1. The
Field
a. All
2019 Spring season games will be played on Softball Field #3 in Riverside
County Park in North Arlington, NJ.
2.
Equipment
a. A
10" kickball and bases including a safety base at 1st base will be provided by
Montclair Kickball for all games.
b.
Athletic shoes must be worn. No metal cleats allowed.
c. All
players must wear their provided Montclair Kickball t-shirts while on the
field.
3.
Referees
a. A
referee will be provided by Montclair Kickball for all games.
b. The
referee will be fully aware of the Montclair Kickball Official Rules and has
the final ruling at all times. Arguing will not be tolerated and the
referee has the
right to eject any player at their discretion.
c. The
referee maintains the right to call a game due to inclement weather or for any
other reason at their discretion.
4.
Players
a. All
players must be 21 years old or older to participate in Montclair Kickball.
b.
Players must be registered and on the roster of the team they are playing
for. However in an effort to avoid forfeits, teams will be allowed to use
substitutes from other teams only to reach the minimum of 8 fielders and/or 2
females, but only if the opposing captain agrees to it. No more than 25%
of
players can be substitutes. For example - If a team has 6 players, it can
only use
2 substitutes. All substitutes must be
registered Montclair Kickball players in the
2019 Spring season.
5.
Teams
a. A
team's roster must consist of at least 15 but no more than 20 players.
b.
Teams must field a minimum of 8 players with a maximum of 10 players.
c.
Teams must field a minimum of 2 females if they are fielding 8 or 9 players and
a
minimum of 3 females if they are fielding 10 players.
d.
Teams must field a catcher and no more than 6 infielders at all times.
e.
Teams must designate a captain who is responsible for submitting the kicking
order to the referee before each game.
f. The
kicking orders cannot be changed once submitted to the referee except for
adding late players if the opposing captain agrees to it. All late players must be
added as the last player in the order,
and there can be no other changes or moving
of other players in the lineup. This may result in additional automatic outs
due to
Rules 5I &J.
g. Once a team runs through their entire
kicking order fully, no other late players can
be added, so Captains must decide before
this point if they will add any expected
late players who have not yet arrived. If
they do so, an automatic out will be
awarded every time that spot in the
lineup occurs that the player is not present.
h. Teams will receive an automatic out in the lineup
for any players who must leave
their game early and is not present when
their spot in the order occurs.
i. No more than 3 males can kick in a row at any
point in the kicking order
including when the bottom of the kicking order wraps around to the top.
j. If
a team has the minimum of 2 females, but is unable to set their kicking order
without having more than 3 males kicking in a row, they will receive an
automatic out between the 3rd and 4th
males in a row in the kicking order.
k.
Kicking out of order will result in an automatic out.
l. All
team players present must kick (but do not have to field).
m. Late players may not jump onto the field
mid-inning and must wait until the start
of the next inning to field.
6.
Games
a. A
game consists of 7 innings or 55 minutes, whichever occurs first. If the
game
remains tied after 7 full innings, it will be marked as a tie.
b. In
the event that a game is called due to time, the full inning will be played as
long as the home team is losing or tied.
c. A
game that is called due to inclement weather shall be considered complete if 4
full innings have been played (or 3 ½ in the event that the home team is
winning).
d. A
game that is called due to inclement weather that has less than 4 full innings
played (or less than 3 ½ in the event that the home team is winning) shall be
picked up at the exact same point when it is made up.
e.
Games will start on time as scheduled on the Montclair Kickball website barring
any unforeseen circumstances.
f. Teams
that cannot field at least 8 players with a minimum of 2 females will be
given a 5 minute grace period before the game is ruled a forfeit if they are
expecting players to arrive late, however they will be penalized with an out
for
every minute that the game is delayed. If a team delays game by 3
minutes, they
will not kick in the first inning, and
if they delay a game by 4 minutes they will
also start with an out in the 2nd
inning.
g. Teams that are unable
to field at least 8 players with a minimum of 2 females will
forfeit
the game. Forfeited games are scored 11-0.
7.
Pitching
a. All
pitches must be thrown underhand. Failure to do so will result in
the pitch
being ruled a ball.
b. The
pitcher must remain behind the pitcher's strip until the ball is kicked
or
attempted to be kicked. Failure to do so will result in the pitch being
ruled a ball.
c.
