Kickball Rules

GAME PLAY
• All games are 50 minutes in length or 7 innings. Once the 50 minutes has expired, we will finish the inning (unless the home team is up to kick and winning)
• Teams are intramural (can have female players but are not required).
• Forfeit time is game time. Coordinator along with umps calls game time.

• 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.
• 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.
• If extra innings are needed, the last out from the previous inning will start on 2nd base and the inning will commence from there. The last out on 2nd base cannot have a pinch runner.

• There will be a 10-run limit per inning (10th run counts as the 3rd out) unless the last inning has been declared, at which point there is not a run limit (if a team is winning by more than 20 runs, they will be held to 10 runs an inning)
• Once 30 minutes have expired it will be considered a complete game and the final score will revert back to the last full inning played, unless the home team is kicking and winning at the same time. If a game is called due to any circumstances (weather, darkness, etc.) and less than 30 minutes have expired, the game will be restarted from the beginning at a future time.
• Rainouts will be rescheduled at SHSC convenience.

EQUIPMENT
• All games will be played with a 10” rubber kickball (league provided)
• Cleats are allowed however, NO METAL SPIKES ARE ALLOWED
• Shirts and closed toed shoes/cleats must be worn at all times while playing

PLAYER CONDUCT
• 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.
• 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 ejection from the league altogether. Verbal abuse of the officials or players, foul language, and continued rough play could result in player ejections.
• Any player or fan is encouraged to root for their own team, but rooting against 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.
• 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.

ROSTER/LINEUPS
• All players must be 18 and signed onto a roster/waiver for that night and location.
• Rosters consist of a maximum of 14 players, with no ratio requirements on the field.
• Only players that are on the signed roster/waiver are allowed to participate in playoffs. Teams may add players to their roster up until their last regular season game.
• Players may not appear on more than 1 official rosters per league.
• Playing with ineligible players may result in a forfeit. This call is made by SHSC Staff.
• Once a player has signed their team's roster they CANNOT be replaced or removed.
• Any team that has registered individuals (free agents) must get permission from SHSC office staff to add more than the roster maximum.
• SHSC 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.
• Play consists of 10 players per side. There is no limit on the number of male or females on the field.
• A team may play a legal game with 6 players from their roster. If a team has less than 10 players, they can pick up players from another team.

• PICKUP PLAYERS: Pick up players are NOT allowed during the playoffs. Any pickup players during the regular season must be signed on a SHSC roster for another team for that particular night. Failure to do so, even if discovered after the fact, may result in a forfeit.
• Pickups must be brought to the attention of the umpire BEFORE they enter the game or may be assessed a 2 run per pick-up player penalty.
• 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) may be assessed a 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).

• If more players from your team show up to allow subs, the free pickup player must be removed. If you fail to report pickup players after the start of the game and it is reported or caught before the end of the game it will become a 2 run penalty for EVERY PLAYER picked up (included what would have been a free one), so please remember to report your pickup players to the scoring umpire.
• 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 2 runs per illegal player (players will still be removed from the game).
• Kicking lineups must be presented to the umpire before each game. Once the lineup cards have been submitted to the umpire, they become official and you may add players to the bottom of the line up only. If a woman shows up late, they may go into the automatic out spot on the lineup card. Captains must notify the umpire of any changes to lineup cards.
• Teams may kick more than 10 players.
• Kicking order can be random with no specifics.
• All players in the field must be listed in the kicking order. There are no “designated fielders” allowed.
• If a player is injured during a game, the captain must notify the umpire to remove the injured player from the lineup card with no additional penalty (unless the injured player is a female and her removal drops the kicking from the required ratio - the spot then becomes an automatic out). An injured player that has been removed from the lineup card cannot return to the game.
• ROSTER CHECKS: Players have the right to ask for a roster check of the opposing team after the start of the game and before the end of the game. These requests must be made with the coordinator during game play, and 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. Club Sport staff decisions are final and roster checks may not be made by players once the game has finished.

