2nd Annual Kickball Tournament Official Rules

All game play rules have been adapted from the World Adult Kickball Association (WAKA) 2011 Rules
Teams that do not agree to these rules and sign the Terms & Conditions will not be eligible to participate in the Tournament.

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1. PARTICIPANT CONDUCT

1.01 All participants must respect and obey all the rules and regulations outlined for game play.
Participants breaking field rules must be ejected from the game by the referee. The tournament host
has final say in all judgment.

1.02 Outside alcoholic beverages are not allowed at the tournament. Only beer purchased at the
concession stand will be allowed on the premises. Alcohol is not allowed on the playing field when a
game is in play. Alcohol may only be consumed by players over the legal drinking age of 21 years.
Participants who violate these rules will not be tolerated and must immediately vacate the premises.

1.03 Participants are expected to act in a mature manner at this family event. Both physical and
verbal fighting will not be tolerated, and will be grounds for a team’s immediate forfeit at the referee
and tournament host’s discretion.
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2. GAME PLAY
2.01 All participants must respect and obey all rules and regulations for games.
Participants breaking field rules must be ejected from the game by the referee. The tournament host has final say in
all judgment.
2.02 Any ball touched by a player or Referee wholly or partly in fair territory is automatically in play. A participant
jumping from fair territory is in fair territory while in the air. A participant jumping from foul territory is in foul
territory while in the air.
2.03 Upon notification to the Head Referee of any improper field set up, the field layout shall be corrected before
the beginning of the next play. Protest based on field set up will not be considered.

3. REFEREES
3.01 Games must be officiated by at least 2 referees each game: a Head Referee, and a First Base Referee. The
Head Referee governs all game play and issues all final rulings, and has final authority on equipment issues. Other
Referees may assist these officials when available.
3.02 Referees have jurisdiction over play and may:
a. call a time out;
b. call off a game due to darkness, rain or other cause at the Referee's discretion;
c. penalize a player, including game ejection, for any reason. This includes but is not limited to un-sportsman like
conduct, fighting, delay of game and excessive verbal abuse. Ejected participants must leave the field area and
may not return to the game.
3.03 Referees have jurisdiction over play and must:
a. cancel the game if lightning is seen;
b. call off any game still in play after 45 minutes (time limit subject to change on the day of event).
3.04 Referees may make rulings on any points not specifically covered in the rules (at the time of occurrence), but
the ruling shall not be deemed as a precedent for future rulings.

4. REGULATION GAMES
4.01 Games will last 45 minutes.
a. In the event of a tie score at the end of the game, the game shall be marked as a tie.
b. A game that finishes by being called off due to a time limit remains a regulation game.
4.02 Teams must have at least eight (8) players present and ready to play at the scheduled game
time.

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5. PITCHING, CATCHING AND FIELDING
5.01 Balls must be pitched by hand. There are no restrictions on pitching style. Bouncies are allowed.
5.02 Proper Field Position is:
a. All fielders besides the catcher must start play and remain behind the 1st-3rd base diagonal until the ball is
kicked.
b. The pitcher must start the act of pitching within the pitching mound and have at least one foot on or directly
behind the pitching strip when releasing the ball. No part of the pitcher’s front foot
may be in front of or across the front edge of the pitching strip until the ball is kicked.
c. The catcher must field behind the kicker, within or directly behind the kicking box, and may not cross home
plate nor be positioned forward of the kicker before the ball is kicked. The catcher may not make contact with the
kicker, nor position so closely to the kicker as to restrict the kicking motion.
5.03 Backstop assistant. A captain may choose to enlist a team member as a backstop assistant to retrieve balls
no longer in play. This assistant does not count as a catcher or fielder, must be behind the
kicking box and sufficiently back from the catcher, and may not be involved in any play.

