There are two teams for dodgeball.  Selection is done either in counting (1-2-1-2) or by selection (old school yard style).  From there, the rules of play are:

·          The games are played on a basketball court. Teams cannot cross half court to the other side.  There are four pins placed at the end of the courts (under the basketball hoops) at the back of each team. 

·          With teams of approximately 10 there would be 6 balls in play.  The number of balls in play increases with more players. The game begins with all balls on center court & all players touching the far baseline.  When the whistle is blown, all players race for the balls, begin throwing at the opposite team and the game begins.  

·          The object is to get players from the other team out. This is done by hitting the players with the ball (headshots do not count as an out. A player hit in the head is still in.)  The other way to get a player out is to catch a thrown ball. 

·          There are two ways to win a dodge ball match.  The first way is to get all players from the opposing team out.  The second way is to knock down all four pins at the back of the team. The pins can be knocked down throughout the play of game. Once the pins are down, they cannot be put back up. This is true even if the pin is knocked over by mistake by a team member.

·          If a dodge ball hits the wall or the ground or another ball without first hitting a person, the ball is dead. As a result, anyone can then pick up that ball. 

To get players back in the game (who have already been knocked out) you must throw the ball from the opposite end of the court to hit the far backboard without it hitting anything else first. The first player out is the first person returned. Should a basket be made during this throw, the entire team is returned to the court. (This rule is specific to LR, as other teams play that players are returned when their team catches a ball.)