Board Votes to Overturn Rule Changes

The Executive Board has taken a pre-season vote to review some rule changes from the 2023 Ballot Results and offer some clarification on other aspects of the ruleset and NCDA constitution.

Rulebook Updates:

R.1) Update to the Shot Clock Violation Penalty – PASS 8-1

NEW – A shot clock violation will result in a team forfeiting all balls in their possession. (Revert back to 2021-2022 season)

Previous: Shot clock Violation call will result in a team forfeiting all but two balls in their possession (or all if possessing 2 or fewer)

R.2) Redefining the Start of a Team’s Shot Clock – PASS 6-3

NEW – The shot clock will begin when the third ball is considered dead.

Previous: The shot clock will begin when the third ball enters the team’s zone

R.3) Clock discontinues on “failed” retrieval of third ball – PASS 7-2

NEW – The shot clock of a team acquiring their third ball discontinues if the ball returns to the throwing team.

Previous: Shot clock continues if third ball returned to the throwing team.

R.4) Player has 5 seconds to reenter after exit – PASS 8-1

NEW – If a player gets out and has not yet exited the court before a catch is made to bring them back into the game, they will have 5 seconds to enter the court after exiting to their jail.
Previous: A player has 5 total seconds to exit to the jail and reenter the court.

Policy Updates:

P.1) Redefine Dir. of Records to Open Director position – PASS 7-2

NEW – The Director of Records position may be assumed by any of the elected Open Directors.

Previous: The Director of Records position must be elected specifically for said role.

P.2) Redefine Dir. of Female Engagement to Open Director position – PASS 5-4 NEW – The Director of Female Engagement position may be assumed by any of the elected Open Directors.

Previous: The Director of Female Engagement position must be elected specifically for said role.

Supporting Data:

R.1) Update to the Shot Clock Violation Penalty
Evidence to support the reversion to the previous year’s rule comes from the results of the Leadership Conference Tournament survey. After playing with the new rule, we had 15 players provide feedback on our open form on what they thought. Since the results were not strongly in favor of the change, it did not seem logical to play out a whole season with a rule that is more so for the point of “trying something new”. Here were the results:
In Favor – 5 (33%)
Indifferent – 7 (47%)
Not In Favor – 3 (20%)

R.2) Redefining the Start of a Team’s Shot Clock
This rule is being implemented to promote consistency and to provide a more straight-forward way of resuming the shot clock. Each year the NCDA filters out a large portion of their experienced refs, resulting in a wave of new refs having to familiarize themselves with performing shot clocking duties. The previous rule was ill-defined and often interpreted in different ways by each team. This new rule is easy to learn, and easy to track when preforming duties as the shot clock.

R.3) Clock discontinues on “failed” retrieval of third ball
This rule was commonly misconstrued, or rather “imagined” somewhere along the way during the development of the NCDA ruleset. It was never formally stated that the shot clock of a defending team returned to an unenforced state if the throwing team successfully retains their ball after a “wall-ball” attempt. This change can be more so interpreted as a clarification in the ruleset since it is implementing a rule that most teams already follow.

R.4) Player has 5 seconds to reenter after exit
This change is for the sole purpose of bettering the ruleset. Before, in any situation, a player only has 5 seconds to reenter the court. Clarifying that a player will have additional time to reenter in abnormal situations allows them time to understand their situation and address the proceeding steps appropriately. If a player realizes too late that they have been caught back in, they may stay on the court instead of making the appropriate exit and return. No player should be forced to make a bad decision because they do not have time to react.

P.1 & P.2) Redefine of Directors to Open Director positions
The Director or Records and Director of Female Engagement positions were proposed as standalone positions when they were meant to be proposed as additional Open Director spots. The “Open Directors” were originally created to allow a more broad definition of the responsibilities of each board member. Redefining these roles allows for a more broad definition, where elected Open Directors may assume the role of specific director titles as they wish.

