RULE NO. 8: Boundaries & Balls

Section I – Using the Balls

Section II – Keeper Zone

Section III – Offense, Defense, & Drives

Section IV – Pace of Play

Section V – Boundaries

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Section I – Using the Balls

Use of the Ball
1. A player is considered to have possession of a ball when that player has sole and complete control of it. This includes when a player is the only player in contact with the ball during a kick.
  1. Swatting a ball out of an opponent’s hands or out of the air is not considered possession.
    1. Swatting a ball that is on the ground is considered possession.
2. Players may only possess, touch, kick, throw, or otherwise use one ball associated with their position at any given time.
  1. A beater may temporarily possess two dodgeballs if they are in the process of catching a live dodgeball propelled by an opponent.
    1. In this scenario, the beater must drop one of the two dodgeballs immediately to avoid penalty.
3. Players may not use a ball associated with their position to mimic the actions of a ball of a different position.
4. Players may not use a ball of their position to intentionally interact with the flag runner.
Interpositional Ball Interactions
1. Any mounted player who may not play the quadball must take any and all reasonable actions to avoid a propelled quadball. Not doing so and being hit is failure to avoid a propelled quadball.
  1. It is minor failure to avoid a propelled quadball if the player attempted to avoid it and failed, but the overall play was not affected.
  2. Intentionally moving into, or remaining in, the path of the quadball to block it or unintentionally preventing a goal is interposition ball interference.
  3. A player unaware of an incoming quadball is not penalized for not avoiding it unless they have acted to ensure they would be unaware.
    1. If the player acted to ensure they would be unaware, the interaction shall be treated as intentional.
  4. A player without time to reasonably avoid an incoming quadball is not penalized for failing to avoid it.
2. Any mounted player who may not play a dodgeball may allow a live dodgeball to hit them or intentionally get in the way of a live dodgeball if it was made live by an opponent.
3. Players may legally possess a dead quadball to return it to the formerly defending keeper after a score (See: 5.II.1 Dead Quadball).
4. Any other intentional interaction with a ball not associated with one’s position is interposition ball interference.
5. Unintentionally and illegally acting on a ball not associated with one’s position in a manner that significantly affects the position or trajectory of that ball is incidental interposition ball interference.
6. Intentionally blocking a score by committing interposition ball interference is intentionally and illegally blocking a score.
Interference By Substitutes and Knocked Out Players
Dodgeball vs Quadball
1. Players may not propel or use a held ball of their position to interact with a ball of another position with the following exceptions:
  1. Beaters may propel dodgeballs at a live quadball.
  2. quadball players may use a held or propelled quadball to hit or deflect a dodgeball made live by an opponent.
    1. quadball players may use a held or propelled quadball to hit or deflect a dodgeball made live by an opponent.
2. Any intentional illegal use of a held ball to interact with a ball not associated with one’s position is interpo- sition ball interference.
3. Unintentionally and illegally acting on a ball not associated with one’s position by using a held ball in a manner that significantly affects the position or trajectory of that ball is incidental interposition ball interference and results in a turnover of the affected ball.
Kicking
1. Players may kick any ball, other than the flag, which they may legally possess.

Section II – Keeper Zone

Inside the Keeper Zone
Keeper-Specific Powers
1. A protected keeper has the following powers:
  1. While a protected keeper has sole possession of the quadball, opposing players may not contact, interact with, or attempt to steal the quadball from the keeper (See: 7.I.1 Illegal Physical Contact).
  2. A protected keeper is immune from being knocked out by live dodgeballs.
2. Once any player on the keeper’s team possesses the quadball outside their keeper zone:
  1. The keeper loses all powers listed above.
  2. The powers listed above can be regained when their team’s drive ends.

Section III – Offense, Defense, & Drives

Drives
1. A drive is initiated for a team when one of the following occurs:
  1. A player on that team is the first player to gain possession of the quadball at the beginning of a period.
  2. A player on that team gains possession of the quadball during the opposing team’s drive, thus ending the opposing team’s drive.
  3. A player on that team makes the quadball live after a good goal.
2. A drive ends for a team when one of the following occur.
  1. The opposing team gains possession of the quadball, initiating their own drive.
  2. A period ends.
  3. A goal is scored for either team.
Offense & Defense
1. During a team’s drive, they are the “offensive team.”
  1. The opposing team is the “defensive team.”

