Kickball Rules

RULES

SPORTSMANSHIP CONDUCT

1. Accept and understand the seriousness of your responsibility.

2. Be on time, be prepared by warming up and ready to play at game time.

3. Show respect for opponents at all times.

4. Respect contest officials as impartial decision makers and contest managers. Accept decisions despite the impact on the contest. Control emotions.

5. Understand the rules of the game. Understand that the rules are intended to provide safe control of a contest.

6. Accept victories or losses with self-control, poise and dignity.

7. Treat opponents as you would wish to be treated.

8. Refrain from harassment, taunting or degrading commentary about opponents, officials or teammates.

9. Avoid disrespectful language or conduct, trash talk or profanity.

10. Demonstrate respect for officials opinions and judgments at all times.

11. Alcohol if park regulations allow, can only be consumed in the dugout or in the spectator area. Absolutely no alcohol is permitted on the field. 

Equipment

Kickballs will be provided for play. They will be the USA WAKA 10" red ball. You must use the designated Diablos OutSports Kickball provided no other ball will be allowed for play. 

 General

•        There will only be a 5 minute grace period for games to start. If you do not have enough eligible players then it is an automatic forfeit. It will be calculated as 5 minutes after the first game of the night or  5 minutes after the previous game ends if it is running late.       

•          Each Team must consist of a minimum of 14 Players and a maximum of 16 Players.  A Player is eligible if they are fully paid member of a kickball team for the season in question.

•          Each Team may have a maximum of 10 players on the field.

•          Each game is 7 innings or 40 minutes in length, whichever comes first. No new inning may start after the 35 minute mark.

•          Teams must identify to the umpires and other officials their Captain and Co-Captain prior to the start of the game. These are the only Team members allowed to discuss a call with an umpire and/or Diablos OutSports official in attendance.

•          NO PLAYER, including the Captain and Co-Captain, may verbally abuse or argue in an unsportsmanlike manner to any umpire. Such action is grounds for immediate ejection and possible suspension or expulsion from the game if the umpire or Diablos OutSports official in attendance deems it appropriate. Repeated offenses, whether in the same game or other times, may be expelled from the league by the Diablos OutSports Commissioner, board, or Diablos OutSports official in attendance.

•          Team Captains are required to provide their teams kicking order/lineup to the opposing Team. Once a game has started, the lineup cannot be changed except for injury or illness. Eligible Players may be added to the end of the kicking lineup if arriving to the game late and the team has not gone through the whole lineup.  For the sake of clarity, fielders appearing in the lineup must participate in the kicking rotation.

•         Any use of ineligible players will result in an automatic forfeit of the game. All challenges must be presented before the end of game. If game has been played we will adjust the score to read 1-0 win for the opposing team.

•          If a player kicks out of lineup order that player is out.

•          Draft Season - A team must have a minimum of 6 of their team players on the field, or in the dugout ready to kick at the designated game time. If you have less it will be considered a forfeit. Teams may substitute 3 eligible league players from other teams to reach up to 10 players. Subs are only allowed to play outfield.

•          Competitive Season - A minimum of 8 players with no substitutions. If you have less it will be considered a forfeit. NO SUBS ARE ALLOWED FOR COMPETITIVE SEASON.

•          Metal cleats are not permitted.

•          Players must be wearing the uniform T-shirt for the season and must be registered in league apps for the current season to be eligible to play . Excuses will not be accepted. This is to avoid illegal substitutions from non-registered players.

•          Catcher may not charge the box until the ball has been kicked. If the Catcher does charge the box it will be an automatic run to first base.

•          Kicking the ball in front of home plate is a foul if the ball is caught kicker is out and play is live.

•          You can designate a registered player as the coach but will not be allowed to play the entire season and will not be counted as a player for the 8 player minimum. 

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Pitching and Catching

•          A pitch must be rolled underhanded.

•          The pitch must be released behind the rubber and be within 2 feet of the pitching mound to either side.

•          The strike zone is one foot wide on each side of home plate (measuring from the outside of the ball) and the height is 1 foot or less from the ground (measuring from the bottom of the ball).

•          If a ball lands on the plate on the second bounce, regardless of whether its the front of the plate or the back of the plate, it will be considered a strike. 

•          There is no height minimum or maximum for a bouncing pitch, but for it to be considered a strike, it must be at 6 inches or less as it crosses home plate.

•          CRASHING THE PLATE The pitcher may crash as soon as the ball is released but must stay 3 feet from home plate for safety if pitcher fails to do so the pitch will be considered a ball due to obstruction. Once the ball is pitched, any player in the field may advance towards home plate. However, no player may be in front of the pitcher meaning if you crash home plate, the pitcher must do so as well. If a player advances in front of the pitcher, the pitch will be considered a ball and the play is over, regardless whether the player kicks the ball or not. This line extends from 1st to 3rd base.

•          Catcher Interference. The catcher must play behind or parallel to the kicker and outside of the kicking box, the catcher may not block the kickers attempt to kick the ball in any way. Such an infraction results in a walk for the kicker.

Kicking

•          The kicker must wait for the ball to reach home plate before kicking the ball.

•          The kicker may kick the ball anywhere behind home plate.

•          The kicker cannot step on the ball or trap it to make a kick.

•          Kicking the ball at the knee or above is considered a foul ball.

•          If the foul ball is caught by the opposing team, it is considered an OUT and the play is considered live.

