2008 Official Delaware Sports League Kickball Rules
1. Player Eligibility 1.1 All players must be 21 years of age or older to play.
1.2 All players must fill out and sign a release form before the league starts.
1.2.a Those players that are substituting must pay $10 and sign the waiver before playing.
1.3 If a non team member plays in a game without being announced as a substitute, that team will be subject to a forfeit.
Note: Teams Must submit a Batting Order to the opposing Captain before each game. 2. Safety & Health 2.1 All participants and spectators are responsible for their own medical expenses.
Note: Dr. Stephen Diamond and Dynamic Physical Therapy have agreed to offer next day appointments to DSL members.
2.2 If someone is injured or needs to leave during the middle of a game, he/she does not have to be replaced in the lineup. 3. Team Requirements A team shall consist of a maximum of 8 players on the field at one time. You can place those 8 players wherever you want on the field, as long as they do not interfere with the batter.
3.1 There must be 3 female players in the field for each team at all times. If a team has less than 3 females at the start of a game, they are subject to take an out in the place where the absent female(s) would bat (kick). The team would also have to play a person short in the field. That means there is a maximum of 5 males in the field at one time.
3.3 A minimum of 5 players are required to start a game.
3.4 All players on the bench must bat whether playing in the field or not.
3.5 Team Captains must submit a batting order to the other Team Captain at the Captains Meeting before the game.
3.6 Late¬ arriving players may be added at any time to the bottom of a team’s batting order.
3.7 Any combination of male and female players may be used to make up a
Team on game day, providing there are at least 3 females. The maximum amount of players you can have on a roster is 20.
3.8 Once a roster is set at the start of a season, it can not be changed, without DSL approval.
3.8.1 A final playoff roster must be submitted before the 7th week/game if there are any changes. If no roster is received then your original roster is the final roster. Any additions to the roster must pay the league fee of $40 to play the rest of the season. Please note, if he or she paid any substitute fees during the season, it can be subtracted from the $40. Also, this addition must replace an individual on the existing roster if the roster is at 20. If the roster is not at 20 people then he or she can be added. 4. Equipment 4.1 All players must wear athletic shoes. Rubber cleats are allowed. – NO METAL CLEATS OR SPIKES ALLOWED.
4.2 Delaware Sports League Shirts are required. Team members must
wear matching¬ colored shirts if their shirts are lost, dirty, or damaged.
4.3 Game Ball: An official Delaware Sports League Ball will be provided
4.4 Field: Games will be played at Rockford Park Fields
4.5 Orange cones will be used to provide site lines for Foul/fair balls
4.6 A safety base will be added to first base. When initially running to first the kicker is to use the out bag and the fielder will use the inner bag. After the initial at bat the inner bag will be used for all plays. 5. Game Format 5.1 The team that is ahead in runs at the end of 7 innings (or 6.5 innings if the home team is ahead)
when the 60 minute ¬limit expires shall be declared the winner. This time shall be kept by the plate
umpire.
5.2 If a team is behind and the time limit expires during their at bat, that team will finish their turn at bat.
a. If the home team is behind and the time limit expires during the visiting team’s at bat, the home team will take their turn at bat.
5.3 A half inning will consist of 3 outs.
5.4 The game will be called if a team is ahead by 15 runs after 5 innings or 10 runs after 6 innings. 6. Starting the Game The game will begin after the Captains have exchanged Batting Orders. 6.1 If one team is not “ready to play” (with at least 5 eligible players on the diamond, properly equipped) by 10 minutes after the scheduled game time, the team that is ready will win by forfeit. The offending
Team may not call time¬outs until they have checked in a legal minimum lineup.
6.2 If neither team is “ready to play” by ten minutes after the scheduled game time, the umpire will start the game clock and the 10 minute forfeit time will apply when one team is “ready to play.” 7. Game Rules 7.1 Pitching the Ball
a. The offensive team – team “at¬ kick” or at ¬bat – will supply the pitcher.
b. The pitcher will roll the ball to the batter from the pitcher’s mound.
c. An at ¬bat will consist of a maximum of 2 pitches. If the batter does not put the ball into play by the second pitch, they are out.
d. The pitcher shall not intentionally or unintentionally interfere with a kicked ball.
RESULT: The ball is dead, the batter is out, and all runners are returned to the bases occupied
before the pitch.
NOTE: If the pitcher contacts the ball (kicked or thrown) in any other way (unintentionally) the ball
is dead, all runners are returned to the bases occupied before the pitch. A player on the fielding team may not throw the ball “at” the pitcher in order to render the play dead. A player may not advance a base when the ball is being deliberately returned to the pitcher. The pitcher must make a reasonable effort to NOT interfere with the play.
7.2 Player Outs
A batter (or runner) is out if:
a. He/she fails to hit the ball fairly in 2 pitches. (Foul balls, missed pitches, and pitches not kicked at
all (“taken” pitches) count as one of the 2 pitches.)
b. The pitcher intentionally or unintentionally contacts a kicked or thrown ball.
Note: A defensive player may not intentionally throw the ball at the pitcher.
c. A kicked ball is caught in fair or foul territory on the fly.
d. A ground ball is fielded to a base for a force ¬out.
e. Defense tags the runner not in contact with a base.
f. Defense throws the ball and contacts the runner BELOW THE SHOULDERS who is not in
contact with a base.