Section IV – Pace of Play

Delay of Game
1. A beater or beaters may guard a quadball to prevent the opposing team from gaining possession of it. How- ever, it is delay of game if a beater continues to protect the quadball while their quadball players are making no reasonable attempt to retrieve it.
2. Keeper delay:
  1. A protected keeper must directly and immediately advance the quadball out of the keeper zone, attempt to complete a pass, or drop the quadball to the ground.
  2. After a goal, the keeper on the formerly defensive team must not substitute out of the game until they have made the quadball live.
3. The quadball carrier must at least advance the quadball at a normal walking pace until they have crossed the midfield line.
  1. If the quadball carrier is taking a non direct path, their forward progress must equal or exceed the forward progress of a normal walking pace on a path perpendicular to the midfield line.
  2. If the quadball carrier is blocked by a defender, they may temporarily delay their forward progress but must clearly attempt to find a way to bypass the defender.
    1. If the quadball carrier is blocked by a defender, they may temporarily delay their forward progress but must clearly attempt to find a way to bypass the defender.
      1. An opposing chaser or keeper within approximately 2 yards of the quadball carrier.
      2. An opposing beater in possession of a dodgeball within approximately 4 yards of the quadball carrier.
4. Stalling:
  1. On each drive, the quadball players on the offensive team must act with the overall primary intent to score. Players in possession of the quadball may not act with the overall primary intent to waste time for any reason.
5. The head referee may issue a warning when the referee determines that the team is beginning to delay the game.
  1. Teams must respond immediately to this warning to avoid a penalty for delay of game. Multiple warnings may be given for delay of game during a single game, as the referee determines to be appropriate.
  2. Warnings do not need to be issued before calling delay of game.
Resetting the Quadball
1. Each team has two restrictor lines during their drives, each of which extend completely across the width of the pitch at:
  1. The team’s own keeper zone line.
  2. The midfield line.
2. The quadball is considered to have crossed a restrictor line when it touches either the ground or an object or person that is touching the other side of the line.
3. If an offensive player carries or propels the quadball backward across one of their restrictor lines for any reason, it shall be ruled a turnover, with the following exception:
  1. The player who initiates a drive may carry or propel the quadball backwards across one or both restrictor lines immediately upon the beginning of the drive without it counting as a reset.
    1. This action is still subject to all other rules, including delay of game and stalling.
Quadball Turnover Upon Pileup
1. Approach the pile
2. When they arrive at the pile, begin counting down from 10 seconds.
  1. If 10 seconds arrives without the quadball leaving the pile up, the head referee will call a turnover.
  2. The keeper whose zone the ball is in will be brought to the spot of the turnover and receive the ball, at which point play will continue (pending restart if a stoppage had been called).

