DODGEBALL RULES & REGULATIONS
FOR THE PLAYERS ... 
... BY THE PLAYERS
General Rules:
- On the field the referee's decision is final. All protests must be indicated to the referee immediately at the time of the specific infraction or ruling. You cannot question the judgment of the call, but you can protest the application of the rule.
- Game protests must be submitted in legible writing the day of the game protested and will be ruled and decided upon by the Executive Committee in conjunction with a review of the referee's game report.
- Score cards will be provided by the league and submitted to the referee's prior to game time. It is the responsibility of teams to cross out any names of players who are not at the game.
- A team may not add a player after registration without prior approval from the Executive Committee.
- Team representatives must ensure that all players have registered and signed a roster release form before any player steps on the field for a regular season game.
- Fighting during a game automatically incurs a game misconduct. Further action may be taken by the Disciplinary Committee (see disciplinary procedures).
- In order to retain use of playing fields, all teams are responsible for picking up stray garbage, bottles, and any miscellaneous items left by either players or spectators. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated.
- Verbal criticism and bad-mouthing towards referees, league representatives, and opposing players or fans on or off fields of play is inexcusable and will not be tolerated. Regardless of the situation, it can do nothing but degrade the quality and status of the PIT Dodgeball League. Offending individuals will be handled with strict disciplinary measures.
- In maintaining an organized, balanced, and operational league, the Executive reserves the right to make changes as necessary during each season of operation.
- Team captains must have a valid email address entered into the pitdodgeball.com website and are expected to check their email frequently. Team captains will be contacted throughout the year for various reasons and email will be the main method of contact.
- Team captains must have a current phone number entered into the pitdodgeball.com website. If information is to be conveyed to a team in short order this will be the primary mode of contact.
- Team rosters must be completed online at pitdodgeball.com before the registration deadline. Any roster additions after the registration period require board approval.
- Players must be on the team roster on the pitdodgeball.com website prior to playing in order to be considered eligible to play for that team.
- A waiver form is required to be completed prior to playing in the first game of the season. Each year a new waiver form must be signed by all players. Our insurance runs from mid-October to mid-October. Thus all players must have a new waiver from signed in the Fall indoor season. Players who signed waiver forms in the Fall, Winter, or Spring indoor seasons will remain covered for the duration of the year until the next fall season begins. All new players must have a waiver form signed.
- Waiver forms may be handed to the head ref prior to playing in a game. If a player does not have a waiver form signed they are considered ineligible in play.
- Waiver forms can be found here: Waiver Forms or by clicking on "Forms & Files" on the navigation toolbar
- Teams who use ineligible players will be subject to a default.
- The player has submitted a waiver form to the league.
- The player has been added to the roster via the PIT Dodgeball website.
- The player has submitted a parental consent form if they are under 18 years of age.
- The player is not currently serving a suspension from the league.
- Players must play a minimum of four games to be eligible for playoffs.
- Team representatives should monitor all game card entries to ensure players make their four games. The league will not go back to check previous game cards in the event there is a discrepancy between the website and team. The website will be considered accurate.
- Only teams in good standing (e.g., not defaulted two games) with the league are eligible for playoffs.
- Players not currently serving a suspension from the league.
- All games played by teams with ineligible players will incur a default loss as well as a default fine.
Players and referees should not be subjected to player threats, taunts, arguing or inappropriate conduct. Referees can assess a 5 minute player “timeout” or eject a player from a game for such conduct. An ejection carries an automatic one game suspension and potentially more depending on the severity of the offense.
- Any player ejection for a major foul or abuse of an official carries a mandatory minimum 1 game suspension.
- Ejections for major fouls carry suspensions from 1-18 games.
- Fighting carries a minimum 18 game suspension.
- Physical abuse of an official carries a minimum 18 game suspension.
- Players who are on multiple teams will be suspended from all teams for the duration of the suspension. For example, if a player is suspended for three games on Team A, they will miss all games with Team B (Team C, etc) until the three game suspension with team A has been completed.
- In the event of dissatisfaction with a disciplinary decision, a case may be taken to the Appeals Committee if a written request explaining the reason for the appeal is received by the Executive within 14 days of the decision being issued. A $50.00 per player fee must accompany the appeal request. The fee will be refunded if the decision is revoked or the penalty reduced.
- The executive reserves the right to assign teams to divisions in order to provide the most competitive divisions.
- Players may play on more than one dodgeball team provided they are not in the same division.
- Six Players on the floor at one time. For coed games at least two players on the floor must be female at all times. There is no minimum requirement for males.
- There is no limit on the number of subs a team may have.
- A minimum of four players need to be present at the start of the game to avoid a default. For coed at least one player must be female. If the minimum requirement is not met, the team that is short players will lose the game by default 10-0.
- If a team loses by default they will be charged a default fee that must be paid prior to the start of their next game. See Default Procedures.
- Teams should arrive at the field at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time to ensure games start on time. A game that starts late will be a short game; all games must end on time. No Exceptions.
- There will be one official at each game.
