INDOOR DODGEBALL RULES

National Amateur Dodgeball Association (N.A.D.A.)
Official Rules and Regulations

Rule 1 Players, Field, & Equipment
Section 1: Team
Art. 1 Teams will be made up of 6-10 players. A minimum of six players will compete on a side; others will be available as substitutions.
Art. 2 Co-Rec teams must start all games with no more male players than female players: 3 male and 3 female, 2 male and 4 female, ect.
Art. 3 Substitutes may enter the game only during timeouts, or in the case of injury. Co-Rec may not substitute male for female.

Section 2: Field Dimensions and Markings
Art. 1 The game is played indoors at the Ratner Center Auxiliary Court.
Art. 2 The playing field shall be a rectangular volleyball court dimensions will be used.
Art. 3 The playing court shall be marked with sidelines, end lines, attack lines, and a center hash mark. There shall be at least 3 feet (preferably 10ft) of unobstructed space outside of boundaries. It is recommended that the centerline be 8 inches wide.
Art. 4 A restraining line will be located 6-8ft outside and parallel to each end line. Only active players (those not out) will be allowed to pass through the area between the end line and restraining line.

Section 3: Boundaries
Art. 1 During play, all players must remain in boundary lines.
Art. 2 Players may pass through their end line only to retrieve stray balls. Stray balls are ones that has not been picked up and is lying on the ground.
Art.3 When retrieving a ball, the player must also immediately re-enter the playing field only through their end line.
Note: A player not immediately re-entering the playing area may be declared out.
Art. 4 A player may be handed a ball, provided the player receiving the ball remains completely within their team's field boundaries. Players may be handed a ball while standing out of bounds.
Art. 5 A player shall not:
A. A. have any part of their body in contact outside the playing surface or over sideline.
B. B. Enter or re-enter the field through their sideline.
C. C. Leave the playing field to avoid being hit by attempt to catch a ball.
D. D. Have any part of their body cross the center line and contact ground on their opponents' side of the court.
Note: A player may, without penalty, step on the center-line.
Penalty: Player will be declared out.
Exception to 1,3,5d: During the opening rush many players cross the center-line. Officials should refrain from calling players at this unless a definite advantage is gained by the action.

Section 4: Equipment
Art. 1 The official ball used in tournament and league play will be an 8 inch rubber coated foam ball.
Art. 2 The standard number of balls for a six player game is three on a side.
Art. 3 Participants must wear shoes. No metal cleats will be allowed.
Art. 4 Participants must wear shirt and shorts/pants.

Rule 2 Game Play
Section 1: The Game
Matches will begin with the flip of a coin.
Art. 1 The team winning the coin flip will have a choice of sides to begin the match.
Art.2 Teams will alternate sides after each match.
Art.3 The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them out.
An out is scored by:
A. A. Hitting an opposing player with a live thrown ball below the shoulders.
Note: If a player ducks, and this clearly is the cause for the player being hit above the shoulders, the player is out and the throw is legal.
B. B. Catching a live ball thrown by your opponent.
C. C. Causing an opponent to drop a live ball as a result of contact by another thrown live ball. (usually occurs when a ball is being used to block a thrown ball.
D. D. An opposing player stepping out of bounds with momentum carrying a caught ball.. Both thrower and catcher are out.
Live (def) A thrown ball that strikes, or is caught by, an opposing player without before contacting the ground, another player or ball.
Art. 4 A player may block a thrown ball with a ball being held, provided the held ball is not dropped as a result of the contact with the thrown ball.
Note: A ball deflecting off a held ball and striking the holder is no longer a live ball.

Section 2: Timing, Time-outs, & substitutions
Art. 1 A 5 minute time limit has been established for each game.
Art. 2 Each team will be allowed one 60 second time out per game.
Art. 3 Only the court monitor's whistle starts and stops the clock.
Art. 4 All players are in jeopardy until the Court Monitor recognizes and signals, the beginning of a time out or end of regulation time.
Exception: All live balls in flight at time of an official's signal (to end regulation time or begin a time out) remain live, and may eliminate an opponent, until they become dead.
Art. 5 During time outs, teams may substitute players. Substitutes may be players who did not start the game, or players who wish to re-enter after having been declared out.
Note: Co- Rec may not substitute male for female.

Section 3: Beginning the Game
Art. 1 Prior to beginning a game, an equal number of dodgeballs are placed along the center line on each side of the center hash mark. A standard game consists of 6 balls, 3 on each side of the hash mark.
Art. 2 Players then take a position behind their end line.
Art. 3 Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the center lines to retrieve the balls. Teams may only retrieve balls placed to the right ( as they face the center line) of the hash mark. If balls remain on the center line after a team has retrieved and moved their balls beyond the attack line, those balls may be retrieved by either team.

Section 4: Opening Rush Rule
Art. 1 Each and every ball retrieved at the opening rush must first be taken beyond the attack line and into the team's backcourt before it may be legally thrown at an opponent.
Example: Following the opening whistle, a player rushes and is the first to secure a ball from the center line. That player must then carry or pass the ball into their backcourt before it may be legally thrown at an opponent.