Section V – Boundaries

Out of Bounds
1. The area within the boundary lines is inbounds.
2. The area within the boundary lines is inbounds.
Boundaries & Balls
1. A possessed ball becomes out of bounds only when the player possessing it becomes out.
2. An unpossessed ball becomes out of bounds when one of the following occur:
  1. The ball touches anything that is out of bounds, other than a player in play.
  2. The quadball is in contact with a player who is out of bounds.
3. A live dodgeball becomes dead immediately upon becoming out of bounds.
4. Play is not stopped for a dodgeball going out of bounds.
5. When a live quadball goes out of bounds, the referee shall declare “boundary” and indicate the inbounding player.
  1. If a player on the opposing team possesses the quadball, they must drop it.
  2. All quadball players on the non-inbounding team must return or remain inbounds and cease interfering with the inbounding player.
  3. Play is stopped if the non-inbounding team fails to follow the above requirements, or if the head referee judges that retrieval of the quadball may unnecessarily delay the game.
6. When a dead quadball goes out of bounds after a score, it is returned to the formerly defending keeper, and does not need to be inbounded.
  1. Play is not stopped for a dead quadball going out of bounds unless the head referee judges that retrieval of the quadball may unnecessarily delay the game.
7. Beaters who propell a dodgeball out of bounds outside of a reasonable beat attempt are not eligible to become the inbounding player
8. A ball that is out of bounds cannot be used to knockout an opponent or score a goal until it has been properly inbounded.
Players Out of Bounds
1. Players are considered out of bounds upon touching the ground out of bounds.
  1. A player remains out of bounds until the player re-establishes themselves inbounds by touching the ground only inbounds.
  2. If a ball possessed by a player touches the ground out of bounds, that player is also out of bounds.
2. Players may not go out of bounds unless specifically allowed or required by rule.
  1. A player who accidentally steps out of bounds for a short time shall not be penalized.
    1. This does not negate any out of bounds turnovers.
  2. A player who legally goes out of bounds must directly and immediately return inbounds once the reason for legally going out of bounds no longer applies.
3. Players may attempt to force opponents out of bounds through otherwise legal contact.
  1. Once the opposing player is out of bounds, the forcing player must discontinue contact as soon as they can safely do so.
  2. There is no penalty for being forced out of bounds by an opponent.
    1. This does not negate any out of bounds turnovers.
    2. The player must directly and immediately act to return inbounds.
  3. If the ball carrier is forced out by a player who is knocked out, they are not considered out of bounds.
  4. To avoid being called out, the ball carrier must act to return inbounds immediately.
4. Players may go out of bounds while attempting to force a ball carrier out of bounds.
Inbounding Procedure
1. The inbounding player takes possession of the out of bounds ball and moves to the inbounding point.
  1. The inbounding point for the quadball is the approximate location where the quadball crossed the boundary line.
  2. The inbounding point for a dodgeball is approximately at the closest point on the boundary line to the inbounding beater when they take possession of the out of bounds dodgeball.
  3. The inbounding player is immune from being knocked out by live dodgeballs while out of bounds to inbound a ball.
2. If play was stopped, the head referee shall restart play.
3. An official shall count down 5 seconds.
4. The inbounding player must inbound the ball by either carrying the ball back inbounds or throwing the ball inbounds before the official starts saying “zero.”
  1. If the ball is thrown, it is considered inbounds once it completely crosses the sideline or endline.
  2. If the ball is carried inbounds, it is considered inbounds once the player re-establishes themselves inbounds.
  3. No player on the opposing team may physically prevent the inbounding player from fully re-entering the pitch at the inbounding point.
5. The inbounding player may only move in a primarily perpendicular direction to the boundary line.
  1. This does not prevent a player from stepping into their throw.
6. A dodgeball inbounded by a throw is dead.
7. A quadball inbounded by a throw is unscorable (See: 6.VI.3 Unscorable Quadball).
8. If there is an inbounding procedure violation, the player receiving the resulting turnover does not need to inbound the ball.
Determining the Inbounding Player
1. An inbounding player must be eligible.
  1. An eligible player is a player who meets all of the following conditions.
    1. An eligible player is a player who meets all of the following conditions.
    2. The player is legally allowed to possess the ball.
    3. The player is not in possession of another ball.
    4. The player is not already the inbounding player for another currently out of bounds ball.
2. When a loose dodgeball goes out of bounds, the inbounding player is the nearest eligible player to the ball at the time that the dodgeball became out of bounds.
  1. If the inbounding player becomes ineligible for any reason before gaining possession of the out of bounds dodgeball or declines to pursue the out of bounds dodgeball, the next nearest eligible beater shall be designated as the inbounding player.
  2. If there are no eligible beaters near the inbounding point and no beater on either team is attempting to pursue the out of bounds dodgeball, the nearest official shall retrieve the dodgeball and place it approximately two yards inside the inbounding point.
    1. This ball no longer needs to be inbounded.
3. When the quadball goes out of bounds:
  1. If a keeper was the last to touch the quadball and they did so while attempting to save a shot within their own keeper zone, the keeper is the inbounding player.
    1. If the keeper is or becomes ineligible, they remain the inbounding player.
  2. In any other situation, the inbounding player is the nearest eligible quadball player to the inbounding point who is on the team that did not last touch the quadball.
  3. The inbounding quadball player is immune from being knocked out by live dodgeballs from the time they are designated as the inbounding player until they return to the pitch after the quadball is inbounded.
4. When a ball goes out of bounds while in the possession of a player, the inbounding player is the nearest eligible player on the opposing team.

RULE NO. 8: Boundaries & Balls

CONTACT

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