Dodgeball Rules
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// PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
1. All Players must be at least 21 years of age and have current, adequate health insurance.
2. All players must be properly registered on a team during the season for which they are playing.
*If a player is registered on more than one team within the league, they may only play for one team in the playoffs.
*All players must agree to the Fray Liability Waiver as described in the Fray Terms and Conditions section of Player Registration.
3. Any use of an ineligible player will result in a forfeit.
// GAME PLAY
1. Live ball vs. dead ball: A ball is live when it is thrown from behind the attack line. Live balls can hit players or be caught thus resulting in outs. A ball becomes dead once it:
*Is caught
*Touches a dead object or player defined as:
*The floor, wall, ceiling, net, or any other part of the facility that is not an active part of the match
*A ball not being held by a live player, including colliding with another live ball in midair
*A player who is already out or a non-player, including spectators and referees
*Crosses the center line without being thrown by an opponent
*A kicked ball is not live as a kick does not qualify as a throw
*Reaching across the center line to tag a player with a ball in hand does not qualify as a throw.
*A blocked ball that crosses the center line does not qualify as a throw
2. Out: A player is out if they:
*Are hit by a live ball which subsequently becomes dead without being caught
*Any action performed by a player between getting hit by a live ball and the ball becoming dead is valid and deemed “in play.”
*If a player is hit by a ball and steps off the court prior to that ball being caught by a teammate, the hit player is out and the next player in the out line is revived by the catch.
*Throw a live ball which is caught by a player on the opposing team
*The catching player must have complete control of the ball and be touching the ground inbounds. Catching a live ball will revive the next player in the out line.
*Touch the ground outside the designated boundary area of the court
*Drop a held ball due to a live ball impact
3. Double Catch: When a player, simultaneously, catches two live balls, the two throwers are out and the catch brings ALL players in the out line back in. A valid double catch will be determined at the referee’s discretion.
4. Block: A player may use a held ball to deflect a live ball. A blocked ball is still live and treated the same as any other live ball.
*No Blocking may be instituted once time expires. Balls that are blocked once No Blocking has been declared will be deemed to have hit the person using a ball to block and result in an out.
*Losing possession of a held ball as a result of impact from a live ball will result in that player being out. A player may drop the ball they are holding BEFORE catching the incoming ball in order to make a valid play.
5. Ricochet: A ricochet occurs when a ball hits one player and then hits another player or players before becoming dead. A ricocheted ball is still live and treated the same as any other live ball.
*All players hit by a ricocheted ball before the ball becomes dead without being caught are out.
*All players hit by a ricocheted ball that is subsequently caught are safe and the thrower is out.
6. Shagging: Ball retrievers, such as inactive players or non-players, may return out of bounds balls back to the play area. Balls should be rolled into play to avoid distracting players. Any ball that is shagged violating the rules below will may be awarded to the opposing team at the referee’s discretion. Should continued violations occur, offending players may be suspended or ejected.
*Ball retrievers may not step or reach into the play area.
*Ball retrievers must immediately return balls into play. Ball retrievers may not hold onto balls or leave them out of play until their teammate is ready for a ball.
*Ball retrievers may not prevent a ball from rolling across the center line to the opposing team.
*In some leagues, active players are permitted to leave the court to pick up and out-of-bounds ball. When permitted, players have 5 seconds to retrieve the ball and return to the playing area. They must enter and exit from the back of the court. Players may roll any number of balls back into play but may only carry one ball back in.
*If a player runs or jumps out of bounds in an attempt to dodge or catch a ball, but acts as though they were going out to pick up a ball, they will be ruled out.
*If a player fails to return to the court within 5 seconds, they will be declared out.
7. Stalling: When play becomes stagnant, the referee will count down 10 seconds to initiate a throw to keep the game moving. The team with the burden to throw is determined as follows:
*After the opening rush, the team that won the last set is obligated to throw first. For the first game, both teams share the burden to throw and will both need to move at least one ball across the center line.
*If a team has 4 or more balls on their side of the court, they are obligated to throw first. This includes balls on the ground outside the boundary area.
*If each team has 3 balls, the side with more players on court has to throw.
*If both teams have 3 balls and the number of players on court is equal, the team that threw last is safe and the opposing team must throw.