Pitched balls must be rolled or touch the ground at least twice before reaching
home plate. Any pitch that bounces less than twice will be ruled a ball.
d. The
strike zone extends to one foot on either side of home plate, and one foot
high over home plate. Any ball outside of the strike zone will be ruled a
ball.
8.
Fielding
a.
Fielders must remain behind the invisible 1st to 3rd base diagonal line until
the
ball is kicked or attempted to be kicked. Failure to do so will result in
the pitch
being ruled a ball.
b.
Catchers must field behind the kicker and may not cross home plate until the
ball
is kicked or attempted to be kicked. Failure to do so will result in the
pitch being
ruled a ball.
c. No
more than 6 fielders including the pitcher and catcher may enter the infield
until the ball is kicked or attempted to be kicked.
d.
Fielders must stay out of the baseline. Fielders trying to make an out on base
can
have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline. Runners hindered by
any fielder, not making an active play on the ball, shall be ruled safe at the
base
to which they were running.
e.
There is no infield fly rule.
9.
Kicking
a. All
kickers must stand no further than 6' directly behind home plate.
b. All
kicks must be made by the foot or leg, below the knee. Any ball kicked on or
above the knee will be ruled a foul.
c. All
kicks must occur at or behind home plate. A kicker may step on home plate to
kick. If either of the kicker's feet are in front of home plate, the kick will
be ruled
a foul.
d.
Bunting is not allowed. A bunt is determined by intention, not how far
the ball
travels. Any kick that's not fully swung through will be ruled a
bunt, which will
in turn be ruled as a foul.
10.
Running
a.
Runners must stay within the baseline at all times.
b. A
safety base will be provided at 1st base in foul territory directly next to the
original 1st base. Kickers running from home to 1st base must run to the
safety
base only. All fielders must use the original 1st base only. If a runner
does not
use the safety base and runs to the fielder's first base, they will be ruled
out. If a
fielder uses the safety base or blocks a runner from running to the safety
base,
the runner will be ruled safe.
c.
Leading off and stealing are not allowed. A runner must not leave their
base until
the ball is kicked. Any runner who is off their base when the ball is
kicked is
automatically out.
d.
Hitting a runner's neck or head with the ball is not allowed, except when the
runner is sliding into a base. Any runner hit in the head or neck while running
is
safe, and advances to the base they were running toward when the ball hit the
runner. If a runner intentionally uses the head or neck to block the ball,
the
runner will be ruled out.
e. If
a runner intentionally hits or kicks the ball out of bounds after being tagged
out,
the play is dead and runners must return to bases they were last at when the
ball
was hit.
f.
After a kicked ball is caught, and the runners are off the base, they must tag
their
originating base before running to the next base. If the runner has not moved
off
the base before the ball is touched, the runner can advance as soon as a
defensive player touches the ball. This applies
to foul balls as well.
g. All ties
go to the runner.
h. Runners
may overrun first base and home plate.
i.
Running past another runner is not allowed. Any runner that passes
another
runner is automatically out.
11.
Balls
a. A
count of four balls advances the runner to first base on a walk.
b. A
ball is:
i.
A pitch outside of the strike zone as called by the referee, where a kick is
not
attempted.
ii. A
pitch not thrown underhand by the pitcher.
iii. A pitch
where the pitcher advances in front of the pitcher's strip before the ball is
kicked or attempted to be kicked.
iv. A pitch
where any fielder advances in front of the invisible 1st to 3rd base
diagonal line.
v. A
pitch where the catcher advances in front of the kicker or crosses home plate
before the ball is kicked or attempted to be kicked.
vi. A pitch
where more than 6 players are fielding in the infield before the ball is
kicked or attempted to be kicked.
c.
Intentionally walking a player is not allowed. If a pitcher is
intentionally walking
a kicker, the referee can award the kicker 2nd base at their discretion.
12.
Strikes
a. A
count of three strikes is an out.
b. A
strike is:
i. A
pitch within the strike zone as called by the referee that is not kicked.
ii. An
attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside the strike zone.
13.
Fouls
a. A
count of three fouls is an out. Foul balls are a separate count and are not
strikes.
b. A foul
is:
i. A
kicked ball landing outside of the foul lines or behind home plate. A
ball
landing on the foul line is ruled in play as long as it does not go out of
bounds
before reaching the 1st or 3rd base lines.
ii. A kicked
ball landing within the foul lines, but traveling outside of the foul lines
before reaching first or third base as long as it is not touched by a fielder.
