Dodgeball Rules

Note: Rules may be subject to change between seasons.

Updated: May 1, 2026

Table of Contents

Key Definitions:

  • Live Ball - A live ball is a ball that is in play and can get a player out. This includes:
    • Any ball within the bounds of the court that is in the possession of or thrown by an active player and has not been defined as a dead ball.
    • If the throwing player throws a ball then subsequently gets out while the ball is still in flight, the ball will still be considered LIVE until dead.
    • A live ball may get multiple players out (e.g., ricochet that does not involve a head shot) until it is deemed DEAD.
  • Dead ball is defined as any ball that has
    • hit the floor, wall, ceiling, a player already deemed “out” or any object outside the court
    • been caught
    • collided with another thrown ball not in possession by another player (ie. not blocked)
    • ricocheted or blocked over the centerline
    • been deemed as a headshot
  • Blocking - A defensive act of deflecting a thrown live ball with a held ball.
    • Note - no portion of the player’s body may make contact with the thrown ball for a successful block
    • If the ball is blocked then hits any player’s body while it is live, the player is out.
    • This includes if a ball is blocked then hits a players head - the blocking player is still out.
  • Valid throw - Good faith effort to throw the ball towards a player or make a dodgeball play (ie., not a roll or a ball that was intended to land far from a player especially when 1 or 2 players are left on the court.)
  • Shagging - act of collecting balls
  • Hard Lines: You are out as soon as any part of your body contacts the line.

The Start

  • At the beginning of each match the team listed to the left on League Lobster will be deemed the “home” team. The captain of the home team will choose burden or side of the court. The “away” team gets whichever was not chosen.
  • At the start of the game, 5 balls will be arranged on the centerline dictated by the exchange in #1.
    • 3 balls for one team, 2 balls for the other
  • Initial burden will be determined at the start of each match and alternates each game.
  • FOAM EXCEPTION: 6 balls will be arranged on the centerline dictated by the exchange in #1.
    • The “home” team will choose either side or burden.
    • Burden will be determined by the off-color or marked ball.
  • 8 players will start at the back of each court *behind the back line or with their hand against the back wall.
    • *To leadership team’s discretion - if this is with a hand against the wall or just behind the back line
  • If starting behind end lines, the team can enter the court at the ref’s whistle.
  • BIG BALL EXCEPTION: 6 players will start on the court.
  • The game will start with a max of 2 players rushing for their team’s balls to the right.
  • Each ball must be “cleared” before use by bringing them to the back line.
  • A ball thrown without being cleared is a dead ball - no outs or catches

Match Structure:

  • Each match will last a total of 20 minutes.
  • BIG BALL EXCEPTION: Each Match will last a total of 15 Minutes
  • Within each match, teams will play as many games as possible in the allotted time.
  • Each game will end when an entire team is “out”
  • The match will have a hard stop at the 20 minute (or whatever time is deemed for that night of play) mark. If neither team has won, the game will not count towards the total.
  • At 2 minutes, no matter the status of the game, no-blocking will begin. Once a no-blocking game has been played, the match is over even if the clock has not run out.
  • The team with the most game wins at the end will be awarded the match win.
  • A match will end immediately in a mercy if a team is losing by 10 games.
  • Time is stopped when:
    • Refs need to deliberate on a call or calls a time out due to a ball being off court (ref discretion on whether this is needed, e.g., if a ball is stuck to a ceiling or falls behind a bench and needs to be retrieved, resulting in material loss of game time)
    • There is a headshot, regardless of if the player is out or not
    • A captain calls a time out
  • Only a captain may challenge calls with the refs or call a timeout. Each captain has two (2) time outs per match.
  • On a Tournament Night, if no blocking ends and the match score is a tie, another no-blocking game is played. If time runs out during the no-blocking game, which will affect the outcome, play continues till a winner is determined

Gameplay (The Basics)

  • A game is won when every player of the opposing team is “out” .
  • Players are out if:
    • They are hit by a live ball thrown by the opposing team.
    • They throw a ball and it is caught by the opposing team while still live.
    • They break the boundary rules of the court.
    • They throw 2 highballs.
    • They throw 2 Invalid Throws
    • They receive a 2nd Yellow card.
    • They are called out by the referees for infractions of other rules.
  • If a player catches a live ball while their team has fewer than the maximum number of players on the court, they may add a player to the court.
  • Players enter the game after catches in the following order:
    • Additional players that were not part of the initial starting players .
    • First-out, first-in order for players that were part of the starting players.
  • If a catch is made while there is already a maximum number of 8 players on the court, no additional player will be added to the court. The player that threw the catch will be out.
  • A player that is out but has not yet left the boundaries of the court will be considered “on the court.” If a catch is made after this player had gotten out, but before this player has left the court’s boundaries, this player will still be out and no additional player will be added.
  • A team wins the game if all players of the opposing team are eliminated.

