ADKL RULES

    ARENA DISTRICT Kickball League

 

      Rules Rules Rules….

GENERAL

1. The main rule is for everyone to remember that you are playing Kickball – it’s all about having fun and meeting new people!  It is not appropriate to heckle the opposing team’s players.  Feel free to heckle your own players.
2. Please follow all posted park and city rules.  No alcohol at the fields… save it for after the games at Boston’s Sports Bar.
3. All players must where shirts and shoes. 
4. No cleats or spikes are permitted.
5. 10 players on the field, everyone bats.  Coed format – minimum 4 females in the field.  A game may start with eight players (four male and four females).  If a team does not have the required minimum number of players the game will result in a forfeit, unless the opposing team agrees to play.  A team can then play with only 3 females, taking an out for the 4^th girl when she is up in the kicking rotation. Same applies for males. Once agreed and the game starts you can not reverse your decision.  A team cannot play with only 2 female players. Players who arrive late can be added to a game that has already started.
6. Team Captains should exchange their kicking order at the beginning of the game.
7. Game time is forfeit time.  No grace period exists.
8. Subs may be used.
9. Each game is 7 innings or 45 minutes whichever happens first.  A game is considered official after five full innings.
10. 20 run rule or Mercy Rule applies after 4 innings. Play can continue for fun.
11. There is a limit of 10 runs per inning per team, except for the last inning.
12. Games may end in a tie, except in Playoff and Championship games.
13. The game will be called in the event of uncooperative weather. 
14. Called games will be rescheduled if possible.

OFFICIALS

1. Games will be officiated by a minimum of one (1) umpire.
2. The umpire has the right to immediately change any call that they may have made.  A vocal call takes precedence over a hand sign.
3. Only team captain(s) may dispute a call with the umpire.
4. The umpire has jurisdiction over the play and may:
5. 1. Call time out;
   2. Penalize a player, including game ejection, for un-sportsman like conduct.  Ejected players may not return to the game and if necessary may be asked to leave the premises. 
   3. Don’t Give the Umps a Hard Time – get over it!

PITCHING/CATCHING

1. Pitcher will be permitted five warm-up pitches upon entering the pitcher position for the first time.  Each inning thereafter only one warm-up pitch will be allowed.
2. Pitches will be thrown underhand in a civil manner at a reasonable rate.   A guideline is pitching as though you are rolling it casually to a teammate.  Bouncies will be allowed only within reason.  It is up to the umpire to determine if a pitch is in violation of guidelines.  If it is kickable by any reasonable standard, kick the ball.
3. The pitcher must stay behind the pitching rubber until the ball is kicked.  Failure to do so results in a base for the kicker.
4. No player may field in front of the pitcher other than the catcher, and no player may advance forward past the 1^st-3^rd base diagonal until the ball is kicked.  Failure to abide by this rule results in a base for the kicker.
5. The catcher must field behind the kicker and may not cross home plate before the ball is kicked.  The catcher shall not interfere with the kicker in any way and shall remain in a stationary position of at least 1 yard behind the kicker until contact is made.  No stepping with the kicker stride for stride.  Failure to abide by this rule results in a base for the kicker.

KICKING

1. All kicks must be made by foot, at or behind home plate.  Any lower leg contact while attempting to kick the ball will be considered a kick regardless of where it strikes the leg or foot.
2. All kicks must occur at or behind home plate.  If a kicker runs up to meet the ball, no more than three steps are allowed and at no point should the kicker run past home plate.  Crossing home plate results in a strike and the kick is called back.
3. No Bunting is allowed!  A kicked ball that does not travel further than 1^st-3^rd base diagonal will result in a strike/foul.
4. There are no designated kickers, everyone has to kick. The kicking order will consist of alternating male and female players.                

5. The kicker shall pick either the left or right side of the home plate to be pitched to and the pitcher shall pitch to that side.  The catcher shall remain behind the kicker.
6. Any fair kicked ball that travels outside of a reasonable area of play will result in a ground rule double.  This doesn’t pertain to the unlikely event of a home run kick, rather it pertains to fair balls that pass over a sidewalk, street, fence, bench ect.

