The Rules

            Current U.S.S.S.A. Softball Rules will govern kickball with the following emphases and modifications:

 

The Playing Field

1. Base distance will be 70 feet
2. The pitching rubber will be 50 feet from the apex of home plate.
3. The strike zone extends to 1 foot on either side of home plate and 1 foot high.

 

Equipment

1. Athletic shoes are required.  Metal cleats are not allowed.
2. Players may wear protective equipment providing it does not offer the wearer an unfair performance advantage.
3. The recommended kickball is the 8.5 playground ball or equivalent.

 

Teams

1. Teams must field at least six (6) players and no more than ten (10). Teams must field a minimum of three (3) players of each gender. 
2. Teams may have a maximum of twenty (20) players registered on their rosters.
3. The kicking order must alternate in gender, i.e., male, female, male etc.
4. Male to Female ratio must remain equal at all times.

 

Game Play

1. Regulation games will be seven (7) innings, or 60 minute time limit. 
2. There will be a 15 run rule at the end of three (3) innings.
3. There will be a 10 run rule at the end of five (5) innings.
4. A team failing to field at least six (6) players at game time will be a forfeit.

 

Pitching/Fielding

1. NO Bouncies!  A pitch that is higher than one foot at the plate, and called as such, results in a ball.
2. The pitcher must stay behind the pitching strip until the ball is kicked.  Failure to do so results in a ball.
3. No player may field in front of the pitcher other than the catcher, and no player may advance forward the 1^st-3^rd base diagonal until the ball is kicked.  Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.  The catcher must field directly behind the kicker and may not cross home plate before the ball is kicked.  Failure to abide by this rule results in a ball.

 

Kicking

1. All kicks must be made by foot.
2. All kicks must occur at or behind home plate.  A kick in front of home plate is called a foul. 
3. NO BUNTING

Running

1. Runners must stay within the base line. Fielders must stay out of the base line.  Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base, but must lean out of the baseline.  Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe at the base to which they were running.
2. Hitting a runner with ball above the shoulder level is not allowed. Any runner hit above the shoulders is safe and advances one (1) base.  If the runner intentionally uses the head to block the ball, and is so called by the umpire, the runner is out.
3. After a kicked ball is caught, runners must tag their originating base before running to the next base. 
4. Runners may overrun first base.

 

Balls & Strikes

1. Two (2) strikes constitute an out.
2. A strike is a pitch within the strike zone either not kicked or else missed by the kicker.
3. Three (3) balls advance the kicker to first base.
4. A ball is:
   1. A pitch outside the strike zone
   2. An illegal bouncy
   3. Any fielder or pitcher advancing on home plate before the ball is kicked
   4. Any catcher crossing home plate before the kicker or failing to field behind the kicker

 

Fouls

1. Three (3) foul balls constitute an out.
2. A foul is:
   1. a kick landing out of bounds
   2. a kick landing in bounds, but traveling out of bounds on its own before reaching first or third base.  (Any ball touched by an in-bounds fielder is automatically in play.)
   3. a kick in front of home plate

 

Outs

1. Three (3) outs constitute the half of an inning.
2. An out is:
   1. a count of two (2) strikes or three (3) fouls
   2. a runner touched by the ball at any time while not on base
   3. any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught
   4. a ball tag on a base to which a runner is forced to advance
   5. a runner off of his/her base when the ball is kicked

 

Ball in Play

1. Once the pitcher has the ball in control and on the mound, the play ends.
2. At the umpire’s discretion, he may stop play when in his judgment the play is over.
3. There is no infield fly rule.