Coed indoor Dodgeball

The referees apply the World Dodgeball Federation rules. However, we have introduced several modifications to better comply with the philosophy and objectives of our programs:

Players

1. Teams must have a minimum of 5 players on the court with their intramural shirt to start a game, 2 of whom must be female
2. If a team only has five players, and a player gets injured during the game and is no longer able to continue play, the team may play one player down.

Scoring/ Tie-breaking Procedures

1. Points will be awarded based on the amount of matches won, one point per 5 minute match. A total game consists of 10 matches.
2. No game shall end in a tie. If a tie occurs after the 10 rounds, an eleventh round will be played to determine the winner.

Game Format

1. The court will be comprised of half of the gymnasium and games will be played across the width of the court (grey line boundaries).
2. Teams have 50 minutes to complete all scheduled rounds.
3. Each game will have 10 5-minute rounds.
4. Each game will have 10 5-minute rounds.
5. Each round will be five minutes in length. If both teams have an equal number of players remaining after five minutes, a 1-minute overtime period will be played.
6. After one minute of overtime play, the team with the most players remaining is the winner of the round. If teams still have an equal number of players remaining, sudden death will happen; the first team to eliminate a player wins the round.
7. A 5-minute warm-up will be held prior to the first round.
8. After five round there will be a 2-minute half-time.
9. Teams will switch sides after the fifth round played.

Rules Governing Play

1. Participants are to remove any jewellery before the game begins.
2. Each team must have a total of 5 players on the court, 2 of which must be self-identifying female players.
3. All players must stay within the grey line boundaries unless retrieving a ball.
4. No player may step on the centre line except at the beginning of a round to attempt to retrieve a ball.
5. When the referees have determined that both teams are ready to start, they shall place five dodgeballs in the middle of the court, equal distance from each team as well as each other.
6. Play is generally continuous as each team makes attempts at eliminating the other team’s players until either all players on one team have been eliminated or time expires.
7. Once a player takes possession of the ball, they have five seconds to either pass to another player on their team or make an attempt at the opposing team. The team has 20 seconds in total once they have the ball on their side, once this time lapses the ball must be rolled to the opposing team.
8. A player may only be called out if they have been hit at or below their shoulders. A player who, in the referee’s opinion, is intentionally trying to draw a head shot by moving their head towards a thrown ball will be called out.
9. A player who catches an opposing team's throw will result in the thrower being called out. If the ball is caught while it is in contact with the ground, the catch is considered dead and the thrower will not be called out; play will continue as normal. Catching the ball will result in a player on the catcher’s team returning to the game as well as the thrower on the opposing team being out. Players must return to the game in the order that they were eliminated in.
10. A player may block an opponent's attempt with a dodgeball providing the attempt from the opposing team hits only the ball in the possession of the target player.
11. A throw may not come into contact with any wall, floor or roof before being caught or coming into contact with a player. If it does, the ball will be deemed dead, and play will resume.
12. Any attempt to kick the ball is illegal and the ball will be given to the opposing team.
13. A player may only be called out if the ball does not come into contact with the ground prior to striking the target.
14. When eliminated by the opposing team, a player must leave the court immediately. Players are to go to the opposite side of their bench (on the side with the wall).
15. If an injury occurs, time will stop and the team may make a substitution; the injured player may not return to the round which they left.
16. In the case where a ball is thrown and strikes a player of the opposing team and then bounces off and is then caught by an additional member of the opposing team, the play will resume – the thrower is not out nor is the player that was hit prior to the catch.
17. Referees will be enforcing a card system for infractions. Participants may be given a yellow or red card depending on the severity of the infraction. A participant with two yellow cards, or one red will be ejected. Cards may be given for abuse of officials or participants, unsportsmanlike conduct and/or aggressive plays.
18. Any headshots will result in a yellow card being assessed to the thrower; if a player ducks and is hit in the head, a yellow card will not be assessed to the thrower.
19. “Suicide shots” are permitted in the case where the thrower does not touch the centre line as they jump over onto the opposing side, and provided that the ball is released prior to the thrower’s feet touching the ground on the opposing side. Regardless of whether the ball strikes the opposing player or not, the thrower will be out as a result of this play

Defaults

1. A default takes place if, after the tenth minute of the hour, one of the teams a) has fewer than five rostered players on the court; b) has fewer than two female players.
2. In the event of a default, the score that will be given is 10-0, in favour of the team who was forfeited on.
3. Referees will stay to officiate a friendly game if a reasonable number of players between both teams are present.