*Deliberately throwing balls so they return without giving the other team a chance to take control of them is stalling. Referees may award the stalled ball to the opposing team.
8. Head Shots: Shots directly to the head (any area above the shoulders) do not result in an out. If a player is hit directly in the head and that player or their teammate catches the ball, the catch counts. If a player blocks the ball into their own head, they are out (that’s not a direct headshot). If a player moves their head intentionally into the flight path of the ball, this will count as an out.
*If a player is hit while touching the ground with “3 points of contact,” the hit counts and you are out. “3 points of contact” exist when at least 3 parts of your body are touching the ground (e.g. two feet and one knee, two feet and a hand, sitting, etc.).
*High Throw/Head Hunting: Intentionally throwing the ball at or above neck level is not permitted. The referee may give a high throw warning, and, if continued, eject players as necessary.
9. Trap: A ball hitting the floor and a player at the same time does not result in an out.
10. Ball Grip: Squeezing a ball in order to alter its flight when thrown or gain a better grip on the ball is not permitted. While holding a ball, players’ fingers must remain extended so as to “palm” the ball. Players hit out by a pinched ball will not be declared out. A pinched ball that is caught will still count as a caught ball.
*Pinching or squeezing the ball may result in verbal warnings and/or ejection from the round or match.
11. Slapping / Punching: Striking the ball with an open or closed hand or arm in an attempt to get a player out is NOT a valid throw attempt. Players caught slapping or punching the ball will first receive a team warning, and further violations will result in the offending player being called out.
12. Trick Throws: As long as players maintain control of the ball and their body throughout their throw, the throw will be considered valid.
// Referees & Sportsmanship
1. Dodgeball is a self-regulated game that relies on the Honor System. If you are out, you are expected to raise your hand and go out without anybody else telling you to do so. If one of your teammates is out (knowingly or not) and does not go out, it is your responsibility to tell them to do so. While referees will at times let you know if you are out, a lack of a call by a Referee does not remove your obligation to abide by the Honor System.
2. Referees assist in making calls, settling disputes, maintaining game flow, and upholding good sportsmanship. Remember this league is for fun! Referees can call you out, but they shouldn’t have to. Referees can stop play by blowing their whistle and walking onto the court, at which time all live balls are immediately declared dead until the ref resumes play with their whistle.
*Foam Dodgeball: 1 Referee will be positioned at the center line on one side of the court.
*Rubber Dodgeball: 2 Referees will be positioned at the center line on opposite sides of the court.
3. All decisions made by the referees are final.
// General Overview
1. The Basics: Hit an opponent with a ball to get them out. If they catch it, the thrower is out and the catcher gets a teammate back in. A team wins a round when all players on the opposing team have been eliminated. A team wins a match by winning the most games within the designated time frame.
// Court Set Up & Boundaries
1. The Center Line: Runs horizontally across the middle of the playing area and serves as the divider between team areas. The center line extends infinitely in either direction of the actual marked line on the court.
*Players may step over the centerline on the initial rush, but doing so any time after that will result in the offending player being called out by the referee. This includes reaching across the center line to pick up a ball. If a ball is not on your side of the court, you may not pick it up. Players who do so will be called out.
*Intentionally crossing the center line and throwing the ball before touching the ground is not allowed. Any player doing so will be called out and the ball will be ruled dead.
*If a player controls a catch on their side of the court and falls to the other side immediately thereafter, the catch is considered valid but the catcher is then ruled out for having crossed the centerline.
2. The Attack Line: Runs parallel to the center line.
*Foam Dodgeball – Marked 4 feet from the center line. Players must throw from behind the attack line to get an opposing player out. Any throw made over the attack line will be ruled an illegal throw. While there is no penalty to the thrower, the ball cannot hit any opposing players out though it may be caught to get the thrower out.
*Rubber Dodgeball – Marked 6 feet from the center line. All balls must be brought back behind the attack line after the initial rush to become a live ball. Once the balls have been brought back across this line, it is no longer in effect throughout the game.
*Women’s Line – A women’s attack line may be used. If in play, female players are permitted to go up to the opponent’s attack line to throw.
