Dodgeball!

Cash Prize (Based on number of teams)

Please bring in or mail us your team's liability waivers and a check. As the team members arrive on game day they will need to present proper ID and those who did not have a chance to sign a waiver can sign a waiver form at the information desk. 

Please check this page for more information as the time draws near. SOME OF THE RULES BELOW MAY BE ALTERED SLIGHTLY.  But here are the majority of rules that will govern our games. We usually play on the tennis courts which have an asphalt surface and appropriate netting. In the case of injuries, The Courts has a limited supply of first aid materials that may be purchased (including ice-packs and band-aids).

Each player MUST provide proof of age prior to playing. Acceptable forms of ID include: driver's license, state ID, birth certificate, or passport.

The Team:

The game shall be played between two teams of 8 players; others will be available as substitutes. If necessary, a minimum of 6 players can compete on a side and no team may have more than 12 members on the roster. Substitutes may enter the game only during timeouts or in the case of injury.

The Field:

The game will be played indoors on the basketball courts. (Tennis courts when available.) The playing field shall be the boundary of the volleyball court area, divided into 2 equal sections by a center court line. (Tennis boundary lines are those used in doubles tennis.) Please ask for clarification once on the tennis courts if you are unsure which lines are important.

The Equipment:

The official ball used for any league or tournament play will be an 8.5" rubber ball. Participants must wear gym/athletic non-marking shoes, shirts, and pants/shorts.

The Game:

The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them "out." You can get someone "out" by:

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

(Note: If a player ducks, and this is clearly the cause for the player being hit above the shoulders, the player IS OUT and the throw is LEGAL.)

2.    Catching a ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground.

3.    Causing an opponent to drop a live ball as a result of contact by another live ball. (A live ball is a ball in-air and in-motion.)

4.    An opposing player stepped out of bounds. (To avoid getting hit and not because he or she is retrieving a ball--in which case you have FIVE SECONDS to retrieve a ball and come immediately back into the playing field.)

Game begins by placing the dodgeballs along the center line. Players then take position behind their end line. Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the centerline to retrieve their balls. This signal officially starts the contest.

RUSH RULE: 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 legally be thrown at an opponent. (The attack line is the service line on the tennis courts.)

The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner. A 10-minute time limit has been established for each contest. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the 10 minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner. In the case of an equal number of players remaining after regulation, a 3-minute sudden-death overtime period will be played.

Time-outs and Substitutions

Each team will be allowed one 60-second timeout per game. At this time a team may substitute players into the game.

Rule Enforcement

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 contests will be supervised by a FIELD MONITOR. The field monitor's responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. THE FIELD MONITOR'S DECISION IS FINAL. Don't argue!!!

*Exception: During tournament play, all semi-final and final round matches will be officiated by no less than 2 officials. These officials will rule on all legal hits, out-of-bounds situations, and 5-second violations.

BOUNDARIES

1. During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines.

2. Players must only leave from the END line to retrieve balls and must RETURN to the court by the end lines.

3. During play, all players must remain in the boundary lines.

4. A player shall not:

            A. Have any part of their body contact the playing surface on or over the sideline.

            B. Enter or re-enter the field through their sidelines.

            C. Leave the playing field to avoid being hit.

            D. Have any part of their body cross the center line and/or contact ground on their

                opponents' side of the court.

Penalty: Player will be declared OUT.

Match Play

Matches will be decided using a "best-of-three" format in which the first team to win 2 games will be declared the winner.

Protests

Protests will only be accepted in cases involving use of an ineligible player. Protests of judgement calls will NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Courts Code of Conduct

1. Understand, appreciate, and abide by the rules of the game.

2. Respect the integrity and judgment of game officials/Courts 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. Please refrain from using foul or abusive language.

Courts Disclaimer

We reserve the right to ask someone to sit out indefinitely and/or leave the building due to his/her lack of ability to follow the rules stated above.

Click to download the Dodgeball waiver

Copyright © 2006 The Courts of Northwest Indiana.  All rights reserved.             127 East US Highway 6               Phone:  (219) 465-1111

                                                                                                                           Valparaiso, IN 46383                   Fax:  (219) 465-1108

                                                                                                                                                                             E-mail: info@thecourtsofnwi.com