INTRAMURAL KICKBALL RULES by WAKA KICKBALL
The World Adult Kickball Association is the preeminent adult kickball organization and the worldgoverning body of kickball. The following rules will govern all WAKA kickball games.
PLAYING FIELD AND EQUIPMENT
1. THE PLAYING FIELD
1.01 The Head Referee will designate a safe field suitable for play in accordance with the following provisions which equal the dimensions of a softball field
a. the kickball diamond is a square with equal sides of 60 feet or about 20 paces;
b. the distance from home plate to second base and from first base to third base is 84 feet 10 1/4 inches or about 28 paces. The distance between any base and home plate shall be measured from the back corner of each;
c. the pitching strip is in the center of the diamond, 42 feet 5 1/8 inches or about 14 paces from home plate, and directly aligned with the 1st-3rd base diagonal;
d. the pitching mound extends 12 feet from the center of the pitching strip.
e. the sidelines are lines 10 feet on the outside of and parallel to the foul lines, the area between the foul lines and the sidelines is the sideline area.
f. cones are placed: at the outside corner of first, second, and third base, and not touching the base; on the foul lines 30 feet or about 10 paces behind first and third base; and on the sidelines 10' from home plate;
g. the kicking box is a rectangle with the front of the box aligned with the front of home plate and the back of the box aligned with the sideline cones behind home plate. Lines extending forward from the sideline cones perpendicular to the front of home plate make up the sides of the kicking box. The area directly forward the kicking box is fair territory. The kicker is not required to start in the kicking box, however the kick must occur within the kicking box.
1.02 The strike zone is a three-dimensional irregular pentagon based on the shape of home plate and is one (1) foot in height. The front of the zone aligns with the front of home plate. The sides of the zone extend one (1) foot to either side of the plate. The back edges of the zone are one (1) foot from the back sides of the plate. The strike zone may not be marked by cones or other raised objects.
1.03 All participants must respect and obey all rules and regulations pertaining to the field used for play during all WAKA games. Alcohol is prohibited on the field unless expressly permitted by field regulations. Participants breaking field rules must be ejected from the game and will be considered by the division's board of directors for further disciplinary action including expulsion from the division. Fighting or rough-housing will not be tolerated.
1.04 Any ball touched by a player or Referee wholly or partly in fair territory is automatically in play. A participant jumping from fair territory is in fair territory while in the air. A participant jumping from foul territory is in foul territory while in the air.
1.05 Upon notification to the head referee of any improper field set up, the field layout shall be corrected before the beginning of the next play. Protest based on field set up will not be considered.
1.06 - Extra Base at 1st - There will be 2 bags at 1st. The outside bag is for the runner and the inside bag is for the defensive player. The runner must use the outside base unless there is a hit and there is no chance at a play being made on the runner. Failure in using the outside base will result in an out.
2. EQUIPMENT
2.01 Athletic shoes are required. Metal cleats are not allowed.
2.02 The official kickball is the red WAKA Logo Kickball with a pressure of 1.5 pounds per square inch. No other ball is approved for use in WAKA kickball games. Do not over or under inflate the ball.
2.03 The uniform is an extension of the player. Teams should try and coordinate their shirts to be the same color.
3. OFFICIALS
3. REFEREES
3.01 Referees have jurisdiction over ALL plays.
4. PARTICIPANTS- PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
4.01 All participants must be on a team roster and be a member of the FDU community.
5. TEAMS
5.01 Each Team:
a. Should have at least eight to ten players.
b. Must field at least six players on field to avoid a forfeit. Forfeit time is game-time.
5.02 Each team shall have one Captain who is responsible for the team. Captains must ensure that:
a. You and each member of your team knows all the rules prior to the tourney.
b. Only the Captain may dispute calls with the Head Referee
c. Obtain and Distribute the schedule to your team. Be sure your team arrives on time.
d. Give lineup to the head referee
e. Coordinate shirt color for your team.
6. BASE COACHES
6.01 Two members of the team at kick may coach first and third base. The base coaches must assist in retrieving foul balls and may switch with other team members to remain in the proper written scorebook kicking order.
6.02 Base coaches may not physically assist runners while the ball is in play
GAME PLAY
7. REGULATION GAMES
7.01 Regulation games last five (5) full innings.
a. In the event of a tie score at the end of the game, the game shall be marked as a tie.
b. At the discretion of the division board, a single time limit may be set for all of the division's regular season games. No game may exceed 50 minutes. No Inning will begin after 40 minutes.
c. If a team is winning after the top of the 5th inning and is set to kick in the bottom of the inning, the game ends and will be marked as a regulation game.
7.02 A mercy rule will effective after 3 innings (3 at-bats by the home team). Mercy rule will be determined at a later date.
7.03 Teams must have at least 6 players at the scheduled game-time. Game-time is forfeit time. Failure to abide by this rule results in a forfeit.
8. PITCHING AND CATCHING
8.01 Bouncing and Rolling the ball are pitching methods allowed.
8.02 The pitcher must start the act of pitching within the pitching mound and have at least one foot on or directly behind the pitching strip when releasing the ball. A team's first infraction of this rule will result in a Pitcher Position Warning to the team that caused the infraction. The second and each subsequent Pitcher Position infraction by a team during the game will result in the kicker being awarded first base regardless of the outcome of the kick.
