken the lead, when they have less players than their opponents, they must relinquish at least one ball to that team at any pint in time where the losing team does not possess a ball. The winning team has 5 seconds to “surrender a ball” or they can be penalized for not complying with the rules. Surrendering a ball

Definition: Surrendering a ball: To properly surrender a ball to the opposition, it must be done in a certain manner. The ball must be softly rolled, in bounds, easily accessible, and beyond the attack line on their side of the court. Your team CAN still attack before the five seconds, but balls thrown to attack DO NOT count as surrendered balls for the purposes of stalling. A ball must still be rolled to the other team. If the umpire begins to count down from 5, be sure to surrender a ball properly or your team will be penalized a player.

SQUATTING All players must remain upright during the match. The one exception is squatting inside the “attack” line (5 feet from the center of the court). Squatting behind a ball to avoid being hit is now ILLEGAL. One warning will be given; the next occurrence will result in the squatting player called “out”. Players can still duck to avoid a throw; they simply cannot squat for extended periods during the game.

BALL ABUSE The official dodge balls that are brought in for play are designed to not hurt anyone hit with them. They are not heavy duty, and do not last very long if you abuse them. The dodge balls may not be squeezed, crunched, smashed or otherwise mutilated by any player at any time during play. Any player abusing the equipment will be issued a single warning and then penalized by being taken off the court.

KAMIKAZE RULE Sacrificing yourself will not be a legal play. As soon as a player crosses the centerline the player is out and any balls thrown or caught or considered dead. Regardless of where the player lands or when a thrown ball is released.

RULE ENFORCEMENT Rules are enforced using the “honor system”. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or whether they were legally eliminated. A court supervisor will monitor all contests. The court supervisor’s responsibility will be to rule on any incident in which the teams cannot agree. THE COURT SUPERVISOR’S DECISION IS FINAL – NO EXCEPTIONS.

ARGUING A CALL As stated above, all of the supervisor decisions are final. Any player not vacating the court after being eliminated will be ISSUED ONE WARNING, if the player still refuses to leave the court, his or her team will be penalized one player. Ay further arguing of calls by this team will automatically result in another penalty and another player being taken off the court.

N.A.D.A. Code of Conduct 1. Understand, appreciate and abide by the rules of the game. 2. Respect the integrity and judgment of game officials and N.A.D.A. staff. 3. Respect your opponent and congratulate them in a courteous manner following each match whether in victory or defeat. 4. Be responsible for your actions and maintain self-control 5. Do not taunt or bait opponents and refrain from using foul or abusive language.