6. KICKING
6.01 All kicks must be made by foot or leg, below the knee. Any ball touched by the foot or leg
below the knee is a kick.
6.02 All kicks must occur:
a. at or behind home plate. The kicker may step on home plate to kick, however no part of the planted foot may
be in front of or cross the front edge of the home plate.
b. within the kicking box. The kicker must have at least a portion of the plant foot within the
kicking box during the kick. The kicker may line up outside of the kicking box.
6.03 Bunting is allowed.

7. RUNNING AND SCORING

7.01 Runners must stay within the baseline. Any runner outside the baseline is out:
a. Runners may choose their path from one base to the next, and may follow a natural running arc;
b. Runners are free to change course to avoid interference with a fielder making a play;
c. When attempting to avoid a ball tag, runners may move no more than 4 feet out of their established path.
7.02 Obstruction. Fielders must stay out of the baseline. Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their
foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline. Runners hindered by any fielder within the baseline, not making
an active play for the ball, shall be safe at the base to which they were running. Runners may choose to advance
beyond this base while the ball is still in play.
7.03 Neither leading off base, nor stealing a base is allowed. A runner may advance once the ball is kicked. A
runner off base when the ball is kicked is out.
7.04 Hitting a runner’s neck or head with the ball is not allowed, except when the runner is sliding. Any runner
hit in the neck or head is safe, and advances to the base they were running toward when the ball hits the runner.
If the runner intentionally uses the head or neck to block the ball, and is so called by the Referee, the runner is
out.
7.05 A tag-up is a requirement to retouch or stay on a base until a kicked then caught ball is first touched by a
fielder. After a tag-up a runner may advance. A runner failing to tag-up as required is out.
7.06 All ties will go to the runner. Runners traveling from home plate may overrun first base, and may only be
tagged out if actively attempting to advance to second base.
7.07 Base Running on Overthrows;
a. an overthrow is a ball thrown, kicked, or deflected into foul territory while making a defensive play toward a
player or base;
b. a runner may advance only one base beyond the base the runner is on or running toward when the ball travels
into foul territory;
c. one base on an overthrow is a restriction on the runner – not an automatic right for the runner to advance;
d. if any fielder attempts to make an out prior to returning the ball to the pitcher, runners may commence base
running.
7.08 Running past another runner is not allowed. The passing runner is out.
7.09 A run scores when a runner touches home plate before the third out is made, EXCEPT that no run can
score when the third out is made during a force play situation, or when the kicker is put out before touching first
base. At the end of a game the team with the most runs wins.
7.10 When a base is displaced during play, any runner is safe while in contact with the base's original and
correct location. All displaced bases should be restored at the end of each play.

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8. STRIKES
8.01 A count of three (3) strikes is an out.
8.02 A strike is:
a. a pitch that is not kicked and is not called a ball that enters any part of the strike zone
b. an attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone
8.03 Foul balls never count as strikes.

9. BALLS
9.01 A count of four (4) balls advances the kicker to first base.
9.02 A ball is:
a. a pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Referee where a kick is not attempted
b. a pitched ball that does not touch the ground at least twice or roll before reaching the kicking box;
c. a pitched ball that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball as it enters the kicking box;
d. a pitched ball that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball at any time while passing through the
kicking box, prior to reaching the kicker;
e. a pitched ball that is higher than one foot at the plate.

10. FAIRS AND FOULS

10.01 A count of four (4) fouls is an out. Foul balls never count as strikes.
10.02 A foul ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing in foul territory (see Diagram 3);
b. a kicked ball touched in foul territory
c. a kicked ball landing in fair territory, but touching foul territory on its own at any time before reaching first or
third base (see Diagram 3);
d. a kicked ball whose direction is altered by contact with any object other than the ground in foul territory, and
called as such;
e. a kick made on or above the knee
f. a kicked ball touched more than once or stopped in the kicking box by the kicker;
g. a kicked ball kicked outside of the kicking box (see Diagram 3);
10.03 A fair ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing and remaining in fair territory (see Diagram 3);
b. a kicked ball landing in fair territory then traveling into foul territory beyond the 1st-3rd base diagonal (see
Diagram 3).