Ballot Results for the 2023 Season

Below are the results of the preferential election for the 2022/2023 NCDA Rulebook, select Policies, and 2023 Executive Board. The Rulebook is scheduled to be released prior to the start of the 2023 Season.

Nationals 2023

Here were the final results for Nationals 2021 selection:

Ohio University – 1st Round

Ohio University has been selected to host Nationals 2023.

Continue reading “Ballot Results for the 2023 Season”

NCDA Executive Board Votes to Add ‘Director of Records’ Position

The NCDA Executive Board voted 7-1 to expand the Board and add a new permanent Director position. This position, claiming the title Director of Records, will be in charge of managing important NCDA information including but not limited to: Records of All Games, Standings, and Form Responses for Registrations.

The Board believes that the expansion will provide additional help to expand the NCDA, and increase involvement opportunities for current and former players to help the NCDA. This position will be open for election on this year’s ballot. Those interested in running for the position must either nominate themselves or be nominated by another individual to be eligible. Nominations for the position are due by May 31st. Please contact a current NCDA Board member if you are interested or have any questions.

B-Team and Nationals Format Ballot Results

Below are the results of the two-part B-Team and Nationals Format proposals for the 2020 NCDA Season. There were 25 Member Teams with voting rights that submitted ballots, with 4 non-voting teams submitting ballots for the record.

Continue reading “B-Team and Nationals Format Ballot Results”

Rule Proposal: 28 ft Attack Line

The following was proposed by Hunter Ford and Colby Briceland for the 2020 season.

Proposed Rule Change: Move the throw line to 28 feet

Rationale: Create a more competitive NCDA format by speeding up pace of play, create a better visual product for new members/spectators, increasing scoring, and more opportunities for all players to succeed

Our gameplay has dramatically improved over the past few seasons due to multiple rule changes including the switch to 12v12 and the implementation of clean blocking. The throw line is another area where I believe the NCDA can further improve to once again solidify us as the most competitive and exciting rule set amongst all dodgeball leagues in the world.

  • Advantages:
  • Shorter throwing distance reduces accuracy errors, leading to a higher percentage of balls on target
  • Closer distance to baseline provides more opportunity for quick counter throws from baseline
  • Closer distance to baseline increases neutral zone space, with more opportunity to run down opponents on counter strategies
  • Balls become closer to each team on the opening rush, which can provide more opportunities for kills at early stages of the match
  • The more available opportunities for kills can lead to a decrease in stalling tactics due to kills becoming a higher probability than previously
  • Easier set up, for those unaware, on a full size basketball court there is a line marked 28 feet from the baseline already representing the coaches box, this would reduce errors in setting up throw lines in favor of an easy accurate measurement 
  • A closer throw line can improve player catching ability, and develop more skilled dodgeball players for the long term
  • Faster pace of play leads to more scoring, also less waiting time on the sideline for players already out
  • Disadvantages:
  • A closer throw line favors teams with strong throwers, which can reduce catch rates, leading to more dodging and less results from each throw
  • A closer throw line for gyms with close walls provides more bounce back opportunities


→ That being said, the closer throw line encourages more kills/counters which could reduce teams utilizing bounce back strategies
A closer throw line slightly boosts the potential for injuries including but not limited to face shots and damaged fingers

In the event that this rule passes and gameplay legitimately suffers, we will always have the ability to change this back. For the sake of developing our players and improving the product on the court, I feel this is a rule that we need to implement at the start of the 2019-20 season.

Rule Proposal: Ball Re-Entry

The following was proposed by Kevin Bailey.

If a ball exits the court on one team’s side of the neutral zone (and does not re-enter the court on its own), it must be returned in-bounds at that team’s baseline. If a ball exits the court through the neutral zone (and does not re-enter the court on its own), it must be placed on the spot in which it went out of bounds. No exception is made for a ball out of bounds but within reach for a player.

*If a live player possesses a ball at the same time as a designated ball retriever, the ball is awarded to the player.

