Join A League

SUMMARY

• 11 players on the field maximum, including at least 4 women (maximum of 7 males)
• 6 players, including 2 women, are required to start a game
• No bouncies (a.k.a. bouncing pitches)
• No head shots (i.e., you can throw the ball at the runner, but NOT at their head)
• All fielders must stay behind the pitching line until the ball is kicked (Imaginary line between 1st base and 3rd base)
• 1 additional base on an overthrow is maximum, but not guaranteed
• To encourage participation, everyone present at the game must be in the kicking order
• No more than 3 men may kick in a row in the kicking order
• GoodGameLeagues will provide umpires for every game
• GoodGameLeagues will provide regulation red bouncy kickballs, a set of bases, and set up the field for each game
• 7-inning games (or 55-minute time limit – no mercy rule)
• Any unsportsmanlike behavior will result in that player/team being suspended/removed from participating in all GoodGameLeagues leagues for one year

FORFEITS/GAME TIME

Please don’t forfeit. Your teammates and opponents count on you to have a full team and competitive game. Each team must have at least 6 (six) players, including 2 (two) women, to start a game. Game time is forfeit time. There is a 10-minute grace period for early games only. Due to the extremely tight schedule, we strongly suggest arriving at the field 20-30 minutes before game time for warm-ups since the games must start on time to complete the game.

Teams who forfeit will be charged -1 point in the standings as a penalty.

FORFEIT PENALTIES AND NOTIFICATION

• First Offense: Loss of game and warning issued
• Second Offense: Loss of game and removal from the playoffs
• Third Offense: Removal from the rest of the schedule

START OF THE GAME

Both captains will meet at home plate to discuss the ground rules with the umpire.

LINE-UP CARDS

Each team must complete a lineup before their turn “at bat.” Once submitted, the lineup is final and cannot be changed unless there is an injury or additional players show up and need to be added. Additional players will be added to the end of the lineup. Lineups can be revised by the umpire to preserve the male/female lineup rules.

CLOCK

All games are seven innings or about 55 minutes (warm-up time included); the last inning will start 15 minutes before the next scheduled game. [If there is no scheduled game after the current game, the umpire will allow the teams to complete the game as long as it does not exceed 90 minutes in length.] The umpire will enforce this rule and will make the call at the top of the final inning. Note: Due to differing circumstances in each and every game, some games will finish short of the full 60 minutes, while others might run over the time limit. Please respect your umpire’s call in this matter. He/she must keep all games on time in fairness to teams playing later games and due to Parks permit restrictions.

Please, no infield or kicking practice before a game. Get to your games early enough to warm up on the side while the previous game is still being played. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the games, as the subways are often unpredictable and the fields are located 5-15 minutes away from the subway station. No warm-up pitches between innings. Have your team hustle on and off the field each inning since we are on a tight schedule. Have fun and please do not give the umpires a hard time. Thanks for your cooperation.

Exception:

A 10-minute grace period will be allowed for the first game only, but this will come out of the game time. The umpire’s watch is the official game time. Umpires or the league supervisor may call an end or a postponement of a game at any time due to time restrictions or weather conditions. No protests will be accepted concerning calling a game due to time limit restrictions.

Rainout/Time Expiration During a Game/Inning

The score will revert to the last full inning played if the time expires or a rainout occurs in the middle of an inning. If a rainout occurs while a game is in progress, 3 innings must be completed for the game to count. (If the home team is ahead after the completion of the top of the 3rd, this constitutes a complete game). The umpire’s clock is the game clock and will inform both teams when the game has started. No minimum number of innings for a complete game if the time limit has been satisfied. After your game is completed, please clear all benches ASAP and get to the bar. Playoff games will not have a time limit to complete 7 innings.

Tie Rule

If a game is tied after seven innings, one extra inning of play will be allowed to break the tie, time permitting. If time expires and the game is tied, the game stands as a tie.

ROSTERS

There is a maximum of 18 players allowed on your roster. Teams will be charged an additional. Rosters are frozen at the start of week 3. All roster updates must be submitted by the last game played in week 2.

Officially, if you are short-handed during the season, you may pick up another GoodGameLeagues player(s) not on your roster for the game. However, there is a 1-run penalty for each player picked up and you must have 6 players officially on your roster to begin the game. A team must inform the ref of the extra players, failure to do so can result in a forfeit. Also, you cannot pick up more than 4 players (i.e., cannot pick up to equal a full squad).

