Rules

So you might be new to this whole kickball thing and you are out there on the field and get a little confused about a call that the ref made. While WAKA Kickball's rules are similar to baseball or softball, there are some differences that are important to note. Luckily you can easily pull up all of our rules online. We even have a Rules FAQ page that helps clear up some possible confusing situations.

Here are a couple of situations that came up in last night's games that I saw:

A kicker fouls off twice and then takes a strike. In baseball that would count as strike three, what is the call in kickball? Fouls never count as strikes in kickball so a full count is 3 balls, 2 strikes and 3 fouls.

11. STRIKES
11.01 A count of three (3) strikes is an out.
11.02 A strike is:
a. a pitch that is not kicked and is not called a ball per Rule 12.02, that enters any part of the strike zone (see
Rule 1.02);
b. an attempted kick missed by the kicker inside or outside of the strike zone (see Rule 1.02).
11.03 Foul balls never count as strikes.
12. BALLS
12.01 A count of four (4) balls advances the kicker to first base.
12.02 A ball is:
a. a pitch outside of the strike zone as judged by the Referee where a kick is not attempted (see Rule 1.02);
b. a pitched ball that does not touch the ground at least twice or roll before reaching the kicking box;
c. a pitched ball that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball as it enters the kicking box;
d. a pitched ball that exceeds one foot in height from the bottom of the ball at any time while passing through the
kicking box, prior to reaching the kicker;
e. a pitched ball that is higher than one foot at the plate.
13. FAIRS AND FOULS
13.01 A count of four (4) fouls is an out. Foul balls never count as strikes.
13.02 A foul ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing in foul territory (see Diagram 3G, 3H);
b. a kicked ball touched in foul territory (see Rule 1.04);
c. a kicked ball landing in fair territory, but touching foul territory on its own at any time before reaching first or
third base (see Diagram 3I, 3J, 3K);
d. a kicked ball whose direction is altered by contact with any object other than the ground in foul territory, and
called as such;
e. a kick made on or above the knee (see Rule 9.01);
f. a kicked ball touched more than once or stopped in the kicking box by the kicker;
g. a kicked ball kicked outside of the kicking box (see Rule 9.02) (see Diagram 3L, 3M);
13.03 A fair ball is:
a. a kicked ball landing and remaining in fair territory (see Rule 1.04) (see Diagram 3C, 3D, 3E);
b. a kicked ball landing in fair territory then traveling into foul territory beyond the 1st-3rd base diagonal (see
Diagram 3A, 3B, 3F).

There was also some question about whether or not the pitcher could cross the pitching rubber. No they can not, the pitcher (and all fielders except for the catcher) must stay behind the imaginary line between 1st and 3rd base until the ball is kicked.

8. PITCHING, CATCHING AND FIELDING
8.01 Balls must be pitched by hand. There are no restrictions on pitching style. Bouncies are allowed (see Rule
12.02).
8.02 Fielder Positioning. Failure to be properly positioned will result in a Position Warning to the team that
caused the infraction. The team's second and each subsequent Position infraction will result in the kicker being
awarded first base regardless of the outcome of the kick.
Proper Field Position is:
a. All fielders besides the catcher must start play and remain behind the 1st-3rd base diagonal until the ball is
kicked.
b. The pitcher must start the act of pitching within the pitching mound and have at least one foot on or directly
behind the pitching strip when releasing the ball (see Rules 1.01c and 1.01d). No part of the pitcher’s front foot
may be in front of or across the front edge of the pitching strip until the ball is kicked.
c. The catcher must field behind the kicker, within or directly behind the kicking box, and may not cross home
plate nor be positioned forward of the kicker before the ball is kicked. The catcher may not make contact with the
kicker, nor position so closely to the kicker as to restrict the kicking motion.
8.03 Backstop assistant. A captain may choose to enlist a team member as a backstop assistant to retrieve balls
no longer in play. This assistant does not count as a catcher or fielder (see Rule 5.02c), must be behind the
kicking box and sufficiently back from the catcher, and may not be involved in any play.