Kickball is a simple game consisting of two teams, bases and a big red ball. Played like baseball, the object is to score more runs than the opposing team. In short, Homewood-Flossmoor Park District plays with 10 fielders, 6 innings, 2 base coaches, no bouncies, no headshots, one base on an overthrow, forced outs, and no ghost men. The following rules will govern all Homewood-Flossmoor Park District games. For the enjoyment of all, proper respect and civility is required of all participants toward one another.
Playing Field and Equipment
I. The Playing Field
1.00 Head Umpire will designate a field suitable for play in accordance with the
following provisions which equal the dimensions of a softball field:
a. The kickball diamond is a square with equal sides of 60 feet or 20 paces;
b. The distance from home plate to second base, and from first base to third base is 84 feet 10 ¼ inches or 28
paces respectively;
c. The pitching strip is in the center of the diamond, 42 feet 5 1/8 inches or 14 paces from home plate, and
directly aligned with the first base/third base diagonal.
1.01 The strike zone extends to 1 foot on either side of home plate, and 1 foot high.
1.02 All participants must respect and obey all rules and regulations pertaining to the
respective field used for play during the game.
II. Equipment
2.00 Athletic shoes are required. Metal cleats are not allowed.
2.01 Players may wear protective equipment providing it does not offer the wearer an
unfair performance advantage.
2.02 The official kickball will be a 10-inch playground ball. This will be provided by
the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District.
III. Officials
3.00 Games must be officiated by at least one participant: a Head Umpire. The
Head Umpire governs all game play and issues all final rulings. Other referees
may assist these officials when available.
3.01 The Head Umpire must read the following Game Opener 5 minutes before the
game starts:
“I am the Head Umpire and will issue all final rulings if necessary. The only participants who may dispute a call
are the team’s designated Captain and Co-Captain. Rules to keep in mind include: the pitcher and all fielders must stay behind
the pitching strip line until the ball is kicked; the catcher must play behind
the kicker; the kicker must kick at or behind home plate; once the pitcher has
the ball in control and on the mound, the play ends; and all fielders must stay
out of the baseline – fielders may have their foot on the base, but must lean
out of the baseline. Are there any
questions?”
3.02 Umpires have jurisdiction over play and may:
a. Call a time out.
b. Call off a game due to darkness, rain or other cause at the umpire’s discretion, and must cancel the game if
lightning is seen.
c. Penalize a player, including game ejection, for un-sportsmanlike conduct.
Ejected participants may not return to the game.
3.03 An umpire will designate and furnished for games.
IV. Player Eligibility
4.00 All participants must be 18 years or older by the first game.
4.01 All participants must have filled out the roster/waiver & release form and signed
the said form.
V. Teams
5.00 Each team must consist of a minimum of eight and no more than twenty
players.
5.01 Teams must field at least eight players and no more than ten. Teams can bat 10
or 12 batters, but not 11. Teams must field a minimum of four players of each
sex. *Teams can play with 7, but will receive one
out when it’s that batters
turn.
5.02 Each team shall have one Captain will be responsible for the team. The Team
Captains must ensure that:
a. All team players not on the bench must kick (max 12)
b. All team players must kick in the written scorecard order.
c. Only the Captain and Co-Captain may dispute calls.
5.03 Each
team captain must submit a completed
District
roster/waiver & release before the 2nd week of the season. No changes may be
made after the third game.
5.04 Kickball
team names must be CLEAN! The
District retains the right to reject or accept any and all team names.
VI. Base Coaches
6.00 Two members of the team at kick must coach first and third base. The base
coaches will assist in retrieving foul balls and may switch with other team
members to remain in the proper kicking lineup.
VII. Regulation Games
7.00 Regulation games last six full innings. Games will be 1 hour in length.
7.01 A game that is called off by the umpire after three full innings of play shall be
considered a regulation game. The game score at end of the last full inning shall
determine the winner. *In the event of a tie score at the end of the game, extra
full innings shall commence until a winner is determined.
7.02 A game that is called off by the umpire before three full innings of play shall not
be considered a regulation game.
7.03 Teams must have eight players on their roster. A team failing to field at least
seven players five minutes after game time will forfeit the game. A forfeit shall
count as a loss 6-0.
*Teams can start or
finish with seven players, but they will receive an out
when it is that
person’s turn to bat. Ex.
The 8th batter would be an out.
7.04 A team Captain may raise protest with the umpire for blatant rule infraction, but
will accept the umpire’s final ruling.
VIII. Pitching/Catching
8.00 Pitch speed – no missles. Must be a slow to medium speed pitch.
8.01 No bouncies. A pitch that is higher than one foot at the plate, and called as such,
results in a ball.
8.02 The pitcher must stay behind the pitching strip until the ball is kicked. Failure
to do so results in a ball.
8.03 No player may field in front of the pitcher other than the catcher, and no player
may advance forward the 1st –3rd base diagonal until the ball is kicked. Failure
to abide by this rule results in a ball.
