Sport Specific Rules: Click Here

KINGS COURT RULES

1. Equipment/Set-Up:

• KWCJAM will supply all dodgeballs necessary for each game.
• Teams are responsible for keeping track of the score. Please designate one person/team to keep score.

2. Game Time/Default:

• Please arrive 15 minutes early so that you can start your games on time.
• Games are 55 minutes in length, with no stoppage for a halftime. If one side of a venue has a potential advantage (i.e. stage at one end, etc), teams should agree BEFORE the game that they will be switching sides at approximately the mid-point of the game (and agree on the time to switch). A captain that requests a switch pre-game MUST be accommodated.
• Please agree on one person to act as timekeeper.
• Teams are comprised of 6 players with a minimum of 2 women and 2 men. A default will occur if any team cannot field a squad by 10 minutes after the official start time.
• A team can play with a minimum of 4 people, as long as 2 of the players are women and 2 are men. Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum people but this should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!
• The 6 players that start each game are the ONLY players that can play during that particular game (i.e. for that point). Substitute players must wait until the next game before playing. Teams can alter their roster for each game, as long as the gender requirements are met. Exception: Injured players can be substituted midway during a game if necessary (male for male, female for female only)

3. Starting the Game and General Rules:
i. 6 dodgeballs will be used for each game.
ii. To start a game, each team stands on their respective back line (boundaries to be set at the venue). Three dodgeballs should be placed approximately 5 feet back from the centre line on each half court. The point will then be started by shouting "READY, SET, KING'S COURT!"
iii. Once play has started, players must remain on their own side of half until they are "eliminated".
iv. Unlike with dodgeball, "eliminated" are players are not dismissed from the game. Instead, they are to relocate to the area behind the opposing team's boundaries.
v. Once these "eliminated" players have relocated to the area behind the opposing team's court, they are now able to receive passes and failed throwing attempts from their team-mates and make elimination attempts of their own from this position outside of the court's perimeter.
vi. Players can lean over a line to retrieve a ball, but the player cannot touch any part of their opponents' area of the court. This includes the opponents half of the court, or the elimination area (note, if no players are in the "eliminated" area, balls may be retrieved, but if someone has been "eliminated", then that area is off-limits). "Eliminated" players may not enter their opponents' area to retrieve a ball. If any part of a player touches their opponents' area, the ball is immediately awarded to the opposition.
vii. Players cannot remain static in areas that conceal or partially conceal their body. e.g. door entrance ways, climbers, etc.
viii. A ball is considered "dead" as soon as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling or any other obstacles around the court (e.g. basketball hoops, etc). A player is not eliminated after being hit by a dead ball (i.e. if the ball hits the floor, then hits the player, the player is not eliminated). All other balls are considered "live".
ix. If an "eliminated" player is successful in hitting an opposing team's player, it is just like hitting a player from your side of the court: the hit player will then relocate to the surrounding area on the other side of the court.
x. Players who have been "eliminated", and are now playing from beyond the opposing team's boundaries, are not subject to being hit again while they are at this location. The opposing team is not allowed to hit or attempt to hit these players.
xi. Players who have been "eliminated", and are now playing from beyond the opposing team's boundaries may only return to their side of the court if a teammate makes a catch on a live ball thrown by their opposition. Players must return in the order that they were "eliminated". "Eliminated" players may not return to their side by hitting an opposition player.
xii. Teams should switch sides of the court after each completed game. Substitute players must not interfere with any balls, as they are always in play.
xiii. Teams are responsible for enforcing rules and ensuring fair play.

