Official Sunday & Wednesday Kickball Rules

 

No AlcoholNO ALCOHOL AT PUBLIC PARKS

We know kickball and adult beverages go together; however, alcoholic beverages are illegal at public parks. Please don't bring it to the field; Not only do you risk getting cited by the police, we risk losing access to fields. Please help us protect kickball, and wait until you get to the bar.


Team/Fielding

  1. Team rosters shall include a minimum of 15 players, including at least 5 of each gender.
  2. The maximum number of players on the field is 11, with at least 4 of each gender.
  3. The minimum number of players on the field is 7, with no gender minimum.
  4. All players present for a game must be placed in the kicking order, unless the player elects not to play.
  5. All players must be registered with the League to play with the team. Unregistered substitutes are not permitted. Any team found to be playing with an unregistered player will receive a 3 run penalty and the unregistered player will be removed. The captain of the team will also be removed from the game on the first offense, the second offense will result in a two game suspension on the captain. If an illegal player is discovered after the game is over the team playing with the illegal player will be forced to take a forfeit and the victory will go to the opposing team regardless of the game score.
  6. When a team has fewer than the required number of players of a specified gender available, players of one gender may not be substituted for members of another gender. For example, if a team has 10 total players available at game time, but only 3 are female, the team must play short in the field with 9 players.
  7. Fielding teams are required to play catcher and pitcher.
  8. No substitutes for the catcher are permitted during the inning; catchers may only be changed between innings.
  9. Late Registration: a team may add players to the roster through the Absolute Deadline for each Season.
  10. If a ball is intentionally thrown over the fence or out of play by anyone in the field to prevent a run scored, or to prevent base advancement the kicking team will be awarded a 3 base advancement which will result in a run scored. Intentionally throwing or kicking the ball (out of play) is not permitted. Determined by Ref's discretion. 
  11. Season Can Be Shortened Due to Continuous Inclement Weather

 

Behavior & Conduct On Or At The Fields/Courts/Sponsor Bars

 

Officials

  1. Referees are responsible for:
    1. Keeping game time.
    2. Keeping score.
    3. Enforcing all game rules.
    4. Tracking all counts and outs.

  

Field

  1. The distance between bases shall be 60 feet.
  2. First base shall include a safety base placed to the right; overruns must be made on the safety base.  Failure to do so could result in runner being called out if contact is made with opposing player.
  3. The triangular areas between the top edge of the kicker's box and the foul lines between the outside edge of the kicker's box shall be considered "fair" territory for balls traveling on the ground through that area.

 

Jersey/Wardrobe

  1. Players must wear their League-Provided T-Shirts of the appropriate color for their team.  Beginning the fourth week, any team that has more than 1 player, that intends on playing in the game, that is not physically wearing their League T-Shirt will receive a 1 run penalty for each ascending player beyond that 1.  This can be waived by the league on special occasion nights, such as Halloween.
  2. Steel cleats are prohibited. Plastic and rubber cleats are allowed unless league notes otherwise.

 

Game Clock

  1. Each game shall be completed in no more than 7 innings or 50 minutes, whichever comes first.
  2. In the event of a tied score after the final inning, the game shall be recorded as a tie.
  3. No new inning can start after 45 minutes, if a game is still running at the 50 minute mark, the game will end and the score will revert back to the score of the previous inning.
  4. Rain Out Policy If A Game Is In The 4th Inning Or Beyond And Gets Rained Out The Score Will Be Reverting To The Score At The End Of The Last Inning, And The Game Will Be Over.
  5. Season Can Be Shortened Due to Continuous Inclement Weather

 

Pitching & Catching

  1. The Roller/Pitcher must release the ball on or BEHIND the roller's mound and within one foot on either side of the roller's mound (mirroring the 1 foot strike zone on either side of the plate). The pitcher must not pass the pitchers mound until the ball is contacted by the kicker. Doing so will result in an illegal pitch which can be called a ball by the umpire, but can still be kicked by the kicker.

