General Information

1. The team captain and all players are responsible for all information contained in the General Rules Page and in the following page.

2. Dodgeballs will be provided.

Players

1. All players are required to bring a valid photo ID to all Intramural games.

2. A regulation Intramural Sports Dodgeball team includes 6 players (3 male and 3 female). A team must start play with 4 players present. Of these four players, one must be a male. Players arriving late may enter the game at the start of a new set.

   1. If injuries reduce a team to 3 players or less, the game may continue with staff approval.

   2. A team reduced to 3 players or less via player ejections will automatically forfeit.

3. For more information regarding roster rules, please see the Eligibility and Participation page.

Timing

1. A regulation match is no longer than 45 minutes.

2. Matches will consist of 5 sets. ALL 5 sets will always be played, regardless of which team wins more sets. 

3. Each set will be capped at 8 minutes. If a team has all players eliminated prior to the 8-minute time limit, then that team will receive the loss for that set. If both teams still have active players on the court at the 8-minute mark, then the team with more players standing will receive the win for that set.

4. If teams have the same number of active players remaining on the court, teams will go to a sudden victory format with the players remaining on the court. To start sudden victory, all balls must be placed at mid court, and the remaining players from the tied set will line up at the initial starting point for the set (see sudden victory protocol below).

5. The timing rules may be modified for championships or any other playoff matches.

No Show

1. A no show will be assessed when a team fails to be present with the required number of players at 10 minutes past the scheduled game time.

2. Below is a summary of penalties for a team that is late:

   1. 5 minutes late = loss of first set

   2. 10 minutes late = loss 3-0 and C in sportsmanship

3. Teams with one or more no shows will not be eligible for the single elimination playoffs.

Forfeit

1. Should a game be stopped at any point due to a violation of Intramural Rules on fighting or sportsmanship, or if a completed game is subsequently protested due to an ineligible player(s) and declared a loss for the winning team, it shall be considered a forfeit.

2. Any team forfeiting a game is automatically prohibited from participating in the playoffs and will receive an F rating in sportsmanship for that game.

Scorekeeping and Officiating

1. An Intramural Staff member will be responsible for maintaining the official score and should be contacted immediately to address any scoring issues.

2. No scoring protest will be heard at the end of the game.

3. The Intramural Staff member shall also be given complete control of the game and have the final say on all calls.

4. The winning team from each set will be awarded 1 point.

Substitutions

1. Substitutions may only take place in between sets and may not be done during a set.

2. Once a set has started, the same group who started the set, will finish it.  

Game Play

1. The game will be played inside the black boundary lines of the court. A set of cones on the court will govern the field of play depending on the time left in the game. Out of bounds shall be defined as outside of the cones.

2. Each set will start with the balls lined along the midcourt line and players will line up along the baseline.

3. Players will run up to midcourt, grab a ball, and then run back to touch their ball to the wall of the court in order to start play.

4. Once a player has been hit by a thrown ball (not a bounced ball), that player is out and needs to leave the court immediately. They must leave any balls in their possession at the point they were called out.

   1. Once a player is called out, they are ineligible to touch any more dodgeballs from that point on.

5. If a player catches a thrown ball and maintains control of the ball, the “thrower” will be called out and a player from the “catcher’s” side will return from being “out”.

6. If a thrown ball strikes a player in the head, the “thrower” will be called out.

   1. EXCEPTION: If the officials determine the player hit on the head intentionally moved their head into the path of the ball, the thrower will remain active and the player hit will be called out.

7. Once all players on a team are out, the other team is given the set victory.

The Playing Area

1. The court size will continually reduce as the game clock elapses.

2. After 4 minutes, the court will reduce in size to the parameters outlined by the “4-minute” cones.

3. After 6 minutes, the court will again reduce in size to the parameters outlined by the “6-minute” cones.

4. At the 8-minute mark, the team with the most players still on the court wins. However, if both teams have the same number of players on the court, sudden victory begins.

Sudden Victory Protocol

1. Sudden victory will be played within the “6-minute” cones.

2. # of players = # of balls, except in the case of 1v1, in which there will be two balls placed at the middle of the court.

3. The game begins in the exact same method as regulation play.

4. During sudden victory, a player cannot hold onto a dodgeball for longer than 15 seconds. At the 15 second mark, the referee will begin a 5-second countdown. If the player has yet to throw the ball after the 5-second countdown, the player is out.

Outs

1. The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them “OUT”.

2. Players will be called out when one of the following occurs:

   1. A player hitting an opposing player with a thrown ball below the shoulders 

   2. A player catching a ball thrown by the opponent before touching the ground.

   3. A player dropping a ball being used to deflect.

   4. A player dodging out of bounds.

   5. A player crossing the centerlines. 

   6. A player’s clothing being hit by an opposing player’s toss

3. If a player kicks a ball at an opposing player and hits them, the opposing player will NOT be called out. 

4. If a player decides to kick the ball and the opposing team catches it, the player who kicked it will be OUT.

Special Game Scenarios

1. If a thrown ball strikes multiple players before it bounces for the first time, all struck players are considered out.

2. Delay of Game: If a team possesses all balls, they have 5 seconds to start throwing again. If a team chooses to roll a ball to their opponents to meet this requirement, they must roll the ball beyond the free throw line extended on their opponent’s half of the court.

   1. PENALTY: If a team commits a delay of game, the team must surrender half of the number of balls to their opponent, and all players not throwing a ball will be called out.

   2. EXCEPTION: If the offending team only has one active player remaining and the official determines that an effort to play the ball is being made, no penalty will be assessed.

3. If a player goes out of bounds to retrieve a ball, they must take the quickest and most direct path to the ball and return to the field of play immediately. A player attempting to do this cannot be called out while out of bounds. If the player decides to throw the ball, he/she must establish two feet in the field of play before throwing.

4. Balls may be used to deflect other thrown balls. However, if the ball is deflected into another player prior to bouncing, that player is considered out.

5. If a thrown ball contacts a player and is caught by a teammate prior to the bounce, the “thrower” is out and the “catcher’s” teammate will not be considered out.

6. If a player catches an opposing team’s throw, the thrower is out, and the team who caught the toss gets to have one of their “out” players come back in the game. Players must re-enter the game in the order in which they were called out.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

1. Any player that demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct on or off the court, including arguing with the referee, is subject to ejection from the game.

2. Two warnings will result in an ejection; team warnings with be given to the captain.