PSL Kickball for a Cause Rules

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL

WAIVER OF LIABILITY

• All participants must agree to the waiver of liability. 
• The waiver can be accepted on each participant player’s dashboard. 
• All participants assume the risk of injury. The PSL, its volunteers, and employees shall not be liable for injury to person, loss or damage to personal property arising from or in any way resulting from participation in the tournament.

SPORTSMANSHIP

• Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.
• Any behavior that is deemed violent, harassing, and/or inappropriate in any way, as witnessed by the umpire, referee, or PUMP/PSL staff, will result in disciplinary actions as seen fit by the Tournament Director (up to removal from the tournament).
• A player who is ejected from a game must leave the premises immediately.  Play will not resume until the ejected player has left.
• Officials reserve the right to end a game or call a timeout at any point if the overall sportsmanship is out of line.
• Captains are to be the team liaison to discuss any call or rule with an official during game play.
• A team captain may raise protest with the umpires for blatant rule infraction, but will accept the referee’s final ruling.
• Remember to be respectful; WE ARE ALL HERE TO HAVE FUN!

 

TEAMS

SUBMITTING A ROSTER

• Each team must submit a roster with a minimum of 10 and maximum of 20 players.
• No player may register for more than 1 team within the tournament.
• Rosters must be submitted and a waiver form must be signed before any player may take the field.
• No player who is not on your roster and signed a waiver form may play.

PLAYERS

• A team consists of 10 players, and there may never be more than 6 men on the field at a time.
  • As per our Inclusivity Statement, players should register and play in the way that most closely aligns with their gender identity. 
• A team may play with 8 or 9 players if necessary, but must have a minimum of 3 gender minority players on the field.
  • When playing with 9 players, teams must provide their own catcher.
  • When playing with 8 players a catcher does not have to be provided but someone from the infield will need to cover plays at the plate.

 

GAME SCHEDULE

START TIME

• All games will start at their scheduled time.
• A team failing to field at least 8 players within 2 minutes after scheduled game time will forfeit the game.
  • A forfeit will count as a 5-0 loss.
• If a prior game has gone into extra innings because of a tie please stay at the field. Your game will start immediately following the conclusion of the other game.

WARM-UPS

• There will be extra kickballs on the side-lines to warm up with next to the field. Please be respectful of the current game.
• There will be a warm up area with kickballs 
• There will be no warm-ups on the field after the start time of a game has passed.
• Pitchers may take 2 warm-up pitches at the start of their first inning pitching, but not additional innings.
• There can be no warm-pitches taken for a new pitcher after 30 minutes of play.

GAME LENGTH

• Lightning round regulation games are considered final when:
  • 5 innings have been completed.
    • Home team is leading after 4.5 innings.
    • Visiting team is leading after 5 innings.
  • 35 minutes have been reached.
    • No new innings can begin after 35 minutes unless the game is tied.
    • All innings started will be completed.
  • Games cannot end in a tie.
    • All lightning round regulation games tied after 5 innings or 35 minutes will go into extra innings until a winner is determined – as per the extra inning rules below.
    • Extra innings in lightning round regulation games are played as follows:
      • 1^st extra inning starts with the last batted out starting at 2^nd base and the inning begins with 1 out.
      • Any additional extra innings will start with the last batted out starting on 3^rd base and the inning begins with 2 outs.
      • If in extra innings, no warm-ups can occur between innings.
• Each playoff game has a 45 minute or 5-inning time limit.
  • No new innings can begin after 45 minutes unless the game is tied.
• During all playoff games, additional innings will be played until a winner is determined with our normal kickball rules.
  • Games that last over 10 innings will be subject to the extra inning rules for lightning round regulation games.
• There will be no 10 run or mercy rule during the tournament.

 

RULES

PLAYING FIELD

• The bases are set 60 feet apart.
• The pitcher's mound is approximately 42 feet and 5 1/8 inches - roughly 14 large paces - from home plate.
  • The pitcher's mat is directly aligned with first and third bases diagonally.