4. Throwing the Balls and Eliminating Players:
i. Players can only be in possession of ONE ball at any given time. So, a player already in possession of a ball cannot catch/touch another "live" ball. A player that touches two or more "live" balls is eliminated. However, players can block the 2nd ball with a ball that is already in their hands, and "dead" balls that are on the floor are okay to be kicked or rolled to a teammate.
NOTE: Since the player who attempts a 'second catch' is out, the thrower is not out if the ball is indeed caught.
NOTE: As per above, if a player holding a ball is hit by a second ball, that player is out. However, if a teammate catches the second ball while it is still "live", then the teammate has effectively 'saved' the hit player, the thrower is out, and the team that caught the ball returns a player to the court as usual. (See rules 4vii and 4ix). Also note that the deflection of this second ball into the hands of a teammate can occur either accidentally (i.e. the hit player was unaware that the second ball was coming) or on purpose (i.e. the hit player purposely tries to deflect the ball into the air for a teammate to catch).
ii. Players can throw a ball in any manner (with the exception of squeezing the air out of the ball) from anywhere within their set boundaries/areas.
iii. A player/team cannot hold a ball in their hands in an effort to "stockpile" the balls on their own side of court, therefore players must release a ball within 10 seconds of taking possession (which includes touching with hands and/or feet). As well, teams cannot use delay tactics by hoarding balls on their side of the court. This includes, but is not limited to, not picking up balls, throwing a ball high against the back wall to get it back, throwing a ball with spin against the side wall so that it comes back to your side of the court, bouncing a ball on the other side of half so that it comes back or can be retrieved by your team.
iv. Once in possession of a ball, a player cannot under any circumstances place a ball back down on their own side of the court. By doing so, that player is out. This includes putting a ball down in an attempt to catch on a second incoming ball. If you drop the original ball (by accident or on purpose), you are out.
v. Players may pass a ball to their teammates. However, if the receiving player does not catch or fumbles the ball - the player who attempted the catch is eliminated. Furthermore, since a team only has 10 seconds to throw the ball, a pass to a teammate does NOT reset the 10 second clock, and the ball must be thrown within 10 seconds from the time the first teammate touched the ball. And, remember that no player can touch two "live" balls at the same time - or they are out. NOTE: a ball is "live" once released, so a purposeful pass to a teammate, an accidental release of the ball that might hit a teammate or a throw meant for your opposition that hits your teammate all falls within this rule.
vi. To eliminate an opposing player, a "live" ball must hit the player from the NECK downwards. An opponent that is hit in the head is NOT eliminated but the thrower of the ball is eliminated. This rule applies regardless of whether the player was bending down, lying on the ground, jumping, etc. A headshot is a headshot. NOTE: that the ball's first point of contact is what matters (i.e. if a ball first hits the player in the leg or off a ball being used to block, and then bounces up and hits their head, the player is OUT). Teams may agree to play by a modified version of this rule if both captains agree PRIOR to the game starting. NOTE: a player may not purposely use their head to hit the ball. A player that does so is out. Please don't abuse this rule.
vii. If a player catches a "live" ball that is thrown at him/her, the thrower is OUT. IN ADDITION, the team that caught the ball can return a previously eliminated player to the court. The player that returns to the game MUST be the first player who was ruled "out" during that particular game (and the order of returning players should be maintained...i.e. the third player to be eliminated will be the third player to return to the court). Reminder: substitute players must wait until the next game. A player that is already holding a ball cannot "catch" a second ball (as per Rule 4i)
viii. A player that is holding a ball can use it to deflect/block another ball that is thrown at them by an opponent. However, if the ball being held is dropped due to the second ball, the person who dropped the ball is "eliminated". A deflected ball is still considered "live" until it hits the ground/wall/obstacle (i.e. if it hits another player or the player using the ball to block before hitting the ground or wall, the hit player is "eliminated").
ix. A live ball that rebounds off of a player (from an unsuccessful catch, hits off their body, is deflected by another ball, etc) may be caught by any other in-bounds player prior to the ball becoming dead (hitting ground or wall). As usual, the thrower is "eliminated", and the catching team can return a player.
x. It is the responsibility of all players to make a fair and honest call as to whether or not they were hit. Please remember: "It's just Kings Court". Ultra-competitive players are not welcome.

5. Scoring/Winning:

• A game is won when a team has sent all of the opposing team's players off of their side of the court (i.e. everyone is "eliminated").
• Matches will consist of as many games that can be played in the 55-minute time period.
• Each game won will count for one point.
• If a game is still being played when time expires, the team with the most live players on the court at the time will win the game.
• Ties are allowed during the regular season. If a match is tied at the end of a playoff game, a 3-minute overtime session will break the tie (the current game should be continued for 3 minutes).

5. Rough Play:

ANY ROUGH OR PHYSICAL PLAY WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE EXPULSION FROM FURTHER LEAGUE PLAY AND MAY RESULT IN LIFETIME LEAGUE EXPULSION. PLEASE SEE THE SPORT AND SOCIAL CLUB POLICY SHEET FOR OUR OFFICIAL POLICY ON THIS SUBJECT. All players should go out of their way to avoid creating an unsafe play. This rule supersedes all others.