Rules Are Hard

Dodgeball is a crazy game. There are so many variables and different situations that can happen that it is nearly impossible to have a rulebook that completely satisfies every scenario. Just this past weekend I saw a play that I have never seen happen before, which is crazy because I have been playing for *censored* years! With that being said, we try very hard to create rules that are all-inclusive, fair, and that do not allow for abuse.

Recently I have noticed that there are a few misunderstandings of the rules that have been going around that I would like to address leading up to the big Ohio get-together that we are having. 

Continue reading “Rules Are Hard”

Nationals Survival Guide

It’s crazy to think that the national championship game will be played in less than one week from today! Since many of you have never participated in a NCDA national championship tournament before, we are going to look at what exactly that is going to look like and how to best set yourself and your team up for success during the tournament.

– Tournament Format –

Continue reading “Nationals Survival Guide”

Nationals Host Considerations

School is out, and it’s warm outside so you know that means voting for the host school of the NCDA Nationals 2019 is coming soon. As a board, we would like to send out some suggestions for you to take into consideration when making your decision.  Continue reading “Nationals Host Considerations”

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.

Policy Proposal – Proposal Deadline Lift

Policy Proposal submitted by Mario Romanelli

Rule Proposal: People can sumbit rule proposals at any time.

Rationale: New idea for rules can occur whenever. If player A thinks of an idea that can improve gameplay, that rule should be discussed; regardless if the idea was proposed after April 13th

Policy Proposal – Inactive Member Team Ranking Adjustment

Policy proposal submitted by Austin Michael

Miami Policy Proposal:
If a team that was once inactive/defunct for one year or more decides to re-enter the league, their Gonzalez Points will be adjusted to reflect those years away as such:
1 season – 50% of old rating, 50% of league average
2 seasons – 25% of old rating, 75% of league average
3+ seasons – 100% of league average
Rationale:
We believe that this system would provide a more fair rating for team than just receiving a rating exclusively based on the performance of prior years. The reasoning behind the scaling system is because it represents the percentages of each class that would have likely been removed from the team (i.e. if a team was inactive for 1 season, their senior and junior classes from the active year are presumably graduated, translating to 50% of the roster).
With this in place, it would provide a more balanced system for teams that were either above or below the league average prior to being inactive, and still provide teams ample opportunity to earn their Gonzalez Points over the course of the new active season.

Policy Proposal – Timing of new rule/policy ballots

Policy Proposal by Brandon Meisel

The ballot for voting on rule changes must be dispersed to all voting teams no later than 3 weeks after nationals. If the eboard disperses the ballot after the allotted 3 weeks (even if just a day late), they lose their power to veto the newly passed rules for the upcoming year.

Rationale: I know the eboard, especially Felix Perrone, puts in an immense amount of work to make nationals happen, and this rule is not to be a dick and try and pile more on to them, I promise. The intent of this rule is to have voting on the new rule set occur when the opinions, and details of the rules are fresh in everyone’s mind. Last year we voted on the new rules months after nationals and the new rule proposals were made. Months of summer make you forget what the ins and outs of the rules are, and even how you feel about them. If we want this league to succeed we need the teams to be making informed decisions, with their thoughts/opinions on the rules, still fresh in their mind.

The rationale for taking away the eboard’s right to vote isn’t so that we can just pass anything we want to, but instead, it’s to really put the pressure on them to make this get done. Having the right to veto rules is a huge deal for the eboard, and I know they won’t want to relinquish that power, so they will surely comply with the 3 weeks rule.

Lastly, the rationale for the 3 weeks is so that it gives them a week or so to destress from nationals, and then get the rules together in whatever format that they so choose. Anything under 3 weeks isn’t enough time, and anything over 3 weeks is starting to be a little too long to have everything still fresh in the captains minds’.

Rule Proposal – Shot Clock Mechanics

Rule Proposal by Kevin Frye

Shotclocks – be required to have a handheld stop watch (phone app, watch, etc) to count down time. (instead of guesstimating the seconds and pissing people off).

While doing so they should be speaking into a megaphone directed toward their team.

Instead of the annoying screaming Dodgeball player who gets exhausted screaming the shot clock and loosing their voice.

Reasons:

1. Megaphones are cheap, like $30.
2. No more “I couldn’t hear the shotclock”
3. No more “they’re counting too slow or too fast”
4. It would be a lot more professional

I believe if each team had their own team megaphone & stopwatch to bring to a tournament, things would be more professional and accurate.

Accurate + audible shotclock = happy teams

Thoughts?

Rule Proposal – Game Clock Format

Rule Proposal by Jude DuPart

Current: Two 25 minute halves (5 minute break in between), point is scored by eliminating all players on opposing team.

Proposal: 5 – 10 minutes periods. A point is scored by eliminating the other team OR Having the most players on the court at the end of the period. A team wins best of 5 but all points are to be played for record keeping (similar point system as exists) and to allow equal playing time. Additionally later points can be forgoed for sake of time or at discretion of captains.

One of the most antiquated policies in the NCDA is the game clock. Originally designed to ensure that everyone gets equal play time is getting cut short during games of extreme disparity and influences stall ball in close games. This makes games drag on and are not only boring, but stall growth.

This change would not only promote game speed (an incentive to actually throw a ball with the intent of getting people out, players stepping out when there’s no chance of scoring a point), but promote equal playing time of newer players (putting in B team for last two points after match is decided) and reduce the loss of enthusiasm from getting stomped 7-0. Additionally it would assist in keeping tournaments on schedule and would remove the need for an overtime scenario.

This might be unpopular because of the “comeback mentality”. I haven’t looked at the data but I doubt there are many instances where a team has been down 3-0 and won the match, but since this is a huge overhaul I’m interested to hear other opinions.

As previously mentioned this is a very loose proposal that has plenty of gaps. For instance, this does not currently as written address a tie in remaining players at the end of 10 minutes. But my intent is to start the discussion.