- Court size minimum 25’ x 50’, maximum 30’ x 60’ (WDBF)

- Stepping on ANY boundary line will result in an out, across all ball types

- No neutral zone for women’s no sting and women’s foam

- Game time: 15 minutes

- A standard round robin match typically consists of a 15-minute round (game time may vary depending on the event). Teams play as many games as they can within that 15-minute match.

- Cloth: No NO BLOCKING game will be played; if less than 90 seconds remain in the match when a game ends, one final game lasting a maximum of 90 seconds will be played.

- Cloth: if the game time expires, the team with more active players on the court wins; a tie will result if there is an equal number of active players on each side as the game time expires

- Cloth scoring: win = 2 points; tie = 1 point for each team; loss = 0 points

- Opening rush - added cloth exemptions

- False start - added cloth exemption

- No blocking distinction: a held ball is essentially an extension of the body. A thrown ball is still live when it contacts a player’s blocking ball and may be caught/hit other players. A player who blocked a ball is not immediately dead; that player is still alive until the blocked ball completes its sequence

- Balls may be held on the court sidelines by players or designated shaggers

- Retrieved balls may only be put back onto the court between the clear line and the back line

- A player may not re-enter the court from the queue with a ball in his/her hands

- Elimination of momentum catch - a valid catch in bounds will count, but the player is out once out of bounds

- Elimination of cloth block back - ball is dead once it ricochets back to the original thrower’s side

- Burden - explained for each ball type

- Foam burden: specifically written out; aligns with USAD rules, not WDBF - only throws by the team with burden may reset burden

- Throw clock updated

- Valid throw: within 3 feet of an active player

- Invalid throw penalty: initial - team warning; additional - player is called out

- Re-entry out of order: automatic forfeiture of the game

- Catch and out scenario: if a player catches a ball while in the air and is then hit with another live ball, if the 2nd thrown ball becomes dead before the player lands on the ground, the player is dead and no catch is made

- Finger blocking - cloth exemption: fingers/hands are considered part of the blocking ball

- If an inactive player/designated ball retriever fights for a stray ball with an active player, play will immediately stop and the inactive player/designated ball retriever will be given a yellow card

- No switching sides between games during round robin

- It is encouraged that teams that are reffing supply ball shaggers, for any team on the court that is being reffed, that needs a shagger

- Yellow and Red cards must be brought to the attention of the head referee

- A cloth exemptions “cheat sheet” has been added to the end of the rules

1. Ball Placement

     a. Six balls are lined up on the centerline.

     b. Within the 5-foot markers on each side of the court, three balls are placed.

     c. Players may align their three balls to their liking within the ball placement markers on the centerline in a timely manner.

     d. Cloth Exemption: At the start of a game, five balls are placed on the centerline, equal distance apart based on court width.

2. Pre-Signal

     a. Players must start completely in bounds, with at least one foot on the back-boundary line.

     b. Players may not initiate a running start before the start signal.

     c. The referee will check both teams, then begin the game with a signal.
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3. Post-Signal
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     a. Players may only retrieve the three balls on their right.
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          i. Cloth Exemption: Players may only retrieve the two balls or three balls on their left. The number of balls for which each team is eligible to retrieve is determined before the match starts by the home team. The number of eligible balls to retrieve is switched after each game.

     b. A team may only retrieve their opponent’s inactive balls if they have successfully cleared all three of their respective balls. The opponent’s inactive balls must be brought behind the retrieving team’s attack line.

          i. Cloth Exemption: A team may only retrieve their opponent’s inactive balls if they have successfully cleared all of their respective balls.

          ii. If a team interferes with their opponent’s balls before they have cleared their own, the offending team forfeits all balls to the opposing team.

                    1. Both teams will start in front of their back line, with at least one foot on the back line, with no opening rush and at the referee’s signal.

FOAM

     i. The home team will have the initial burden at the start of each match

     ii. The winner of the previous set will start with burden

     iii. Once burden is established, only active players on the established side can relinquish burden with valid throws.

     iv. Burden is established by:

          1. Majority of balls, if equal then

          2. Majority of players, if equal then

          3. The team who did not have burden last
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     v. Burden is reset by a valid throw made by the team with burden.

CLOTH

     i. Burden is established by the majority of balls on one side.

     ii. Once burden is established, only active players on the established side can relinquish burden with valid throws.

8.5/NO-STING

     i. Once burden is established, only active players on the established side can relinquish burden with valid throws.

     ii. Burden is established by:

          1. Majority of balls, if equal then

          2. Side with the off color ball

a. Dimensions – Dependent on venue and space available.

     i. Minimum 25’ x 50’

     ii. Maximum 30’ x 60’ (WDBF)

b. Neutral Zone

     i. 10 ft (5 ft each side from the center line, 20 ft from the end line to the attack line on each side).

     ii. b. Neutral zone line is also called the attack line and clear line.

     iii. c. Neutral zone is only active during 8.5 and cloth. It is no longer active during women’s no-sting and foam divisions.

c. Ball Placement Markers

     i. Two markings on the centerline, 5 ft from each sideline perpendicular to the center line

A game is played with six balls on the court.
     i. Ball types include 8.5 Rubber, no-sting rubber, cloth & WDBF-approved foam.     
     ii. There will be five same-color balls and one off-color ball (aka burden ball).
     iii. Players involved in intentional deflation without approval or intentional damage to balls may receive a penalty card.
     iv. Cloth Exemption: There will be five same-color balls and no off-color balls.
     v. Foam Exemption: There will be six same-color balls and no off-color balls.

Cloth Exemption: Games may last a maximum of 3 minutes

Cloth Exemption: If the game time expires, the team with more active players on the court wins; a tie will result if there is an equal number of players on each side as the game time expires

Cloth Exemption: Scoring: win = 2 points; tie = 1 point for each team; loss = 0 points

Cloth Exemption: Home team/higher seeded team must pick which side of the court their team will start OR whether to start with two balls or three balls at the beginning of a match.

Cloth Exemption: At the start of a game, five balls are placed on the center line, equal distance apart based on court width

Cloth Exemption: Players may only retrieve the two balls left. The number of balls for which each team is eligible to retrieve is determined before the match starts by the home team. The number of eligible balls to retrieve is switched after each game.

Cloth Exemption: A team may only retrieve their opponent’s inactive balls if they have successfully cleared all two of their respective balls.

Cloth Exemption: Penalty: Opposing team is awarded the center ball, that ball is now active and a new opening rush will restart that set.

Cloth Exemption: Fingers and hands are considered part of the blocking ball

Cloth Exemption: No NO BLOCKING game will be played; if less than 90 seconds remain in the match when a game ends, one final game lasting a maximum of 90 seconds will be played.

Cloth Exemption: Elimination rounds will consist of a 15-minute timer for the first rounds an a 20-minute timer for semifinals and finals matches. Games lasting a maximum of 3 minutes will be played.

Cloth Exemption: If the game time expires, the team with more active players on the court wins; a tie will result if there is an equal number of players on each side as the game time expires.

Cloth Exemption: If less than 90 seconds remain in an elimination match after a game ends, a final game lasting a maximum of 90 seconds will be played.

Cloth Exemption: If the score is tied at the end of an elimination match, the match will continue into an overtime game lasting a maximum of 3 minutes.

Cloth Exemption: If the game is tied at end of the 3 minutes of overtime, “sudden death” is called. There is no reset when going into “sudden death”. The first team to eliminate an opposing player will win the match.