Cedar Park Adult Kickball League Rules - TeamSideline.com

Cedar Park Adult Kickball League RulesTHE GAMEKickball is a game that closely resembles slow pitch softball. The object of the game is toscore more runs than the opposing team. The game is played with 10 fielders and lasts for55 minutes with no minimum but a maximum number of 7 innings. Players are asked to gettheir line-up in before actual game time. The clock starts at game time. If a team does nothave enough players to start, that team will have 10 minutes to find substitute players.After the 10 minute period, a team with less than 9 players will forfeit their game. (A teamcan start with 9 players as long as they have at least 4 girls. The maximum amount of guysallowed in the field is 5. There is no limit to the amount of girls allowed in the field.)GENERAL RULESTeams will consist of 10 players on the field but may start with 9 (1 automatic out at the endof the batting lineup).If the 10th player arrives, then he or she will occupy the 10th position in the batting order.The number of players in the lineup is NOT limited as long as there is an equal number ofmen and women or more women than men. Any extra men can be used as substitutes. Ex:a team may have something like 18 people in their lineup as long as it is 9 men and 9women (or more women than men). But if the 18 people were made up of 12 men and 6women only 12 people could be in the lineup, 6 men and 6 women with the extra 6 menbeing substitutes.Substitutes are allowed during the game. All substitutes entering the game must bebrought to the umpire’s attention. That substitute will kick in the same place in the lineup asthe player they substituted for.All teams are co-rec and must field 5 men and 5 women with an unlimited amount of kickersin the lineup as long as the lineup remains staggered (male/female or female/male). A teamCAN start with more men than women, but only with the ratio of 5 guys/4 girls.All batters come to the plate with a one ball and one strike count.A male who walks automatically goes to second base with the female batter after himhaving the option to walk or kick but only if there are 2 outs. With less than 2 outs the malegoes to second base but the female must still kick. Any runners already on base will advanceonly if they are forced to.A game called off after 30 minutes because of bad weather shall be considered a regulationgame (hard rain, lightning, etc). Because of the time limit of 55 minutes, there will not be arun rule used. If the game is tied when an inning has been completed after 55 minutes, thegame will be recorded as a tie.

PITCHINGThe pitcher shall take position on the pitcher’s mound. The pitcher must deliver the ball onehand, releasing the top of the ball below his waist toward home plate. All pitches must beunderhand. NO SIDE-ARMED PITCHING. The pitcher is not allowed to charge towards homeuntil the ball has been kicked. Any violation of the above will be called a ball.The strike zone is one ball width off both edges of the plate. Balls pitched too bouncy (top ofthe ball higher than the bottom of the kicker’s knee) or too fast will be called an automatic“ball” by the umpire. However, if the kicking team decides to kick the ball, the ball will belive and is playable. Kickers with two strikes will be allowed one extra foul, a “courtesy foul”.The next foul after that will result in an automatic out.STRIKESA strike is called when:1. Any part of the ball enters any part of the strike zone (not just any part of the plate)and is either not kicked or kicked at and missed,2. Kicked into foul territory and not caught,3. Or is double-hit. (Kicker must make single contact with the ball)BALLSOUTSA ball is called when:1. The ball does not enter the strike zone and not struck by the kicker,2. The ball is bounced over home plate above the the bottom of the kicker’s knee,3. The ball is pitched too fast (umpire’s judgment)4. Or the pitch is deemed illegal.A kicker is out when:1. A third strike is called,2. A kicker kicks the ball while in front of home plate.3. A kicker interferes with the catcher’s ability to make a play,4. A kicker’s kicked ball is caught before it touches the ground,5. A kicker kicks the ball but does not reach 1st base before the defense touches the basewhile holding the ball,6. When a kicker steps over the plate.7. When a runner is hit with the ball (below the head) while not occupying a base.BASERUNNERA kicker becomes a runner when:1. Ball four is called2. An infielder interferes with the pitch3. Or when a legal kick has taken place and they reach baseA legally kicked ball is fair when the ball settles in the infield or is touched by a fielder or umpirewhile on or over fair territory, when it touches first, second, or third base, or it touches on fairterritory beyond first and third base.

