DODGE BALL

INTRODUCTION:
Dodgeball is a team sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls and hit opponents,
while avoiding being hit themselves. The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of
the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, catching a ball thrown by an opponent, or
inducing an opponent to commit a violation, such as stepping outside the court.
The sport is played informally (in schools and pick-up games) under varying rules; and formally
as an international sport, under rules that vary among international governing bodies, such as the
World Dodgeball Federation (WDBF) and the World Dodgeball Association (WDA). USA
Dodgeball is the governing entity for dodgeball in the United States, with member leagues and
clubs across the nation. International dodgeball day is April 27.

HISTORY OF DODGE BALL:

With spirit week right around the corner, many students and faculty are looking forward to one
of the events that will take place, the dodgeball tournament. Although you may see dodgeball as
a fun game played in gym class, it surprisingly has a history behind it.
Around 200 years ago in Africa, dodgeball was not a fun game, but a deadly game. Rather than
using soft balls, like the ones used in most gym classes, people threw large rocks. Tribes used
this game to work out. Each player would have the goal of injuring their opponent. If a player
happened to get hit, they would continuously get hit until they were finished off. Meanwhile,
their teammates would defend them while trying to injure their opponents. This deadly, yet
useful game taught teamwork and cooperation among the tribe members.

A missionary, named James H. Carlisle, spectated this several times. Once he returned to
England, he influenced his peers to play a sport similar to the one played by the tribes. He
changed the vicious game into a safer game. The big rock was changed into a leather ball. It
would be strategically played on an open field, where the player would be “out” if he were
knocked to the ground by a ball. However, players were able to bat away balls. There were other
variations of this game that were played.

Philip Ferguson witnessed games being played by St. Mary’s College. He liked the concept of
the game but changed it to where 2 teams are on either side of the playing field. He brought this
idea all the way to America, where rules were officially made in 1905. The sport rapidly spread
across the nation and is still played to this day.

HOW TO PLAY DODGE BALL:

Court Size: 18m x 9m or a Volleyball Court. Equipment: 6 x Dodgeballs.
1. The game starts with 6 balls, on the centre line. Players start behind the end line and at
the opening rush, each team retrieves the balls to their right on the centre line. The ball
must be taken behind the attack line before it can be thrown.
2. The object of the game is to eliminate the opposing players by getting them OUT. You
are out if: The ball hits you below the shoulders. You step over the sideline or the
centreline. You throw a live ball and it is caught by your opponent.
3. You can block a thrown ball with a held ball but if you drop the blocking ball or the
thrown ball still ends up hitting your body, you are out.
 4. A ball is dead and cannot get you out if: It hits the ground, wall or has already hit another
player first. It is held for longer than 10 seconds. Dead balls are rolled over immediately
to the other team.
5. When you get out, stand on the sideline in the order you got out. If a teammate catches a
ball, you can return to the court from the backline.
6. If the game comes down to 1 player on each team, they have 10 seconds to hit each other
out. After this time, the neutral zone is dissolved and the players may move about freely
on the court. The last player to get their opponent out wins.

SUMMARY OF DODGEBALL RULES:

THE TEAM
 Teams will be made up of 8-16 players. Eight (8) players, five (5) males & three (3)
females will compete on a side; others will be available as substitutes. Substitutes may enter
between games in the place of a teammate (male for male, female for female) or during a
game in the place of an injured teammate.
 If necessary, a team may begin a game with fewer than 8 players.  Minimum 6 players
(four males and two females).