11. OUTS
11.01 A count of three (3) outs by a team completes the team's half of the inning.
11.02 An out is:
a. a count of three (3) strikes or four (4) fouls;
b. any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught by a fielder;
c. a ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run, before the runner arrives at the base;
d. a runner touched by the ball or who touches the ball at any time while not on base while the ball is in play
e. a kicker that intentionally hits the ball with their hand or arm
f. a ball tag of a runner on base, in which the runner does not tag-up as required when a ball is caught
g. a runner off base when the ball is kicked
h. a runner physically assisted by a team member during play
i. any kicker that does not kick in the proper kicking line up
j. a runner that passes another runner
k. a runner outside of the baseline
l. a runner who misses a base, as called by a Referee upon the conclusion of the play;
m. a runner who fails to properly tag up on a caught ball, as called by a Referee upon the conclusion of the play;
n. A runner tagged by the ball while on a base they are forced to vacate by the kicker becoming a runner;
11.03 Sideline area. Prior to the kick, no participants (or spectators) may be in the sideline area except for the
kicker, the catcher, Referees and designated base coaches. After the kick, fielders and base runners in the
process of playing the game may also occupy the sideline area. The first infraction of this rule
will result in a warning to the team that caused the infraction. The second and each subsequent infraction will
result in an out for the next kicker in the written scorebook kicking order on the team that caused the infraction.

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12. BALL IN PLAY
12.01 Once the pitcher has the ball in control and retains possession on the mound, the play ends. Runners who
are off base at this time and in forward motion may advance only one base. Runners who are off base at this
time and not in forward motion must return to the base from which they were running.
12.02 Interference is:
a. when any non fielder or non permanent object except a Referee or a runner, touches or is touched by a ball in
play in fair territory. This interference causes the play to end, and runners shall proceed to the base to which they
were headed;
b. when any runner on or off base intentionally touches a ball. This interference causes the play to end, the runner
to be out, and any other runners shall return to the base from which they came, unless forced to advance;
c. when any kicker intentionally hits the ball with their hand or arm. This interference causes the play to end, the
kicker to be out, and any other runners shall return to the base from which they came
12.03 During any play where a ball is popped or deflates significantly, that play shall be replayed with a properly
inflated ball.

13. GHOST MEN

13.01 Ghost men are not allowed.

14. INJURY AND SUBSTITUTIONS

14.01 In cases of injury or illness, a time-out may be requested for participant removal and replacement with a
substitute of the same sex. If the participant later returns to play, the participant must be inserted in the same
written scorebook kicking order position previously held.
14.02 If a player is ejected, injured, or becomes ill and cannot continue, the written scorebook kicking order will
continue in the same formation, less the removed player.
14.03 Injured players who do not kick shall not play in the game.
14.04 Any player removed from the game for injury or illness must be noted on both team written scorebook
kicking orders and mentioned to the Head Referee.
14.05 The pitcher and the catcher positions may only be replaced once per inning unless injury forces another
substitution.
14.06 Only runners who are injured while traveling to a base, and who successfully make it to a base, may be
substituted. All runner substitutions must be of the same sex. There are no other allowable runner substitutions.
A runner may be substituted no more than twice during the game. Upon the second substitution, the player will be
removed from the game and no longer be allowed to participate.

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 2nd Annual Kickball Tournament Terms & Conditions
We, the undersigned of team _____________________________________, hereby acknowledge that we
have read and understood the official kickball rules that will apply to the 2nd Annual Kickball Tournament and
will furthermore accept all fair calls made by referees.
We understand that outside alcohol is prohibited at this year’s tournament.
We will conduct ourselves in a mature manner at this family event and respect the terms and conditions laid out
in Section 1.0 of the Official Rules.
We understand that we are expected to play under these conditions and should the rules be violated, the team
will be forced to forfeit the tournament and vacate the premise.

By signing below, each player agrees to the terms and conditions of the 2nd Annual Kickball Tournament:

Player’s Signature Date

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*Please attach additional signature to a separate sheet or write on back of form.