Adult Kickball Rules

Apex Park and Recreation District’s Adult Kickball Leagues are governed by World Kickball Association (WAKA) rules with the following exceptions and modifications:

Leagues are defined as follows:

• Coed Open: Consists of teams with varying playing abilities.

Payments:

• The entire league fee is due by the first game. Teams may be required to forfeit games if the entire league fee is not paid by the first game.
• Teams are required to pay league fees and fines by credit/debit card.

Team Rosters:

• A roster may contain up to 16 players. All players must be 18+ years old to be eligible to participate.
• A complete roster is required for all teams. All team managers must submit their team roster via TeamSideline.com/Apex before the first game. Players are considered ineligible until the roster invite (via email) has been accepted and signed.
  • All team rosters will be frozen after the 4th scheduled game. Teams have until that time to add and/or drop players.
  • Using inaccurate player information will result in automatic player ejection, suspension, and/or forfeit.
• Players may not appear on two rosters within the same division.
• All players must play a minimum of two league games to be eligible for postseason play.
• Teams who use substitutes must have those players added to their roster prior to playing. These players may not be on another roster for any other team within the division. If the player is on multiple rosters within the division, that player is ineligible.
• Coed teams may only use the following combination of players to kick if starting with 7.
  • 4 men/3 women
  • 3 men/4 women
• 8 players are required to take the field. In coed leagues, a team must have 4 men and 4 women.

Forfeit Procedure:

• A team must have at least 7 players to begin. The team with seven players will become the visiting team and kick first. Teams may not take the field and play defense if they have less than 8 players. If the 8th player does not arrive once the home team comes to kick, the game will be declared a forfeit.
• If both teams have fewer than 8 players, a double forfeit will be declared.
• The score of a forfeited game will be 7-0. In the event a double forfeit occurs, each team will be credited with a loss, with the score being recorded as 0-0.
• Teams will be given a 5-minute grace period if a team does not have the minimum number of players to begin. The 5 minutes will be counted as game time. If a team still does not have enough players after the 5-minute grace period has expired, they will be forced to forfeit.
• If a team needs to forfeit, managers must contact the recreation coordinator by 4 pm on the scheduled game day. If notified properly, there may be no forfeit fee charged to the team.
  • A forfeit will result in a $25 fine issued to the team. All fines must be paid before the team is able to play their next game.
  • A no-call/no-show will result in a $50 fine issued to the team. All fines must be paid before the team is able to play their next game.
  • If a team has two no-calls/no-shows in the same season, the team may be removed from the league, and zero refunds will be provided.

Uniforms/Equipment:

• Kickballs must comply with the following:
  • Red WAKA logo kickball.
  • Measures 10 inches in diameter when properly inflated to a pressure of 1.5 pounds per square inch.
• Matching jerseys are recommended for league play but are not required. However, teams must have shirts in the same color.
• Steel cleats, metal spiked cleats, detachable cleats, shoes made of hard plastic/polyurethane, flip flops, or open-toed shoes will not be allowed in any league. Players will be ineligible to play until the equipment is legal.

Mercy Rule:

• Games will be called if the following occur:
  • 15-run rule after 4 completed innings (or 3 ½ innings if the home team is ahead).
  • 10-run rule after 5 completed innings (or 4 ½ innings if the home team is ahead).

Extra Innings:

• The first extra inning will begin with the last player who kicked in the previous inning on second base with no outs.
• The second extra inning will begin with the last player who kicked in the previous inning on third base with no outs.
• All subsequent innings will begin with the last player who kicked in the previous inning on third base with no outs.

