Effective Date: August 18, 2025

Casual Kickball Rules

1. Sportsmanship

There’s winning the game, and then there’s being fun to play with. Do both, and you’ve truly won at life. Play with integrity, be a good sport, lift others up, and embrace the opportunity to grow and learn together.

  • All players, coaches, and spectators are expected to demonstrate respect toward opponents, officials, and teammates.

  • Unsportsmanlike behavior—including taunting, excessive arguing, profanity, or intimidation—will not be tolerated.

  • Referee authority: Referees have full authority to issue warnings, call outs, eject individuals, or disqualify a team for conduct deemed unsportsmanlike.

  • Spectator conduct: Fans must also maintain respect for players, coaches, and officials. Spectators who demonstrate disrespect will be warned, removed, and their team may be penalized or disqualified. Teams are responsible for the behavior of their players and their fans.

  • The goal is friendly competition: play hard, play fair, and have fun.

2. Playing Field & Equipment

  • Games are played on a standard baseball-style diamond with clearly marked bases.

  • A regulation kickball (10-inch) must be used.

  • Cleats are recommended, but not required.

  • Metal cleats are not allowed!

  • A kicking box should be outlined with chalk at home plate.

3. Teams & Staff

  • Team Size: Each team must have a minimum of 12 rostered players. Every player must kick, but not all are required to field.

  • Rostered Players: A rostered player is defined as a participant who has registered at the beginning of the season and has taken part in a majority of the games. Only rostered players are eligible for playoffs — new players or substitutes may not be introduced at that stage.

  • Team Kicking Order: Captains set the lineup before the game, and it cannot be changed once play begins. No more than three male players may kick consecutively; one female player must appear in the order following any three consecutive males. Batting out of order is an out, and repeated violations may result in disqualification.Fielding: Maximum of 10 players on defense at once, with at least 3 females in the field each inning.

  • Minimum Players: A minimum of 6 rostered players must be present to have an official game. If this standard cannot be met, the team may result in a disqualification (unless the opposing team captain agrees to keep it official). Teams may still play after disqualification, but the game will only be considered a scrimmage.Substitutes: A minimum of 6 rostered players must be present to have an official game

  • Substitute Limit: Each team may use up to 4 substitutes during an official game.

  • Substitute Placement: Substitutes are restricted to outfield positions only and may not be rotated into the infield.

  • Base Coaches: Two teammates (one at first base, one at third base) may guide runners verbally but may not touch them. Interference by a coach results in the runner being called out.

4. Game Format

  • Games last seven innings or 45 minutes, whichever comes first.

  • Mercy Rule:

    • If a team scores 9 runs in a single inning, their turn ends immediately.

    • For the remainder of the game, that team may score no more than 5 runs per inning.

    • Each team is permitted one nine-run inning per game.

5. Pitching & Strike Zone

  • Pitches must be underhand with a flat roll and no spin

  • Pitches must bounce at least three times before reaching home plate.

  • The ball may not exceed 1 foot in height as it crosses the plate.

  • The strike zone extends 1 foot around and above home plate.

6. Kicking

  • Kicks must be taken from on or behind home plate, within the kicking box.

  • Bunting is allowed unless otherwise stated before the game.

7. Balls & Walks

  • Four balls advance the kicker to first base.

  • Balls include:

    • Any pitch outside the strike zone

    • Illegal bounces (fewer than 3 before the plate)

    • Excessive height (over 1 foot at the plate)

8. Strikes

A strike is called when:

  • A legal pitch enters the strike zone and is not kicked.

  • The ball is kicked into foul territory.

  • A ball lands or rolls foul before entering fair territory.

  • A kicker swings and misses at any pitch.

9. Outs

A player is out if:

  • Three strikes are recorded.

  • A kicked ball is caught in the air.

  • They are touched (pegged) by a live ball below the shoulders while not on base.

    • Headshots: Result in a dead ball and runner advances.

    • Intentional headshots: May result in ejection (umpire’s discretion).

    • Leaning into the ball: Runner is out and may be ejected.

  • A force out occurs (fielder tags the base before runner arrives).

  • They leave a base before the ball is kicked (dead ball/strike on first offense; repeat = out).

  • They pass another runner.

  • They fail to tag up on a caught ball.

  • They miss a base.

10. Running & Scoring

  • Runners must remain within the baselines or the natural running arc around bases.

  • Fielders may not obstruct the path unless actively making a play on the ball.

  • No leading off or stealing.

  • On overthrows out of play, runners may advance one additional base.

  • Tagging Up: Runners may tag up and advance once the ball is first touched by a fielder, caught or not.

    • Definition of “first touched”: The moment a fielder makes initial contact with the ball—whether by attempt, tip, bump, or bobble. Runners do not need to wait for the ball to be secured or caught; once first contact occurs, they are eligible to advance.

  • A run counts when a player touches home plate before the third out—unless the third out is a force play or the kicker is retired before reaching first.

  • Players must avoid collisions.

Sliding

  • Sliding is not permitted.

11. Infield Fly

  • Referees may call “Infield Fly” if the ball is an infield pop fly that could reasonably be caught with ordinary effort, when there are runners on first and second base (or bases loaded) with one out or fewer.

    • If caught: The kicker is out and runners may advance at their own risk.

    • If intentionally dropped (umpire’s discretion): The play becomes a dead ball and all runners advance one base.

12. Ball in Play & Interference

  • Play ends immediately when the pitcher controls the ball on the mound.

    • Runners past halfway may advance one base (umpire’s discretion).

    • Others must return to the previous base.

  • If an outside object/person interferes in fair territory, interference is called and bases may be awarded.

  • Kicker interference (touching a pitched ball) or runner interference (hindering a fielder) results in an out.

13. Collisions & Runner Safety

  • Both runners and fielders must make every effort to avoid collisions.

  • Deliberate or reckless contact by a runner = out and possible ejection.

  • Base Occupancy Rule:

    • A defender may only occupy a base if a force play is being made at that base.

    • Example: If a runner advances to third with no force play, the defender cannot block the base.

    • A defender may step into the baseline only if they possess the ball or are catching it immediately before the runner arrives.

14. Extra Innings

  • If tied after regulation (7 innings or 45 minutes), one extra inning is played if time allows.

  • Each half-inning begins with a runner on second base.

  • If still tied, the game is recorded as a tie (unless during playoffs).