RUNNING

1. Runners must stay within the baseline.  Fielders must stay out of the baseline unless they are attempting to tag a runner out or catch the ball.  Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline.  Runners unfairly hindered by any fielder within the baseline shall be safe at the base which they were running.
2. Sliding is allowed except when running to first base.
3. Neither leading off base, nor stealing a base is allowed.  Running is only allowed after the ball has been kicked.
4. Hitting a runner with the ball above the shoulder level is not allowed.  Any runner hit above the shoulder is safe and advances one base.

Exceptions:

1. 1. If the runner intentionally uses his head to block the ball.  The runner is out.
   2. If the runner is ducking, diving or sliding (i.e. attempts to dodge the ball) and is hit in the head because of this, the runner is out.

5. After a kicked ball in the air is caught, runners must tag their originating base before running to the next base. Failure to do so will result in an out.
6. All ties will go to the runner.  Runner may overrun first base.
7. Only one base on a “deadball” overthrow is allowed to runners, running at the time the ball becomes dead.  .
8. There will be no designated runners.

Infield Fly

1. A player may not intentionally drop a catchable ball in an attempt to complete a double play.
2. This call is left to the judgement of the referees who may call unsportsman like conduct.
3. If this is the case all runners are able to advance to the next base, including the kicker (to 1st base).               

STRIKES/BALLS

1. A count of three (3) called strikes constitutes an out.
2. A strike is:
3. 1. A pitch that is missed by the kicker.
4. 2. A kick occurring in front of home plate.
5. 3. A ball that is kicked in foul territory.
6. 4. A kick that does not travel past the 1^st – 3^rd base diagonal.

3. There are no balls in kickball!  There are no walks.  Each kicker must attempt to kick any ball that is pitched to their designated side of the base and that is within reason.  No prolong waiting or picking of the “perfect” pitch is allowed.  Anyone wasting too much time runs the risk of being penalized by the umpire.  The umpire may warn the kicker, then give that player a strike if the player doesn’t attempt to kick the ball.

FOULS

1. One foul equals a strike.
2. A foul is:
3. 1. A kick landing out of bounds.  The foul is determined by where the ball lands not how it travels to get there.  A kick landing in bounds then traveling out of bounds is in play.
4. 2. A kick landing inbounds, but traveling out of bounds on its own before reaching first or third base. (Any ball touched by an inbounds fielder is automatically in play).
5. 3. A “bunt” rolling out of bounds before reaching the first/third base line or not reaching first/third base line.
6. 4. A ball that is “tipped” while being kicked but continues to travel behind the kicker.

3. Remember any caught foul is an out.  Also, any pop-up foul that is attempted to be caught then is dropped by the fielder is in play if contact is made with the ball before it hits the ground and the kicker and other base runners may advance but are not required to do so.  Any foul that hits a tree or other outside object is a dead ball and not eligible to be caught for an out.  The ball remains foul.

OUTS

1. A count of three outs completes the team’s half of the inning.
2. An out is:
3. 1. A count of three strikes;
4. 2. A runner touched by the ball at anytime while not on base;
5. 3. Any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught before it hits the ground;
6. 4. A ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run. A forced 3^rd out always supersedes a fast runner from 3^rd base.
7. 5. A failure to have the required minimum number of females/males in the kicking order.  If four females/males are not present to kick, then each time that position in the line comes up, the umpire shall assign one out.  It is the duty of the team captain to make the umpire and the other team aware of when that position is coming up.
8. 6. Kicking out of order;

BALL IN PLAY

1. Once the pitcher has the ball in control and is on the mound, the play ends.

GHOST MEN

1. Ghost men are not allowed.

RANKING SYSTEM

At the completion of each week’s games points shall be awarded.   This, along with a team’s win/loss record will help determine the rankings among conferences.  Tie breakers: head to head, runs against, runs scored, coin toss.

 A forfeit will result in a 8 – 0 victory for the winning team.

 

3 points	A win
1 point	Tie
0 points	Loss

 

 

 

 

 

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