KICKBALL - SELF PITCH updated 07/22/2024

 (Items highlighted in yellow will go in effect in the new season of each league past this date)

IMPORTANT: Remember, everyone is out there for fun and it’s only a game.   No back talking or abuse of the umpires will be tolerated. Please treat them with respect, anyone not doing so will be asked to leave. NO ALCOHOL ON THE FIELDS OR IN THE DUGOUT.  PLEASE BE AWARE OF CITY RULES REGARDING THE FIELD YOU ARE PLAYING ON!

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. ROSTER/LINEUPS/ELIGIBLE PLAYERS

1. All players must be at least 18 and signed onto a roster/waiver for that night and location.
2. Only players that have signed the roster/waiver are allowed in the playoffs.  Teams may add players to their roster up until their last regular season game

1. Players may not appear on more than 2 official rosters per league unless approved by the Club Sport office.
2. Players on multiple teams can only play for one team per time slot (i.e. if any conflicts exist they can only play for one, no jumping back and forth)
3. Playing with ineligible players may result in a forfeit.  This call is made by Club Sport Staff.

3. Once a player has signed the team’s roster they CANNOT be replaced or removed.
4. Teams that made a team payment are covered up to a certain number of players (14) and any player after that number is an additional $10 per player
5. In leagues that allow individual payments, team rosters will be capped at 14 players.  If a team is short of 14 players, players may add to the team at a prorated cost (please contact office  to add/pay for pro-rated player additions)

1. Any team that has registered individuals (free agents) must get permission from TBCS office staff to add more than the roster maximum.
2. Club Sport has the right to fill any INDY team with players until you reach the advertised maximum number of 14 players. If you wish to have less you may buy extra roster spots.

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 6 players (minimum one (1) female) 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. If a team has less than 10 eligible fielders (5m/5f) the team may pick up players to field the maximum number of players allowed on the field. Pickups must be brought to the attention of the umpire BEFORE they enter the game.

1. Any pickup player during the regular season must be signed on a TBCS roster for another team for that particular night/location. Failure to do so, even if discovered after the fact, may result in a forfeit.
2. Pick up players are NOT allowed during the playoffs.
3. Teams with less than 10 eligible fielders may pick up one player at no penalty.  Any pickups in addition to this (not putting the team over 10 fielding players) will be assessed a 2 run penalty per player. All pick up player run penalties are added at the completion of the inning (teams may score 10 runs AND be given pick up runs after).  
4. If illegal players are discovered during the game they will be immediately removed and the other team will have the option of taking a forfeit win OR collecting 4 runs per illegal player (+ the free one) and all illegal players will be removed from the game.
5. AT NO TIME CAN A TEAM PICK UP PLAYERS OF A CERTAIN SEX TO ALLOW FOR SUBS IN THAT SEX.
6. If more players from your team show up to allow subs, the pickup player must be removed.
7. Roster Checks: Captains have the right to ask for a roster check of the opposing team. The request must be made with the coordinator either before or during the game but before the 30 minute mark. Once the game has played more than 30 minutes, no roster checks may be done unless a player shows up late. If it is found that the opposing team is playing with an “illegal player”  (i.e. not on that team’s roster or not signed) then staff reserves the right to remove the player and/or forfeit the game. Roster checks may not be done after the game and Club Sport staff decisions are final.

4. GAME PLAY

1. Game time is forfeit time.  Coordinator along with umps calls game time. Games will start at the scheduled time unless the prior game is running behind. In that case the umpire will start the clock when both teams have entered the dugout. 

1. If the opposing team wants to allow more time for players to show up, the clock will start and a max of 10 minutes will be given.
2. If a team forfeits twice within the season they may not be allowed to play in the playoffs. A forfeit will be counted as a 7-0 win.
3. If you know in advance that your team is going to forfeit a game, we encourage you to call our office during business hours M-F 9-5 (877-820-2582) or Facebook message TBCS, so we can notify your opponents.

2. Games are 55 minutes in length

1. The inning in progress at the end of 55 minutes will be the last inning and completed.
2. The ump will enforce this rule and will keep teams informed of time remaining.
3. Regular season games may end in a tie.
4. Games become official after 30 minutes of play and will be counted from the last complete inning. Exception: if the home team ties or takes the lead in the bottom of an inning when a game is called, that incomplete inning will count.

3. Each team gets four (4) outs per inning
4. Only 10 runs can be scored in an inning by a team in the first 45 minutes

1. The 10th run scored is also counted as the 4th out
2. There is no ten (10)  run rule in the last 10 minutes of the game unless the kicking team is up by 20 or more runs

5. KICKING

1. Pitch to your own team.

1. Pitchers must pitch from within the pitching circle or near the mound.
2. Pitchers 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 kicked, 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.
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. Playoffs are single elimination based on regular season standings
2. Playoff seedings will be based on the following criteria: (1) winning percentage, (2) head to head record (with two teams tied), (3) run differential, (4) most runs scored, (5) coin flip
3. If a team plays an 8th game during the season due to an odd number of teams this game WILL count in the standings
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 game has no set number of innings, but the playoff run rule will apply
6. Playoff MERCY RULE: 20 runs after 3 innings, 15 runs after 4 and 10 after 5.  (Does not apply for championship game)
7. There will be overtime in the playoffs if teams are tied after regulation.  
8. All players, including added players, must sign their team’s roster/waiver before their team’s last regular season game in order to be eligible to play in the tournament.  If a player is not signed on the roster by then, they are not eligible for the tournament.  Playing with ineligible players may result in a forfeit.  This call will be made by Club Sport staff.  It is the responsibility of the team captains to make sure all players on their team are eligible players for all games.

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!