Dodgeball RULEBOOK 

Payments are due in full prior to participation.  Payments consist of team fees, individual fees, or sub fees. Payments cover permitting, equipment, officiating, management, credit card fees, and general insurance costs. Team fees and individual fees may be paid online with a credit card on our encrypted/secure site, or on site with cash/check.  A bounced check will result in a $15 processing fee. Captains must prepay in order to register a team.  Corporate/company sponsors are welcome.  

TMSSC Operation/Refund Policy 
TMSSC leagues are viable with a minimum of four (4) teams per league. Pre-season cancellation fees are 30% of total fees due and cancellation MUST be requested IN WRITING via fax, USPS mail, or email at least three (3) business days prior to the start of the league. Business days are considered to be Monday through Friday. No phone call cancellations are allowed. There are no refunds for any league already started or ready to start within three (3) business days. If a league does not become viable, full refunds will be given if a team does not want, or cannot, be placed in another TMSSC league. 
League times and locations are as listed. However, TMSSC reserves the right to change specific league locations and operating times as necessary due to any required scheduling changes either on a weekly or seasonal basis. TMSSC also reserves the right to shorten any league due to multiple weather cancellations or unforeseen circumstances without any refund or credits provided. 

TMSSC allows individuals to register as Free Agents. Once a Free Agent agrees to be placed onto a specific team, payment is required and only pre-season cancellation is permitted as outlined above. 
Any discount programs being offered may not be combined. All league fees must be paid in full as listed by each sport and/or event. Team or individual registration processed online, faxed or mailed constitutes an agreement to provide full payment to TMSSC. For sponsored teams, any fees paid by an individual for a team may be refunded upon an equal payment provided by a third party to TMSSC with reference to league/location. 

All TMSSC sport leagues and social events have a minimum age requirement of 21 years old. All TMSSC participants must be in good health to participate. TMSSC reserves the right to refuse any individual or team without explanation. All participants of each TMSSC league or event must sign a waiver of liability to participate. Failure or refusal to waive liability will result in non-participation for that individual and will void any refund  Failure to abide by TMSSC rules and regulations will result in forfeiture of league/event participation and void any refunds. 

Schedules/Holidays
Start/end dates and game times are posted on each league's homepage. Start/end dates and game times are subject to change based on field availability, rainouts, and unforeseen circumstances which may arise. Schedules are posted after registration is closed and all payments have been received. Schedule requests must come from team captains, and must be submitted in writing at least three [3] business days prior to the start of Week 1 games. TMSSC Directors will make every effort to honor each schedule request. However, TMSSC Directors reserve the right to schedule any team for any of the advertised dates and game times posted on the league homepage. Bye requests will likely result in teams playing doubleheaders before or after their week off. 

The following holidays will be automatic byes for all leagues: 
New Years Day (Jan. 1) 
Memorial Day Weekend (Friday-Monday) 
Fourth of July Weekend (Friday-Sunday) 
Labor Day Weekend (Friday-Monday) 
Thanksgiving Weekend (Wednesday-Sunday) 
Christmas Eve through New Years Eve (Dec. 23 - Dec. 31) 

Unless parks/venues are closed, games will be scheduled for the following holidays unless a majority of teams request a bye prior to Week 1: MLK Weekend, Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day Weekend, Easter Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, Cinco De Mayo, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Columbus Day, Halloween, & Veteran's Day.

Eligibility/Rosters
Every player must preregister online, accept the league waiver, prepay in full (if applicable), wear a TMSSC uniform, and provide a photo ID before playoff games. With the exception of the photo ID rule, these rules cannot be waived by an opposing team captain.  Each player is limited to one roster per league per season.

Assault & Battery
Any coach, participant, or spectator who, in the judgment of TMSSC staff, engages in an attempt to fight immediately before, during or after a sponsored event is suspended from further participation in TMSSC activities. Behavior classified as fighting includes, but is not limited to: 

·       striking or attempting to strike an individual 

·       throwing a punch at an individual 

·       spitting on/at an individual 

·       kicking or attempting to kick an individual 

·       engaging an individual in a combative manner

·       brandishing an object/weapon with intent to harm, injure, or intimidate

·       retaliating against an aggressive act

No refunds will be issued for expulsions. The minimum suspension for fighting is 365 days for all leagues, tournaments, and social events. Based on factors such as the individual's prior record, reinstatement meeting, and precedent cases, a decision is generally rendered within 48 hours. Written notice and/or a phone call regarding the decision rendered is made to the individual or team at the email address or phone number provided.

Ejections will be made for verbal and abusive language to other players, spectators, or TMSSC staff members. If ejected, player(s) will be subject to a minimum 1-game suspension. 

