Dodgeball Rules

All Montclair State University School Policies are in effect, including Student Code of Conduct.
All Montclair State University Department of Campus Recreation “Intramurals 101” policies are in effect.

ELIGIBILITY

1. All team sports are broken down into 4 different leagues which include: Men’s, Women’s, Organization, and Open. The Organization league is open to all MSU-affiliated Clubs and Organizations who register using the $60 team fee. There will be two specific divisions for Greek Fraternities and Sororities. The Open League is a league without restrictions placed on gender, gender identity, or gender expression. Each player can only join one team per league (I.e. A player is allowed to play in one Open league and one Women’s/Men’s league). In leagues with multiple divisions, such as basketball, players are permitted to play in Men’s A or Men’s B only. All individual/doubles sports will feature Men’s/Women’s/Open Singles and Doubles.
2. Team Sports: A team’s roster is formed throughout the regular season.  All players participating in a game must be listed on that game’s scoresheet. The players who are listed will be entered onto that team’s roster. Names of individuals can be added to the original roster, prior to the new team member playing, by listing that player’s name as well as his/her ID number on the scoresheet. A player must play in at least one regular-season game to be eligible to participate in the playoffs. Rosters can have a maximum of 16 players.
3. Assumption of Risk, Waiver and Release from Liability Form: This must be signed and filled out by all players participating in the activity, in the main office at the time of payment, prior to the start. The waiver only needs to be completed once for the season, if players are added to the roster at any point during the season, that player(s) must fill out the waiver before participating.
4. Checking ID’s: Before a contest, event, or activity, all members of a team shall present to the scorekeeper their pictured Montclair State University ID card.  The scorekeeper shall then verify the participant’s identity and so note on the scoresheet. Those players listed on the scoresheet and verified by a scorekeeper are considered to have participated in that contest.  Should a participant arrive at the contest after it has started, the participant assumes the responsibility to have his/her identity verified by the scorekeeper.  Should a scorekeeper not verify a player, that individual shall be considered an ineligible player.
5. Forgotten ID Policy: If a player forgets his or her ID, that player is ineligible to participate in the SRC activity.
6. The captain is the representative of his/her team and may address an official and/or director on matters of interpretation or to obtain essential information if it is done in a courteous manner. Any player may address an official to request a time-out or permission to leave the playing field or court.
7. A player must play in at least one regular season game in order to be eligible to participate in playoff games.

PLAYERS

8. A team can be comprised of a maximum of 16 players, but a maximum of 6 players can be on the court at any one time. 
9. A minimum of 3 players must be present to play. 
10. Substitutions may only occur between games

TIME

11. A game will consist of two 15-minute halves.
12. There will be 5-minute halftime.
13. Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout per half. The clock will be stopped for the whole 30 seconds.

FORFEITS

14. A team not ready to play (or failing to appear) at the designated day, date, time, and location of the scheduled contest will forfeit that contest. GAME TIME IS FORFEIT TIME!!
15. In order to be credited for the forfeit “win,” the team receiving the forfeit “win” for the contest must have the minimum number of required players to start a game.
16. If at game time neither team has the minimum number of participants required to play, the IM Sports Director will call the game a double forfeit.
17. Any team that forfeits or defaults a total of ONE game within the season will be ineligible for the playoffs. Captains are responsible for entering time preferences and availability information for their team on IMLeagues at the time of registration.

GAME PLAY

18. A maximum of 4 balls will be used for each game.
19. The playing area will consist of the volleyball court lines with the center line splitting each team’s side (Red Lines).
20. A rush will begin each game. During a rush, each team will stand behind their end line, until the whistle is blown to begin the game. Both teams will rush to the center court to retrieve their 2 designated balls (to the right side of center court).
21. Ten feet (10ft) from the centerline is the 10ft line (spiking line in volleyball) which is to act as a barrier for the rush. No person may throw a dodge ball after the rush until they have completely crossed back over the 10ft line.
22. A team will remain on their side of the court for the entire half. Once the 15 minutes is up, teams will switch sides and then switch sides once again after each game.
23. When the game clock runs out the game is STOPPED IMMEDIATELY, regardless of whether the current game has ended. The winner of that match will be determined by how many players are remaining on the court for either side. (For example: if Team A ends with 3 players and Team B ends with 2 players, Team A is ruled the winner of that round within the half.)
24. If you are eliminated, you may not re-enter the game. Once eliminated you may act as a ball retriever for your team.
25. If no one on your team has been eliminated ONE PLAYER may exit the court through the back end line only to retrieve a free ball located on your half of the gymnasium. This player must re-enter through the end line or else they will be eliminated. After one person on your team has been eliminated, all live players may not leave the court to retrieve the balls. They may reach over any line but may not step down outside of the court boundaries.
26. No player may deliberately hit another player from the neck and up. If the player who was hit in the head was in any act of dodging the ball (I.E; ducking, jumping, moving from side to side, etc.) that player will be ruled out. If the player was standing still and was hit above the neck then the player who threw the ball is out.
27. Once a ball makes contact with the floor or an object, it is to be considered a dead ball.
28. A ball may hit one player to eliminate them, and if the ball continues to bounce off of a second player before touching the floor or an object, that second player will also be eliminated.
29. If the ball bounces off of one player and falls back into that same player’s hands without hitting the ground the thrower is eliminated. If a player deflects a ball that is then caught by another teammate the thrower is ruled OUT, but the player who the ball deflected off of is safe.
30. A game will be won with the team who has won the most amounts of individual games within the 20 minute timeframe.
31. A player is considered out if:

• A person, or any article of clothing on a person, is directly hit with a ball from the opposing team
• A person throws a ball in the air and it is caught by a member of the opposing team.
• A person steps out of boundaries, or on the boundary line, purposefully or accidentally. (Exception: If no one on the team has been eliminated, ONE person may exit through the back end line to retrieve a ball). 
• At any point during play, a player steps over the half court line
• A player attempts a rush, and throws the ball before clearing behind the 10ft line.
• A player causes a delay of game by a) holding possession of a ball for more than 10 seconds b) avoiding retrieving balls on their side for more than 10 seconds c) attempt to protest an official’s or director’s call d) any delay of game called by the official or director at their judgment.
• A player attempts to catch a ball and drops it.
• A player attempts to block a ball with one already in possession and drops the ball in possession.

OVERTIME

31. Overtime tiebreakers will only occur in playoffs.
32. In playoffs, teams will use the same rules as the regular season. If two teams have the same number of wins within the 20-minute timeframe, a tiebreaker will occur.
33. A tiebreaker will be determined by a 3-minute sudden-death game that will occur with 2 players from each team. Teams will choose their 2 overtime players.
    • Playoffs will be single-elimination bracket-style. All teams of the same league (for example all men’s teams) will be seeded according to their record.

*All rules are subject to change at a moment’s notice and are at the discretion of the Intramural Sports Director. If any participant argues with an official or Director, they may be ejected from the game and/or the field space. If any issues occur, Campus Police may be called.