dodgeball XIII

SchoolPower DodgeBall Tournament Official Rules and Regulations

Download a copy of the Official Rules and Regulations to print.

Significant changes for 2024:
– Professional referees on each court.
– To maximize playing time for all teams, matches in pool play will last 10 minutes. Total number of games won/lost will be recorded for each team. Games will only factor into a team’s record if they are completed (i.e. all players on one side eliminated) before the 10-minute timer expires.
– The top 8 teams overall, with the best win/loss game differential, will advance to Single Elimination Bracket.
– All Single Elimination Bracket matches, including the Championship, will be best of 3 games.
– Only 6 designated players will play in a game (starting lineup must include two players of opposite gender). If a team is more than 6 players, the “subs” (players not on the court during a game) will shag balls for their team. All subs must rotate onto the court after the completion of a game.
– Five balls on the court to aid with the flow of games (see Ten Second Rule).

Coaches

• Coaches are responsible for making sure all payments and online waivers are submitted for each player, including each coach.
• Please be on time for registration. Check-in at the registration tables outside the gyms to pick up your tournament schedule. Team photos will be taken during registration and made available online after the tournament.
• Costumes are an important part of the tournament! Be creative and have fun…there will be a ‘Best Costume’ award for each division.
• Please review and implement rules and regulations (below).

Officials

• Referees are responsible for:
  • Maintaining game clocks and keeping score.
  • Enforcing penalties, such as the Ten Second rule defined below.
  • Match flow ie. timely transitions between games.
• Referees may call a player out if
  • The player does not voluntarily leave the court when required.
  • The player engages in unsportsmanlike conduct.
  • The player argues with the game official.
  • The player uses abusive language.
• Referees may eject a player from the remainder of the match (Yellow Card) or tournament (Red Card) if they repeatedly do any of the above behaviors, behave in an egregious manner, or cheat. Ejected players must leave the facility immediately.

Rules & Regulations

The Courts

• Only Players, one Coach, and Refs/Scorekeepers will be allowed on the courts. All parents and spectators must stay off the courts.
• Teams remain together.

The Teams

• Teams should include six to eight players.
• Teams must be coed and include a minimum of two players of the opposite gender.
• Teams can be all one grade or a mix of the grades in the division (i.e. include both third and fourth graders for the 3-4 division).
• Teams must have one adult coach (18+) and a team parent (can be the same or different as the coach).
• Teams must include at least two LBUSD students; however teams can include outside players. Teams with LBUSD student majority will receive registration priority.
• Team starting line-up must include at least two players from the opposite gender.
• A maximum of six players compete on each side during play.

The Official Ball

• Dodgeball tournament balls are a “no-sting” (aka. Stay Puft) soft rubber ball, approximately 7″. They are slightly deflated for better grip.
• Each court will have 5 balls of the same color.

The Game Objective

• To eliminate all players on the opposing team by:
  • Hitting opposing player(s) below the shoulders with a LIVE ball.
  • Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent.
    • A ball is LIVE until it hits the ground (including bouncing off another team player).
    • A ball is DEAD when it is caught or hits the ground, an official, or boundary line.

The Opening Rush

• Games start with five balls along the midline of the court, two or three balls on either side of the center hash.
• Six players (at least two of opposite gender) take starting positions with their feet behind the back boundary line.
• When the Referee signals, players may approach the midline to retrieve the balls on the right of the center hash.
• Once a player retrieves a ball, they must either take it or throw it to a teammate behind the attack-line (5 ft) before it can be legally thrown at the opponents.

Blocking

• A ball may be used to block a thrown ball. The blocking player holding the ball stays in UNLESS they (1) drop the ball they were holding or (2) the blocked ball deflects into their body. A player is considered hit if a deflected ball touches any part of your body, including clothing, uniform, or costume (like a Dinosaur tail).

Ten Second Rule

• Intentionally stalling or hoarding balls is not allowed. Throwing order is determined by either the team who has more balls on their side (i.e. 4 vs 2). The referee will instruct the team that needs to throw. If a ball is not thrown within 10 seconds, then all balls will be awarded to the other team.

Player Rotations

• Players/Substitutions for teams greater than six will wear (neon) jerseys and are responsible for shagging balls for their team. Subs can only be made between games. All subs must rotate onto the court after the completion of a game.
• When called out, players must go to the end of a player line-up. Player rotations are made in order of line-up.
• New players enter the court only when a teammate catches the ball from an opposing player AND is instructed to enter by the Referee. (Note: a ball can be caught when it bounces off a team player. In this case, the teammate is still in, the opposing player is out, and a new player can enter play.)

Headshots

• Any hits on or above the player’s neck are not considered outs. The Referee will instruct the teams to play on.

Boundaries

• A player who crosses a boundary line is out. The boundary line is considered crossed if any part of a player’s body touches it.
• A player is considered in if they catch a ball while both feet are in the boundary line, but the momentum of the ball carries the player’s body out of bounds.
• Subs/coaches will return balls hit or thrown outside the boundary line.

Tournament Flow

• All teams within each division will be divided into equal pools of teams.
• Each team will play against other teams in their pool, attempting to win as many games as possible to earn the right to progress to the Single Elimination Bracket.
• Matches in pool play are either ten minutes in length or best of three games, whichever comes first.
• The first team to eliminate all opposing players will be declared game winner.
• If a game is ‘in progress’ when the ten minute timer expires, then that game will be considered a ‘no result’ regardless of the number of remaining players, and will not be factored into a team’s record.
• In case of a tie in overall pool standings, then a team’s win/loss game differential will serve as the tie breaker.
• The top team from each pool will move onto the Single Elimination Bracket (numbers subject to change depending on registration numbers).
• Elimination Matches, including the Championship, will be best of 3 games.