CHAPTER 2004-276 
Section 1. Section 784.081, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 
784.081 Assault or battery on sports officials or employees; reclassification of offenses- 
If such offense is committed upon the sports official when he or she is actively participating as a sports official in an athletic contest or immediately following such athletic contest, and when the person committing the offense knows or has reason to know the identity or position or employment of the victim, the offense for which the person is charged shall be reclassified as follows: 
(a)(1) In the case of aggravated battery, from a felony of the second degree to a felony of the first degree. 
(b)(2) In the case of aggravated assault, from a felony of the third degree to a felony of the second degree. 
(c)(3) In the case of battery, from a misdemeanor of the first degree to a felony of the third degree. 
(d)(4) In the case of assault, from a misdemeanor of the second degree to a misdemeanor of the first degree.

Forfeit
A team must be ready to play by 10 minutes after the scheduled starting time or the game will be declared a forfeit.  To play a legal game, a team must have at least 4 players (including 1 female) on the court at 10 minutes past game time.  A scrimmage will take place if the game results in a forfeit.  A team using a suspended player forfeits all games that the suspended player participates in. Teams knowingly using such a player may face additional sanctions.  Two forfeits by any team during a single season may result in expulsion from the league with no registration fees refunded to the team or its players.

Game Stoppage
In the case of inclement weather, darkness, serious injury, or other harmful conditions, any match which has started the 3rd game will constitute a legal game.  The team with a lead of at least 2 points at the time of postponement will be declared the winner. 

General Game Rules 

Equipment-

• TMSSC staff will supply rubber-coated NADA-approved foam balls. No other balls will be allowed on the court. Violations of the ball rule will result in an ejection and a possible suspension.
• Every player must wear a TMSSC-issued team uniform/shirt to participate.
• Every player must wear appropriate shoes. Sandals and cleats (metal or rubber) are not permitted.  Playing bare-foot is not permitted.
• Gloves are prohibited.  However, players may tape/wrap their fingers. Glues and sticky substances are prohibited.

Court-

• The game will be played on an indoor basketball court.
• Boundaries consist of: a center-line, two attack-lines (10’ from the center-line), and two elimination/substitution areas (benches on each end-wall).

Game Procedures-

• A game begins with 8 players (minimum of 3 women) from each team on either side of the court (determined by a coin-flip). A team may begin a game with as few as 4 players (minimum of 1 woman).
• Players in the elimination/substitution area may only sub in between games, during a time-out, or for an injured player.
• Six [6] balls will be placed on the center-line.
• All players will have one hand on their end-wall to start. Upon the referee’s whistle, any and all players may rush for the balls. Retrieved balls must be taken back behind a team’s own attack line.
• The object of the game is to eliminate all opponents by striking each of them with the ball below the shoulders. Once a team eliminates all 8 opposing players, that team is declared the winner of the game. 
• Teams will play a best 3-of-5 games to determine the winner of the match. Teams will alternate sides between games.
• Each team is allowed one 30-second time-out per game. Any balls in flight when a time-out is called are live and can eliminate players. Subs/eliminated players may not call a time-out. Balls will remain on their respective sides during a time-out.

Game Rules-

• After all retrieved balls have been returned behind a team’s own attack line, players may advance up to their opponents’ attack line to throw a ball. A player is out/eliminated if any part of their body touches their opponent’s attack line or the ground beyond the attack line. If there is one player remaining for each team, either player may cross over their opponent’s attack line.
• Players are out/eliminated when they are struck below the shoulders with a thrown ball, or if they are struck in the head while ducking/dipping their head into the flight of the ball.  A player is not eliminated if a thrown ball contacts the ground, wall, or referee before hitting the player.
• Eliminated players must immediately enter the elimination area and not interfere with live play.
• A player who CATCHES a thrown ball will remain in the game, one teammate from the elimination area may re-enter the game, and the opponent who threw the ball is out. A player who is struck by a thrown ball and attempts to CATCH the ball is out if the ball touches the ground, another player, the referee, or the wall before the player gains control.
• A player may block a thrown ball with a ball-in-hand, provided the holder does not lose control of the ball-in-hand.
• Active players may not enter an occupied elimination area to hide or retrieve balls. Eliminated players must roll any balls out of the elimination area.

Player Conduct-

• A referee or TMSSC staff member can issue technical and/or flagrant fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Two [2] technical fouls in a match will result in an ejection from the match (all 5 games). Ejected players are subject to further action, including a suspension.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct includes but is not limited to: foul language, intentional head-shots, unnecessary roughness, arguing calls, and taunting opponents.
• One [1] flagrant foul (punching, kicking, pushing, spitting, etc.) will result in an immediate ejection and a minimum 1-match suspension.