- Officials will signal the start of the game and each subsequent game with a whistle.
- Officials will set up the balls to start each game.
- Officials will keep track of the score.
- Officials will provide game cards to each team to track statistics. Statistics will be tracked for each game for the duration of the season with statistics leaders kept on the PITDodgeball.com website.
- The players are responsible for keeping track of statistics by marking the stats on the game card. Catches, kills, and points will be tracked on the website.
- While games are officiated, one official will be unable to see everything during the course of the game. The referee will be able to call line infractions and whether a player is eliminated however players are responsible to make their own calls if the referee misses a play. When a player is hit they must raise their hand and move off the playing court immediately. Players should be honest when they get hit by a ball.
- Any reckless, aggressive, threatening or unsportsmanlike behavior will result in being ejected from the game. If this behavior continues, that player may be ejected from the league and future suspensions may apply. If this is a team issues the entire team may be ejected from the league. See Disciplinary Procedures.
- Please remember that each player must fill out an insurance waiver prior to playing in their first game in the PIT.
- Our insurance runs from November 1st to October 31st of each year. As a consequence a new waiver form must be filled out each Fall season (or the first season played during that time-span). Players need only fill out one insurance waiver for that duration of time and are thus covered in subsequent seasons until the following November (for example, if you fill out a waiver form in the Fall you are covered for the Winter, Spring, and Summer seasons but must fill out a new waiver form in the fall. If your first season is in the Winter, you are covered for the Spring and Summer seasons but must also fill out a new waiver form in the fall.
- Insurance forms can be found on the menu sidebar on the PIT Dodgeball website by clicking on the "Forms & Files" link on the PIT website or here: Insurance Forms
- Teams may start the game up to two people down (ie, start the game with four players). Teams will be given a fifteen minute 'grace' period with penalties accruing for delay of game at game time, the five minute mark and the ten minute mark of the grace period. Teams will play the first game down one player for each delay of game penalty accrued. Teams must start the game as soon as they have four players. Time will not be made up for late starts. Games will be shortened accordingly to fit the game within the specified time slot. After fifteen minutes the game is called as a default.
- The penalty for a 1st default is a $75 fine, along with an automatic loss, minus two points in the standings, and no player on the defaulting team shall be credited with a game played. This fine must be paid to the league administrators prior to the defaulting team’s next game or that game is also forfeited. The defaulting team must also post a $100 bond in case of a second default. This bond must also be provided at the same time as the default fee is paid. The penalty for a 2nd default forfeiture of the $100 bond along with an automatic loss, minus two points in the standings, and no player on the defaulting team shall be credited with a game played. The defaulting team must also post a $125 bond in case of a third default. This bond must also be provided prior to the defaulting team’s next game in case of a third default. The penalty for a 3rd default is forfeiture of the $125 bond and the team will be removed from the league for the season.
- Teams that do not have four players present at game time will play one person down for each five minute delay of game penalty accrued for the first game of the match.
- As soon as a team has four players present the match will begin.
- Defaulting teams will also lose two points in the standings for each default.
- Players on the defaulting team do not receive any credit for a game played.
- Players present on the non-defaulting team will receive credit for a game played.
- In the event of a double-default neither team will receive credit for a game played and both teams will be fined $75.00
- Defaulted games will not be rescheduled.
- Three defaults by the same team will result in said team being suspended from the remainder of the season after the third default.
- In order to retain use of playing fields all teams are responsible for picking up stray garbage, bottles, and any miscellaneous items left by either players or spectators. Your cooperation is expected and appreciated.
- A complete list of fields can be found under the "Field Locations" link on the navigation toolbar or here: Field Locations
- There are no ties in the PIT Dodgeball League. In the event of a tie game a sudden death game will be played.
- Each team will put their full compliment of six players on the field.
- A regular game will be instituted but the team with the first kill will be declared the winner.
- First tie-breaker: In the event that two teams are tied and one of those teams has defaulted a game during the regular season, the non-defaulting team (or team with fewer defaults) will automatically receive the higher seed
Note I: In the event that three or more teams are tied, if two (or more) clubs remain tied after one team has been eliminated from the tie-breaker system during any step (i.e., made playoffs), the tie breaker reverts back to step 1 of the tie-breaker system
Note II: In the event that an unbalanced schedule occurs and seeding hasn't been decided by the first two tie-breakers the third and fourth tie-breakers will be as follows: Third tie-breaker: Plus-minus in games against common opponents, Fourth tie-breaker: Points against in games against common opponents. The fourth and fifth tie-breakers in the original tie-breaking formula will become the sixth and seventh tie-breakers in a scenario of an unbalanced schedule
The stuff that needs to be said:
- Any additions to rosters after the registration deadline are subject to approval by the PIT Dodgeball League Management.
Players will not be credited for any games they are not listed on the website homepage roster prior to game day.
- Any other interpretations not covered by the PIT Dodgeball website are subject to the Head referee's judgment and the league administration.
- Have a great season and enjoy the best game day dodgeball experience in Manitoba!
... BY THE PLAYERS