Hockisball Rules

Hockisball rules:

Object: To score more points than the opposing team.

The game: The game is played by two teams of 2 or 3 players each.
 The game consists of 3 to 10 periods (depending on time
available, type of match, etc.) where each team alternates playing
offense and defense once per period.  A period is 5:00 minutes
long (2:30 /per team on offense).

Equipment: Each player must have one tennis or racketball racket,
each team must have one set of gloves (baseball variety), where a
set consists of a glove for the right and a glove for the left
hand.  The game additionally requires one tennis ball.  Protective
gear (e.g. mouthpieces, face shield, etc. are allowed as long as
they do not become too cumbersome or interfere with play.
Traditionally no protective equipment is used.)  The final piece
of required equipment is a stopwatch or other timekeeping device.
 This must be something which can be worn around the neck or
easily accessible by the defensive team's goalkeeper, who is also
timekeeper for the game.

The court: Hockisball is played on a court which may vary in shape
and size, but should be roughly square or rectangular and sized to
approximately 30 meters by 30 meters.  Lines shall designate the
edges of the court.  On at least (and preferably only) one side of
the court, there should be a vertical solid wall at least 10
meters tall.  In this wall, there is an opening which is 2-2.5
meters tall by 2.5-3.5 meters wide.  This is the goal.  There is a
marked area around the goal called the "goal crease".  The crease
may vary in size, but 2 meters in front of the goal and  7 meters
side to side (not necessarily centered).  The crease outline may
be flat or have small curblike barriers no larger than  15 cm tall
by 20 cm deep.  Finally, it is possible to have slightly
customized hockisball court by the allowance of having varying
court materials (concrete, gravel, grass, dirt, hardtop) and legal
obstacles (concrete blocks, bushes, dumpsters, wall buttresses,
cars, etc) on the court.  These obstacles must be stationary and
permanent.

Scoring:
A point is scored any time that the ball breaks the plane of the
goal mouth (100% through plane).  The plane of the goal is defined
as the back edge of the wall through which the goal opening sits.
 There are several ways to score a goal.
1. Ball hit into goal by offensive player's racket
2. Ball deflected (inadvertently) by any player.
3. Ball hit, thrown, kicked, etc into goal by defensive player or
off defensive racket.
4. Any legally hit ball that deflects off any wall, barrier, or
other obstruction in the playing area.
5. A ball carried into the goal on the racket of an offensive
player.
6. A ball scored off a penalty shot.

Legal plays:

An offensive player may perform any of the following legal plays:
1. Hit the ball with his racket in any direction and to any player
2. Shoot on goal from outside the crease
3. Play the ball into the crease by deflecting it off a defender
in the crease or off the crease back-wall.
4. Shoot on goal from inside the crease provided the ball arrived
there in a manner described in #3.  Note: either the player or his
teammates can shoot once one of them has entered the ball into the
crease properly.  However, no offensive player may reside in the
crease before the ball is brought in.
5. Dribble the ball by bouncing it with the racket or carrying it
on the racket face.  Note: no hands or other body parts may be
used to stabilize the ball on the face while moving.
6. Pick the ball up off the ground for the purpose of beginning to
dribble (not shoot).

A defensive player may perform any of the plays an offensive
player does with the exception that a defender may reside in the
crease at any time.  Note: if a defender touches the ball in the
crease, it is a live ball and the offensive team may enter the
crease and shoot.

Illegal plays:
Minor:
CLASHING BODIES: A player may not 'check' another player such as
in ice hockey.  Also, a player may not hit another player with the
racket.
CLASHING RACKETS:  A player may not swing his racket at and hit
another player's racket in an effort to stop a shot or steal a
ball.  Some racket-to-racket contact will be present in the game,
but deliberate attempts to collide rackets are prohibited.
ILLEGAL SHOT: A player may not shoot the ball with excessive force
at the goal or another player or out of bounds (delay of game).
Excessive force is defined as a force which may cause injury.
CARRYING:  A player may not carry the ball with his hands or
otherwise except the racket.  The ball may not be kicked except
accidentally.  At no time can the ball be held for more than one
second by any player except the goalkeeper.
OFFSIDES:  An offensive player may not touch a ball in the crease
which was not properly played into the crease
INTERFERENCE:  An offensive player may not interfere with the
goalkeeper.
DELAY OF GAME: The goalkeeper may not hold the ball an excessive
period of time >3 seconds.  The defensive team may not hit the
ball excessively far out of bounds.

Major:
SEVERE (CLASHING BODIES, RACKETS, ETC.) Major pentalties are
defined similarly to minor pentalties, except including
excessiveness, e.g. a player visciously slashing another player
with his racket.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT:  All unsportsmanlike actions are
considered major penalties.
REPEATED MINOR:  3 minor penalties = 1 major penalty within one
period.

The play:
The game begins with one team on offense and one on defense
(determined by RSP).  The defensive team nominates one player to
be goalkeeper, who wears two gloves additionally to having a
racket.  The goalkeeper must also keep game time.

Play begins with the offensive team starting the ball 'up top' at
the far side of the court in front of the goal.  The time begins.
 The offensive team may dribble, pass, etc as they try to score
goals.  The defensive team attempts to prevent the offensive team
from completing their goal, and attempts to run out the clock.

At the end of the time, the team's switch sides and repeat.  One
cycle of each team playing offense and defense is a period.

The clock stops for any out of bounds, goal or penalty.  The clock
restarts once the ball is back in play.  The ball is started in
play from 'up top' after each goal (i.e. a team may score several
points in each period).  The ball is brought back inbounds by a
'flip-in' whereby the team who DIDN'T knock the ball out of
bounds, flips the ball from off the ground back into play.  This
player must re-establish himself inbounds before playing the ball
again.  Note: on hardtop boundaries it is acceptable to have a
flip-in or allow a bounce in, whereby the player drops the ball
from waist level, and hits it inbounds off one bounce.  Opponents
must allow at least 1 meter away from the flip-in player.  Penalty
 restarts occur 'up top'.

The timekeeper must announce when there are 30 seconds left in the
period.  Also, he must count down aloud the last 10 seconds of the
period in a voice that can be heard on the entire court.

Assessment of penalties
Offensive:
Minor - run 5 seconds off the clock
Major - run 20 seconds off the clock

Defensive:
1st minor in a period - offensive team regains possession 'up top'
other minor - offensive team gets a long penalty shot and
posession 'up top'
Major - offensive team gets a short penalty shot and possession
'up top'

Penalty shots:
Long - a shot with only one offensive player and the goalkeeper on
the court.  The offensive player must bounce the ball once and
shoot at the goal.  Note:  excessive force shots in this case are
not offensive penalties (except in the case of unsportsmanlike
conduct), however goals scored off excessive force shots are
voided.  The long penalty shot is taken from the 'up top' position
Short - Same as long penalty shot, but shot is taken from top of
crease (penalty box).

The Hockis Ball Court