Game Time:

• Games will last 7 innings or 55 minutes.
• If the game is tied after 55 minutes, extra-inning rules will apply.
  • Note: No new inning will begin after 10:30 pm (regardless of score) due to the city of Arvada’s curfew for athletic field lights.
• Managers must turn in their lineup to the umpires at the pregame meeting.
  • The supplied lineup card must be used – no paper lineups will be accepted. Lineups must also list substitutes.
    • Players/substitutes will not be allowed to play in the game if they are not listed on the lineup when it is turned in to the umpire at the pregame meeting.
  • Lineups must include both the first and last name of each player as well as the player’s jersey number if teams have jerseys.
  • Each team will be provided a copy of their opponent’s lineup.
  • All lineup changes must be announced to the umpires at the time of the substitutions.
  • Disputes about kicking order changes, illegal substitutions, etc., must be communicated immediately to the umpires. Umpires will use their judgment to decide the management of these complaints.
• The umpires have the sole responsibility for keeping track of game time and game score by running the scoreboard.
  • The starting time will begin immediately after the pregame meeting with the umpires. The home team and visiting team will always be listed on the game schedules.
  • Teams have the option of keeping score by asking the supervisors for a scoresheet before the game. Teams are encouraged to compare scores with the umpires at the end of each half-inning to ensure accuracy and agreement of scoring.
  • At the end of each half-inning, the umpires will announce how many runs were scored and will announce the updated score. Any scorekeeping disputes must be communicated to the umpires and resolved at the end of the half-inning being disputed. Otherwise, the umpire's score will be determined to be the official score of record.
• For playoffs, the 1st game will always be the #2 vs. #3 seed. The 2nd game will always be the #1 vs. #4 seed. The higher-seeded teams will automatically be the home team. This also includes the championship game.
• Playoff games, including championships, will be timed per regular season rules, and mercy rules will still be in effect.

Game Play:

• Base distances will be 60’, and the pitching distance will be 43’.
• The strike zone extends one foot on either side of home plate and one foot high.
  • Any pitch outside of that area is deemed a ball.
• Each kicker will start with a 0-0 count (0 balls and 0 strikes).
• Kickers will get 3 strikes.
• A count of 4 balls will advance the kicker to first base.
• Once a kicker has 2 strikes, kickers will be allowed 2 foul balls.
  • The 3rd foul ball will result in an out.
• Baserunners are not permitted to lead off.
  • Baserunners are out when a baserunner fails to keep contact with the base to which they are entitled until a pitched ball has reached or passed home plate or is kicked.
    • No pitch is declared, the ball is dead, and the runner is out.
  • Runners are required to “tag up” or stay on base until the ball is caught or touched by a fielder. After a tag-up, runners may advance.
  • Time will be called by the umpire when the defensive team has possession of the ball in the infield and no runners are attempting to advance. This will end the play.

Substitutions:

• A legal substitute is a player who has not played or kicked in the game.
• Player substitution must be man/man or woman/woman.
• All substitutions must be brought to the umpires attention at the time of the substitution.

Kicking Order, Ejections, Injuries, and Reentries:

• A team is allowed to kick a maximum of 12 people in the lineup.
• A team must have a minimum of 8 players on defense (4 men/4 women for coed).
  • If a team only has 8 players, the 9th spot will not be an automatic out.
• Teams can add up to 10 players in their kicking lineup at any time during the game.
  • For kicking spots 11 and 12, players can be added if they arrive at the game before their spot in the lineup comes up. If their lineup spots pass before they arrive, the team is considered to have a maximum lineup of 10 players, and all extra players must now enter the game as substitutes.
• For coed leagues, the kicking order must alternate gender.
  • When the lineup does not have the same number of men and women, you will still kick alternating genders. This is when you would snake the kicking order.
    • For example, if you have 7 men and 5 women, there will be no automatic out awarded. Instead, the women just get to kick more.
      • If you have 5 men and 7 women, women will kick back-to-back in this case after the initial alternating lineup.
    • The men will still follow the men, and the women will still follow the women.
    • Women can kick back-to-back, but men cannot. If men kick back-to-back, an out will be taken.
  • If a player must leave the game due to any reason (leaving early, ejection, injury, etc.), that spot in the lineup will be an automatic out unless a legal substitute can replace that player.
  • An injured player is allowed to re-enter the game if necessary.
  • Any of the starting players may withdraw and re-enter once, provided such a player occupies the same kicking position whenever he/she is in the lineup. A substitute who is withdrawn may not re-enter.
  • If more than 1 player/coach/manager is ejected for any reason, the game will be declared a forfeit.

