Game Introduction:
1. OSP will provide official balls for games. Teams are responsible for keeping track of the score and posting results on the OSP web site.

2. Six players on the court. Two players of each gender required on court at all times, if you only have one male or female player playing then you default 8 games, if you are short two male or two female players (ie. you have no male or no female players playing) then your team defaults all games played). There is no penalty for not fielding a full team beyond the already mentioned minimum number of male and female players.

3. Four dodgeballs will be used in smaller gyms and 6 dodgeballs will be used in larger gyms.

Starting the Game and General Rules:

4. To start the game, each team stands at their respective back wall with dodgeballs resting on the floor. The timekeeper (or a substitute player) will start the match by shouting, "Ready, Set, Dodgeball".

5. Once play has started, players must remain on their own side of half.

6. Players can lean over the half line to retrieve a ball, but the player cannot touch the middle line or any part of their opponents half of the court. If any part of a player touches the line or other half, that person is out. As well, if a ball is thrown by a player who steps on/over the line, the ball is considered dead and cannot eliminate an opponent. Players can also not jump form their own side of half and land on their opponent's side in the attempt of getting an opponent out. Only the thrower is out in this scenario.

7. Teammates can pass other teammates balls and if dropped players are not out.

8. Players cannot remain static in areas that conceal or partially conceal their body. e.g. door entrance ways, climbers, etc. Also players cannot lie down, kneel or crouch before a ball is thrown. Players can dive out of the way of thrown balls and land on the floor (or kneel down), but they must get back up right away. This is to avoid as many head shots as possible.

9. A ball is considered "dead" as soon as it hits the floor, walls, ceiling or any other obstacles around the court (e.g. basketball hoops, etc). A player is not eliminated after being hit by a dead ball. All other balls are considered "live"

10. Eliminated/Substitute players should stand/sit in the corner at the back wall, and should do their best to no interfere with play. A bench area should be defined (using a bench turned on its side) and this area is out of bounds. Live players may only enter this area to retrieve balls.

11. If you have been tagged, it's recommended that you raise your hand while you are exiting the floor. That way your opponents will not intentionally strike you again.

12. Teams will switch sides of the court after each completed game.

13. Players cannot kick the ball.

14. Do not squeeze all of the air out of the dodgeballs before throwing them. This causes the skin/cover of the dodgeballs to become loose and requires constant replacement.

Throwing the Balls and Eliminating Players:

15. To eliminate an opposing player, a "live" ball must hit the player from the SHOULDERS downwards. An opponent that is hit in the head is NOT eliminated - but the thrower of the head ball IS eliminated. (if a ball first hits the player in the legs, and the bounces up and hits their head, the player is OUT - the ball's first point of contact is what matters). Players cannot purposely use their head to block a ball.

16. You can also play with optional head shot rules which must be agreed upon before the game starts 1): If a player ducks and the player is hit in the head with a dodgeball, the thrower nor the player hit are out. 2) If a player ducks and the player is hit in the head with a dodgeball, the player that is hit is out. Please note that trying to get hit in the head should not be used as a strategy to get an opponent out at any time.

17. If a "live" ball hits a player then rebounds and hits another player on the court (who unsuccessfully catches it), both players are out. This must happen as a continuous action.

18. Any ball that hits an OUT player as they are heading off the court is a dead ball and is treated in the same manner as if the ball hit the wall, floor, or ceiling.

19. If a player catches a "live" ball that is thrown at him/her, the thrower is OUT. IN ADDITION, the team that caught the ball can return a previously eliminated player to the court. The player that returns to the game MUST be the first player who was ruled “out” during that particular game (and the order of returning players should be maintained...i.e. the third player to be eliminated will be the third player to return to the court).

20. Players can only be in possession of ONE ball at any given time. If a players catches a 2nd ball, then the thrower is NOT out and the catcher must immediately drop the 2nd ball. As well the team whose player caught the 2nd ball is NOT allowed to bring a player back onto the court.

21. Players should not be in possession of a ball longer than 10 seconds (good sportsmanship). This rules applies as soon as a player initially picks up the ball, therefore if they put it back down, bounce it etc, they still need to throw it within 10 seconds. Teams are also not allowed to "stockpile" balls on their own side of the court. Balls need to be quickly picked up and thrown. If more than one ball is on one side of the court, the remaining players need to pick up and throw at least one ball within 10 seconds. Please abide by this rule as it will speed up the pace of play.

22. A player that is holding a ball can use it to deflect/block another ball that is thrown at them by an opponent. However, if the ball being held is dropped due to the second ball, the person who dropped the ball is OUT. A deflected ball is still considered "live" until it hits the ground. i.e. if it hits another player before hitting the ground, the hit player is out.

23. A live ball that rebounds off of a player (ie. from an unsuccessful catch, hits off their body, is deflected by another ball, etc) may be caught by any other in-bounds player prior to the ball becoming dead (hitting ground or wall). As usual, the thrower is OUT, and the catching team can retrieve a player. Also first player hit by the ball first, is NOT out.

24. If a thrown ball hits an opponent and comes back across the centre line, the ball is considered to be dead and only the person who is hit is out.

Self Refereed:

25. It is the responsibility of all players to make a fair and honest calls as to whether or not they were hit. Players are required to call themselves out when they are hit. There is no calling your opponents out, the player whose is hit by the ball will call themselves out. Similar to all our sports, the games are self refereed and we are playing on the honour system. Clothing is considered part of your body if hit by a ball.

26. Every time that only 2 players remain on the court (1 from each team), the timekeeper should announce that the two players have "one-minute" to eliminate each other. After the one minute has expired, if the game has not yet ended, each team will return one player to the court. (Again, each team must abide by their order of returning players).

Scoring a Match:

27. Matches will consist of as many games that can be played in the 55-minute time period. Each game won will count for one point. If a game is still being played when time expires, the team with the most live players on the court at the time wins the game. Ties are allowed during the regular season. If a match is tied at the end of a playoff game, the higher ranked team will win the match.

28. Rough Play: Any rough play will result in immediate expulsion from the league. Verbal abuse or aggression is also not tolerated and will also result in immediate league expulsion.