Official rules

• Games operate on an honor system where players must exit immediately upon elimination.
• Sportsmanship is mandatory; competitive play is encouraged but excessive behavior is not.
• Referees hold final authority on all rulings.
• Teammates should help eliminated players exit regardless of referee confirmation.

• Teams: standard format is 6v6, though teams may start short with league approval.
• Balls: six dodgeballs total, three designated per team.
• Court: a center line divides the court; an attack line (clear line) activates balls post-opening rush.

One change from the USA Dodgeball standard: individual games are not capped at three minutes. They run until a team is fully eliminated.

• 40 minutes total: two 20-minute halves with sides switched.
• Multiple games are possible per half.
• Games continue until complete team elimination.
• Time expiration triggers No-Blocking mode until a winner emerges.
• New games begin after full elimination if time remains.

• Ball placement: six balls on the center line, three per team.
• Player positioning: one foot on the back line, other foot inside the boundary.
• Opening rush: players retrieve balls upon the whistle. Teams may only access their three designated balls. Sideline contact means elimination. Players may cross the center line but cannot fully enter opponent territory.

• Balls must cross the team's attack line to become live.
• Throwing an inactive ball results in elimination.
• Inactive balls can be caught but cannot eliminate players.

• Leaving the back line before the whistle is a false start.
• First offense: warning and rush reset.
• Additional offenses: the team begins with one player out.

• The team with the majority of balls has burden and must throw.
• If equal, player count determines burden.
• If both are equal, burden goes to the team that didn't previously hold it.
• Burden resets after valid throws.

• Triggered when time expires during an active game.
• Held balls act as an extension of the body.
• Thrown balls contacting held balls remain live and can eliminate or be caught.

• 10 seconds to throw once burden is established.
• The clock begins regardless of ball returns.
• The final five seconds are counted aloud.
• Failure to throw awards all balls to opponents.
• Throws after zero are invalid.

• Hit by a live ball that becomes dead.
• Stepping on or over boundary lines.
• Throwing an inactive ball.
• Being the thrower of a caught ball.
• Having a blocking ball knocked loose and dead after live-ball impact.
• Intentional headshots may warrant discipline.

• Players may block using a ball.
• If the blocking ball is knocked away and becomes dead, the blocker is out.
• Hands and fingers don't count as a blocking ball.
• Blocked balls remain live until caught or dead.

• A valid catch eliminates the thrower and one teammate re-enters.
• The catching player must demonstrate clear control.
• If a ball hits a player and a teammate catches it before it goes dead, the hit player is safe.
• Jerseys cannot be used as nets.

• Eliminated players queue in elimination order.
• Re-entry follows that same sequence from the back line.
• Only starting players are eligible unless an injury substitution is approved.

• Opposing-team throws that collide become dead.
• Same-team throws remain live until caught or dead.

• Eliminated players, inactive players, retrievers, and spectators cannot interfere.
• Active throwers may knock balls away before catches are secured if remaining in bounds.
• Consequences range from warnings to ejections.

• Verbal warnings for minor issues.
• Outs for rule violations.
• Removal for unsafe play, harassment, repeated arguing, or unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Additional league discipline applies for conduct affecting safety or operations.