Inaugural Paint Pittston Pink Dodgeball Tournament

BRACKET TIMES WILL BE ANNOUNCED CLOSER TO THE TOURNAMENT. RULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. RULE FINALIZATIONS WILL BE MADE BY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2021. STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS!

Please plan on arriving 15 minutes prior to the start of your bracket time and plan on staying for the duration of your bracket. There is a winner's bracket as well as a loser's bracket. Each team will play 2 games during the time frame. Life bands can be redeemed ONLY ONCE THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THE TOURNAMENT. Game times will be a maximum of 7 minutes and will be strictly enforced.

Paint Pittston Pink Inaugural Dodgeball Tournament

2021 Official Rules

THE TEAMS

Each team can have a maximum of ten (10) players. There will be no accommodations (i.e. extra lives) made for teams with less than ten players. Each team is allowed ten (10) players on the court at the start of the match. 10-player team exceptions can be made for inclusion purposes (i.e. there is a classroom of 11 boys / girls who would all like to play on the same team). In this case, players must notify the line referee at the start of the game. The 11th player will wear pinnie jersey provided by the ref and will sit on the sideline for the duration of the match. Only 10 players are allowed on the court at the start of the match. These same 10 players will play for the duration of the match. This "extra player(s)" is not a substitute for the match. He or she will start and finish in a subsequent game.

TEAM CONSIDERATIONS

Although it is not encouraged, players may play up, not down (i.e. a 4th grader can play in the 5th/6th grade division, not in the 1st/2nd grade division).

If a player is playing on more than one team (i.e playing "up" in a division), they must be registered twice - for each team - and will, therefore, incur 2 full registration costs.

THE FIELD

Games will be played indoors on the Pittston Area Senior High School Gymnasium floor. The playing field will be rectangular shaped, measuring approximately 60 feet x 30 feet, and will be divided into two equal sections by a center-line and attack-lines approximately 3 meters from, and parallel to the centerline.

BRACKETS

This tournament will consist of the following brackets:

Adult: 18 years and older

High School: Grades 9 through 12

Bracket 8U: 7th & 8th grade

Bracket 6U: 5th & 6th grade

Bracket 4U: 3rd & 4th grade

Bracket 2U: 1st & 2nd grade

THE EQUIPMENT

The official balls used in this tournament will be the following:

• approximately 8.5 inch official size dodgeball all that may or may not be semi-deflated
• approximately 6.3 inch low bounce ball

The 8.5 inch official dodgeball will be used for the 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th, high school and college/adult brackets. The 6.3 inch low bounce ball will be used for the 1st & 2nd and 3th & 4th bracket.

THE GAME

The object of the game is to eliminate all opposing players by getting them "OUT". This may be done in the following ways:

1. Hitting an opposing player with a LIVE thrown ball below the shoulders.

2. Catching a LIVE ball thrown by your opponent before it touches the ground.

Once you’re OUT, you’re OUT! Unless the player utilizes his or her life bracelet.

Definition:

• LIVE: A ball that has been thrown and has not touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player, official or other item outside of the playing field (wall, ceiling, etc).
• LIFE BRACELET: One (1) life bracelet can be purchased per tournament participant prior to the beginning of the match being played for $5. The life bracelet must be worn during the match and can be turned in when the player has been called OUT. These bracelets can be used only once per participant throughout the life of the tournament.

BOUNDARIES

During play, all players must remain within the boundary lines. Players may leave the boundaries through their end-line only to retrieve stray balls. They must also return through their end-line.

THE OPENING RUSH

The game begins by placing the dodgeballs along the center line – four on one side of the center hash and four on the other. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the official, teams may approach the center-line to retrieve the balls. This signal officially starts the contest. Teams may only retrieve the four balls to their right of the center hash. Once a ball is retrieved it must be taken behind the attack-line before it can be legally thrown.

TIMING AND WINNING A GAME

The first team to legally eliminate all opposing players will be declared the winner. A seven-minute time limit has been established for each contest. If neither team has been eliminated at the end of the seven minutes, the team with the greater number of players remaining will be declared the winner.

SUDDEN DEATH

In the event of a tie at the end of seven minutes, there will be a one (1) minute sudden death match. At this time, each team will select one player to play the sudden death round. Each player selected will get one chance per round to eliminate the other player. One ball will be placed on each side of the hash line. The selected players will retrieve the balls and an attempt to eliminate the other player. Each player will only have one throw per round. The first player to be eliminated loses the match for his/her team. The balls will be replaced on each side of the hash at the end of each round. The round will repeat until someone is eliminated.

5-SECOND VIOLATION

In order to reduce stalling, a violation will be called if a team in the lead controls all eight balls on their side of the court for more than five seconds.

TOURNAMENT WINNER

This is a double elimination tournament meaning that each team will play a minimum of two (2) games. A winner will be chosen for each of the six brackets.

RULE ENFORCEMENT

During this tournament, rules will be enforced primarily by the "honor system". Players will be expected to rule whether or not a hit was legal or whether they were legally eliminated. All contests will be supervised by 1 or 2 referees. The referee’s responsibility will be to rule on any situation in which teams cannot agree. THE REFEREE’S DECISION IS FINAL – NO EXCEPTIONS.

ATTIRE

Appropriate, creative matching team attire is suggested and highly recommended.

Definition:

• APPROPRIATE: Suitable or fitting for a particular occasion; no foul language; not suggestive, etc.

AWARDS

Awards will be presented for the following categories:

• Bracket Winner (2U): 1st & 2nd grade
• Bracket Winner (4U): 3rd & 4th grade
• Bracket Winner (6U): 5th & 6th grade
• Bracket Winner (8U): 7th & 8th grade
• Bracket Winner (High School Division): 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th grades
• Bracket Winner (Adult Division): Age 18 and over

PAINT PITTSTON PINK DODGEBALL CODE OF CONDUCT

• Understand, appreciate and abide by the rules of the game.
• Respect the integrity and judgment of game officials and staff.
• Respect your opponent and congratulate them in a courteous manner following each match whether in victory or defeat.
• Be responsible for your actions and maintain self-control.
• Do not taunt or bait opponents and refrain from using foul or abusive language.
• Understand that not abiding by these rules will have you and/or your team removed from the tournament without a monetary refund.