Kickball Rules - Tournament

updated 2/8/23

NO ALCOHOL ON THE FIELDS OR IN THE DUGOUT.  TEAMS CAN BE FORFEITED AND ASKED TO LEAVE FOR VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY

1. EQUIPMENT

1. A size 8.5” playground ball will be provided by the league for league game play.
2. Cleats are recommended however, NO METAL SPIKES ARE ALLOWED.
3. Shirts and closed toed shoes/cleats must be worn at all times while playing. (NO sandals, slides, crocs, ex. ) [Bare feet are strictly prohibited]

2. PLAYER CONDUCT

1. Only the captain is allowed to dispute calls with the umpire.  Any excessive arguing or abuse of the umpire can result in the ejection of the player.
2. Players ejected from any game may be required to serve a one or more game suspension pending league review.  Fighting, wrestling, or pushing will not be tolerated and may result in player ejections.
3. Any player or fan is encouraged to root for their own team but rooting against teams or use of disparaging language is discouraged and could result in penalties of players or dismissals of fans.  Any fans of teams may be asked to leave by Club Sport staff. Refusal to leave could result in forfeiture of games.
4. PROFANITY: Profanity will not be tolerated and may be grounds for players being called out or ejected on the discretion of the umpire. Any music being played (where allowed) should also adhere to the no profanity and be family friendly at a suitable volume.
5. CITY OF TAMPA does not allow amplified sound on its fields. This could lead to a warning or forfeiting of games.

3. ROSTERS/LINEUPS/ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

1. Everyone playing must be 18 and must sign the team’s roster/waiver before playing
2. Any additions to a roster must be made by the start of the 2nd game
3. ALL players, to be eligible must sign before they play and must be signed by the start of the teams last game of “pool play”.

1. If a player is not signed in on the roster by then, they are not eligible for the playoffs
2. Playing with ineligible players in any game (including playoffs) may result in a forfeit.  This call will be made by Club Sport staff.

4. Pickup players are NOT allowed for ANY games.
5. Kicking lineups must be presented to the umpire before each game.  

1. Once the line up cards have been submitted to the umpire, they become official, and you may only add players to the bottom.
2. All substitutions must be given to the umpire as they are made.

6. Play consists of 10 (5m/5f).
7. Line-ups alternate by sex  Male/ Female, no two men can kick consecutively.  If two men kick consecutively, an automatic out is recorded in between the two male kickers.  To prevent an out, two men may share one(1) kicking spot and alternate kicks each time up. (women may also share kicking spots).
8. A team must have at least 7 players (minimum two (2) females) to start a game.
9. Any player kicking out of order will be considered an automatic out.  If a girl shows up late, they may go into any automatic out spot on the lineup card. Captains must notify the umpire of any changes to lineup cards.
10. Players may appear on 1 roster per division if the tournament has more than one division. If the tournament has only 1 division a player may appear on 2 rosters, but can not be on multiple teams in the same pool.

4. GAME PLAY

1. Game time is forfeit time. Club Sport staff calls game time.

1. If a team forfeits a game, their opponent will be awarded a 7-0 win. If a team forfeits their 2nd and/or any additional pool play game then ALL games it was scheduled for, even ones previously played, will be recorded as a 7-0 loss.

2. Game length is 45 minutes.

1. The inning in progress at the end of 45 minutes will be the last inning and completed
2. The ump will enforce this rule and will keep teams informed of time remaining.
3. Pool play games may end in a tie.
4. In the case of rain or other event, Club Sport has the right to call a game as official depending on the length played.
5. Due to run differential, if the home team is winning at the bottom of the inning, they will get the option to continue kicking.  If the home team has already won, the 8 run rule will apply in the last inning.

3. Each team gets four (4) outs per inning
4. Only 8 runs can be scored in an inning.

1. The 8th run scored is also counted as the 4th out
2. There is no 8 run rule in the last 5 minutes of the game (NOT APPLICABLE in playoffs, see below).

5. RAINOUT - If all teams have completed  2  pool play games at the time of a rainout, the champion will be determined by record and run differential.  Should less than two games be completed by all teams, a makeup date may be scheduled to replay or finish the tournament

5. KICKING

1. Pitch to your own team.

1. Pitcher must pitch from within the pitching circle or near the mound
2. Pitcher must not interfere with the fielding team. If a kicked ball hits the pitcher it will be a delayed ball re-kick

(i.e. if the defense can make a play at 1st base the ball will be live).  If the pitcher purposely  interferes, the umpire can call the runner out.

2. One pitch per kicker

1. A missed kick, foul ball, or a catch on the fly is an out.
2. A kick that goes foul (even if caught) is a dead ball.  Kicker is out and runners may not advance.