Base runners may not steal, lead off, or advance until the ball has been kicked. Violation of this rulewill result in the runner being called out by the umpire, dead ball called, and the pitch is pitchedagain (unless the runner called out is the third out – if so, that batter will lead off the next inning).Base runners may not interfere with a defensive player trying to field a ball. Base runners standingon the base being struck by a kicked ball are not out; the ball is live and playable. Base runnersstruck by a kicked ball while running to another base are out. An umpire being struck by a kickedball is part of the field; therefore the ball is live and playable.Base runners are forced to the next base if the kicker becomes a base runner, and there are noopen bases behind him/her. A “force out” occurs when the base runner does not reach theadvancing base before the defense touches the base while holding the ball. Throw the ball at thebase does not suffice. The ball must be held by a player while touching the bag.If a kicker’s ball is caught, base runners cannot advance to the next base until they “tag up” on thebase they were on at the beginning of the play. Should a base runner advance and the ball iscaught, the base runner will be out once the defense touches him/her with the ball or touches theplate from which the base runner originally advanced from. There is no infield fly rule in kickball.A base runner scores a “run” once he/she touches home plate. If the base runner touches homeplate before the 3rd out is recorded, the run will count unless the out was a “force out.”There are no courtesy runners in kickball. If a runner is hurt or needs to come out, a normalsubstitution will need to be made for that player with the substitute kicking in the injured player’sposition in the kicking order. The injured player will not be allowed to return to the game.BASIC RULES (Defense)There are no limitations as to where the 10 men and women must play in the infield/outfield orpitching and catching. But, there must be a minimum of 5 women in the field. No more than 5 menmay play in the field at a time but there can be more women than men (the only exception to this isfor teams with only 9 players who may have 5 men and 4 women).All players (other than the pitcher and catcher) must remain behind the imaginary line that runsfrom 1 st base to 3 rd base. They cannot cross this line until contact is made with the ball by thekicker.Outfielders must position themselves in the designated outfield area (beyond the infield dirt).Umpire will make this judgment if illegally positioned. Umpire will warn outfielders to move back iftoo close, the second offense will result in an automatic ball called by the home plate umpire.Infielders and outfielders may not change positions during an inning. Position changes must waituntil the next inning begins.Charging is allowed (not by the pitcher) as long as all fielders stay behind the 1 st to 3 rd line until theball is touched by the kicker.

Defensive players must be given the opportunity to field the ball anywhere on the playing field. Anoffensive player or team member cannot impede, hinder or confuse a defensive player attemptingto execute a play. When this interference occurs, the ball becomes dead and the player interferingwill be called out.The defensive player can throw (not tap or bounce) the ball at the runner to get the runner out. It isa judgment call by the umpire if the ball was controlled by the defensive player before throwing therunner out. The runner will be called out if the thrown ball hits them in the air or with a bounce.The thrown ball must hit the runner at the shoulders or below; the runner is not out if hit in thehead area. Exception: runner slides or ducks to avoid the thrown ball.All players must remain inside the dugout unless they are on defense, up to kick, or they are a baserunner. The kicking team is allowed to have base coaches at 1st and 3rd base, but only one per base.Fielders must stay out of the baseline except for fielding a kicked ball. Fielders may have their footon the base but must lean out of the baseline.There is no infield fly rule in kickball.ConclusionWe play with an “open roster” which allows anyone to play. NO set rosters are needed, but abatting order lineup is required to be turned in to the home plate umpire before the game withappropriate names.We enforce a “Zero Tolerance Policy” in regards to behavior of players, managers, and fans.Taunting, heckling, trash talking, or abusive language will not be tolerated in our league. Umpireswill have the right to reprimand or eject players, managers, and fans depending on the severity ofthe situation. Abusive behavior toward the umpire will not be tolerated. Managers will be heldresponsible for their players and their fans. An ejection carries a two game suspension (next 2playable games). In extreme cases the player may be asked to leave the premises – this will be inthe judgment of the umpire. Only managers of respective teams are allowed to approach theumpire with questions or concerns in a respectful manner. Teams charging the field of play toquestion or complain a call will be subject to automatic forfeit for that game.NO ALCOHOL OR SMOKING will be allowed on the field of play or in the dugout. Glass containersare prohibited at the Brushy Creek Sports Park.In case of bad weather, please call 512-401-5050 after 4 pm. If the message says softball has beencancelled, that means kickball games have been as well.Updated 3/8/13