•          Kicking the ball in front of the plate is considered a foul ball.

•          You must kick the ball within the batter's box (6ft wide by 4ft deep). Any further and the call will be whatever the PITCH was going over the plate. If the UMP calls a ball or a strike and the kicker then kicks the ball, the UMPs previous call stands and the kick is invalid. Contact with the ball must occur within the box. Kicker may start outside the box. 

•          If a kicker attempts to kick and makes no contact with the ball, then that pitch is considered a strike. This includes missing the ball.

•          If a batter bats out of order, it is considered an out. Any runner in the line-up who is not present for their turn at bat will be considered an out. A pinch runner who is running out of order will also be considered an out. Please see the pinch runner section for more information.

•          A double kick in the batter's box is considered a foul ball and a dead ball.

•          All registered players must kick unless designated as a coach and will not take the field or be counted as a player the entire season.

Fielding

•          Fielders must stay out of the baseline. Runners hindered by any fielder within the baseline, not making an active play for the ball, shall be safe at the base to which they were running.

•          Fielders may not intentionally drop a catchable ball (all runners are safe).

•          A fielder can throw a ball at a runner below the shoulders.

•          Overthrow - If a player over throws at first base, that runner is allowed only 1 extra base. However, if there are runners on other bases, those runners may advance more than 1 base.

•          a. An overthrow is when any player makes a throw to the 1st baseman for the purposes of a force out and the ball goes past 1st base with no contact.

•          b. The overthrow rule does not count when throwing the ball at the runner. If a player attempts to hit the runner with the ball, and misses, the player may advance past the one extra

Outs

•          Outs Three (3) outs by a team completes their half of the inning an out is:

•          Three (3) strikes or four (4) fouls. 3 fouls 4th Courtesy foul will be an out.

•          All kickers start at the plate with a strike, ball count, 0 fouls.

•          A runner touched by the ball while not safely on a base & the ball is live

•          A runner hit by a thrown ball below the shoulders (runners hit in the neck or head with the ball will not be out, unless ducking or sliding into a base)

•          A kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught in the air before touching the ground

•          A ball possessed by a fielder touching a base prior to the runner reaching that base if the runner must advance bases (force out)

•          A runner off of their base when the ball is kicked (no leading from any base)

•          A runner interfering with a fielder opportunity to make a play

•           Competitive only:  Infield Fly - If there is a force play at 1st and 2nd base (this also applies if there is a force play at 1st, 2nd and 3rd) and there are less than two outs, Infield Fly is active. If a player kicks the ball directly into the air (if the flight of the ball is at a greater angle than 45 degrees) and it is absolutely clear the ball will not clear the infield as measured by the baseline, the player is out and the play stops. Players are not allowed to advance.

•          a. Infield is considered the baseline and the field within.

•          b. Fly balls caught in foul territory but in front of the baseline are NOT considered an infield fly the ball will be considered live and runners may choose to advance.

•          c. An infield fly ball is roughly 25 ft or more in the air but it can be at the Umps discretion.

Balls Four (4) balls results in a walk. A ball is:

•          A pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the umpire where a kick is not attempted.

•          Any illegal pitch made by the pitcher

•          Strikes Three (3) strikes results in an out. A strike is:

•          Any pitch that is not kicked and is considered a ball

 Fouls

A foul is:

•          A kicked ball that is touched in foul territory prior to going fair;

•          A kicked ball that goes foul prior to passing 1st or 3rd base & not touched by a player while the ball was in fair territory; and/or

•          A double kick or when the ball bounces up and hits the kicker a second time after the first touch while still in the kicking motion.

Play Ends (Dead ball)

•          When pitcher has control of the ball within the 5 foot pitcher mound area

•          When Time is called by the referee

•          When a runner intentionally touches the ball (the runner is out)

•          When a runner is hit by a kicked ball by the kicker that has not touched a defensive player

•          When the umpire rules the ball out of play

•          On any interference by the offensive team. Defensive interference (obstruction) calls will be made at the discretion of the umpire once the play ends.

Base Running

•          Runners must stay within the baseline except to avoid a collision with a fielder.

•          No leading off or stealing. Runners can only advance after the ball is kicked. A runner off a base when the ball is kicked is out.

•          Runners must tag-up to advance to the next base after a kicked ball is first touched by the defense. Leading off of the base before the kicker makes contact will result in an out. (clarification: if the base runner is off the base as soon as the ball is kicked, and then the ball is bobbled and then caught, the runner must still tag up. Bobbling only works if the runner is on the base when its bobbled, and then leaves the base.)

•          You must use the safety base when running through first. If you do not, you will be called out (unless base is obstructed.) 

•          If you plan to advance to 2nd base, you do not need to use the safety base. (Your intent must be clear)Sliding is allowed.

•          If you overrun a base, the opposing team must TAG you with the ball, not tag the base.

•          Once a player overruns the base that was considered a forced, they can only be tagged out.

•          Running out of the baseline is considered an out and play will stop.

•          Running past another runner is not allowed. Any runner that passes another runner is out.

•          If a base is displaced, the runner must use the original location of the base until the play is over.

•          Pinch runners are allowed if a player is injured. The pinch runner will be the player who was the immediate last out. Only one pinch runner will be allowed per inning.

All calls, except those specifically reserved to others, are at the umpires sole discretion.  Any activity or circumstance not covered by these rules are deferred to the umpires or the kickball director at the time.