Dodge for a Cause is a community-wide event benefiting Rural Health Projects, Inc. Rural Health Projects, Inc is a community-based non-profit funded by multiple grants and contracts. We connect and collaborate with our diverse communities to provide education and resources aimed at improving population health.

As a family-friendly event, dressing up in costumes and forming themed teams is highly encouraged! A concession stand will be available for purchase of food or beverages (no outside food/beverages permitted).  All players must sign liability releases or, if the player is 17 or under, a parent/guardian must sign the waiver for the child. 

TOURNAMENT RULES & INFORMATION

In the double-elimination format, each team is guaranteed a minimum of two games. Games last three minutes and will enter "sudden death" in the event of a tie. The losing team from the first round moves to the loser's bracket. Dodgeball boundaries are identical to those of basketball. Teams consist of 6 players, with each player only allowed to play for one team.  Participants can enter one of two tournament divisions: the '15 & Under' division or the '16 & Over' division.  Please note that brackets require a minimum of 10 teams per division. If fewer than 10 teams register in your division, you will be notified by July 15th, and a full refund will be issued. All participants must sign a liability waiver and participants under the age of 18 are required to have a parent or guardian sign the youth liability waiver (waivers available at the entrance).

OBJECTIVE OF THE GAME: Eliminate all opponents to ensure your team has the most players remaining on the court. 

OPENING RUSH: 

• The game starts with six balls on the center line. 
• Players wait behind the baseline for the whistle to blow. 
• A player may retrieve only one ball, which must be taken behind the free-throw line before it can be legally thrown. 
• Passing, rolling, or sending a ball to a teammate is not allowed. 
• The game ends when all players on a team are out. 

GAME RULES: The game lasts for 3 minutes and should be fast-paced without stalling. 

• Players must continuously throw balls; holding, hiding, or "freezing" balls is prohibited, and a player can hold only one ball at a time. 
• Balls on the floor must be picked up and thrown within 5 seconds, or the nearest player without a ball will be out. 
• Throws must be le, gitimate attempts to hit opposing players across the midcourt line. No spiking balls on the floor, throwing at the ceiling, or at the back wall to avoid being caught. 
• A player is out if hit by a ball, even if it merely grazes their body or clothing. A hit to the head also results in a player being out.  
• If a player catches a ball from a teammate, they are not out; instead, the player who threw the ball is out. 
• Any failed attempt to catch a ball that results in contact with the ball is considered an out. 
• Players who are out must line up along the sideline in the order they were eliminated. They may re-enter the game at the referee's signal and in the order they were called out, provided a team member on the court catches a live ball.
•  Players must wear sneakers; sandals or flip-flops are not permitted. 
• No protests are allowed.
• The use of profanity, engaging in fights, or making threats of violence is strictly prohibited. Individuals participating in such behavior will be required to leave.

GAME DEFINITIONS: 

LIVE BALL: A ball that has been thrown and has not yet touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player, an official, or any item outside of the playing field (such as a wall or ceiling).

OUT PLAYER: Any player who has been struck by a live ball or whose thrown live ball has been caught by an opponent.

BOUNDARIES DURING PLAY: Players must stay within the court's boundary lines during play. They may only leave the boundaries to retrieve a ball. Any player crossing the half-court line will be declared OUT.