Section 5: Declaring a Winner
Art. 1 The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner.
Art. 2 If neither team has been eliminated at the end of regulation, the team with the greater number of remaining players will be declared the winner.
Art. 3 In all overtime periods, the first team to legally eliminate any one opponent will be declared the winner.

Section 6: Overtime (tournament only)
Art. 1 If an equal number of players remain after regulation play, a 3 min. sudden death over time period will be played.
Art. 2 To reduce time required to finish an overtime game, team captains may choose to add an equal number of players prior to the start of the first overtime- sudden death still applies. Both captains must agree to the number of players added- if not, overtime will begin with the number of players left standing at the end of regulation.
Art. 3 All overtime periods will begin with an equal number of "balls in hand" behind a teams end line. The first team to eliminate any one opposing player will be declared the winner.
Art. 4 No time outs allowed during over time.
Art. 5 Substitutions and/or additions may be prior to the start of any overtime period.
Art. 6 At the end of each overtime period, if no players have been eliminated, an additional player from each team- max of 6- will be placed back into play.
Art. 7 The sudden death format continues through all extra periods.

Section 7: Stalling and 5-second violation
The following procedure will be used to prevent overtime.
Art. 1 A team trailing during a regulation game must be given the opportunity to eliminate an opposing player. This requires a ball to be at the disposal of the trailing team.
Art. 2 It is illegal for the leading team to control all the balls for more than 5 seconds. If the leading team controls all of the balls they must make a legitimate effort to get at least one ball across the attack line and into the opponent's backcourt. If this is not done within 5 sec., a 5 sec. Violation, will be called. A team may avoid a 5 sec violation by throwing or rolling a ball into the opponent's backcourt. This does throwing the ball over and through an opponents end line.
Note: Only a court monitor or official mat call a 5 sec violation.
Penalty for 5 sec. Violation:
First Violation: Stoppage of play and the balls will be divided evenly between the teams. Play will continue with "Balls in hand."
Second violation: Free throw for the opposing team - a penalty in which one player is allowed an obstructed throw at their opponents without risk of elimination. This is possible because a caught free throw does not result in an out for the thrower.
Third violation: Ejection of one player from the offending team.
Note: The stalling procedure does not apply to over time periods.

Rule 3 Officials and Their Duties
Section 1 Court Monitors and Officials
Art. 1 All contests will be supervised by a Court Monitor.
Art. 2 Rules will be forced primarily by the honor system. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or they were legally eliminated.
Exception: During tournament play, All semi final and final round matches will be officiated by no less than 3 Officials. These officials will rule in all situations.
Art. 3 The Court Monitor's responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. A team may appeal to the Court Monitor if they feel a player has violated any rule. THE COURT MONITOR'S DECISION IS FINAL
Art. 4 Court Monitors may warn players and call technical follows on those who display unsportsmanlike conduct. Any players receiving 2 technical fouls in a game will be ejected and suspended a minimum of one game. Suspensions will begin with their next scheduled game. Severe infractions or multiple technicals mat result in suspensions from matches or tournaments.
Note: A Court Monitor in not required to warn a player before calling a technical foul.

Section 2 Unsportsmanlike conduct
It may include, but is limited to:
1. 1. foul language
2. 2. hits above the shoulders
3. 3. unnecessary roughness
4. 4. arguing with officials, staff, participants, or fans
5. 5. abuse of the honor system

Section 3 protests
Protests will only be accepted in cases involving use of an ineligible player. Protests of judgement calls will not be accepted.

Rule 4 Tournament Format and Tie Breakers
Pool play - match play
Art.1 Matches will be decided using a best of 3 format in which the first team to win 2 games will be declared the winner of the game.
Art. 2 During pool play, or round robin play, all games will be played, regardless of the results of the first two games.
Art. 3 The format used to determine a champion in a particular division will be decided by tournament officials, based on the number of teams registered.

Section 2 Scoring
Art. 1 A+/- score will be assigned to each game based on the number of team members left standing at the end of the game.
If team A eliminates team B and still has three players left standing, team A receives a game win and +3 rating and team B receives a game loss and -3 rating. Any team winning an overtime game receives a +1 rating. Losers of an OT game will receive a -1 rating.

Section 3 Tie Breakers Situations
In the case of teams finishing pool play with identical win loss match records, the following tie breaker procedures will be used:
Step 1: Head to head match record between tied teams
Step 2: Games win loss record between tied teams
Step 3: Total +- rating between tied teams.
Step 4: One game playoff

Code of Conduct
1 Understand, appreciate and abide by the rules of the game and the honor system.
2 Respect the integrity and judgement of game officials and Intramural Sports staff
3 Respect your opponent and congratulate them in a courteous manner following each match, whether in victory or defeat.
4 Be responsible for your actions and maintain self control.
5 Do not taunt or bait opponents. Refrain from using foul or abusive language.