Rationale:

Too many times (on courts with a close wall especially), a ball thrown by an opponent exits the court on a team’s side but not within reach. When this ball is the only one on that side, it becomes a major stall ball game, and almost always results in 10-15 seconds of standing still, then a shotclock violation call. Oftentimes this will repeat itself after the opponent comes up to make a solo throw after the balls over. At WAR, there were a few games with double digit stoppages due to this exact thing.

This rule will help speed up the game, by taking away some unnecessary stoppages. It will also help decrease bounceback stall ball in the scenario mentioned above. Also, taking away the ambiguity of what is/isn’t reachable helps simplify the out of play rule and will cause for less disputes.

Overall, this isn’t a major rule change that will have a massive impact on the game, but it will help in some cases to make the game much more watchable. Not to mention, more enjoyable to play.

Take a look at the image included in this post for a basic description of different scenarios.

No photo description available.

2019 Executive Board

WAUCONDA – Office of the Director of Officiating: It is my pleasure to announce the 2019 Executive Board of the National Collegiate Dodgeball Association. Jacob Leski (CMU) and Kevin Bailey (GVSU) will remain on the Board, and Hunter Ford (VCU Alum) moves into a voting position as the Board’s newest and youngest Director. All three will hold a term of two years (July 1 2018 to July 31 2020), serving as leaders of dodgeball at the collegiate level.

2019 NCDA Executive Board:
Felix Perrone, President
Mike McNicholas, Treasurer
Colin O’Brien, Director
Dylan Fettig, Director
Kevin Bailey, Chief of Content
Jacob Leski, Director of League Expansion & Retention
Hunter Ford, Director
Director of Nationals, TBD (PSU)

I would like to take a moment to thank the rest of the Candidates for running in this election. It’s still quite amazing we have this amount of quality leadership willing to step into a national role. Colby Briceland, Erik Zander, and Brandon Meisel, thank you again for being candidates for this League’s Exec Board.

And as always, thank you to our 31 Member Teams that voted in this preferential election (of our the 37 eligible Member schools). An extra special thanks to the 19 Alumni that voted, your continued support and involvement is crucial to this organization.

Preferential Election Results: 32 valid ballots, including one Alumni ballot determined by a Borda count. Electing 3 candidates. Threshold to win is 9 votes. There were no ties. Jacob Leski (17) and Hunter Ford (9) were elected in the first round of counting. Leski’s surplus votes were transferred to down ballot preferences as fractions in the second round. In the third, Kevin Bailey (4) reached the threshold and was elected in the third round. Full details can be found in our records archive.

Thank you, and good luck to the new board.

2019 Executive Board Election

There are three positions on the eight Director Executive Board that need filling. Following the NCDA’s voting policy, the vote will be preferential.

Teams will submit their ballot by ranking each candidate in order of their preference. The three most preferred candidates will be offered the respective position on the Executive Board.

Captains, submit your team’s ballot via Google Forms:

Vote

Voting will run from 2018-06-26 until 2018-06-30. The new board will be announced no later than 2018-07-01, with the start of the NCDA fiscal year.

Continue reading “2019 Executive Board Election”

Ballot Results for the 2019 Season

RICHMOND – Office of the Director of Nationals.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Below are the results of the preferential election for the 2018/2019 NCDA Rulebook and select Policies. The Rulebook is scheduled to be released prior to the start of the 2019 Season. Extra special thanks to the 33 Member Teams that submitted ballots. Overall there were 37 Member Teams with voting rights.

2019 Executive Board elections will occur at the end of June, Candidate Campaign Paragraphs due 2018-06-25 with a ballot release 2018-06-26. Continue reading “Ballot Results for the 2019 Season”

Summer 2018 Off Season Voting

Voting will run from May 29th to June 5th, 2018 11:59PM Pacific, or will end early if each Member Team casts a ballot via Google Forms. Each Member Team has one ballot. The NCDA uses a preferential voting system. If you do not wish to vote on a specific rule or option, just leave it blank.

