Dodgeball Rules

THE TEAM 

6-aside

  • The number of players shall be six (6) players.

  • The team must include a minimum of two (2) male, two (2) female and all remaining players can be any gender including gender diverse people.

  • Please consider our Default, Forfeit, and Substitute Policy

  • Substitutes can be used as long as they have created an account and signed the most up to date Urban Rec waiver. Players should wait until in between games to substitute. 

  • Players who are not in the starting six (6) should sit away from the court, and out of play, (unless acting as a sweeper).

GAME SPECIFICS

GAME TIME

The game is played in two (2) 18-20 halves with a few minutes break at half time. If there are games that run long, or short, this may affect the set time for the game, and the halves. At half time, teams will swap ends of the court.

COURT BOUNDARIES 

The game may be played indoors or outdoors. The playing field is usually a rectangle at least 50 ft long and at least 30 ft wide, divided into two (2) equal sections by a centre-line. The court may vary depending on the venue.

STARTING THE GAME 

Teams will take position at either end of the court’s baselines. The Event Host will yell ‘Dodgeball’ and the game will commence. Captains can use Scissors, Paper, Rock to pick starting sides if required.

SCORING 

Each mini game win is worth 1 point. Teams will play as many mini games within the two (2) halves to gain overall points.

RULE SPECIFICS

THE OBJECT OF THE GAME

 Is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them "OUT". This may be done by:

  • Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball

  • Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground or any other part of a ball or player.

  • A player is eliminated if they drop a ball while attempting to make a catch or a ball is knocked out of their hand by an attacking ball.

THE OPENING RUSH: 

The game begins by placing the dodgeballs evenly along the centre line. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the Event Host (blowing the whistle or yelling “DODGEBALL!”), teams may approach the centreline to retrieve the balls. Teams can retrieve as many balls as possible. 

ATTACK LINE: 

There will be a set of cones creating an amount of space from the centre of the court, this is called the Attack Line. Once a ball is retrieved at the beginning of the game it must be taken behind the attack-line by the person who collected it, before it can be legally thrown.

SQUEEZING/TUGGING BALLS: 

Players are NOT allowed to kick or squeeze the balls so that they impact the shape of the balls. If you tug a ball in the opening rush, with another player both players are required to drop the ball, and let it land where it’s dropped. 

TIMING AND WINNING A GAME: 

The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner. If neither team has been eliminated after a decent period, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner. Your Event Host will make the call on how much time is left in a game.

BOUNDARIES: 

During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines. Players may only leave the boundaries to retrieve stray balls. 

LIVE AND DEAD BALLS:

  • LIVE BALL: A ball that has been thrown and has not touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player or other item outside of the playing field (wall, ceiling, etc)

  • DEAD BALL: A thrown ball becomes dead if it touches another ball, the floor, walls or any other object (including another player)

DEAD ZONE: 

Is the middle area between the centre line, and attack line. You may enter the dead zone, after the opening rush, but not to cross the centre line after the opening rush is finished. If you cross the centre line, you are out.

GOLDEN POINT: 

If a game goes on continually for a long period of time and there is an even number of players, there begins a Golden Point game. The original six players are welcomed back on the court for a new game, the first person that makes a hit wins that game for their team. This is at your Event Hosts discretion.

MAKING A CATCH: 

If you catch a ball of the opposing team’s throw, you win another one of your players to enter the field. Players that are eliminated are able to return as a result of a caught ball. Players must return in the order in which they were eliminated – first off is first back on.

DEFLECTING A BALL: 

You can use the Dodgeball in your hand/s, as a mechanism to deflect or divert a ball without touching your body. If in the act of deflecting a ball, the ball you were using to shield drops out of your hands, that is a failed deflection, and you are out. 

HEAD SHOTS:

 If a player is hit in the head by a Dodgeball, intentionally, or unintentionally, that player is safe. If the player is intentionally moving their head into the ball, the hit is counted, and the player is out. Continuous head shots by a player will receive a warning by the Event Host and it is then at the Event Hosts discretion if they remove the player from the game.

KAMIKAZE: 

This technique is used for high risk execution. A player may jump over the middle line, and into the opposition's side, while in the air, the ball they throw must land on another player, before the executor lands on the ground. In doing this technique the player forfeits their position on the court and must immediately go off.

HOT BALL 

To reduce stalling, a violation will be called if a player holds a ball for more than 20 seconds. The staff will count you down after yelling “Hot Ball” If you still have not thrown the ball after 20 seconds, you will be out.

THE SWEEPER: 

Players who are not in the game may act as sweepers for their team. They can retrieve balls and roll them back into the court. Balls are to be fed back into the game immediately and not strategically waited to return back into the game.

URBAN REC SPECIFICS

FUN FIRST POLICY 

All Urban Rec leagues, irrespective of skill level, are fun-first. Our Event Hosts facilitate a fun, safe environment for teams. They will acknowledge, coach and make calls according to your level of experience playing the game. Urban Rec leagues expect a certain level of self-officiation, meaning that players are expected to display good sportsmanship to govern their behaviour. Open communication and camaraderie between teams is encouraged.

DISCIPLINE

Urban Rec Event Hosts have the final say on any issue that cannot be self-resolved.

If you are seen to be rude or not playing within the respect of the rules, your Event Host has the right to ask you to sub and take a break. If your Event Host then has to warn you more times then they have the right to ask you to leave the field or court and an assessment will be made if you can return to play. We don’t tolerate idiots, play fair.

INCLUSION

Urban Rec seeks to provide a safe, inclusive and happy environment for our members, staff and participants. Gender diverse, transgender and non-binary participants are welcome to play within our leagues along with any sexuality and persons from any background. Urban Rec has zero tolerance for bullying, discrimination or sexual harassment.