Rules and Regulations

1. Teams – Each team is made up of 5 participants including at least one female, with NO subs (18 years or older, unless waiver signed by parent or guardian).

2. Object – to get all players “OUT” on the opposing team.  A player is considered “OUT” if he or she is hit by a ball (without bouncing or hitting the fence), or if he or she throws a ball that is caught by an opposing player.  If a team catches the opposing teams’ thrown ball, that team may welcome back a player who had been previously called “OUT”.  A “SAVE” can occur if an opposing player is hit with a ball and a player from the same team catches the ball before it hits the ground.  Following a “SAVE”, no team loses a player.  All “OUT’s” and “SAVE’s” are judged through the HONOR SYSTEM and referee.

3. Blocking a Ball – [NEW RULE FOR 2011]  Any player may use a ball in their own hands to block another ball thrown by an opposing player.  This must be a CLEAN block, meaning that if ANY part of the thrown ball hits the blocking player (regardless of deflection), that player will be deemed “OUT”.  Otherwise, all cleanly blocked balls are immediately declared “DEAD” and cannot be caught or deflected into any OTHER player.

4. Start of the Game – Play is started by the referee, with all players beginning on their own end-line.  Two balls will be placed on each side, 2.5 feet from the center line.  Before any balls can be thrown the player or players must first return to the 15 foot ‘start’ throw line.  If a ball is thrown prior to first returning to the ‘start’ throw line, that player is “OUT”.

5. Game – Each game will be 4 minutes.  All matches will be best of 3 games.  A winner is declared when all players are knocked out on the opposing team or a team has more players remaining when time has elapsed.  A tie occurs if time runs out and both teams have equal numbers of players remaining.  Points will be awarded to the winning team, as follows: a (2-0) record is 3 points, (2-1) record is 2 points.  A tie record (1-1-1) will award both teams 1 point.  After each game, players remaining on the field for each team will be counted for playoff tie breaker purposes.

6. Playoffs – The winner of each group along with a designated number of ‘wild card’ teams will move to the playoff round based on the points accumulated in the group stage.  If there is a tie for a playoff spot, the tie breaker is based on head to head competition or total number of players remaining from the group stage.  Playoff rules are the same, except that there is no time limit.

7. Timeouts – One 45 second timeout is available for each match, (not game).  In the playoffs three 60 seconds timeouts will be allowed.

8. Boundaries – All players must stay within the fenced playing area (35 feet by 75 feet) during the entire game.  The fence is considered out of play, even if attempting to catch a ball.  All males must throw from behind the 5 foot marked line, and all females must throw from behind the center line.  If a player throws a ball when stepping over their respective throw line, the team will receive one warning, but all subsequent infractions result in that player being declared “OUT”.   No player may cross the center line at anytime, (but can reach over to retrieve a ball); if so they will be considered “OUT”.  All “OUT” players must sit, kneel, or squat in the designated area behind the end-line.   No player may stand behind the end-line, unless they are retrieving a ball or are “OUT”.

9. 5 second rule – No team can have possession of all 4 balls for more than 5 seconds.  Every time this occurs, that team will have to give a ball to the opposing team.  However, if only one player remains that player will have time extended to 10 seconds.