DURING THE PLAYOFFS, ONLY PLAYERS ON YOUR ROSTER ARE ALLOWED TO PLAY. Waivers must be signed by all players and handed in before the start of the first game. PLAYERS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY GAME WITHOUT SIGNING THE GOODGAMELEAGUES WAIVER.

KICKBALL EQUIPMENT

GoodGameLeagues will supply a red bouncy kickball and bases for each game.

KICKBALL RULES

Only captains can discuss a rule with the umpire and no judgment calls will be discussed. Players will be ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct towards an umpire.

Playing Field

The field is the same as a softball field. The dimensions for field set-up are as follows:

• The distance between bases is 60 feet (or about 20 paces)
• 2nd base is about 85 feet (or about 28 paces) from home plate
• The pitcher’s mound/line is about 42 ½ feet (or about 14 paces) from home plate

Number of Players on the Field

• Maximum number of players in the field is 11, including at least 4 women.
• There are no position requirements by gender of players (i.e., there need not be 2 females in outfield and 2 in the infield).
• Minimum number of players in the field/your starting line-up is 6 (at least 2 of whom must be women). There is no maximum number of women allowed on the field/in your line-up. No more than 7 men are allowed on the field at one time. Minimum 2 women.
• A team does not need to play someone at the catcher position unless they have 9 or more players.
• A player arriving late may be inserted at the bottom of the order even if you have kicked around one or more times. You are allowed to place that player in the field if your team is not kicking. Make the umpire and opposing team aware of these additions.
• If a team has less than the minimum required number of players it is up to the opponent as to what is allowable (i.e., the opposing team may give a team a player or allow them to pick up another GoodGameLeagues player). If this is not possible, the game will be ruled a forfeit.

Number of Players in the Kicking Order/Line-Up

• In order to encourage maximum participation, teams must kick every player present. You must kick 4 women in the first 11 spots and no more than 3 men can kick in a row. In situations where a team has more men than women present, some women may need to kick twice in the rotation. Men may never kick twice in the rotation. Line-ups must be given to the umpire for every game.
• Teams must designate which women will kick twice on their line-up card. Only those women will be allowed to kick twice or the kicking out of order rule will be enforced.
• No player may be dropped from the kicking order, absent extenuating circumstances such as injury, as determined by the umpire. Gaining a tactical advantage is not an exigent circumstance. If an injury occurs and a player cannot kick, the next kicker “moves up” to kick with no penalty. Any player (without approved injury excuse) who is not available to kick when due up receives an automatic out.

Kicking Out of Order

• If the error is discovered while the incorrect kicker is kicking, then the correct kicker will assume the ball/strike count of the incorrect kicker. If the incorrect kicker reaches base safely and the error is discovered, the correct kicker will be called out. All runners will return to their original base and the incorrect kicker will return to the bench. The opposing team must make the umpire aware of “kicking out of order” before a pitch is rolled to the next kicker. If not, then the incorrect kicker will stay on base.

Pitching, Fielding, and Catching Rules

• The pitcher must roll the ball from behind the pitcher’s line and stay behind the line until the ball is kicked.
• Bouncies are not allowed (i.e., any ball that bounces higher than 1 foot as it crosses home plate).
• No player can cross the pitcher’s line until the ball is kicked.
• The catcher must start behind home plate and may not cross home plate or be in front of the kicker before the ball is kicked.

Strike Zone and Fouls

• The strike zone extends 1 foot on either side of home plate and is 6 inches above the ground.
• Three strikes is an out. A foul counts as strike 1 or strike 2, and you can foul out.
• After 2 strikes, players are allowed only two foul balls. A third foul is an out.

Running and Interference

• No leading or stealing; tagging up is allowed.
• Fielders must stay out of the baseline.
• If a fielder interferes with a runner, the runner will be safe at the base they were running to.

Outs

• Three outs end a half-inning.
• Outs can be made by a caught ball, force out, hitting a runner with the ball, three strikes, or a runner leaving the base too soon.

No Head Shots

• If a player is hit in the head or neck with the ball, they are safe and advance one base unless they intentionally blocked it with their head.

Courtesy Runners

• Injured players may receive a courtesy runner once they reach first base.

Overthrows/Out of Play

• If a ball is thrown out of play, runners can advance one base in addition to the base they were running to.

Modified Infield Fly Rule

• If a fielder drops a ball intentionally to force a double play, the batter is out, and the runner returns to their base. 

SPORTSMANSHIP

• Good Game Leagues promotes social and competitive play. Unsportsmanlike behavior can result in suspension or ejection from the league.

