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.