UMBC Athletics and Recreation

Dodgeball League

Entry Deadline	Wednesday February 4th @ 5 p.m.
Managers Meeting	Friday, February 6th @ Noon in RAC 322
Tournament Begins	Tuesday February 10th
Registration Fee	$40 (Refundable)

Event Flyer - Dodgeball
Registration Form - Dodgeball

UMBC Intramurals
General Policies, Rules & Guidelines

For a detailed description of the rules & policies, please click here.

UMBC INTRAMURAL
DODGEBALL GAME RULES

I. TEAMS
A. Teams will consist of 6 players with a minimum of 4 players to avoid forfeit.
B. In Coed games teams must start all games with no more male than female players: 3 male & 3 female, 2 male & 4 female, etc.
C. Substitutions may enter the game only during time-outs, or in the case of injury. Coed may not substitute male for female.

II. FIELD
A. UMBC Intramural Dodgeball will be played indoors in the RAC.
B. The playing field will use the volleyball lines.
C. There will be sidelines, end-lines, attack lines, and a center line.

III. BOUNDARIES
A. During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines.
B. Players may pass through their end-line only to retrieve stray balls.
C. When retrieving the ball, the player must also immediately re-enter the playing field only through their end-line. Any player not immediately re-entering the playing area may be declared OUT.
D. A player may be handed a ball as long as they are inside the boundaries.
E. A player shall not:
1. Have any part of their body contact the playing surface on or over a side line unless retrieving a stray and it must be noted by the court monitor.
2. Exit or re-enter the field through their sideline.
3. Leave the playing field to avoid being hit by, or attempt to catch, a ball.
4. Have any part of their body cross over the center-line and contact the ground on their opponent's side of the court. During the “opening rush,” many players will cross the center-line. Officials should refrain from calling players OUT at this time unless a definite advantage is gained by that action.

IV. EQUIPMENT
A. The official balls will be provided by the Intramural Department.
B. All players must wear non-marking tennis shoes at all times.
C. The standard number of balls for a 12-person game (6 on a side), is six.
D. Players must wear shirts at all times.

V. THE GAME
A. A coin toss will determine which team will begin on which side. Teams will alternate sides following each game.
B. The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them OUT. An OUT is scored by:
1. 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 considered legal.
2. Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent.
3. Causing an opponent to drop a held ball as a result of contact by a thrown LIVE ball. (usually occurs when a ball is being used to block)
4. An opposing player stepping out of bounds.
LIVE (def.): A thrown ball that strikes, or is caught by, an opposing player without/before contacting the ground, another player or ball.
C. 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.

VI. TIMING, TIME-OUTS & SUBSTITUTIONS
A. A 5-minute time limit has been established for each game.
B. Each team will be allowed one (1) 60-second time-out per game.
C. Only the Court Monitor's whistle starts and stops the clock.
D. 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 the time of the signal remain LIVE.

VII. BEGINNING THE GAME
A. Prior to the game beginning, an equal number of dodgeballs are placed along the center line on each side of the center hash mark. 6 balls total with 3 on each side of the hash.
B. Players then take a position behind the end line.
C. Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the center-line to retrieve the balls. 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.

VIII. OPENING RUSH
Each/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.

IX. DECLARING A WINNER
A. The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be the winner.
B. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of regulation, the team with the greater number of remaining players will be the winner.
C. In all overtime periods, the first team to legally eliminate any one opponent will be the winner.

X. OVERTIME
A. If an equal number of players remain after regulation play, a 3-minute sudden-death overtime period will be played.
B. All overtime periods will begin with an equal number of “balls in hand” behind a team's end line. The first team to eliminate any ONE opposing player will be declared the winner.
C. No time-outs allowed during overtime.
D. Substitutions may be made prior to start of overtime.
E. 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.

XI. STALLING & 5-SECOND VIOLATION
It is illegal for the leading team to control all the balls for more than five (5) seconds. If the leading team controls all 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 seconds, a “5-second violation” will be called. A team may avoid a 5-second violation by throwing or rolling a ball into the opponent's backcourt. This does not include throwing a ball over and through an opponent's end-line.
First violation: Stoppage of play and balls will be divided evenly and play continues with “balls in hand.”
Second violation: FREE THROW for the opposing team – a penalty which one player is allowed an unobstructed throw at their opponent(s) without risk of elimination.
Third violation: Ejection of one (1) player from offending team.
NOTE: The stalling procedure does not apply to overtime periods.

XII. OFFICIALS AND COURT MONITORS
A. All contests will be supervised by a Court Monitor
B. 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. Exception: Semi-finals and Finals will be officiated by the Court Monitors.
C. 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.
D. Court Monitors may warn players and call technical fouls on those who display unsportsmanlike conduct. Any player receiving two (2) technical fouls will be ejected and must appear in front of the IM Advisory Board before they may return.
E. Court Monitors will check the eligibility of all players. All players are required to have a valid UMBC ID Card at all times.

XIII. MATCH PLAY
A. Matches will be decided using a “best-of-five” format in which the first team to win three (3) games will be the winner of the match.