  2. No defensive player, including the pitcher, may cross the invisible line between 1st and 3rd base prior to the ball being kicked. The pitcher must not pass the pitchers mound until the ball is contacted by the kicker. The first violation of encroachment of the invisible line will result in the team being warned and a re-kick, if necessary. The second violation, and thereafter, will result in the kicker choosing the option of re-kicking or being awarded first base.

  3. The pitch must pass within the 1-foot strike zone around and/or above the home plate.  The ball can not be in the air higher than 6 inches when it crosses the plate to a Female or Male.

  4. The ball must bounce twice prior to crossing the plate.

  5. Overhanded pitching is not permitted.  Balls, while being pitched, can not travel above the shoulder.  Balls that go above the shoulder will be called a ball by the referee.

  6. The catcher must remain behind the kicking box until the kicker makes contact with the ball. The catcher may NOT stand to the side of the kicking box or so closely to the kicker as to interfere with his or her ability to kick, until contact is made with the ball. The catcher, again, does not have to start behind the kicker, they just need to be behind the kicking box. The catcher must travel through the kicker's box to retrieve a ball kicked into fair territory, going around the cones or outside of the kickers box to retrieve a fair ball is not permitted.

  7. All Games have a time limit. If the pitcher, or defense, is continuously holding up the game by taking an unreasonable amount of time in-between pitches to the kicking team, the official will warn the the pitching team. If such play continues, the official can award kickers first base.

Kicking

  1. Each team may exchange kicking orders prior to the start of the game.  If Captain of one team asks for line-up, opposing team must give one to them.
  2. There must be at least 4 players of each gender in the kicking order. If there are fewer than the required number of players of a particular gender, that point in the lineup shall be counted as an out.
  3. There is no alternating gender requirement in the kicking order.
  4. All players who have fielded or will field must be included in the kicking lineup, except for injured players who have been withdrawn from the game.
  5. Bunting is permitted for females in Recreational skill divisions:
    1. When bunting is allowed for females: If the kicked ball comes to rest in the area between home plate and the 1st base-3rd-base line, inside the foul lines, it shall be considered FAIR.
    2. When bunting is NOT allowed for males: If the kicked ball comes to rest in the area between home plate and the 1st base-3rd-base line, inside the foul lines, it shall be considered a FOUL.  If played/touched by opposing player before referee announces it to be a foul, it will become fair.
  6. 3 strikes is an out and is called when:
    1. The ball crosses the strike zone without being kicked.
    2. The kicker swings at but misses the ball.
    3. The ball is kicked foul.
  7. Fouls are always counted as strikes, including on a 2 strike count, and are called when:
    1. The ball lands or is touched in foul territory.
    2. The ball lands inside the foul line, but rolls outside the foul line before reaching the 1st or 3rd base lines. A ball that lands past the 1st or 3rd base lines but rolls into foul territory shall be considered fair.
    3. Contacts the ball behind home plate with any part of the body above the knee.
    4. The kicker kicks the ball in front of home plate, as long as one foot is touching or behind home plate the kicked ball shall be fair.
    5. The kicker makes a "double-kick", i.e. kicks or contacts the ball after the initial kick while still behind home plate. But if the ball is caught in the air prior to touching the ground it will result in an out. 
    6. If the ball is caught in the air prior to touching the ground regardless of how or where the ball was kicked it will result in an out. Even if the ball is kicked above the knee or in front of home plate. If the ball is kicked above the knee or in front of home plate and is not caught prior to touching the ground it is an automatic foul and no play can be made. 
  8. 4 balls allows the kicker to advance to first base.
  9. If a kicker (kicks out of order) the kicking team will receive a two out penalty. The ball must be pitched at least once to the kicker in order to qualify as (kicking out of order). Even if the ball is not kicked, or swung at it will result in a 2 (two) out penalty.

