Rules of Play
Rules of Play
As a member of the Double Rainbow Dodgeball league it is every player’s responsibility to know the rules. Please read all of the rules below and ask questions if you are unsure of anything. It will help the game stay friendly and safe.
The “legal”
1. Consumption of alcohol in any DRDL location or on the grounds is prohibited.
2. Smoking, using tobacco, or holding lighted tobacco in or on the grounds of any DRDL Gym Location is prohibited.
3. Gym Strip: although Costumes are encouraged in the DRD league please keep your shirts and bottoms on and wear safe and appropriate footwear to prevent injury and damage to gym floors. Running shoes should be non-marking soles so as not to leave marks on the gymnasium floor.
4. All players must read and sign the DRDL waver before playing in any match.
Scoring
5. Please be at the gym at least 10 minutes before the start of your match to warm up. Matches will start on the hour.
6. A match will consist of as many games as can be played in 50 minutes. Each game is worth 1 point. The team that wins the most points will be declared the winner of the match.
7. Matches cannot end in a tie. In the event that each team wins the same number of games within 50 minutes, one extra game will be played to determine the winner of the match.
8. The last game of the night should be an “all-in” or other fun game. This game does not count towards the score and may be skipped if the teams are not interested or if a tiebreaker game is required (matches may not end in a tie).
Gameplay
9. Six (6) Members of each team line up touching the back wall at the start of each game.
9.1. Six (6) DRDL approved Dodgeballs will be used in each match. These balls are to be provided by the home team as listed on the schedule.
9.2. Players should not squeeze nor kick the balls with excessive force, as that can damage the balls. This action significantly shortens the life of the balls.
10. At the start of the game 3 balls are placed on cones each side of the centre line.
10.1. These cones should be placed about 1 foot from the centre line and should be staggered to prevent collision between players.
10.2. The cones also designate a warning area that should act as a guide that you are very close to the centre line and should proceed with caution. Any violation of the centre line means you are out: a toe over the centre line indicates an out.
11. Prior to the start of the game, teams must designate what side of the court eliminated players will go to. This must be the opposite side of the court to where extra players (players who are not playing in the current game) are congregating.
11.1. If the benches are set up and both teams agree, out players and extra player may sit together on the bench as long as there is no confusion as to who is playing and who is out.
12. Players who are eliminated (“out”), must line up on the sideline of the court in the order that they have been eliminated.
13. The game begins with the Ambassador either blowing the whistle or yelling “3-2-1 Dodgeball!”
14. The Ambassadorʼs job is not to officiate but to act as an unbiased voice if disputes or questions arise.
14.1. Ambassadors may step in if they witness a player/team not being honest or there is a safety issue.
14.2. Ambassadors can clarify or remind players of rules if they witness rules being consistently broken or if requested to do so by a player from either team.
14.3. In the case that the Ambassadorʼs feels it necessary to make a judgement that decision is final and no dispute is permitted.
15. Once the game has begun teams run to retrieve the 3 balls on their side of the centre line, run back to touch the back wall and begin to throw them at the opposing team. Players may only hold one ball at a time.
15.1. Players cannot reach across the centre line to grab the other teams’ 3 balls while they are still on the cones. Balls can remain on cones for the duration of the game and at no point do these balls become “fair game”.
15.2. Balls left on the cone after the initial start of the game must still touch the back wall to be activated.
15.3. Once a ball is in play (off the cone) then players may, without violating the centre line, grab balls on the other side. This means you can reach across the centre line, but if your foot crosses the line you are out.
16. A player is eliminated when they are hit with a live ball. A ball is live until it bounces off the floor, wall or ceiling of the gym or is caught. As long as a ball remains live any player that ball touches is eliminated.
16.1. A ball is still live if it hits a player or a held ball.
16.2. This means that if a ball hits a player after hitting a teammate or if the ball hits a player after hitting a ball held by themselves or a teammate that player is out.
16.3. If the ball hits a player and a teammate catches the ball, the first hit player is out, but the player who catches the ball remains in, the thrower is eliminated and, if there is an eliminated teammate already at the wall, they are back in.
17. Players are responsible for calling their own outs. Honesty is paramount to this league being fair and fun.
17.1. We ask that Team Captains and all players to ensure that their teams are honest.
17.2. Players must raise their hand and hustle off the court when they are out.
17.3. Players not involved in the current game and players who are already out will assist their own team in making honest calls.
17.4. In the spirit of friendly play, players from opposite teams should not be calling each other out.
18. Head-shots are not permitted in DRDL.
18.1. If a player is hit in the head when standing upright, the throwing player is out.
18.2. If a player is in any other position rather than fully upright (i.e. ducking, bending over, crouching, falling, etc.) and is hit in the head, this player is out. If a player blocks a head shot with their hands they are out.
18.3. The intention of the throwing player is not considered when enforcing the headshot rule.
18.4. A single head shot in one night will result in a warning. After the second headshot in a night the player will be asked to sit out the next two games (this will happen even if the team of the offending player has to play short). After a third head shot in a single night the player will be asked to sit out the rest of that night and the following week of scheduled play.
18.5. After any throw that hits a person in the head, regardless of the position of the player hit (as in rule 18.2), the thrower should have a face-to-face check in/apology with the person hit.
18.6. It is up to offending players, their team leads and teammates to track headshots and ensure rules 18.4 and 18.5 are followed.