8.03 No defensive player may stand in front of the pitcher's mound (diagonal line) except for the catcher.
8.04 The catcher must field behind the kicker, within or directly behind the kicking box, and may not cross home plate nor be positioned forward of the kicker before the ball is kicked. A team's first infraction of this rule will result in a Catcher Encroachment Warning to the team that caused the infraction. The second and each subsequent Catcher Encroachment infraction by a team during the game will result in the kicker being awarded first base regardless of the outcome of the kick.
8.05 Balls must be pitched by hand. There are no restrictions on pitching style.
9. KICKING
9.01 All kicks must be made by foot or leg, below the knee. Any ball touched by the foot or leg (below knee) is a kick.
9.02 All kicks must occur:
a. at or behind home plate. The kicker may step on home plate to kick, however no part of the planted
foot may be in front of or cross the front edge of the home plate.
b. within the kicking box. The kicker must have at least a portion of the plant foot within the kicking box
during the kick. The kicker may line up outside of the kicking box.
9.03 Bunting is allowed.
10. RUNNING AND SCORING
10.01 Runners must stay within the base line.
10.02 Fielders must stay out of the base line.
10.03 Neither leading off base, nor stealing a base is allowed. A runner may advance once the ball is kicked. A runner off of his/her base when the ball is kicked is out.
10.04 Hitting a runner's neck or head with the ball is not allowed, except when the runner is sliding. Any runner hit in the neck or head is safe, and advances to the base they were running toward when the ball hits the runner. If the runner intentionally uses the head or neck to block the ball, and is so called by the Referee, the runner is out.
10.05 A tag-up is a requirement to retouch or stay on a base until a kicked then caught ball is first touched by a fielder. After a tag-up a runner may advance. A runner failing to tag-up as required is out.
10.06 All ties will go to the runner. Runners may overrun first base, and may only be tagged out if actively attempting to advance to second base.
10.07 Base Running on Overthrows;
a. an overthrow is a ball thrown, kicked, or deflected into foul territory while making a defensive play toward a player or base;
b. a runner may advance only one base beyond the base the runner is on or running toward when the ball travelsinto foul territory;
c. one base on an overthrow for the runner to advance;
d. if any fielder attempts to make an out prior to returning the ball to the pitcher, runners may commence base running.
10.08 Running past another runner is not allowed. The passing runner is out
10.09 A run scores when a runner touches home plate before the third out is made, EXCEPT that no run can score when the third out is made during a force play situation, or when the kicker is put out before touching first base. At the end of a game the team with the most runs wins.
11. STRIKES
11.01 A count of three (3) strikes is an out.
11.02 A strike is:
a. a pitch that is not kicked and is not called a ball, that enters any part of the strike zone.
b. an attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone.
11.03 Foul balls never count as strikes.
12. BALLS
12.01 A count of four (4) balls advances the kicker to first base.
12.02 A ball is:
a. a pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Referee where a kick is not attempted
b. a pitched ball that does not touch the ground at least twice or roll before reaching the kicking box;
c. a pitched ball that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball during the last bounce prior to reaching the kicking box;
d. a pitched ball, prior to reaching the kicker, that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball immediately after passing through the strike zone;
e. a pitched ball that is higher than one foot at the plate.
13. FAIRS AND FOULS
13.01 Foul Ball on 3rd strike
13.02 A foul ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing in foul territory
b. a kicked ball landing in fair territory, but touching foul territory on its own at any time before reaching first or third base
c. a kick made on or above the knee.
d a kicked ball touched more than once or stopped in the kicking box by the kicker;
e. a kicked ball kicked outside of the kicking box.
13.03 A fair ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing and remaining in fair territory.
b. a kicked ball landing in fair territory then traveling into foul territory beyond the 1st-3rd bases
14. OUTS
14.01 A count of three (3) outs by a team completes the team's half of the inning.
14.02 An out is:
a. a count of three (3) strikes foul ball on 3rd strike;
b. any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught by a fielder;
c. a ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run, before the runner arrives at the base;
d. a runner touched by the ball or touches the ball at any time while not on base while the ball is in play
e. a kicker that intentionally hits the ball with their hand or arm.
f. a ball tag of a runner on base, in which the runner does not tag-up as required when a ball is caught
g. a runner off of his/her base when the ball is kicked;
h. a runner physically assisted by a team member during play
i. any kicker that does not kick in the proper kicking line up
j. a runner that passes another runner
15. BALL IN PLAY
15.01 Once the pitcher has the ball in control and retains possession on the mound, the play ends. Runners whoare off base at this time and in forward motion may advance only one base. Runners who are off base at thistime and not in forward motion must return to the base from which they were running.
15.02 Interference is:
a. when any non fielder or non permanent object except a referee, touches or is touched by a ball in play in fair territory. This interference causes the play to end, and runners shall proceed to the base to which they were headed.
b. when any runner on or off base intentionally touches a ball. This interference causes the play to end, the runner to be out, and any other runners shall return to the base from which they came, unless forced to advance.
c. when any kicker intentionally hits the ball with their hand or arm. This causes the play to end, the kicker to be out, and any other runners shall return to the base from which they came
15.03 During any play where a ball is popped or deflates significantly, that play shall be replayed with a properly inflated ball.