THE FIELD
The game may be played indoors or outdoors. The playing field shall be a rectangular surface
free from obstructions and at least 60 ft long and at least 30 ft wide.  The court size may vary by
location.  The court is then divided into two (2) equal sections by a center-line and attack-lines
3m
from, and parallel to the centerline.
IDEAL MEASUREMENTS: 60’ x 30’

THE EQUIPMENT
 The official balls used in tournament and league play will be an 8.25″ and a 7″ foam
dodgeball.
 The number of balls used in a regulation game is six (6). Four (4) 8.25″ and Two (2) 7″
female dodgeballs. the following rules apply to the 7″ female dodgeballs:
o Only female players can throw the 7” dodgeballs while females are live in play on
either side of the court. When all female players have been eliminated from the game,
male players can then throw the 7” dodgeballs at opposing male players.
o Male players can only do the following with the 7” female dodgeballs:
 Pass or roll the female dodgeballs to females on their own team
 Block dodgeballs being thrown at them by the opposing team
 Throw only when ALL females have been eliminated from play on both
sides of the court
 Underhand roll back to the opposing team when no females remain on
their side of the court (Please Note: male players must still throw the 8.25” dodgeballs
either at someone or at least over the attack line)
o If any male players are seen throwing the 7” female dodgeballs overhand in any
manner (including “grounding”) at the opposing team while any females are on the court
they will first be issued a warning (1 warning per team, per game) and after the initial
warning will be called out. In both instances their throw will not count and the person they
hit with the female dodgeball will remain in play.
 Participants must wear shoes, shirts/tops and shorts/pants.
 All clothes/uniforms are considered part of the player’s body
 Gloves or foreign substances (which can be transferred to the ball) designed to improve
catching ability are not allowed on the hands or arms.  One cotton wristband on each wrist is
acceptable.

THE GAME
 Games will begin with each team occupying opposite ends of the court. Teams will
alternate sides following halftime.
 The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them “OUT”. This
may be done by:
1. Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball below the neck. (Note: If a player ducks
or takes a position with their head below where their neck would normally be when standing, i.e.
crouching, kneeling, sitting, diving, rolling or laying and this clearly is the cause for the player
being hit above the shoulders, the player is OUT and the throw is considered legal).
2. Legally catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground.
3. Causing an opponent to lose control of a held ball as a result of contact by a thrown LIVE ball
(usually occurs when a ball is being used to block a thrown ball)
4. An opposing player stepping out of bounds.
5. Head hunting will be strictly enforced.  Head Shots is defined as striking an opposing player
while in a upright/standing position above the shoulder area which includes the head, face and
neck.   Any head shots (intentional or not) the thrower is OUT.  Any head shots (intentional or
not) and the thrower is OUT.  In addition, multiple head shot offenders are subject to our 3 &
OUT policy which we adopted for this season. 1st head shot, the thrower is OUT and must take
his/her spot on the sideline wall. 2nd head shot by the same thrower, they are OUT for that game
and must exit the dodgeball court into the substitution area and the team will play down a player
for the remainder of that game. 3rd head shot by the same thrower results in ejection from the
match, must exit the dodgeball court and is no longer eligible for the remainder of that evening’s
match.
6. Male players MUST throw the ball past your opponent’s 10′ attack line at all times!  Failure to
throw past the attack line will result in that players being called out. Obviously this rule will not
apply if there is a player inside the attack line.
 Definition: LIVE: A thrown ball that strikes or is caught by an opposing player
without/before contacting the ground, another player, a held ball, a non-held ball, official or
other object.
 A player may block a thrown ball with a ball being held, provided the holder does not
lose control of the held ball as a result of the contact with the thrown ball.  The held ball does
not need to strike the ground to cause the holder to be OUT, only be knocked loose of the
holder’s grip.  Even if the holder regains control of the held ball, they are still out. Any
actions by the holder after the initial loss control are ignored.
 A live ball deflecting off the body of Player “A” remains live only to player “A”. If
Player “A” legally catches the deflected ball, the thrower is OUT. Teammates of “A” may not
legally catch the deflected ball. In fact, touching of the deflected ball by another player causes
it to become dead.
 Once a player is OUT, they must drop any balls in hand and exit the playing field at the
sideline determined by the official.  If an OUT player intentionally contacts a live ball or
interferes in any way with play before exiting the playing field the officials may call OUT an
additional member of their team as a penalty for interference.
 Players that are OUT or eliminated need to line up side-by-side in the order they are OUT
at the sideline wall.  Once a teammate makes a legal catch (defined below) the first eliminated
player in line may re-enter the game and is granted a three (3) second grace period prior to
 opponents being able to throw balls at them.  During the three (3) second grace period, the
player re-entering is not yet eligible to throw balls at the opposing team, nor can they catch
the opposing team ball until the grace period has ended.
 Kicking the dodgeball is not allowed at any time during the game, balls must be thrown,
tossed or rolled by hand. A warning will be passed onto a player who kicks any ball.  A
second violation, that player will be OUT.