TIEBREAKERS FOR PLAYOFFS/SEEDINGS (Half of each division qualifies)

Forfeits equal -1 point in the standings. This point total serves as a tie breaker regardless of head-to-head record. If no forfeit occurred, or there remains a tie after forfeited points are subtracted, the below tie breakers will be used to break a tie:

1. Head-to-head competition (among all tied teams)*
2. Record against other teams in or tied for playoffs (winning percentage)
3. Record against next best common opponent
4. If a team forfeited, they lose the tie breaker if others don’t resolve seeding
5. If none of the above tie breakers resolve seeding, GoodGameLeagues will execute a coin toss

*It’s a two-tiered tie breaker system. If there is a tie breaker between more than two teams, after one team is determined to successfully make the playoffs, we start the system over from number one with the remaining teams. For example: If three teams are tied, and one team makes it to playoffs after number 2 (the record against other teams in or tied for playoffs), to determine the next best team, it will go back to number 1 (head-to-head competition).

SPORTSMANSHIP

GoodGameLeagues is a social sports club. Our goal is for you to have fun. We hope that you keep this in mind when participating. Although the games may become intense, you still can be competitive while maintaining good sportsmanship. With this said, any behavior deemed unacceptable by the umpire or GoodGameLeagues staff may result in suspension and/or ejection from a game or the league.

ALL PROTESTS MUST BE MADE AT THE FIELD. WE WON’T CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF A COMPLETED GAME.

SUSPENSIONS/EJECTIONS

Metal spikes are not allowed. Any player wearing metal spikes will be ejected from the game. If that player is caught wearing spikes a second time, they will be removed from the league. No warnings. Any player(s)/team(s) that are involved in a fight will be suspended from all GoodGameLeagues for life. Any teams will forfeit all remaining games. The umpire has the right to sit a player for an inning if necessary. Any excessive contact or collision will result in an out and ejection of the player. You must give yourself up, get out of the way, or slide. No exceptions—IMMEDIATE ejection if players do not follow this rule. Any player abusing the umpire will automatically be ejected from the game without a warning. A player ejected for ANY reason will be suspended for the next game. If that player is caught playing in that game, the team will forfeit.

BEER/CLEAN-UP

Beer is not allowed on/at the field. Please do your part to keep the parks clean and use the trash cans provided. This is really important. If anyone drinks alcoholic beverages at any of the fields, we risk losing our permits. Anyone who is caught drinking at the field risks being suspended for the remainder of the season without a refund. We also risk losing our permits if we do not clean up any trash left behind.

GoodGameLeagues is a Co-ed Social Sports League

While we appreciate the level of competitiveness in our league, we do not tolerate any unsportsmanlike behavior. This includes anyone who:

• Antagonizes players on other teams or their own teammates
• Exhibits excessive uncontrollable play
• Inappropriately “mouths off” to the referee(s)
• Verbally or physically threatens a member of our staff

Any player ejected from a game will be suspended for a minimum of one game. GoodGameLeagues reserves the right to remove any player from a game(s), season, and/or future seasons. GoodGameLeagues reserves the right to remove a full team from the schedule and/or future seasons if we feel they are unable to participate in a manner in keeping with GoodGameLeagues’ mission to provide a fun, charity-focused, co-ed league.

Uniforms/Footwear

• No metal spikes may be worn. Sneakers are suggested.
• Every player must wear the team uniform.

FORFEIT NOTIFICATION

To forfeit, please fill out this form.

Forfeits ruin the experience for everyone. GoodGameLeagues exists to give you an opportunity to play and build community, and forfeiting is a huge bummer. If your team absolutely needs to forfeit, you must let us know in advance so we can contact your opponent so that they don’t unnecessarily travel to the gym/field.

If you do not inform us of a forfeit, your team could face penalties in your league’s standings. Once GoodGameLeagues is notified of your forfeit, it is final (you cannot change your mind), and the other team will be notified.

Penalty for forfeiting without notifying GoodGameLeagues:

1. First offense, a warning will be issued.
2. Second offense, your team will be eliminated from playoff contention.
3. Third offense, your team will be eliminated from the remainder of the schedule.

There is no additional penalty if you show up short-handed (and need to add other GoodGameLeagues players to a full team) and have to forfeit the game, since you did make an effort to get a team to play. Once GoodGameLeagues is notified you are forfeiting, it is official (you cannot change your mind), and the other team will be notified.

PETS

• Pets are not allowed in or at the school facilities. Teams with pets will be asked to leave, and games will be forfeited.

CODE OF CONDUCT

The Good Game Leagues Participant Code of Conduct applies to all participants.

Find it here: Code of Conduct