Gameplay (The Finer Details)

Burden & Stalling

  • The team with the majority of balls (team with “burden”) is required to throw enough balls over the center line so that the opposing team can obtain the majority.
  • FOAM EXCEPTION: Game play will include six balls of identical color and burden will be determined by:
    • Majority of balls, if equal then
    • Majority of players, if equal then
    • The team who did not have burden last
  • Burden is reset by every valid throw made by the team with burden.
  • To prevent stalling of the game, there will be a 10 second burden countdown. The countdown begins once all balls on the burden side of the court are either on the court or in a player’s hands in the vicinity of the court
  • Balls that naturally roll over the centerline satisfies burden.
  • A ball that is rolled over the centerline intentionally by a player does not satisfy burden and is an INVALID THROW.
  • If there is only one player left, burden can be relieved with just one ball being thrown and passing the center line
  • If a team does not satisfy the burden before the end of the countdown, the game is stopped, and all balls are given to the opposing team.
  • BIG BALL EXCEPTION: If a team does not satisfy burden before the end of the countdown, the game is stopped, and all but one of the balls are given to the opposing team.
  • Players will receive a warning if they throw a non-valid throw. If they have two (2) non-valid throws within one (1) game, they are out.
  • If a player is out due to valid throws, they may still be caught in during that game.
  • Valid Throws only reset upon a new game starting.
  • Examples of not good faith effort (Invalid Throws): Throwing a ball more than 3 feet away from a player so that it immediately bounces back and stalls time, dropping a ball over half court, or rolling a ball over.
  • High Balls and Invalid Throws are counted separately.
  • If Player A already has 1 high ball and throws an invalid throw, they are not out. They now have 1 high ball warning and 1 invalid throw warning

Boundaries

  • All lines (center, back, center, and throw lines) are hard. If a player steps on a court line, they are out.
  • During the initial rush players are permitted to fully step over the centerline.
  • You may not make contact with any object out of bounds of the court other than picking up a ball - this will count as stepping off the court.
  • A ball out of bounds of the court may not be used to stabilize a player
  • A ball in the possession of the player is subject to boundary rules.
  • Throw lines are hard lines. If a throw is made in violation of the hard line rule (i.e. if a player steps on the throw line while throwing), the thrown ball cannot count as a hit against the opposite team, but it can be caught and it does satisfy burden.

Blocking:

  • Blocked balls are still considered live, and can be caught or get other players out.
  • A ball blocked back to the team that initially threw it is considered dead once it passes back over the half court line.
  • If a LIVE ball hits a ball that a player is holding, and knocks that ball out of their possession, then that player is OUT and the ball remains LIVE.
  • Players are not out if they intentionally drop a ball first to catch a LIVE ball thrown by an opposing player.
  • Hands and fingers still count as OUT when blocking.

No Blocking:

  • During the final 2 minutes of a match, no matter the status of the game, NO-BLOCKING will begin
  • FOAM EXCEPTION: Balls will reset to 3 and 3 on each side at the beginning of the no blocking period.
  • If a player uses a ball in their hands to block an opposing player’s throw, they will immediately be deemed OUT
  • If a ball is blocked by Player A and then caught by Player B, the catch counts, but Player A is still out

Ricochets

  • A throw that is blocked by a player with a ball is considered a live ball and may be caught or ricocheted to get others out. A LIVE ball that hits another ball in a player’s possession is still a LIVE ball (e.g., in a blocking situation) and may be caught or ricocheted to get others out.
  • If the player loses possession of their ball as a result of the LIVE ball hitting it, the player is out. If a catch is made subsequent to this event due to the ricochet in this case, the catch is valid, the thrower of the LIVE ball is out, and the player who dropped their ball is still out.