LEGAL CATCHES
 A player demonstrates control of a live thrown ball (by opponent) with at least one foot
inbounds, on the playing surface, and no other part of the player out of bounds. Result:
thrower is out.
 An inbound, airborne player/catcher demonstrates control of a live thrown ball (by
opponent) Result: thrower is out.  Airborne Catcher: A player that leaves the playing surface
from inbounds-prior to catching the ball in an attempt to catch a thrown ball.  If the ball is
controlled while airborne and before going out of bounds, the catch is legal.
 If an airborne player lands out of bounds they are immediately OUT.  Note: In this case,
if control is demonstrated before landing out of bounds both the thrower and catcher are OUT
– in that order.
 A player that contacts (is hit with) a live thrown ball inbounds and in an attempt to catch
it leaves the floor, the player must control the ball with one foot inbounds for the catch to be
legal. Note: A player may not become airborne (even if they control the ball while airborne)
following the initial contact with the live ball and subsequently land out of bounds. The
player must land inbounds.

BOUNDARIES
 During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines.
 A player shall not have any part of their body cross over the center-line and contact the
ground on their opponents’ side of the court. (Officials will take exception during the opening
rush if some players cross the center-line.  Players will only be called OUT at this time if they
have crossed the line and a definite advantage is gained by the action).
 • When only one male player remains on each team, those male players may advance
over the center-line up to their opponents Attack Line. If one male player remains on one
team and one female player remains on the opposing team the male player can only advance
up to the center line.
 • When one female player remains on one team and her opponent has two or more
players on their team, the female player may advance over the center-line up to her
opponent’s attack line. When one female player remains on one team and one male player on
the opposing team the female player can advance up to the opponent’s Attack Line.
 Note: Any player initiating physical contact with an opponent will be ejected, forfeit the
game and face possible suspension.

THE OPENING RUSH

 Game begins by placing the 6 dodgeballs along the center line. Players then take a
position against the end wall with a hand or a foot placed against that wall. Following a signal
by the official, 3 players from each team may approach the centerline to retrieve the 3 balls
on their right side. This signal officially starts the contest. Players MAY NOT LEAVE
THEIR FEET when retrieving the ball. Once a ball is retrieved it must be taken behind the
attack-line before it can be legally thrown.  The thrower must also get both feet behind the
attack-line before the ball can be legally thrown.  A retriever may toss the ball to a teammate
standing behind the attack-line and they may legally throw the ball.
 If a team fails to retrieve their 3 dodgeballs in the initial rush, the opposing team may
grab their opponent’s dodgeballs after their 3 dodgeballs have been brought back or
thrown behind their attack line.
 A False Start will be called if players leave the end wall prior to the official’s signal to
start the game. Result: Play will be stopped, players must reset at the end wall and await the
next official’s signal.  A second offense, and the player is out.

TIMING AND WINNING A MATCH

 Teams will play 11 (4) four minute games.  The first team to legally eliminate all
opposing players will be declared the winner of the game. A 4-minute time limit has been
established for each game. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the 4 minutes, the
team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner of the game.
An equal # of players at the end of the 4 minute game will be declared a tie contest.
 The team with more games won out of the 11 games will be declared winner of the
match.
 Matches ending in an equal amount of games won will be scored as a tie.
 Any forfeits will be scored as an 6-0 victory for the team that has a full legal squad (Eight
(8) players, five (5) males & three (3) females)
 Please note, FXA Sports reserves the right to shorten game times if necessary.  i.e. started
late, injury timeout, facility constraints, etc.