Running

  1. Stealing bases and leading off bases is illegal. A player who was leading off the base prior to the hit shall be called out.
  2. Sliding at first base is illegal. A player who slides at first base shall be called out. Runners are strongly encouraged to use the safety base.
  3. Overruns at 1st Base MUST be made on the Safety Base.  If a Player overruns the White Base they are considered "live" and can be tagged out by the ball on their way back to 1st Base.  If a player uses the Safety Base to overrun, they must go completely straight or right of the white base if at any time the runner enters into the field of play while running or turning to come back they will be considered live. If they step on the White Base or use it as the run through base, or go in front of it, they are considered "live" as well.
  4. There are no overruns on 2nd or 3rd Base.  Players can be tagged out on all overruns on 2nd and 3rd Base.
  5. The orange run through base will be placed 3 feet to the right of 1st base, to minimize contact between the runner and first baseman. 
  1. There is no infield fly rule; the runner may commit when the ball is touched by a fielder, regardless of whether or not it was caught.
  2. Play shall end when the pitcher has control of the ball within 10 feet of the pitcher's mound. Any runners in motion at this time, and at the ref's discretion, must stop at the base they are moving towards.
  1. A runner is out when:
    1. Fielder catches a fly ball.
    2. Gets 3 strikes.
    3. Base is tagged on a forced run.
    4. Runner is tagged by a fielder in possession of the ball.
    5. Comes in contact with the ball, except when thrown by a fielder at the head
    6. Runner is off base when the ball is kicked.
  2. A runner that is hit in the head by a ball shall be considered safe at their intended base, unless that player was sliding or intentionally placed their head in the path of the ball.
  3. In the event of an overthrow into foul territory in an attempt to make a play, the runner may advance only as far as the base they are running toward plus the next base. This is a restriction on the advance of the runner; runners are NOT automatically awarded the base unless ref deems ball unplayable (over the fence, in the woods, etc.)
  4. Pinch running due to injury is permitted at 1st, 2nd and 3rd base provided the pinch runner is of the same gender. The runner who was substituted for shall be removed permanently from the game. Pinch running at kick is not permitted.
  5. Any runner who punches or kicks a ball while running the bases, or attempts to punch or kick a ball from a defender, is immediately out; the play is called dead, and all runners currently on base must go back to their last touched base.
  6. Runners can not intentionally touch, yell at, or severely interfere, intentionally, with a fielder making a catch.  Referees can immediately call any runner out if they deem this rule to have been violated.

 Mercy Rule

1. The inning shall advance when a team scores 7 runs in the inning. The mercy rule shall be called and the inning advanced immediately upon scoring the 7th run. The mercy rule advances the inning; it does not end the game except when team is down by more than 7 going into the 7th inning, more than 14 going into the 6th inning, or more than 21 going into the 5th inning, the game will be called.

Late Arrival Penalties & Forfeits

  1. Teams must be ready to play and meet game start requirements within 5 minutes after the posted game time.
  2. If a team is not ready to play at 5 minutes past the posted game time, it shall incur an immediate 2 run penalty, awarded to the opposing team.
  3. If a team is still not ready to play after 10 minutes, it shall incur an additional 2 run penalty.
  4. If a team is not ready to play after 15 minutes, it shall forfeit the game, with the opposing team receiving a total of 6 runs, for a final score of 6 - 0.
  5. Any players who show up after the game has started shall be added to the end of the kicking order.
  6. A team must have 7 players, regardless of Gender, to show up to start a game.

Playoff Tie Breaker

  1. Ties are not permitted in playoff games. If a regulation game ends in a tie, if time allows, each team will play 1 additional inning.  If time does not allow, or if the 1 inning has been played and there is still a tie, it shall be broken using the following method: each team shall designate a pitcher to pitch to his or her own kicker, who shall attempt a legal kick against the opposing team in a best of three format.  It must be the same pitcher and kicker each time for both teams. There shall be no fielders. The team who kicks the ball to rest closest, twice, to 2nd base shall be declared winner of the game.

Cancellation Policy

  1. Email And Facebook is primarily used to inform participants of canceled games due to inclement weather and field conditions.  These cancellation decisions typically don't occur before 3pm the day of the game. Participants should always assume their game is being played as scheduled unless they hear otherwise.
  2. Knoxville Sports & Social Club will make all efforts to reschedule up 2 weeks of games per season due to weather related cancellations.  Any cancellations after that, may not be made up due to time and scheduling constraints.

 

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