High Balls

  • Balls should be thrown at a height below the opponents’ shoulders.
  • If a ball passes near or around a player’s head while standing upright or in an athletic position (i.e. not squatting), it is considered a high ball.
  • If a ref deems a throw to be a risk to player safety, it is considered a high ball.
  • Players will receive a warning if they throw a high ball. If they throw two (2) high balls within one game, they are out.
  • If a player is out due to high balls, they may still be caught in during that game.
  • High balls only reset upon a new game starting.
  • Headshots count as a highball when a player is standing upright when hit.

Head Shots

  • Head shots are called at the refs’ discretion.
  • When a headshot occurs, refs must pause the game and confirm all players are okay
  • Head shots count as high balls.
  • If a player is hit in the head while having fewer than 3 points of contact (ie. two feet and a knee, two feet and a hand, sitting down, or leaning against the back wall in a crouched position) with the ground, they are safe.
  • In the event a headshot disorients a player to where they need to step out of the game, that player may be substituted with the first player in the queue.
  • If a player is in a position where 3 points of contact is not fully visible to the refs, the refs will have the final call on whether or not the player is out.
  • If a throw is deemed a “headshot,” the ball is immediately dead and any results from the play of this ball do not count (ie. Ricochet outs or catches)
  • Thus, if a player has 3 points of contact and gets hit in the head, the ball can ricochet and/or be caught, but refs will still pause the game to make sure all players are okay.
  • If Player A is hit in the head, but catches the ball against their head, the catch counts.
  • If Player A is hit in the head, then catches the ball not against their head, the catch does not count because it is a dead ball.
  • If the player is bending over or otherwise not standing upright, the headshot is still valid, but will not count as a highball.
  • If a player blocks a ball into their head, it is not a headshot, and the player is out.
  • If a player blocks a ball into another player’s head, it is not a headshot, and the player is out.
  • If a player gets hit in the head and gets hit again with a valid throw simultaneously, the player is still out, so long as the person who threw the valid throw released before the headshot occurred.

Equal Play Time Rules

  • If there are more players present than the maximum number on the court, players must sit out equally.
  • No player may sit out an additional time before all players have sat out equally throughout the night of matches.

Shagging

  • Players who are out may “shag” balls for their teammates still in the game. These players who are out must remain on the left and/or right side of the court in the out-of-bounds area on your team’s side when waiting to shag a ball.
  • At no point should a player be standing in the out of bound area behind the back line, unless attempting to return a ball stuck out of bounds at that specific time. Once the ball is returned, the player must return to the left or right side of the outbound area on their team’s side of the court.
  • Players can only shag balls that are fully out of bounds, and may not:
    • The center line extends outside of the bounds of the court and players may not step onto the opposing team’s side. Any ball(s) retrieved from the opposing team’s out of bounds area, will be returned to the opposing team at the ref’s discretion of fairness (ie. returning a ball that was stuck out of bonds on one side, but was returned too forcefully and went to the other team).
    • Touch a ball that is touching any portion of the lines surrounding the court
  • Shagged balls must be returned onto the court immediately. They may be passed to their own players.
  • If a ball in active play (i.e. on the court) is interfered with by a player who is out, the ball will be required to be sent to the other team.

Substitutions/Registration

  • No substitute players are allowed unless otherwise specified by the league director at the beginning of the season.
  • Substitute players may be permitted in specific leagues at the director’s discretion. In a season where substitute players from outside of the league are permitted to play, the following rules will apply:
    • A non-league substitute is permitted to play only if there are less than 6 registered players present. You can have up to 6 active players total with subs.
    • A non-league substitute may play no more than two days per league per season.
    • A non-league substitute may only play with one team per night.
    • A non-league substitute may not play during the final tournament.
    • All non-league substitutes must sign the online anti-harassment/non-discrimination and injury waivers prior to playing.
    • Captains must notify the league director of non-league substitute players at least 6 hours prior to their scheduled game time.

Simultaneous Out

  • If players hit each other simultaneously, the ball that dies first is the player that is out. If that cannot be determined, both players are out.
  • When in an end game scenario (1v1):
    • If both players are hit and both balls die simultaneously both players reset and play out the point.
    • If a simultaneous catch occurs, both players are out and the first players in the queue enter the court.

