ECSS Kickball Rules

ECSS - KICKBALL RULES

I. Field / Equipment / General.

a. Field:

1. All games shall be played on softball-sized diamonds or open fields. Fields with or without fences are acceptable.

2. Bases will be approximately 60 feet apart.

b. Equipment:

1. All games shall be played with a 10-inch red rubber kickball.

2. Metal spikes are not allowed! (PERIOD)

3. Any other types of cleats are allowed (i.e. softball, soccer).

     c. General:

1. Officiating:

   i. Teams must furnish at least 3 'coherent and sober' refs per game, 1 head ref, and 2 base refs, as assigned on the current season schedule.

   ii. Consistent failure to not provide proper refs will jeopardize future league participation. At Field Repâ??s discretion.

   iii. Teams failing to supply proper umpires will forfeit their next game on the schedule, at the Field Reps' discretion. This does not include tournament play.

   iv. The umpire's word is final and not to be disputed unless a blatant contradiction to the official rules has been committed.

   v. The Field Rep has the right to overturn an umpire's call if it is not within the parameters of the official ECSS rules. This only is if the umpire and field ref(s) cannot agree on the call on the field. If the ref(s) agree on a call, whether you feel it is right or wrong, the game will play with the call. See above rule 4.

   vi. Refs may eject players for unsportsmanlike behavior, with Field Rep approval.

   vii. Any occurrences which are not covered in the rules shall be settled by the Field Rep and noted for later rule updates.

   viii. This includes but is not limited to un-sportsman-like conduct, fighting, delay of game, and excessive verbal abuse. Ejected participants must leave the field area and may not return to the game, with possible future game suspension.

   ix. Players should remember we are all out here for fun!

II. Number of participants

     a. Rosters may hold a maximum of 20 people.

     b. A maximum of 11 players can be on the field for the fielding team.

     c. Teams must have at least 4 female players on the field or the team must play one player short defensively. (will play with 10 on the field). If a team does not have 4 females in a game a "ghost" player shall be written into the kicking order and represents an automatic out. OR Teams can ask another team that is not playing if they can fill in for the game with a penalty. (see rule 10)

     d. All players on your roster, that are present, must kick in the line-up.

     e. There is no boy/girl kicking order rule. Players can kick in any order, provided the order is consistent throughout the game.

     f. Each team will need to exchange kicking lineups before the game begins.

     g. Teams with fewer than 7 players shall have a 10-minute grace period before a forfeit is declared.

     h. Substitutions may be used only in between innings.

     i. Teams must have the required minimum of 8 players to consider the game legal.

     j. Teams may borrow players from other teams, with a penalty  (1 player picked up=1 run, 2 players picked up=2 runs, etc.), to fill the roster for a game, AS LONG AS THE OPPOSING TEAM OKs THE PICKUPS BEFORE START OF GAME. Once the game has started with approved players, the game will count. If the opposing team does not agree both teams can negotiate the terms of the games.

    k. Pickups outside of the league are allowed with no game penalty. Pickups outside of the league do need to sign a waiver and pay an $8.00 visitor fee.

III. Regulation games

     a. A regulation game shall consist of 6 innings or a time limit of 55 minutes. If a game starts late, it shall be played until 5 minutes before the next game's starting time.

     b. The umpire or Field Rep may call a game due to time; an inning may not reasonably be completed before the 55-minute time limit. As such, an inning cannot begin 45 minutes after the hour unless the score is tied or if it is the last scheduled game.

     c. A game is considered official once 4 full innings have been completed.

     d. Regular season games may not end in ties. To determine the winner, the team that can kick the ball the closest from home plate to 2nd base will be the winner. It is a best 2 out of 3 with same gender in the first 2 rounds and any gender if there is a 3rd round. No player can kick twice!

     e. Called games shall be played at a future date agreeable to both team captains at a site to be agreed upon. Any games not replayed shall be counted as a tie in the standings.

     f. Home and Away team is determined by the league for every game.   Check with the Field Rep.

     g. The winner will select either Home or Away.