3. A real or imaginary line runs perpendicular to home plate.  If the kicker’s plant foot is completely in front of this line, the kicker will be called out. The kicker's plant foot CAN be on the line.
4. BUNTING IS ALLOWED FOR WOMEN ONLY.

1. Any kick that crosses the kicking line is legal.  
2. Double touching/kicking the ball is an out.
3. The catcher must stay behind the kicking line until the ball is kicked and cannot interfere (verbally, physically, or visually) with the kicker. The catcher must give the kicker a 3 foot or arms length “bubble”. The catcher also may not “dive” or “jump” in front of the kicker.

1. If interference is called, the kicker and all runners are awarded a base.

4. Should the catcher make contact with a ball that has been kicked, but not yet crossed into fair territory it shall be recorded as a foul ball/out (as long as the catcher has not interfered with the kicker).
5. Males are not allowed to bunt and must make a “full kick”  (A full kick will be defined as any kick where the kicker makes a “follow” through, i.e. the kicking leg doesn't stop in motion of the kick). A “bunt” will NOT be determined on the distance of the ball's travel.  If a male is judged to have bunted (at the discretion of the umpire), a dead ball OUT will be recorded.  

6. BASE RUNNING

1. Players requesting a courtesy runner must do so before their kick.

1. A player needing a courtesy will not be allowed to advance past first base.
2. Umpires and/or Club Sport staff can overrule courtesy runners to ensure fair play.
3. Courtesy runner will be the last out of that gender, or furthest in the lineup of that gender if no out.

2. When running to first base, if there is a possible play at first (i.e. ball is still in the infield) the runner must touch the orange/outside bag or will be called out by the umpire. Defense must use the white/inside bag.

1. Once the runner has touched the orange bag the ENTIRE bag is considered ONE bag for both offense & defense and can be used for the runner to stand on or tag up, as well as the defense to tag the bag on runners returning to first base.

3. No Lead Offs

1. All runners must be in contact with the base at the time the ball is kicked.  Any runner not doing so will automatically be called out and the kicker will re-kick.

4. Runners cannot tag up until a fly ball is first touched.
5. No stealing bases
6. Charging defensive players is not allowed and may result in an out and/or ejection.
7. Offensive players CANNOT initiate contact with defensive players.
8. Sliding is permitted

1. If a runner slides/ducks into a legal throw that was aimed below the shoulders, the runner is out.

7. FIELDING

1. Maximum of 10 fielders with no more than 5 men in the field.
2. No more than 6 infielders, including the catcher
3. No one may be positioned between the pitcher and home plate.

1. “The Pitcher” is determined by a real or  imaginary  line drawn from first base to third base
2. All infielders must stay behind this line  until the ball is kicked

4. Outfielders must stay behind boundary line (cones or grass), regardless of who is up to kick, until the ball is kicked

1. If this rule is violated, the ball remains live until the umpire calls time.  The umpire will then decide which is more advantageous to the kicking team, the kicked ball or an automatic pass to first base.

5. Outs

1. Throwing to the baseman who tags the base for a force out
2. Hitting the runner with the ball

1. Runners may only be hit with the ball from the shoulders down.  If a player ducks or slides into a throw that was aimed below the shoulders, the runner is out.
2. Throws to hit the runner must be made 2 handed and come from below the shoulders (like a basketball chest pass or 2 handed underhand throw). No overhead throws, even 2 handed, are allowed to get players out. Ball must be possessed before the thrown tag is made.  i.e. no deflections.
3. Any blatantly hard or dangerous throw, regardless of how it's thrown, will result in the runner being called safe and may result in the ejection of the player.
4. The umpire's discretion will be used in whether or not a throw is legal.

3. Catching a fly ball in kickball is not a sure thing, there is no infield fly rule.  However, there is a no cheese rule.  If the umpire thinks a fielder intentionally misses or does not catch a fly ball in an effort to make a double play, or any other advantageous play, both runners will be called safe.
4. A play is not dead until the ump calls time or the ball is in the possession of the pitcher. The umpire will not call time until ALL OF the runners have stopped forward motion.

8. PLAYOFFS

1. See Tournament Details Sheet
2. There is no per inning run limit during playoffs.
3. Playoff Run Rule - 10 runs after 5 innings
4. There will be overtime during playoffs

1. Extra innings will start with a runner on second base (base runner is the one who made the last out in the previous inning).

5. Championship games have no set number of innings, but the playoff run rule will apply.

9. MISCELLANEOUS

1. No jewelry can be worn during the games (for safety of all players)
2. No alcohol is allowed on the fields or in the dugouts
3. All teams are responsible for their own trash
4. Club Sport reserves the right to adjust and/or insert rules due to game day time restrictions or to ensure fair play.
5. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!