OFFENSE
• All kickers start with a 1-1 count and are allowed one courtesy foul. A kicker will be called out on the second foul ball. 4 balls equal a walk.
• The “strike-zone” extends to 1 foot on either side of home plate, and 1 foot high. A kicker is only allowed one “strike”. If a kicker does not make an attempt on the second “strike”, then he/she will be called out.
• All kicks must be made by foot and must occur at or behind home plate. If the kick is made beyond home plate, it will be called a foul ball.
• Bunting is allowed but double hits will be called a foul and the ball must be kicked beyond home plate. Any ball that stops or is picked up on home plate will be called a fair ball.
• No lead-offs or stealing, runners can leave the base once the ball is kicked by the kicker. If a runner is leading off, the ball is dead and the runner is declared out. If a runner leaves early (after the pitch is made but before it reaches the plate), the play must be appealed by the defense.
• Players are considered out by one of the following means: (1) striking out, (2) a fly ball caught by the defense, (3) a throw out at one of the lead bases if a force out, (4) the runner being tagged by the ball, (5) a foul out, (6) a runner being struck by a kicked ball before it is touched by a fielder, or (7) a runner being struck thrown ball below that head while attempting to advance or return to a base.
• Since catching a fly ball in kickball is no 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 to try to catch a fly ball in an effort to make a double play, or any other more advantageous play, both runners will be called safe.
• Base runner to defensive player contact will be closely watched by the ump. Any excessive contact or collision will result in and “out” and/or ejection. This includes contact with the catcher.
• While running to first base if there is a possible play at first (e.g. ball is still in the infield) the runner must touch the orange bag/safety bag (outside bag) or may be called out by the umpire (defense must touch only the white bag). Once the runner has touched the orange bag the entire bag is considered ONE bag for both offense and defense and can be used for the runner to stand on or tag up on, as well as the defense to tag the bag on runners returning to first base.
• Sliding is allowed. Any sliding into a base to break up a double play, or any intentional (in the eyes of the official) interference with the defensive player, the runner will be called out.

DEFENSE
• There are no position requirements of any players.
• The pitcher and fielders must stay behind a parallel line runs from the 1st base line to the 3rd base line that runs across the pitcher's mound until the ball is kicked.
• The catcher must stay behind the catcher line (which is 4 feet behind the front of home plate) until the ball is kicked. The catcher may move before the kick however he/she may not interfere with the kicker in any way (physically or verbally). If it is deemed the catcher has interfered with the kicker, the kicker will be awarded first base. If the umpire deems the catcher is purposely interfering with kickers the umpire may eject the catcher from the game.
• Pitches must be rolled towards home plate. Pitches may not be bounced, only rolled towards the kicker. Pitches that bounce more than one foot above the ground will be considered an illegal pitch, and thus deemed a ball.
• Pitches must be rolled at a reasonable pace, not extremely fast or extremely slow. The umpire will monitor this rule and will call a “ball” if the pitch is too fast or too slow to keep both teams equal.
• Any foul ball caught in the air is an out. If a foul ball is dropped in foul territory, it remains a foul ball.
• Players may be hit anywhere below the shoulders with a thrown ball and will be considered out. Hitting a runner with a thrown ball above the shoulder level is not allowed. Any hit above the shoulders is considered safe. If the runner intentionally uses their head to block the ball, the runner will be called out.
• The defensive player must have complete control of the ball prior to throwing a player out, the ball cannot be slapped, hit, pushed into the offensive player for an out.
• Defensive players may kick the ball to another defender player to make an out. The ball must be kicked to another defensive player without making contact with a runner. The defensive player receiving a kicked ball from another defensive player must then throw the ball at the runner, tag the runner with the ball, or step on a base holding the ball for a force out.
• A defensive player may not kick the ball at a runner to make an out. The defensive player may kick the ball to another defensive player to make an out.
• The first baseman must have a foot on 1st (not the orange/safety bag) in order to make an out.

PLAYOFFS
• Playoffs are a single elimination tournament based on regular season standings.
• Playoff seeds will be based on the following criteria: 1) winning percentage, 2) head to head record, 3) run differential, 4) coin flip.
• Extra innings will start with a runner on a second base (base runner is the one who made the last out in the previous inning). Championship game has no set number of innings, but the playoff run rule will apply.
• 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 SCHC staff. It is the responsibility of the team captains to make sure all players on their lineup card are eligible players for all games.

MISCELLANEOUS
• No jewelry can be worn during the games (for safety of all players)
• No metal spikes are allowed
• All teams are responsible for their own trash
• SHSC reserves the right to adjust/or insert rules due to game day time restrictions to ensure fair play.