LINEUPS

• A lineup must be submitted to the umpire before the game begins and all teams must kick in the written order.
• All players must have a spot in the kicking order.
• Teams may not bat 3 men in a row.
  • If the ratio of men and women does not readily permit this please see our kicking templates for further assistance.
• A player arriving late to the game may be added to the end of the lineup only if it doesn’t cause three men to kick in a row.
  • If it will cause 3 men to kick in a row, insert the player into the last spot on the lineup that works with our line-up rule.
• If a player is injured, or becomes ill and cannot continue the lineup will continue in the same formation unless minor adjustments are needed to maintain the proper gender rules.
  • The injured or ill player will not incur an out when their spot in the line-up is reached.
• If a player is ejected from a game, the lineup will remain in the same formation unless minor adjustments are needed to maintain the proper gender rules.
  • The ejected player will incur an out when their spot in the lineup is reached.

ILLEGAL LINEUPS

• These rules will only be enforced if the offending team has scored any runs prior to the illegal lineup being caught. If no runs have been scored the lineup can be corrected and play will resume without restarting the game.
• If an illegal lineup is caught during the 1^st inning of a game, the game will be started over and the lineup corrected.
• If an illegal lineup is caught after the 1^st inning of a game, the lineup will be corrected and teams will finish the game, however the game will be recorded as a forfeit for the offending team.

GAME PLAY

• Only captains may discuss or clarify calls with the umpire.
• The team captain may request a time-out from the umpire that can be granted at the umpire’s discretion. All action in progress must be completed before a request may be made.
• Play ends and the umpire calls time when the umpire deems that all immediate play is completed.
• A count of 3 outs by a team completes the team’s half of the inning. An out is the following:
  • Any combination of strikes/fouls.
  • A runner touched by a kickball at any time while not at base.
  • A fielder throwing a ball and hitting a runner with soft-to-medium force below the shoulder.
  • Any kicked ball that is caught in the air in fair or foul territory.
  • A fielder with control of the ball who tags a base to which a runner is forced.
  • A runner off their base before the ball is kicked.
  • A bunted ball (after 1 team warning is issued).
• The umpire will decide if unnecessary force was used to throw a ball at a runner. In this case that player may be ejected and the runner will be called safe.

PITCHING & CATCHING

• The strike zone extends to 1 foot on either side of home plate, and 1 foot high as it crosses the plate.
• A legal pitch is delivered underhand.
• At least 2 bounces on a pitched ball are required before the ball crosses home plate.
• Pitch speed may range from slow to moderately fast.
• Pitching ‘fireballs’ with excessive speed shall be determined a ball at the umpire’s discretion.
• Intentional walks are allowed. You do not need to throw the pitches, you may notify the umpire and the player will proceed to first base. 
• A ball that is kicked foul but rolls into fair territory before 1^st or 3^rd base will be considered a fair ball as long as no player has touched the ball in foul territory.
• A ball that is bobbled and then caught will be considered an out, so long as it doesn’t touch the ground before the player catches it.
  • Runners tagging up may advance as soon as the ball comes in contact with the fielder, whether they make a clean catch or bobble the ball before catching it.
• It is considered a catch if the ball bounces from one player to another without touching the ground or any other surface. If the ball hits a fence, tree, or anything else first it is not considered a catch.

KICKING

• All kicks must be made by foot or the foot region.
• The kicker must take a full kick at the ball.
• There is no bunting allowed.
  • Each team will be issued one bunt warning before outs are assessed for bunting.
  • Once a team has received a bunt warning the play will result in an out and the ball is dead.
• All kicks must occur at or behind home plate.
  • A kick in front of home plate is a dead ball, a foul ball and counts as a strike.
  • Runners may not advance; the ball CANNOT be caught for an out.
• A count of 3 strikes constitutes an out. A strike is the following:
  • A pitch within the strike zone not kicked.
  • A pitch missed by the kicker.
  • A foul ball.
• A count of 4 balls advances the kicker to first base. A ball is the following:
  • A pitch outside of the strike zone where a kick is not attemped.
  • Any fielder or pitcher advancing on home plate before the ball is kicked.
  • Any catcher crossing home plate before the kicker or failing to field behind the kicker.
• A foul ball is counted as a strike. A foul is the following:
  • A kick landing out of bounds.
  • A kick landing in bounds but traveling out of bounds on its own before reaching first or third base.
  • A kick where contact is made with the ball in front of home plate.
• The infield fly rule is in effect.