Coed Walk Rule:

• In coed games, whenever a male gets walked, he automatically goes to 2nd base.
  • When a male gets walked, and there are already runners on base, those runners would be forced to advance to the appropriate bases.
    • If there is a runner on 2nd base and a male gets walked, the runner on 2nd base would advance to 3rd base.
  • When there are 2 outs and a male gets walked, the female coming up to kick has the choice of either automatically getting awarded 1st base or being allowed to hit.

Kicking:

• All kicks must be made with the foot.
• All kicks must occur at or behind home plate. A kick in front of home is considered an out.
• Any kick that lands out of bounds or lands in bounds but does not reach first or third base will be deemed a foul ball.
  • Any kicked ball that is touched by an infielder in the field of play is automatically in play.
• Bunting is allowed. However, the moment the ball is bunted, fielders can try and field the ball and pass the cross-field diagonal line (first-third base).
  • If a bunt is not touched by a fielder and does not travel past the cross-field diagonal line (buntline), the kicker will be out. All runners will return to their base at the time of the pitch.

Outs:

• An out will be called on any of the following:
  • A kicker gets three strikes.
  • A kicker gets two foul balls after having two strikes.
  • A kicker who contacts the ball in front of home plate.
  • A kicker who bunts the ball that is not touched by a fielder and does not go past the cross-field diagonal line (first-third base).
  • A runner off base who is touched by the ball at any time when the ball is in play.
  • Any kicked ball that is caught in the air in the field of play.
  • A ball tag on a base where a runner is forced to run.
  • A runner off base at the time of the kick (leading off).
  • A kicker who intentionally hits the ball with their hand or arm.
  • A runner fails to tag up after the ball is caught.
  • Any runner who is physically assisted by a team member during play.
  • A runner passes another runner on the base path.

Courtesy Runners:

• Courtesy runners must be the last recorded out or the last runner to score. In coed leagues, there must be man/man or woman/woman runners only. Courtesy runners are unlimited.
  • If a courtesy runner is on base and their turn to kick comes up, their team will take an out in their place.
  • Teams are not allowed to have a courtesy runner for a courtesy runner.
  • If a courtesy runner gets injured while on base, the original runner must take their place.

Double First Base:

• Runners must touch the orange base when the ball is hit in the infield.
  • Failure to touch the orange base will result in the runner being called out.
• Runners may touch either the white base or the orange base when the ball is hit in the outfield.
• On tag-up plays or overruns, the runner must touch the white base.
• The defensive player must touch the white base to record an out.
• Interference by a runner (with a defensive player) will result in all runners returning to their bases at the time of interference.

Slide or Surrender:

• If a baserunner is approaching any base in which a fielder is in possession of a ball or a fielder is in position to receive a ball (in flight), that baserunner must avoid contact. Failure to avoid contact could result in an out being called or the player being ejected. This is a judgment call by the umpires.

Pitching:

• Pitches must be thrown at a reasonable speed with as little bounce as possible.
• Pitchers are allowed five warm-up pitches in the first inning.
  • In each subsequent half-inning, pitchers are allowed one warm-up pitch.
  • For excessive warm-up pitches, a pitcher will be penalized by awarding a ball to the kicker.
• If a pitcher is relieving another, no more than one minute may be used to deliver no more than five warm-up pitches. Play shall be suspended during this time.