RETRIEVING BALLS
 During play, any ball able to be retrieved by a player still in bounds on there side of the
court is considered legal. You cannot reach over the center line to retrieve a ball from the
opponent’s court.
 Balls may also re-enter the playing field from the sideline by an eliminated player
(passed, rolled or handed to active players).  Eliminated players must maintain a hand or a
foot placed against the sideline wall.

TEAM ADVANTAGE & STALLING

• The team with the advantage at any time during the game will be instructed to throw by the
official and cannot hold the balls in attempt to run time clock down which is stalling. The
team with the advantage has 5 seconds to throw the ball, otherwise the opposing team will
have the next player in line (who was out) enter the game. Team Advantage includes the
following:
o The team that has more live players on the court anytime following the opening
rush. If a team is playing down a player at the start of a game the opposing team will begin
that game with the advantage and be instructed to throw following the opening rush.
o The team that has more dodgeballs in their possession when both teams have the
same amount of live players on the court anytime following the opening rush. (e.g. both
teams have 4 live players and one team has 4 or more dodgeballs in their possession the
team with more dodgeballs will be instructed to throw by the official)
• In order to reduce stalling, a violation will be called if a team in the lead holds any ball(s) on
their side of the court for more than 5 seconds. When teams are tied with the same number of
live players and each possess 3 dodgeballs, both teams will be instructed to throw by officials
via a 5 second countdown until one team gains an advantage in either live players or
dodgeballs in their possession. If both teams fail to throw before the 5 second countdown is
up when tied, a stalling violation will be assessed by the official by calling OUT one (1)
player from each team that was in possession of a dodgeball and did not throw it before the 5
second countdown was up.
 Players on the team with the advantage must throw the ball over into the opponent’s
court.  Male players must attempt throws beyond the opponent’s attack line.  Females that
continually toss or roll the balls back to their opponent will result in a warning.  If a team
continues this act, an eliminated player from the opposing team will be allowed to re-enter the
game.

RULE ENFORCEMENT
During pool play or regular-season matches, rules will be enforced primarily by the “honor
system” *. Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or whether they were
legally eliminated. All games will be supervised by 1-2 officials. The official’s responsibility
will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. THE OFFICIAL’S DECISION IS
FINAL – NO EXCEPTIONS.
*NOTE: During tournament play, all Semi-Final and Final Round matches will be officiated by
no less than two (2) FXA Officials. These officials will rule on all legal hits, out-of-bounds and
5-second violations.

FXA Code of Conduct

1. Understand, appreciate and abide by the rules of the game.
2. Respect the integrity and judgment of game officials and FXA 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 and refrain from using foul or abusive language.

Dimension of the field:

The court is divided into two 30 feet (9.1 m) by 30 ft (9.1 m) areas, with a 4 feet (1.2 m) by 30 ft
(9.1 m) neutral zone located at center court separating the two sides, an attack line located
parallel and 10 feet (3.0 m) from the center line, for a total court length of 60 feet (18 m) from
endline to endline, and a total width of 30 feet (9.1 m) from sideline to sideline.
Approximately 2 feet (0.61 m) to 3 feet (0.91 m) should be allotted for an out of bounds area,
allowing officials to move freely along the sidelines.
The Queue for each team is a 3 ft (0.91 m) by 12 ft (3.7 m) area, and should be located 2 ft
(0.61 m) to 3 ft (0.91 m) from the sideline, leaving enough room for an official to move freely
along the sideline.
Every effort should be made to obtain the correct dimensions. However, court size may be
adjusted to best suit the available space.