RUNNING

• Runners must stay within the base line.
• Fielders must stay out of the base line unless they are fielding a kicked ball.
• Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline.
  • Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe at the base to which they were running.
• Neither leading off base nor stealing a base is allowed.
• A runner cannot leave the base until the kicker has made contact with the ball or the runner on the base will be out.
• Hitting a runner with the ball above the shoulder level with a direct throw or kick by a fielder is not allowed.
  • Any runner hit above shoulder level in this matter is safe.
  • If the runner intentionally uses the head to block the ball and is so called by the umpire, or if the runner slides and is hit above the shoulders, the runner is out.
• If the runner is advancing after a kicked fly ball is caught, runners must tag their originating base before running to the next base.
  • If the runner has not moved before the ball is caught, the runner may simply run forward without a tag up.
• All ties go to the runner.
• Runners may overrun first base, but if they are not attempting to advance to 2^nd base they must stay in foul territory while returning to first base.
• Baserunners must not interfere with the play in progress.
  • A baserunner who does interfere will be charged with interference resulting in both the baserunner and the batter-runner being called out on the play.
• When a defensive player has the ball and is waiting for the runner, and the runner remains on their feet and deliberately runs into the defensive player, the runner is declared out.
  • The ball will be declared dead and all runners must return to the last base they legally occupied.
  • If the act is to be judged flagrant by the umpire, the offending player will be declared out and ejected from the game and the runner closest to home will also be called out.
• Ball out of play: In taking advantage of the time lost from an overthrown ball that travels out of play, a runner may not run beyond the subsequent base to the one originally running toward when the ball was thrown.
• If a runner intentionally touches or stops the ball the play ends.

 

EQUIPMENT

• Athletic shoes are required.
• Plastic cleats are encouraged.
• Metal cleats are not allowed.
• A game kickball (8.5 inches) and bases are provided.

 

Single Elimination Championship Tournament

All playoff games are 5 innings.

 

Eight teams total - the top team from each division - will advance to the single elimination championship bracket. There will be a three inning playoff play-in game between seeds eight and nine before the quarterfinals.

 

Tiebreakers:

 

1. Head-to-Head

2. Sportsmanship Score

3. Least runs allowed

4. Most runs scored

5. Two team tiebreak: coin toss or Rock-Paper-Scissors

6. Three team tiebreak: PSL staff creates tiebreaking game

 

Sportsmanship Behavior

 

The PSL strives to provide a safe, welcoming, inclusive, and fun atmosphere while providing a high quality recreational experience for all participants. We place a high priority on sportsmanship and expect it to be displayed throughout the tournament at all times.

Unsportsmanlike behavior includes but is not limited to the berating of an official, harassment of another individual, use of slurs or other offensive language, threats, dangerous or excessive physical play, lying or misrepresenting your identity, and any other behavior deemed inappropriate by an official, referee, or a PSL staff member. Note that any player whose words or actions negatively impact an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere at PSL games and events will also be considered unsportsmanlike behavior.

 

At the end of each game our officials will be rating each team on their sportsmanship throughout the game on a scale of 1-3. This will be used as a tiebreaker for playoffs. Any team who receives a rating of one (1) in any game will not be eligible for playoffs.

 

• 3: Excellent Conduct and Sportsmanship: The team goes above and beyond in creating a fun and sportsmanlike environment. Players cooperate fully with the official and other team members. The captain calmly converses with the official about rule interpretations and calls. The captains have full control of their teammates.
• 2: Average Conduct and Sportsmanship: Team members verbally question some decisions made by the officials but remain respectful. Captains exhibit control over their team and themselves. The team overall displays sportsmanship.
  • Teams that receive more than one warning for conduct
  • Continually asking the umpire to explain their calls
• 1: Poor Conduct and Sportsmanship: Team is uncooperative, combative with the official or members of the other team. The Captain does not have control over teammates or themselves. The team creates an atmosphere that ruins the sportsmanlike environment between commenting on plays, fighting, harassing, etc.
  • Use of slurs, or derogatory name calling
  • Player ejections
  • Cursing directly at an umpire or an opposing player
  • Continued berating of or continued arguing with an official over their calls

 

Sportsmanship Enforcement Policy:

• Sportsmanship scores will be updated with game scores online. They will be reported under game notes.
• In the event that a team receives a 1-rating, we will follow this process:
  • Immediately investigate and confirm the rating with our field monitor, and any other bystanders.
  • PSL staff will notify and speak with the captain of the team in question directly before anything is shared publicly on the schedule in game notes.