19. If a ball is caught the thrower is eliminated and one eliminated player from the catching team may reenter the game.
19.1. Returning players must re-enter the game in the order that they are eliminated.
19.2. A player must be touching the sideline wall at the time of the catch in order to be eligible to return to the game. If a players is out, but has not yet reached the sideline wall, they may not re-enter the game on a catch.
19.3. A player returning to the game must touch the back wall before they are considered an active player in the game. If a player touches a ball before touching the back wall, they are considered out. Furthermore, a returning player may not get hit out until they have touched the back wall.
19.4. If a final remaining player catches a ball and is subsequently eliminated before a returning player can touch the back wall, the returning player is not out. Once a ball is caught, the returning player is an active player and cannot be hit until they have touched the back wall.
20. You cannot get yourself or your own teammates out by throwing a ball.
20.1. If a player throws a ball to the opposing side and the live ball rebounds and hits the thrower or the thrower’s teammate, any hit player on the opposing team is out, but no players on the throwing team can be out.
20.2. If a thrown ball rebounds off an opposing team player and is caught by the original thrower or thrower’s teammate, the catch does not ‘count’ as a catch, though the hit player on the opposing team is out.
20.3. A player cannot eliminate their own teammate via a ball that hits their teammate before crossing the centre line.
21. A player is eliminated if they drop a ball (which was previously in the player’s control) at any time.
21.1. Once a player has control of the ball, the ball must be released toward the centre line with the intention for the ball to pass the centre line.
21.2. There is no intentional passing from player to player on a team.
22. A player may use a ball in their possession to tap a dead ball towards another player on their own team, in any direction on the court.
23. A player may not touch more than one dodgeball at one time. If a player touches more than one dodgeball at a time, they are out.
24. No player can hold a ball for more than 10 seconds. If they do so then they are out. Players who are not playing in the current match or are out are responsible for assisting teammates in the 10 second countdown for each ball.
25. You may not play the ball with your feet. This includes but is not limited to, keeping the ball from rolling to the other side or kicking a ball to a teammate.
26. If no player on either team is holding a ball, the ambassador will initiate a 5 second countdown. At the conclusion of this countdown, at minimum one player on each team must pick up a ball (at which point, the ball’s 10 second count will begin).
27. When there is 1 player remaining vs a team with 2 or more players that one person can cross over the centre line to attack.
27.1. If they choose to cross over to attack they must then retreat to their side to collect another ball. In order to avoid the potential for people colliding, the 1 player cannot pick up any balls that are on the other team’s side.
27.2. While on the opposing side, the 1 player is not permitted to use their ball to push balls from the opposing teams side back to their home side.
28. When there is 1 player remaining on both sides players may cross over the centre line to attack and both players may pick up any ball in the gym (the only exception to this is balls that are still on cones, see rule 15.1).
29. If players in a 1:1 eliminate each other at the same time or it is indeterminable who is out, the game’s ambassador will facilitate a showdown in which each player returns to opposing back walls and the 1:1 is restarted with all 6 balls placed on the cones as per initial game set-up, and the ambassador counting down “3-2-1 dodgeball”. In this situation the balls to not need to be activated at the back wall.
30. Players that initiate physical contact will be eliminated. No physical contact is allowed. Aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated.
31. Players may only leave the boundary of the court to retrieve balls from the hallway, bathroom, stage, etc., but must return as quickly as possible to the court and be visibly in play.
31.1. Players must drop the ball they retrieved before reentering the game.
31.2. Players may not duck out of bounds of the court, or behind non-active players, to avoid a thrown ball. Players ducking a thrown ball in this manner are out.
31.3. In the interest of sporting play, players should avoid standing along the wall without players, or players not currently playing in the game, and should remain visibly active in the game as much as possible. This includes staying in a corner where eliminated players are in the way.
32. Out or non-active players on the sidelines must avoid intentionally touching the balls or passing or kicking the balls to active players. Out or non-active players are encouraged to help retrieve balls from the hallway, bathroom and stage and place them back on the court.
33. At the conclusion of each match, each team will elect a “gold star” from the opposing team. The gold star doesn’t necessarily mean the opposing team’s “best player” or MVP: the interpretation of this designation is up to each team after each match.
Additional Rules
34. If at any point during the season a team is consistently showing poor sporting play, the team captain will be contacted by Double Rainbow Coordinators and given the opportunity to respond to these conflicts. It is Double Rainbow’s goal to give all players and teams the benefit of the doubt, and the opportunity to explain themselves should any poor conduct be reported and to help resolve any issues that arise.
34.1. If you have conflict with a player or team we encourage you to first, if you are comfortable doing so, approach that individual or their team captain with your concerns.
34.2. If you are unable to or uncomfortable doing this or if the issue is not resolved please contact the league with your concerns.
35. DRDL is an All-gender league and we are striving to create a safe space for queer, trans, and allied folks of all genders. We request that players and fans be conscientious and respectful of their language and pronoun use when referring to all DRDL players and fans. Please don’t assume anyone’s gender, consider using gender neutral language such as “they, them, folks, players”.
36. Players are permitted to play on the roster of two teams maximum per season and may only play in one division. Players may only sub in their own division.
37. If a team does not have enough players, they can use subs from other teams in the league. Teams should consider the skillset of their subs in order to be fair to the other team.
37.1. If using subs, a team must have at least 3 players from their team roster on the court at all times in order for the score to count. If this is not possible, the game will be considered a forfeit.