IV. Pitching / Strikes vs. Balls / Fielding / Outs / Foul Balls / Overthrows

     a. Pitching:

1. A legal pitch must be pitched in a straight line.

2.  A legal pitch must be under the kicker's knee. (see "ball" description below also).

3. Pitcher must pitch behind the 'pitch line' which runs diagonally from 1st base to 3rd base.

4. Once the ball is pitched no player may advance past the 'pitch line' until the ball has been kicked.

5. Lateral movement by the pitcher is tolerated, as long as there is no encroachment.

6. Whether a pitch is a ball or strike, based on bounciness, should be based on the height of the last bounce before it crosses home plate.

7.  The ball must bounce at least twice, before crossing or hitting the home plate.

     b. Strikes:

1. A "strike" consists of a ball that is rolled inside the strike zone lines and below knee level.

2. Making an attempt to kick the ball and then missing the ball, constitutes a "strike", regardless of any contact was made to the ball.

3. A constant rolling ball that is rolled inside the strike zone lines is a strike.

4. 4 strikes/fouls of any kind will result in an out. (Ex. 4 strikes / 2 strikes and 2 fouls / 4 fouls / 3 strikes and 1 foul)

     c. Balls:

1. A "ball" shall be called on anything that does not pass over home plate.

2. The ball must bounce at least twice, before crossing or hitting the home plate.

3. A pitch must be no higher than the knee level of the kicker or the result shall be a called "ball".

4. 4 'balls' shall result in a walk.

     d. Fielding:

1. Players may play any formation they like as long as nobody crosses the 'pitch line' before the ball is kicked.

2. A fielder encroaching before the kicker makes contact with the ball will be considered a dead ball and will automatically advance the kicker to first (after one warning).

3. CATCHERS- The catcher must be positioned within or directly behind the kicking box and behind the horizontal plane of the kicker. - The catcher may not make contact with the kicker, nor position so closely to the kicker as to restrict the kicking motion. This will result in the kicker will automatically advance to 1st base- The kicker may not trigger a position violation through maneuvers judged by the Ref to be deliberately tricky or unsportsmanlike. There must be a 1-yard (3 feet) buffer between catcher and kicker. The catcher must also be out of the kicker's peripheral view. If the catcher repeatedly encroaches after warnings then the kicker gets a base. The kicker must kick in the box. (Back cones will no longer be used.)

     e. Outs:

1. The kicking team gets 3 outs per inning. An out results due to the following

i. 4 strikes

ii. A ball caught on the fly

iii. The base runner is forced out

iv. The base runner is hit with the ball while not on base by a fielder or anytime from a kicker . If the base runner is hit by the kicked ball while on base the base runner is out. The ball is considered a dead ball and the kicker will advance to 1 st base. If there are other base runners besides the one that got hit, they also advance one base.

v. 4 foul balls

2. As even the most innocent-looking pop-ups are potential hits in kickball, there is NO infield fly rule. Only in force out situations will runs not count in 3rd out situations (see next bullet).

3. A force out constitutes a defensive player touching the base where a forced player is running to, either with a ball in hand or by throwing to a fellow teammate that is covering the base. Tagging or throwing at the player does not constitute a force play.

     f. Foul balls:

1. 4 foul balls or strikes (cumulative) will be called an out.

2. A foul ball that is caught counts as an out. Runners may advance as long as they tag up.

 i. If the offensive team is impeding the defensive team from making a play on a catchable foul ball by crowding the sidelines the offensive team will receive a warning from the ref. If it happens again then the play interfered on will be considered an out.

3. If a ball is touched in fair territory it is fair, regardless of other factors, i.e. foot placement of the fielder.

4. Fair vs. foul: it is where the ball was determined to be at, by the umpire, regarding the plain of the foul line, not where the defensive player positioning is (i.e. foot placement).

     g. Overthrows:

1. OVERTHROWS ARE LIVE BALLS AT ALL TIMES (Fence is live), IT IS DEAD IF IT HITS ANY ITEM BESIDES FENCE. ( This also includes the soccer goals ) Runners are awarded an extra base on dead balls. Depending on the location of a runner to advance. If the runner is past the Ã?½ mark between bases, the runner advance to the next base. If the runner is behind the Ã?½ mark between bases the runner advances to that base. Ex. The runner is past the Ã?½ mark between 1 st and 2nd base, the runner advances to 3 rd base. If the runner is behind the Ã?½ mark between 1st and 2nd base, the runner advances to 2nd base.