3. Out of Bounds: All players must stay within the boundary lines of the court. A player is out if their body or their article of clothing touches the floor outside of the court boundary lines for any reason. Players may not reach across the center line or step out of bounds to retrieve a ball. Catches count only if the catching player has two (2) feet in bounds when caught.
*If the player makes the catch (control/possession obtained) with two feet in bounds but falls out of bounds due to momentum, the catch will count but the catcher will be declared out.
4. Out Players – How to Exit & Line Up: Players who are out must exit the court at the nearest point of exit. Players must raise their hand when exiting the court to designate being out and do their best to avoid interfering with game play. Players who repeatedly interfere with game play while exiting may receive a penalty card.
*If a player is in possession of ball(s) when they are hit out, they may pass those balls to a teammate. If a player is not in possession of ball(s) when they are hit out, they are not allowed to touch any balls on the court. If they do, a team may have that ball stripped from them and given to the other team at the referee’s discretion.
*Out players line up on the side of the court with the first player out closest to the back of the court. Players come in on catches in the same order they arrived in the out line. Returning players are active upon having 1 foot in bounds and should re-enter play from the baseline. Players on their way to the out line cannot come in on a catch.
*Players must line up (and re-enter play) in the order in which they are eliminated. Any team found to be reordering their out players may receive a penalty, up to and including loss of that round and/or game.
*A player has 5 seconds to re-enter the court after a catch. It is at the referee’s discretion to either allow or not allow a player back in the game if they are taking too much time to return to the playing area.
// Opening Rush
1. The referee will place six (6) balls on the center line, with three balls on one side and three balls on the other. Players will line up touching the baseline or back wall/net/curtain (location dependent). When the referee blows the whistle, players may run to get the three balls on the right (the ones on the left are for the opposing team).
*If players advance toward the center line prior to the initial whistle, they will receive a false start warning. Subsequent false starts will result in losing a ball to the other team.
2. All balls must be cleared by being brought behind the attack line before they can be legally thrown. Only the ball has to travel back behind the attack line, not the player. Once the ball has been cleared, it may be thrown as a live ball.
*If a player throws a ball that has not been cleared, the thrower is out and the ball is dead.
*If a ball remains on the center line for ten seconds after the initial referee whistle, it may be retrieved by either team.
// GOLDEN RULE
First and foremost, all Fray leagues are 50% Social and 50% Sport. While we have staff // officials, we expect individuals to respect the league’s culture of fair and fun play. Foul language and rough play will not be tolerated. Individuals who cannot adhere to our standards of fair play and sportsmanship may be asked to leave the league. We want everyone to have fun and be social while enjoying a great sport. We will do whatever we can to make sure all players are having fun!
// GENERAL POLICIES
Fray is proud to relieve captains of the burden of paying for full teams. We accept individual player payments and allow prepayment for additional players and/or full teams. We are also proud to welcome those who do not have a full team (small groups and free agents) to participate in our league.
Because our mission is to make fun possible, these policies make it easier for people to get involved with and build community through social sports.
All registrations are on a first come, first serve basis. Any roster that does not reach our official size (based on each sport) is eligible to receive free agents and/or small groups. Rosters made up of primarily free agents and/or a collection of small groups may have more players than the standard roster size. This policy is in place to help ensure free agent teams are able to consistently field a team each week.
// Roster Size Chart
| Sport |
Promotion Size |
Official Size |
Max Roster Size |
Female Minimum |
| Dodgeball 6v6 |
8 |
10 |
12 |
2 |
| Dodgeball 8v8 |
10 |
12 |
14 |
3 |
| Dodgeball 10v10 |
12 |
14 |
16 |
4 |
// Teams & Substitutions
1. 6v6 Leagues: A maximum of 6 players can be on the court, with 2 females. Teams must have at least 3 players with 1 female to start the game. If playing with less than 6 players, there must be at least 1 female on the court at all times.
2. 8v8 Leagues: A maximum of 8 players can be on the court, with 3 females. Teams must have at least 4 players to start the game, with no more than 2 more male than female players on the court.
3. 10v10 Leagues: A maximum of 10 players can be on the court, with 4 females. Teams must have at least 5 players to start the game, with no more than 2 more male than female players on the court.
4. Teams have until 5 minutes past the designated start time to field the minimum number of players. The 5 minute grace period is considered part of the overall game time. If a team is unable to reach the minimum number of players, the game will be deemed a forfeit.