Vote

Each option on the form is accompanied by a link to the original proposal that was voted into consideration at the 2018 Captains’ Meeting. Below are the campaign paragraphs for each bid to host Nationals 2019.  Continue reading “Summer 2018 Off Season Voting”

Rule Proposal – Yellow/Red Card to an not Live Player

Rule Proposal submitted by Colin O’Brien

Amendment to rule 3.7.3 Yellow Cards

If a player receives a Yellow Card while not currently a Live Player, a Live Player must be removed from the court and enter the Jail. The player removed is at the choosing of the team of the offending player. The player receiving the Yellow Card is ineligible to reenter the point at any point, regardless of the number of catches. The Live Player removed from the court is eligible to return to the court if the necessary amount of catches occur.

 

Amendment to rule 3.7.4 Red Cards

If a player receives a Red Card while not currently a Live Player, a Live Player must be removed from the court and enter the Jail. The player removed is at the choosing of the team of the offending player. The player receiving the Red Card is ineligible to reenter the game at any point, and their team must play at a man disadvantage the rest of the game. The Live Player removed from the court is eligible to return to the court if the necessary amount of catches occur. If the offending player was not a Live Player at any point during the current point, the Live Player removed from the court would be ineligible to return to the court until a new point begins, in which the offending team would continue to play at a man disadvantage.

 

Rationale: Currently, if a player receives a Yellow Card while already eliminated, the only penalty the team suffers is that player is ineligible to return to the point. As most players receive yellow cards in this situation, there really is no penalty to the team in practice. This change would ensure that acts warranting Yellow Cards would indeed be penalties to the offending team, no matter if the offending player is currently a Live Player or not.

Rule Proposal – Team throw air collision

Rule Proposal submitted by Dylan Greer

Rule Proposal:
If two balls thrown from the SAME team collide in mid-air, both balls stay live until ruled dead.

Currently these balls would be considered dead. I feel like this rule is often forgotten and ignored as its near impossible to see from a ref’s perspective on team throws. Changing this rule hopefully makes reffing easier and clarifies the “Two for the Show” rule.

Policy Proposal – No Excuse Forfeit Rule

Policy Proposal submitted by Adam Pfeifer

This rule pertains to the current forfeit rule. In the event a team cancels less than 10 days before a tournament and no replacement can be found the team will be assessed a forfeit for each match they were scheduled to play unless the reason for the team backing out is justified. This will count as a loss for them and a win for the team they were set to play. Currently if the board votes the reason for a teams inability to travel to a tournament was justified, the team is not given a forfeit. If all teams in attendance play three matches they are also not granted a forfeit. Teams that back out are still able to recieve a forfeit if they back out last minute and the board votes they to give them the forfeit. They are assigned a forfeit loss over a ghost team with a rank of 40.0.
In the event a team backs out less than 10 days prior, and the board rules their reason is justified, and the team they were set to play only has two games, a forfeit will be awarded. The team in question that backed out will not be assigned a loss, but the team not playing three game will be awarded a win over a ghost team with rank of 40.0.
In addition to this rule I vote that the rule on forfeits is the rule. Travel time should not be a factor on if a team is assigned a forfeit or not. If a team was guaranteed to play three matches, and because of a team backing out results in them only playing two, the team should be awarded a forfeit.

Rule Proposal – Running Clock / Early Finish

Rules proposed by Zachary Parise

Rule 1: There should automatically be a running clock in the second half if a team is down by at least 5 points. (I looked to see if this was already a rule and couldn’t find it in the manual)

Rule 2: If a team is down 7-8 points at any time in the second half, the game is called.

Rule Proposal – Change Rosters Between Multiple Day Tournaments

Rule proposal submitted by Colin Sporer

Rule Proposal: Rosters can be altered between days during 2-day tournaments

Rationale: Promotes depth for teams and gives players who are lower on the totem pole an opportunity to step up in the case of arm soreness or injury. I believe it is better to tell someone that they are an alternate rather than saying they are not going to play.