Tcfal Kick Ball Rules

TCFAL KICK BALL RULES

(Revised as of April 24, 2015-TDJ)

Field

1.  Players must properly wear TCFAL game shirt.

2.  Athletic shoes or cleats are required. No metal cleats of any kind are allowed.

3.  Any equipment deemed by the Umpire or league president, as a performance enhancement must be removed.

4.  The official kickball has a pressure of 1.5 pounds per square inch and 8.5 inches in diameter.

Umpire

1.  Only coaches / captains can dispute a call.

2.  Players, coaches, and fans are expected to show good sportsmanship. No yelling at umpires, players, or other teams. Ejected participants must leave the field area and may not return to the game. The commissioner may choose to have ejected players, coaches, or fans sit out the next game, season, or permanently.

Player Eligibility

3.  All participants must be registered with the league, all fees paid and confirmed before the first official practice and on a team roster.

4.  There are no refunds if not requested before the first official practice, all request have to be provided to the League President or acting representative.

Teams

1.  Teams must have a minimum of 16 players, maximum 20 players

2.  Not including 2 coaches, and a team coordinator

3.  7 players being female; male leading for a team of 16

4.  8 players being female; male leading for a team of 17 or more up to 20 players. Youth teams may vary and can be altered.

5.  All teams kick the entire roster, rotating male/female. All Players must field at least 2 innings at the minimum.

6.  Each home team provides a scorekeeper.

7.  Only protest for blatant rule infractions can be filed with the President/Founder in writing within 48 hours explaining the details after the end of the game. President/Founder will investigate and rule on protest. Teams must except the Umpire ruling made and tell the Umpire that they will finish the game under protest.

Base coaches

1.  *Base coaches can be parents, relatives, friends or members of a team*

2.  Only base coaches can be on the field when their team is at kick;1st base and 3rd base ONLY.

Regulation game

1.  Games end after five (5) full innings or 40 minutes. One extra inning is played if score is tied and time remains. For adults A game can end in a tie if tied and approved by league president.

2.  Games end after five (4) full innings or 30 minutes. One extra inning is played if score is tied and time remains. For youth kickball, a game can end in a tie if tied and approved by league president.

3.  A team failing to field at the minimum amount of players within 10 minutes after scheduled game time will forfeit unless approved by League President.

4.  Any team playing non-registered or improperly registered players will forfeit their game.

5.  There is a 6-Run, 5 kick attempt count per player, per inning limit for all innings for youth kickball. No slaughter rule. Coaches are encouraged not to run up the score.

Pitching / Catching

1.  A pitch must roll on the ground when passing over the plate.

2.  Strike zone is 1 foot inside and outside of home plate.

3.  Extremely bouncing balls are balls. Umpire determines if strike or not.

4.  The pitcher must stay behind the pitching strip until the ball is kicked. Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.

5.  No player may field in front of the pitcher other than the catcher, and no player may advance past the 1st- 3rd base diagonal until the ball is kicked. Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.

6.  The catcher must field directly behind the kicker and may not cross home plate nor be positioned forward of the kicker before the ball is kicked. Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.

7.  A pitch outside the strike zone is a ball (left or right)

8.  Balls must be pitched by hand.

9.  A parent or coach pitches in the 4-5 year old division

Kicking

1.  A player’s foot or leg must make all kicks.

2.  All kicks must be behind home plate. The kicker may step on home plate to kick.

3.  Bunting is allowed, but must reach outside the kick zone. Umpire determines if bunt is an out.

Running

4.  Runners must stay within the base line.

5.  No sliding or running into a fielder. No intentional harmful contact is allowed…the runner is out if the runner initiates contact or runner is safe if fielder initiates contact.

6.  Fielders must stay out of the base line. Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line, not making an active play for the ball, shall be safe at the base to which they were running.

7.  No leading off or stealing. Runner can only advance after the ball is kicked. A runner off base at any time and spotted by a referee or challenged by a coach or captain when the ball is kicked is OUT.

8.  Runners may Tag-Up after a kicked ball is caught by the defense to advance to the next base.

9.  Runners may ONLY overrun first base and not be out if the player runs through the bag and turns outward in the left direction.

10. One base on an overthrow into foul territory. This rule is a restriction on the runner – not an automatic right for the runner to advance.

11. Running past another runner is not allowed. Any runner passed by another runner is out.

Strikes

1.  Three (3) strikes is an out.

2.  A strike is: A pitch within the strike zone that is not kicked;

3.  An attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone

4.  (3) foul balls is a strike

Balls

5.  Four (4) balls walks the kicker one base if female, and two bases if male

6.  A pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Umpire where a kick is not attempted

7.  An illegal bouncing pitch

8.  Any fielder or pitcher advancing on home plate before the ball is kicked

9.  Any catcher crossing home plate before the kicker or failing to field behind the kicker

Foul ball

10. Four (4) consecutive fouls is an out. (1 foul after having two strikes is an out)

11. A foul is: A kick landing in foul territory;

12. A kick that goes foul prior to passing 3rd or 1st base & not touched by a player.

Outs

1.  Three (3) outs by a team complete the team’s half of the inning.

2.  Three (3) strikes, or (4) fouls after having 2 strikes

3.  Runner touched by the ball while not on base & the ball is in play;

4.  A fielder can throw a ball at a runner below the shoulders. Runners hit in the neck or head with the ball will not be out unless they were ducking to dodge the ball…Play stops and the ball is dead after hitting a base runner and being declared out.

5.  A kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught in the air

6.  A ball thrown to fielder touching base beats the runner who is forced to run;

7.  A runner off of his/her base before the ball is kicked;

8.  A runner physically assisted by a base coach during play

Ball in Play

1.  Once the pitcher has the ball in control and retains possession on the mound, the play ends. Runners who are off base at this time and in forward motion may advance only one base. Runners who are off base at this time and not in forward motion more than half way to the next base must return to the base from which they were running from.

2.  When any kicker intentionally touches a pitched ball by hand or arm before the pitch is called a Ball or Strike, or intentionally touches a kicked ball to render it foul. This interference causes the play to end, the kicker to be out, and any runners shall return to the base from which they came

3.  During any play where a ball is popped or deflates significantly, that play shall be replayed with a properly inflated ball.

Play Ends when:

1.  When the pitcher has the ball in control and on the mound.

2.  A runner intentionally touches or stops the ball (the runner is out)

3.  Interference is when any non-fielder, runner, or non-permanent object touches the ball. Any time there is interference, play automatically ends and runners proceed to the base to which they were headed.

Injury or Substitutions

1.  In cases of injury or illness, a time-out may be requested for participant removal and replacement with a teammate as a substitute. If the participant later returns to play, the participant must be inserted in the same written kicking order position previously held.

2.  If a player is ejected, injured, or becomes ill and cannot continue, the written kicking order will continue in the same formation, less the removed player. There is no “automatic out” when the removed player’s spot in the order is reached.

3.  Injured players who do not kick shall not play in the game.

4.  Any player removed from the game for injury or illness must be noted on both team written kicking orders and mentioned to the Head Referee.

5.  The pitcher and the catcher positions may only be replaced once per inning each, unless injury forces another substitution.

6.  Only runners who are injured while traveling to a base, and who successfully make it to a base, may be substituted. There are no other allowable runner substitutions. A runner may be substituted no more than twice during the game. Upon the second substitution, the player will be removed from the game and no longer be allowed to participate.