RULES
Defintions
1. Live Player
a. A live player is any player that is not out. b – Anything worn or carried by that player is a part of that live player.
2. Dead Player
a. A dead player is a player who has played in a set and has been rendered out. b – A dead player is a dead object.
3. Live Ball
a. A live ball is a ball that has not become a dead object.
4. Dead Object
a. A dead object is any object or surface that is not a live player or live ball.
5. Out
a. A player who is out is no longer a live player, and has become a dead object.
6. Set
a. A set is the duration taken to render all players on a team out.
Game
8) The objective of dodgeball is to win the most sets in a match.
a. A set is won when all opposing players have been eliminated by being rendered out.
b. One point is awarded for every set won.
9) A match is 33 minutes of regular play.
a. A match has two halves, each 15 minutes in length & a 3-minute half time
b. The referee will indicate the start of a set with saying both side ready, Dodgeball and the end of a half with the ref saying Sudden Death.
c. At the end of each half the set will transition into sudden death, as the WDBF rules are written. Monday night socials will have no catching or blocking throughout sudden death and team continue play without time stopping.
d. If there is less then 20 seconds on the clock before half time, the half will be ended. If there is time left on the clock for the second half, the game will enter into another set.
10) At the end of the first half, the teams will switch halves of the court.
11) If the match is tied for points at the end of regular play, a tie breaker set will be played, which will be sudden death rules.
Teams
12) A team may have between 6 and 9 players on roster.
13) Six live players per team play in a set.
a) Any 6 live players on the team roster may start a set on a half of the court.
b) Once 6 live players start a set, only those 6 players may play in that set. (In the event of a live player becoming injured and unable to play, another player from the team roster may be substituted)
Equipment
14) The ball is a 17.8 cm (7 in) polyurethane (PU) coated foam ball weighing 140 g (4.9 oz) +/- 6 g (0.2 oz).
15) The game is played with 6 balls.
Balls & Throwing
16) A ball must be thrown by a live player within their team’s half of the court at the opposing team to become a live ball.
17) A live ball becomes a dead object the instant it touches a dead object.
18) A live ball becomes a dead object the instant it is caught.
19) A live ball becomes a dead object the instant it touches an opposing team’s live ball.
Invalid Throw
20) If a live player throws a ball that is not intended to contribute to that player’s team hitting an opposing live player and is not thrown in the general direction of an opposing live player, that player will accrue one warning at the discretion of the referee.
a) If that live player accrues more than one warning, they may be rendered out at the discretion of the referee.
b) A live player’s accrual of warnings is reset to zero at the end of each set.
Advantage
21) The team with advantage must throw a ball within 10 seconds.
a) The 10 second countdown restarts when a ball is thrown by any team.
22) Advantage is given to the team that;
a) has the most balls on their half of the court; or
b) if the number of balls on each half is equal, has the most live players; or
c) if the number of live players on each team is equal, has not thrown last; or
d) if neither team has thrown, that last won a set.
23) If a ball has not been thrown within 5 seconds, a clearly audible countdown will begin.
24) If a ball has not been thrown within 10 seconds, the team with advantage must forfeit all the balls on their half of the court to the opposing team.
a) Live players and ball retrievers must pass those balls to the opposing team in a timely manner.
Hitting
25) Any live player who is touched by a live ball thrown by the opposing team is rendered out once that live ball touches a dead object.
a) Despite s. 25, that player is not rendered out if they have caught that live ball.
b) Despite s. 25, that player is not rendered out if that live ball is caught by a live player on the same team.
Blocking
26) A live ball may be blocked using one or more balls carried by a live player.
a) The live ball may only come in contact with the ball(s) carried by the live player, and not any other part of the live player.
b) Despite s. 25, that player is not rendered out once that live ball touches a dead object.
Catching
27) A live ball may be caught by a live player, rendering the opposing live player that threw that live ball out.
a) A catch is made the instant that live player has control of the ball and has two points of contact within bounds, with no points of contact on the boundary line or out of bounds.
b) That opposing live player is rendered out the instant a catch is made.
28) A dead player on the same team is revived when a catch is made.
a) That dead player is revived in the same order that they were rendered out.
Opening Rush
29) The 6 balls are placed on the centre line within the ball markings.
30) Before play begins, players must stand with one foot in contact with the back line and the other foot within the boundaries.
31) A referee will indicate the start of a set with saying Both Sides Ready, Dodgeball.
32) Live players may retrieve only the 3 balls placed on the designated right centre line area on their half. (Monday Night Socials teams can run for all six balls on centre line, with force towards the opponents.)
Sudden Death
33) A referee signals the transition to sudden death with saying Sudden Death.
a. All live players must stop play, if any, at the earliest possible moment, and must take position as in s. 30. (Monday Nights play does not stop when referee calls sudden death.)
b. Balls are redistributed so that each team has possession of 3 balls. Players may hold those balls. (This does not happen for Monday Nights)
34) A referee signals the beginning of sudden death with saying dodgeball.
35) All live players cannot block with the ball, if a player blocks, they will be rendered out. Player are able to catch in sudden death. (Monday Nights you cannot catch or block in sudden death.)