Defense:

• A team can never take the field with fewer than 8 players.
• A team can have a maximum of 10 players on defense.
• The pitcher will always be on the defensive team.
• Teams with 9 or 10 players must play a catcher behind home plate.
• For defensive positioning, there should be an equal number of men and women on the playing field (for coed leagues).
  • If necessary, teams can have one more male and/or two more females on defense.
    • Examples:
      • 5 men/4 women or 5 women/4 men is permitted.
      • 6 women/4 men are permitted.
    • Hitting and/or throwing the ball that contacts a runner above the shoulder is not permitted.
      • Penalty: runner is safe.
    • Any runner who intentionally tries to get hit above the shoulders will be called out.
      • A runner who attempts to dodge, duck, or dive to avoid an out is no longer protected from headshots.
    • Fielders may not use excessive force when applying a tag.
    • Fielders may not stand directly on top of any base or on home plate.
    • The pitcher and other fielders must stay behind the cross-field diagonal line (first-third base) until the ball is kicked.
      • Penalty: Time is called, and the kicker is awarded 1st base (regardless of the outcome of the kick). If runners were on base, they go back to the base that they occupied at the time of the pitch.
    • The catcher must field directly behind the kicker and may not cross home plate before the ball is kicked.

Jewelry:

• All exposed jewelry or other items that are deemed to be hazardous or potentially dangerous by the officials may not be worn during the game.
• Players are ineligible to play until the jewelry is removed.
• Apex strongly recommends that no type of jewelry is worn in any league.

Blood Rule:

• Any participant who is bleeding, has an open wound or has an excessive amount of blood on their uniform must leave the game.
• The participant may not return until either the bleeding has stopped, the wound has been covered and bandaged, and/or the uniform has been changed.

Inclement Weather Policy:

• Check TeamSideline for weather updates. We will make every effort to play games and reschedule only if necessary.
• In the event of a cancellation, team managers will be notified via email/text from TeamSideline.com (individuals must register for text messages to receive them).
• In the event of rain or wet grounds, the officials and/or field supervisors will make the call if conditions are playable based on the City of Arvada designated criteria.
• If a game must be called due to inclement weather, darkness, lighting, etc., it shall be resumed from the exact point where it was stopped.
  • Kickball/Softball Exception: If a game is not tied and 4-½ or 5 innings have been completed (depending on the score/home team), the game is considered complete.
• Rainout/Makeup Policy: It is Apex’s policy to make up games as courts/fields are available. Makeup games may be required to be played on weekends and/or weeknights that differ from a team’s regularly scheduled night. If teams are not available for the scheduled makeup, they will be forced to forfeit.

Ejections:

• If a player:
  • Gets ejected for the first time: a $25 fine in addition to a suspension. All fines must be paid before a player can return to play after serving the suspension.
  • Gets ejected for the second time: a $50 fine in addition to a suspension. All fines must be paid before a player can return to play after serving the suspension.
  • Gets ejected for the third time: The player is removed from the league.
• Ejected players must leave the facility immediately. If officials deem an ejected player is intentionally taking too long to leave and delaying the resumption of gameplay, officials have the right to assess a penalty up to including calling the game and awarding the win to the opposing team. This is a judgment call by the officials and is not subject to dispute.

Smoking and Alcohol:

• No smoking or vaping of any kind will be permitted.
• No consumption of alcohol will be allowed before, during, and/or after the game anywhere on the premises. This includes koozies, water bottles, or anything similar.
• Glass bottles of any kind are prohibited.
• Any player, manager, coach, and/or spectator caught smoking/vaping and/or consuming alcohol anywhere on the premises by either the field supervisors or officials will be ejected and must leave the facility.
• If a second player, manager, and/or coach is caught smoking/vaping and/or consuming alcohol anywhere on the premises, the violating team will be forced to forfeit.
• No player, manager, or coach shall participate in the game while intoxicated.
• Penalties for violation of these policies: Minimum 1 game suspension and $25 fine.

Insurance:

• Apex does not provide insurance coverage for players, coaches, or spectators. You are strongly advised to check your coverage with your personal carrier to ensure you are covered for accidents/injuries, including ambulance transportation.

Awards:

• The top 4 teams in each division will advance to an end-of-season single-elimination tournament.
• Awards will be given to tournament winners (maximum 14).
• Tiebreakers in league play between 2 or more teams will be determined by the following:
  • Winning Percentage
  • Head-to-Head
  • Head-to-Head Differential
  • Total Points For
  • Total Points Against
  • Total Points Differential
  • Lowest Number of Forfeits
  • Coin Toss

Revised 7/8/2024