Note: If the thrown ball contacts the ground and then the runner, no out will be made and play
will continue. The defensive player must have control of the ball BEFORE the runner reaches a base on a force out for the runner to be considered out.
EXCEPTION: If a player is hit in the head at any time the runner will automatically be safe and the thrower issued a warning. If a player is hit in the head while sliding or dodging the player will be called out.
g. A kicked ball contacts a base¬ runner or their clothing.
RESULT: The ball is dead, the hit runner is out, the batter is awarded first base, and all other
runners are returned to the bases last occupied before the pitch, unless forced by the runner
advancing to first.
h. A runner leads off or attempts to steal. Runners must remain in contact with the base until the
ball is contacted by the batter. There will be one warning to each team before they are to be called out.
RESULT: The ball is dead, the runner is out, and the pitch is retaken.
i. No bunting allowed. The referee will make the call as to whether or not the attempted kick was a bunt. If the referee calls it a bunt the pitch will be called a strike. If happens on your second pitch then you are out. j. Ball is Played off the Tree (For Rockford Field #3): A ball played off of the tree in right field is “live” and can be caught in the air for an out.
Note: See Rule 7.4k in the event the ball should get stuck in the tree
8. Stopping Play Play stops when the ball is controlled in the infield by a defensive player, all base¬
running has stopped, and the umpire declares “TIME” and the ball is returned to the kicking team’s pitcher.
9. General Rules a. Sliding is allowed.
b. No leading off or stealing is allowed.
c. No bunting is allowed. (see Rule 7.1i)
d. There will be no infield fly rule.
e. The ball is in play once it is contacted. The referee will determine if it an illegal kick/bunt. The ball doe not have to pass the Pitching Mound.
f. A player may not cross the “Kicking Line”. The player may be “on” the line, but can not step over it. Note: It is considered stepping over when the heal is beyond the kicking line.
f.1 There will be no warnings granted at the game. Warnings were given at the captains meeting. If you step over the line the referee will make the call and the play is dead. The pitch will count as a strike. If it happens on your second pitch then you are out.
g. The only base that can be over run is first base and the safety base should be used for over running first base. The regular base should be used if a player makes a turn toward second, and is tagged or is hit with the ball, that player is out.
h.Injured Runner: If an injury to a runner prevents him/her from proceeding in the game, a substitute run-ner will be permitted. The player who made the last out on offense shall be the new runner.
I. Crashing into the Defender: If a runner remains on his/her feet, and deliberately, with great force attempts to alter the outcome of the play by running into a defensive player holding the ball, they will be out and ejected from the game.
Note: Incidental or unintentional contact during play of the game is considered “part of the game” and therefore the batter will not automatically be out should there be contact. This is at the discretion of the umpire and can not be argued on the field.
j. Foul Balls: A foul ball is any ball that lands outside of “Fair Territory” as marked by the base lines and cone extensions. This is as determined by the umpire and final.
1. A ball is foul if it does not reach the pitchers mound.
2. If A player touches a ball in fair territory before it rolls foul along the first or third base lines and BEFORE the ball reaches the bag, the ball is in play.
3. When attempting to catch a foul ball in the air, if a player touches the ball and does not catch it, the play is still considered dead, the ball foul (and thus a strike), and no runners may advance.
Note: If the player catches the ball in foul territory the play is considered “live” and the base runners may tag up.
k. Ground Rule Double: At Rockford park if a ball is stuck in the Tree in Right field and does not fall this is considered a Ground Rule Double.
Note: See Rule 7.2j for “play off the tree” 10. Ejections Any official, supervisor, or DSL member has the authority to eject, from the game a
player or players, coach, or spectator at any time if in his/her judgment he/she deems such action is
necessary in order to maintain a sportsmanlike atmosphere. 10.1 A player will be ejected should he/she intentionally throw a ball with the intent to hurt or injure a player on the opposing team.
NOTE: A player ejected from a game will be given an official warning along with their ejection and one game suspension. A second offense will be considered a repeat offense and the player will be removed from the league with no re-fund pending a review of the incident by league officials.
10.2 A player who is ejected will be suspended for a minimum of the next scheduled game.
10.3 Any player that initiates or reciprocates in a physical altercation of any kind will immediately be removed from the league without exception and without refund of league fees.
Note: Any player involved in a physical altercation of any kind will be subject to legal action. Delaware Sports League will not tolerate any aggressive behavior that would endanger the safety of its members and will alert authorities if such action is necessary. 11. Official Score The official score will be kept by each team and verified every inning to avoid any confusion. The referee will record the score at the end of the game and each captain will initial the final score. 12. Drinking Due to park regulations No Alcoholic Beverages shall be present on then field at any time. You are solely responsible for the consequences if caught with alcoholic beverages on city or state property where the alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Any individual that egages in the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the premises of Wilmington State Parks will be immediatly removed from DSL for the remainder of the current season. If the offense occurs within the last two weeks of any season it extends to the next season. A Season is defined as the eight week period that includes all sports offered by DSL within the specified period of time. Delaware Sports League is a league that welcomes all types of people. The consumption of alcohol is in no way required or encouraged in order to participate in the sports and activities provided by Delaware Sports League. Participation in adult activities is completely at the discretion of the individual and neither Delaware Sports League nor any of its Sponsors can be held liable for any incidents caused by the excess consumption of alcohol by any member at any time.
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