*Teams may play a “legal game” with less than the required minimum number of players with the opposing team’s consent. Teams who agree to play under these conditions will lose the option of receiving a forfeit win and the outcome of the game will stand as is. Team’s must notify the Host before the start of the game.
5. Substitute players (players not on the roster) may be used at any time in the regular season. Substitutes are not permitted during playoffs.
*All substitutes must be a registered player on another team and/or in another Fray league that is currently in play.
*The use of substitute players above the player minimum is at the discretion of the opposing team’s Captain and confirmed with the Host before the start of the game.
6. If a team has players in attendance and they are capable of playing, then they must do so.
7. Only players who are on the court at the start of each round are allowed to play in that particular round. Substitutions are only allowed in between rounds.
*In a case of in-game injury, another rostered player from the same team and of the same gender may substitute mid-game for the injured player.
8. Teams must designate a captain prior to the start of the game. They are the only team member allowed to discuss calls with referees. Judgement calls by a referee may not be disputed. Captains are strongly encouraged to wait until a stoppage in play to raise any questions or concerns.
// Game Duration
1. Teams have 30-45 minutes to play as many rounds as possible. The team who wins the most number of rounds will be declared the winner of the match.
*Game play may be divided into two halves of equal time.
*Teams will switch sides once half the allotted time has expired or at the start of the second half.
*No round will start with less than 1 minute remaining on the game clock.
*A round in progress when time expires will be played to completion.
*No blocking may be implemented once time expires.
2. Time outs: Each team will have one 30-second time out per match.
*Time out must be called by a player on the court. All players not in, besides captain(s), should stay out of the play area.
*All live balls are immediately dead and all players must leave idle balls where they lie. Players may maintain possession of held balls.
*A timeout does not stop the official match time.
*Time outs cannot be called during the last game of the match.
3. Regular season matches can end in ties.
4. During the playoffs, matches will either be played as a Best-of-X format as determined by the League that season or played in the same standard format as a regular season game.
*All Best-of-X playoff games will be played through completion
* Standard format games that are tied at the end of regulation will go into a 4 minute overtime period. Blocking is allowed during the 4 minute period. If the match is still tied once time expires, No Blocking will be instituted until the round is complete and a winner is declared.
5. Mercy rule: If a team is winning by 10 or more points, the captain of the losing team can opt to end the game and have the score recorded as is. Teams can then choose to play more games for fun until the match time expires!
// Equipment, Uniforms & Facility Use
1. All equipment will be provided on site. We will use foam or rubber balls as specified within each individual league. Only league provided dodgeballs are permitted for league play. All dodgeballs are 8.5-inch balls.
2. Players should make every effort to wear the official Fray division shirt.
3. Players must wear non-marking, closed-toe athletic shoes.
4. If plastic knee pads are worn, they must be covered with a non-marking adhesive.
5. No gloves or other hand/finger coverings of any kind may be worn during games unless medically necessary.
6. If an individual or team violates the facility’s Code of Conduct, they may be asked to leave and a refund will not be issued.
// Playoffs & Standings
1. Playoffs are determined after the regular season has concluded and are based on scheduling and other league logistics. Playoffs are not guaranteed.
2. Standings are automatically sorted in Commish based on teams’ Win-Loss-Tie record. If there is a tie in the standings, we sort based on the following information in order until the tie is resolved:
*Head-to-head matchups
*Score differential
*Points For
*Points Against
// Forfeits
1. Teams have until 10 minutes past the designated start time to field the minimum number of players. The 10 minute grace period is considered part of the overall game time. If a team is unable to reach the minimum number of players, the game will be deemed a forfeit.
*First Forfeit – Loss of game and warning issued
*Second Forfeit – Loss of game and Fray reserves the right to remove team the playoffs.
*Third Forfeit – Loss of game and removal from the league with no refund
2. In the case of a forfeit, the final score is recorded as 5-0.
// Weather Cancellations
1. One week is built into the end of each season
2. All players will be notified via email if games are canceled
3. If more than one weather cancellation occurs, Fray will try to find another week if possible to make up the games, but it is not guaranteed.
4. Should inclement weather or other factors limit normal scheduled game duration and more than half the game has been played, the game shall count as the full game.