2. Defensive players cannot impede a runner by standing in the base path to retrieve an overthrown ball

V. Kicking and Running

     a. Kicking:

1. The kicker's planted foot must be behind the front edge of the home plate before kicking it, if not it will be considered a foul. See Advantage Rule below.

2. Bunting is allowed for female players only

3. MALE PLAYERS ONLY; If the ball stops before it makes it past the 'pitch line' without any interference, then it is a foul ball. If the defensive team touches the ball before it stops, then it is a live ball.

4. Each team may have base coaches on first and third bases.

     b. Running:

1. There will be a 'safety' bag next to 1st base which EVERY BASE RUNNER must use to avoid collisions at 1st base if the play is at 1st.

2. Runners must stay in the base path at the refs' discretion or they will automatically be called out.

3. Infield base runners cannot advance until the ball is kicked.

4. Defensive fielders impeding the offensive runners' path to the base, shall result in the runner being awarded the base they are attempting to run to unless it is a viable play on the ball.

5. Defensive fielders BLOCKING the base (standing on base) as to not allow room for the runner to get on the base will result in the runner automatically being safe.

6. Leading off and stealing are not allowed. Leading off/leaving early will result in an out.

7. Sliding is legal. But, please do so with caution, keeping fielders and your safety in mind. While sliding if the runner is hit in the head by the ball the runner is out.

8. Runners can tag up, at their own risk, once the defensive player has 1st contact of the ball.

9. After a ball has had 1st contact with the defensive player, the runner must tag up before advancing to the next base. Failure to tag up before advancing results in an out if the runner is tagged or the ball is thrown to the previous base before the runner gets back.

10. If any offensive runner passes a teammate that is running the bases ahead of them, the "passing" offensive player, will be called out. An offensive runner may not touch, push, or help the offensive runner in front of them, if they do runner will be called out.

11. Balls thrown at the base runner must be below the head. Any headshot incurred while the runner is in an upright running position results in advancement to the base they were running to.

12. Any intentional hitting of the ball with the head by a runner will result in an out.

13. If the runner slides, jumps, or ducts to avoid a ball, this does not count as a headshot and the runner will be "safe" or "out" depending on the umpire's call of the play.

14. If a ball, that is kicked by the person up to kick, hits them or any base runner that is not on a base and is in fair territory, the kicker or said base runner is out.

15. If the kicker or base runner is in foul territory when struck by the ball, it is a foul ball.

16. Intentionally kicking the ball out of play while running, by the kicker or base runner (offensive team), results in a dead ball. Said kicker or runner shall be called out.

17. Pinch runners are allowed for INJURED PLAYERS ONLY, but the kicker must make it to 1st base before said pinch runner can run for them. The runner will be the player that made the last out, of the same sex, on the offensive team.

18. Injured kickers that cannot kick in their respective place in the line-up are not allowed a pinch kicker and are not allowed back into the game once they miss their turn due to an injury. Meaning they cannot play in any defensive position on the field. For teams with only 4 girls: If the 4th girl is injured or has to leave the game due to an emergency, there will not be a ghost out in the kicking order but the team must play one short in the field.

VI. Mercy Rule

a.      Teams may opt to 'submit' if down 15 runs or more after 4 innings of play.

VII. Standings / Scoring

     a. Standings are based on wins and losses, runs scored vs runs scored against.

     b. Forfeit: teams forfeiting games will receive a loss in the standings and receive 0 Runs For and 6 Runs Against in the respective standings columns.

     c. The team receiving forfeit will get 6 Runs For and 0 Runs Against in the standings. This equals one run per inning that would have been played.

     d. Seeding for any tournament is based on the overall record first.

     e. Teams that fail to show up for a scheduled game and fail to notify ECSS staff, will jeopardize future participation in the league at the staffs' discretion.

     f. Standing's tiebreakers are as follows:

1. Head to head

2. Runs against (Run against per inning average if teams have the same number of losses, but different number of wins)

3. Runs for Team Home Runs

4. Coin toss



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