Cards + Disciplinary Measures:

  • Warnings and cards may be issued when a referee or a member of the Dodgeball Leadership Team determines that a player’s behavior violates the BARS Player Participation Policy, league values, or the spirit of the game.
  • All warnings and cards must be recorded by referees during the match or immediately afterward.
  • Warning types & definitions

Yellow Card

  • A yellow card may be issued at the discretion of a referee or Dodgeball Leadership Team member for the following:
    • Unsportsmanlike conduct
    • Any non-captain arguing with a referee or the opposing team
    • Any captain arguing excessively or in an aggressive manner with a referee or opposing team
    • Yelling at a referee, player, or board member
    • Spiking or slamming a ball (in frustration or celebration)
    • Arguing or escalating behavior after receiving a yellow card
    • Verbal abuse or harassment
    • Taunting an opponent or referee
    • Verbal aggression or threats toward any opponent or referee
    • Making offensive or aggressive comments toward or about any referee, player, or board member
    • Dangerous or aggressive physical behavior
    • Intentional “head hunting”
    • Intentionally kicking a ball in an aggressive manner
    • Cheating or manipulating a rule
    • Being overly intoxicated to the point of posing a danger to oneself or others
    • Any other conduct deemed to violate the BARS Player Participation Policy

Red Card

  • A red card may be issued by a Dodgeball Leadership Team member for the following:
    • Racist, homophobic, transphobic, or sexist behavior (verbal or physical)
    • Any physical altercation between players during, before, or after gameplay
    • Intent to physically harm another league member

Consequences

  • 1 Yellow card: Official warning
  • 2 Yellow cards: Suspension from the following week of games
    • Immediate removal from play for the remainder of that night if both cards are received in the same evening
  • 3 Yellow cards: Mandatory review by the Dodgeball Leadership Team before reinstatement; may result in suspension with board approval
  • 1 Red Card: Immediate removal from the gym and ineligibility for post-game activities. The Dodgeball Leadership Team will conduct a review before the player may return; suspension may be imposed with board approval.
  • Yellow and red cards are cumulative across the entire season and across all league nights.
  • Example: A player who receives a yellow card in Week 2 (Monday league) and another in Week 4 (Sunday league) has accumulated two total yellow cards and is suspended from all Week 5 games across all leagues.
  • All incidents will be recorded and tracked to ensure consistent enforcement.
  • BARS Dodgeball Leadership reserves the right to review all incidents and escalate consequences when necessary.

Dodgeball Nights Organizational Guidelines/Suggestions

Organizational Rules: (Which may change based on season/night)

Court Set Up - Each court must have the following:

  • 5 Balls of a single color
  • 1 Clock
  • 2-3 Refs w/whistles
  • Clipboard w/the following
    • Attendance Sheets
    • Score Sheets
    • Schedules
    • Rule Bibles
    • Pen
  • Each team plays at least 2 matches per night
  • Season championships will be determined by 1) Number of Match Point Wins -> Head to Heads
  • All players must be given equal opportunity to play throughout each match.

Vet Status

  • A player will receive Vet Status if they attend 60% of the season (ie. 8 week = may miss no more than 3 match days including the tournament, unless outstanding circumstances with the following season registration as determined by the director of the night of play)

Throw Line

  • Throw lines may be added at the Leadership Team's discretion. They are used for safety in smaller sized gyms.
  • Throw lines are considered HARD LINES. If a throw is made violating the throw line, the throw satisfies burden, but can not get anyone on the opposing team out. This ball can also be caught and all catch rules apply.

Team Selection:

  • Randomization: Team creation consists of players being randomized by an algorithm using player rankings.
  • Draft: Selected captains will draft in “snake draft” order.
  • BYOT: Bring Your Own Team

Roles & Responsibilities:

Player: Responsible for adhering to BARS player participation policy and fostering a welcoming community.

Captain:

  • Choose Ball control or Side of gym
  • Call time outs to challenge calls (only 2 per match)
  • Reinforce equal play time
  • Takes attendance prior to the first match of each night.

Referees

  • Responsible for keeping the game orderly and fair
  • Should try to deescalate whenever possible
  • If a player challenges verbiage of a rule written above refs are encouraged to side with the “spirit of the rule”