Kickball in the park!

Let's get out, enjoy the summer, get exercise, and have some fun! Remember kickball? Or as my hood used to call it kicksoccer. I put 5pm as the start time, but that's when we can all start arriving, socializing, picking teams, setting up, getting game details squared away. 6pm will be the game start time. Below are some rules and regulations of the game (to refresh your memory of days gone by). Please be prepared by reading them below.

As far as beverages are concerned.... well, bring what you want to drink or eat. Just know that alcoholic beverages are not legal in the park. Then again, some may bring things inconspicuously. http://img1.meetupstatic.com/614102232183174521616/img/smileys/wink.gif

Regulation game

· Games end after six (6) full innings. One extra inning is played if score is tied and time remains. A game can end in a tie if tie.

Pitching / catching

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

· Strike zone is 1 foot inside and outside of home plate. Bouncing balls are balls. Umpire determines if strike or not.

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

· 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.

· 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.

· A pitch outside the strike zone is a ball.

· Balls must be pitched by hand.

Kicking

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

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

· No Bunting is allowed. Umpire determines bunt call. A bunt is called an out.

Running

Runners must stay within the base line. No sliding or running into a fielder. No contact is allowed…the runner is out if the runner initiates contact or runner is safe if fielder initiates contact. 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. No leading off or stealing. Runner can only advance after the ball is kicked. A runner off a base when the ball is kicked is out. Runners may Tag-Up after a kicked ball is caught by the defense to advance to the next base. Runners may overrun first base. 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. Running past another runner is not allowed. Any runner passed by another runner is out. Strikes

Three (3) strikes is an out. A strike is: A pitch within the strike zone that is not kicked; An attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone A foul ball is a strike Balls

Three (3) balls walk the kicker to first base A pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Umpire where a kick is not attempted An illegal bouncing pitch Any fielder or pitcher advancing on home plate before the ball is kicked Any catcher crossing home plate before the kicker or failing to field behind the kicker Foul ball

A foul counts as a strike Three (3) fouls is an out. (1 foul after having two strikes is an out) A foul is: A kick landing in foul territory; A kick that goes foul prior to passing 3 rd or 1 st base & not touched by a player . Outs

Three (3) outs by a team complete the team’s half of the inning. Three (3) strikes, three (3) fouls, or fouling with 2 strikes Runner touched by the ball while not on base & the ball is in play; 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. A kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught in the air A ball thrown to fielder touching base beats the runner who is forced to run; A runner off of his/her base when the ball is kicked; A runner physically assisted by a base coach during play Play ends:

When the pitcher has the ball in control and on the mound. A runner intentionally touches or stops the ball (the runner is out) 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 . Let’s have fun rule:

In the name of playing the game and making sure that the players / teams have fun the coaches may make minor changes to the rules if both coaches agree and the intent of the Kickball Rules are followed. (For example: A coach may choose to allow another team to use an unregistered player provided the player pays the league single game fee to league prior to start of the game)