If a
fielder touches a ball within the foul lines before it reaches 1st or 3rd base,
the ball
is ruled in play.
iii. A ball kicked
on or above the knee.
iv. A kick made in
front of home plate. If the kick is a fly ball and caught by a fielder
the kicker is out.
v. A
kick that touches the fence around the home plate area. Balls can be
caught off
the fence for an out before the ball touches the
ground..
vi. A ball
kicked or touched more than once in foul territory or stopped by the kicker
in foul territory.
vii. A kicked ball
in flight touched by a fielder in foul territory and not caught.
viii. A double kick.
ix. A bunt
attempt as ruled by the referee.
14.
Outs
a. A count
of three outs by a team completes the teams half of the inning.
b. An out
is:
i. A
count of 3 strikes.
ii. A count
of 3 fouls.
iii. A runner who
is touched by the ball, or who touches the ball at any time
excluding above the shoulders if not sliding, while not on base while the ball
is in
play. Once the runner is touched by the ball, they are out so the fielder
does not
need to maintain possession of the ball.
iv. Any kicked
ball, fair or foul that is caught before it touches the ground or a base.
v. A ball
tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run. The fielder must
maintain
possession of the ball as determined by the referee.
vi. A
runner who runs to the regular 1st base and not the safety base.
vii. A
runner off their base when the ball is kicked.
viii. A runner
intentionally using the head or neck to block the ball.
ix. Any
runner passed by another runner.
x. A
kicker kicking out of order.
xi. Any more
than 3 males kicking in a row other than one instance in the lineup.
xii. A team
that delays the start of a game by 1 minute.
15.
Balls In Play
a. Once the
pitcher has the ball in control and is in the mound area, the play ends
and runners off a base who are in forward motion advance to the base to which
they were headed. Runners off a base who are not in forward motion
return to
the base to which they were running from.
b. If a
runner intentionally touches or stops the ball, the play ends and the runner is
out. All other runners return to the base to which they were running
from.
c. If any
non-fielder, runner, or non-permanent object touches the ball, play
automatically ends and runners who are in forward motion advance to the base to
which they were headed. Runners who are not in forward motion return to
the
base to which they were running from.
d. In the event of
an overthrow where the ball ends up off the field of play, all runners
will be allowed to advance 1 additional base from the
base they are on or on their
way to at the point when the ball goes off the field,
and the play is considered
dead. This only applies to overthrows that end
up over the fence and outside of the
field area.
16.
Substitutions
a. Pitchers
may be replaced once per inning by another fielder for non-injuries. In
the event of an injury, the pitcher may be replaced by a player on the bench,
but
the team must still field at least 2 females.
b. In the
event of injury after kicking and reaching base, a runner may be substituted
at the end of the play by the last kicker of the same sex that is not on
base. If the
substitute's original kicking position is reached while they are still on base,
they
will be called out at home.
c. Once a
player is substituted, they are no longer eligible to field for the remainder
of the game, except for the Catcher position.
d. If a
player is able to kick but not run, a pinch runner will be allowed. The
pinch
runner must be the last kicker of the same sex that is not on base. The runner
must line up with home plate before the ball is
kicked and not start running until
after the ball is kicked.
e. If a
player uses a pinch runner, they will not be eligible to play the field for the
remainder of the game except for the Catcher position.
f. If
a player starts a game with a pinch runner, the injured player will not be
eligible
to play the field for the entire game, except for the Catcher position.
17.
Standings
a. The
standings will be determined by points, where a Win will be worth 2 points
and a Tie will be worth 1 point.
b. The
tiebreaker for standings will be determined by Run Differential (Runs Scored
minus Runs Allowed)
c. The
order for additional tiebreakers (if necessary) to determine standings will be
in this order:
i.
Wins
ii.
Runs Scored
18.
Playoffs
a. The
top team(s) in the standings will receive a bye in Round 1 if necessary.
b.
During all playoff games, the team that is higher in the regular season
standings
will have home field advantage.
c. The
playoff structure will change by season based on the size of the league, but
will always include at least the top 50% of teams determined by final standings.
d.
For the 2019 Spring Season, the top 3 teams will make the playoffs.
19.
Rules
a. A
copy of the rules will be made available by the referee at each game.
b. It
is the responsibility of all players and captains to be familiar with the
rules.
c. If
a rule is not otherwise stated here, standard softball rules apply.
d. The
Montclair Kickball commissioner maintains the right to make changes to
rules any time during the season or offseason as he feels necessary.