8.04 The catcher must field directly behind the kicker and may not cross home plate
before the ball is kicked. Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.
IX. Kicking
9.00 All kicks must be made by foot.
9.01 All kicks must occur at or behind home plate. A kick in front of home plate is
called a foul.
9.02 Bunting is allowed.
X. Running
10.00 Runners must stay within the base line. Fielders must stay out of the base line.
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.
10.01 Neither leading off base, nor stealing a base is allowed. A runner off of his/her
base when the ball is kicked is out.
10.02 Hitting a runner with the ball above shoulder level is not allowed. Any runner
hit above the shoulders is safe and advances one base. If the runner
intentionally uses the head to block the ball, and is so called by the umpire, the
runner is out.
10.03 After a kicked ball is caught, runners must tag their originating base before
running to the next base. All ties will go to the runner. Runners may overrun
first base.
10.04 One base on an overthrow into fair territory. In taking advantage of the time
loss from an overthrown ball that travels out of bounds, a runner may not run
beyond the subsequent base to the one originally running toward when the ball
was thrown.
XI. Strikes
11.00 A count of three strikes constitutes an out.
11.01 A strike is:
a. A pitch within the strike zone either not kicked, or else missed by the kicker.
XII. Balls
12.00 A count of four balls advances the kicker to first base.
12.01 A ball is:
a. A pitch outside of the strike zone;
b. A pitch that is to fast;
c. An illegal bouncy;
d. Any fielder or pitcher advancing on home plate before the ball is kicked (see
Rule 8);
e. Any catcher crossing home plate before the kicker or failing to field behind
the kicker (see Rule 8).
XIII. Fouls
13.00 A count of four constitutes an out.
13.01 A foul is:
a. A kick landing out of bounds;
b. A kick landing in bounds, but traveling out of bounds on its own before
reaching first or third base. (Any ball touched by an in-bounds fielder is
automatically in play.)
c. A kick in front of home plate.
XIV. Outs
14.00 A count of three outs by a team completes the team’s half of the inning.
14.01 An out is:
f. A count of three strikes or four fouls;
g. A runner touched by the ball at ANY time while not on base;
h. Any kicked ball (fair or foul (or strike – see 11.02)) that is caught;
i. A ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to run.
j. A runner off of his/her base when the ball is kicked.
XV. Ball in Play
15.00 Once the pitcher has the ball in control and on the mound, the play ends.
15.01 If a runner intentionally touches or stops the ball, the play ends.
XVI. Ghost Men
16.00 Ghost men are not allowed.
XVII. Designated
Runner/Player Positions
17.00 In cases of injury of illness, a time-out may be requested for participant removal and replacement with a substitute of the same sex. If the participant later returns to play, the participant must be inserted in the same fielding and kicking order position previously held.
17.01 If a player is ejected, injured, or becomes ill cannot continue, the lineup will continue in the same formation, less the removed player.
17.02 The pitcher may be replaced on the mound once per inning.
XVIII. Co-Ed Modifications
18.00 A female may only substitute for a female, a male for a male.
18.01 Teams must alternate positions in the batting order by sex as far down as
possible. The majority sex must bat first.
18.02 Males and females do not have to alternate defensively on the bases or in the outfield. The catcher and pitcher do not have to be of opposite sexes and are considered infielders.
18.03 All outfielders must remain in the outfield until the ball is kicked.
18.04 (Optional) An arc will be placed in the field or the outfield grass line, distance TBA. The arc will extend from the left field foul line to the right field foul line. ALL outfielders will be required to remain behind this line when a female is batting until the ball reaches the plate or is swung at by the batter. If the pitch is not swung at and the outfielder is in front of the line, there is no penalty. If the ball is caught by an outfielder that was illegally across the line, the ball is dead. The batter is awarded first base and all runners are awarded one base whether they are forced to advance or not. If the ball is not caught, a delayed dead ball shall be called. If the batter reaches first base and all runners advance one base, the ball shall continue to be in play with runners being liable to be put out.
XVIV. Miscellaneous
19.00 This is a Homewood-Flossmoor Park District league. All park rules
and
policies apply. Alcohol is not
allowed in any HFPD park or
facility.
20.00 All players must be 18 years or older. Anyone currently listed on a high
school team roster is ineligible.
20.01 Team Rosters must have at least 8 players and no more than 20 players.
20.02 Managers must fill out the scorecard before each game.
20.03 Rosters must be turned in before the 2nd scheduled game.
20.04 All players should bring their ID’s to each game.
20.05 Awards: League standings shall be the basis of league awards. Ties for
1st & 2nd place in the league standings shall be broken by 1) games won in
head to head, 2) point differential in head to head, 3) point differential in overall games.
20.06 Forfeits: Using illegal players and or not enough players. Forfeited games will be scored as 6-0. Participants
are only allowed to play and appear on one team roster per season.