The Court

The official dimensions for a regulation court are as follows:

• The court is divided into two 30' X 30' areas, an attack line located parallel and 10' from the center line, for a total court length of 60' from end line to end line, and a total width of 30' from sideline to sideline.
• Approximately 2'-3' should be allotted for an out-of-bounds area, allowing officials to move freely along the sidelines.
• The Queue for each team is located opposite of the official and starts at the end line for each team.

Equipment

6 regulation-size balls should be used.

Players

• Teams consist of six players. All players must be in uniform when possible.
• Leagues are co-ed
• A minimum of 4 players is needed to start a match.
• No non-registered Players are allowed unless they have registered under their city’s substitution registration

Substitutions

Player rotations must be made prior to the start of the game. No substitutions can be made during a game, except in cases of injury.

Retrievers

Retrievers are individuals designated to retrieve balls that go out of play. There will be 2 retrievers per team and should be players from a different team to eliminate cheating.

• Retrievers may not enter the court at any time.
• Retrievers are only allowed to field balls from their half of the court.
• Retrievers must return balls to the court immediately (ie. cannot hold a ball until a player asks for it)
• There are no restrictions on how a Retriever returns the ball to gameplay provided it is 1. immediate & 2. on the same side of the court where the ball landed.

Matches

A regulation match consists of 5 games and each game will last 5 minutes each.

Ways to Win:

Elimination Game

A game is played until all opponents on one side have been eliminated. The first team to eliminate all its opponents is declared the winner.

Timed Game

A game played until the pre-determined time limit expires. If time expires, all remaining players are counted. The team with most players remaining wins the game.

Sudden Death

A game will move to a sudden death round if both teams are tied when the pre-determined time limit expires.

• Each team starts with only two players.
• The first team to get one opponent OUT wins that game.
• If the teams were tied with 1 player each when the game ended, both teams will add the next player in their queue. 
• If each team had more than three players, those teams get to choose which two of the remaining players will participate in the sudden death.
• Any players who were OUT when time expired cannot participate in the sudden death UNLESS their team only had 1 player remaining AND they were the next player in their team's queue. 

Beginning Play

Play begins with all players positioned behind their team's end line.

The Rush

The Rush occurs at the beginning of each game or reset.

• Upon the official's signal, both teams rush to center court and attempt to retrieve as many balls as possible.
• A team may rush with as many or as few players as it wants.
• There is no limit to how many balls an individual player may retrieve.
• Players may not slide or dive head-first into the neutral zone or they will be called OUT.
• Crossing over the neutral zone will result in an OUT.
• Players may not physically grab and pull another player across the neutral zone or prevent them from returning to their side of the court. 

Putting a Ball in Play

During the Rush, any ball retrieved from the neutral zone must be returned behind the attack line before it may be thrown at an opponent. The ball must go completely behind the attack line. A ball that hasn't crossed the attack line is considered a dead ball, any hits or catches are voided plays.

There are several ways to put a ball into play following a Rush. 

• A player carries the ball across the attack line.
• A player passes the ball to a teammate who is behind or carries it across the attack line.
• A player rebounds the ball off the back wall of a closed court.
• All balls retrieved from outside the playing area must be laid on the end line of the side in which it went out-of-bounds.

Time Outs

There are no team time-outs

Outs 

• A player shall be deemed OUT when a thrown, live ball hits any part of the player's body, clothing, or uniform.
• The Thrower is OUT if a defending player catches their thrown ball while it is still live.
• A player shall be deemed OUT if any part of the player's body touches the end lines or far neutral zone line.
• Once a thrown ball touches any surface, it is then deemed a dead ball. If a player is hit by a ball rebounding off another player or a ball lying on the court, that player is safe.  
• If you are OUT, put your hands in the air as you leave the court. Exit the court at the nearest possible exit.

Returning to the Game

• When a defending player catches a live ball that was thrown, the thrower is OUT, and one of the defending players' teammates returns to the game.
• Players shall return from the Queue in the order they were put OUT (i.e. first "out," first "in").
• If a ball is thrown and hits an opposing player then is caught by the opposing player's teammate - The ball is dead, the player hit is OUT, and the thrower is safe.
• The team may have no more than the starting number of players return to the game. (E.g. if a team catches a ball with all of their players in the game already, a 7th player may not join the team.)

Blocking

• Players can defend themselves by blocking the ball in flight with another ball but must retain control over the ball they are blocking with.
• A player dropping or losing possession of the blocking ball is deemed OUT. 
• Any blocked ball rebounding off another ball is considered dead. Any player hit by the rebounding ball is deemed "safe."

Stalling

• The act of intentionally delaying the game.
• If a referee determines that a player or team is stalling, the referee will warn player or team. If the stalling continues, at the referee’s discretion, player or team will lose possession of all balls on their side.
• A reset should occur if both teams are called for stalling.
• Examples of stalling include:
  • A team with an equal number of remaining players with more balls than the other team.
  • A team with a greater number of remaining players than the other team with an equal or greater number of balls.
  • A team CANNOT be stalling if they have fewer players remaining than the other team.
• The stalling call is up to the final discretion of the referee

Out of Bounds Rule

• If any part of the player's body touches the end lines or far neutral zone line, the player shall be deemed OUT.
• A player’s momentum while catching a ball may carry them out-of-bounds providing control of the ball was established prior to going out-of-bounds.
  • In this case, the catch still counts so: A. the thrower is OUT, and B. a member of the catcher’s team returns, however, the catcher is also OUT once touching out-of-bounds territory.

Sacrifice Fly

An airborne attack, where an attacking player may legally cross the neutral zone to hit an opponent.

• The ball must leave the attacker's hand before any part of the attacker's body touches the opponent's territory.
• Once the thrower lands out of their territory, they are OUT. 

Headshots

A headshot occurs when a player is hit directly in the head by a thrown ball. 

• Headshots are NOT allowed. No matter if the player is standing or crouching, headshots are not allowed.
• If a player is hit in the head while standing up straight, the thrower is OUT. 
• If a player is ducking or crouching and is hit in the head, neither the player hit nor the thrower is OUT. 
•  A player raising their hands/arms to defend themselves from a headshot will not be called OUT if the ball hits their hands/arms above shoulder height in the act of defending themselves, and the thrower will be called "safe".
• A player who attempts to catch a high-thrown ball and is unsuccessful will be deemed OUT.
• It is the official's judgment as to whether the player is defending themselves or attempting to catch the ball.

Referee

• Teams will use the honor system in terms of calling outs and headshots.  
• If there is a disagreement, the referee will make the decision. 
• Only the captain may challenge a call by the Referee, but must do so respectfully.
• Any decision by the referee will be final.

 

Rules in Red Text are changes/clarifications for the Winter 2025 season.