Rules for the competitive division

The Court:

The court we use is a 50×30 foot court.  We include a neutral zone that is 10 ft long with the lines also doubling as attack lines for the rush.

The boundaries will be strictly enforced.  Once the player has crossed even a centimeter past the line he is considered out.  There is only one exception listed below in the catch category.

For the rush, players must have both feet behind the line to start.

In the rush players must retreat behind their own safety line.  They can only throw once both feet clear the line.

Players that are caught in must enter from the side of the court.  They have 5 seconds to get inbounds. Once a foot is placed on the court they are live.

Throwing:

No pinching: Blocking or throwing.  Pinching is considered an out after one warning.

The ball is dead if it hits the floor, ceiling, or wall.

When a ball hits another ball in the air both are considered dead.

Suicide:  The player must throw the ball before he lands on the other side.  If successful that player may stay in and get back to their side of the court.  If they are hit in the air, or miss their target the player is out.  If the person is hit making their way back to their side, they are out.  If the player committing the suicide catches a ball they must be on their side of the court for it to count.  During a successful suicide the player must still stay in-bounds at all times.

A 15 second countdown will be enforced at the refs discretion to keep the play moving.  At the end of 15 seconds the team that did not give up the burden will forfeit the balls on their side.

Catching:

A catch is considered a ball held under control with two feet inbounds.

If a catch is made between the legs it only counts once the person has grabbed the ball and transferred it to a controlled position.

If a player jumps in the air and catches a ball and lands one foot out of bounds the catch is no good and the catcher is out.  The player must have control of the ball with two feet inbounds for the catch to count.

The boundaries are strictly enforced. The only exception is an NFL style catch where a catch is made with two feet completely in bounds, but the momentum of the catch carries the player out of bounds. The catching player is safe, the catch is good, and that player must immediately return to the court. The player is live at all times, he can be hit while out of bounds. To clarify the only time that a player and touch out of bounds is in the event of a completed catch with both feet in bounds.

You do not have to save yourself off of deflections.  If teammate A is hit teammate B can catch the ball.  The result is the thrower is out, teammate A is safe, and the first person in the out line is allowed to come in play.

A blocked ball can be caught by the opposing team for an out.  If a throw is deflected by a ball across the centerline of the court it can be caught for an out.  (Thrower is safe, the deflecting player is out)  This only occurs when the throw is deflected of a blocking ball.  If the player is hit and the ball crosses back over the center line the catch does not count for anything.

Outs:

When a player is hit they must make their way to the out line as quick as possible.  Do your best not to get in the way.  Players MUST exit as quickly as they can out the back of the court as to not interfere with the gameplay.

Headshots are considered an OUT.  If your headband, hat, ect is knocked off that constitutes an out.  Clothing also counts as an out.  We do not endorse the headshot but we are the Elite teams of dodgeball. You should dodge the ball.

For Co-Ed we will use the 3 point rule for women.  If a girl is standing with only two points on the ground and she is hit directly in the face she will be considered safe and the thrower will be given a warning.  The second time a girl is hit in the face by the same player the girl will be safe and the thrower will be called out.  If a girl has 3 points of contact and is hit in the face she will be considered out.  Please allow people that have been hit in the face to regain composure.

If a player is using a ball to block and the ball is knocked out of their hand, the blocker is out.

If a ball deflects off the ball you are holding and hits you, it is an out.

A trap is when the ball hits the floor and the player at the same time.  It is considered an OUT.

A caught ball off a deflection results in the thrower being out.

Players in the out queue must stay in the order that they were out.