WAKA Kickball Fort Worth, TX The 12-ish Things You Need To Know

Yes, its just kickball, but it has rules that define what WAKA kickball is. If you pay attention and know
these 12+ things you will have a much better kickball experience. Remember, only captains are to
challenge calls and refs can kick people out of games if theyre out of control. Fun and safety are the
number one concern.

1. There are 11 people on Defense. 5 Outfielders and a standard infield. You MUST have at least four
girls and four guys on the field when you are on defense. If you cannot field four girls or four guys then
your team forfeits and you play for fun. Just have some fun and play anyhow Please note: You CAN
recruit a spare player or two to fill in for that game if you only have three. This is not to mean if three
people from your team show up you grab the #1 team and let them play for you. One or two per sex is
fine.

2. THERE ARE NO RULES ABOUT GUY/GIRL KICKING ORDERS. You can kick all of your guys followed by
all of your girls. It does NOT matter. The only stipulation is that all players must kick in the same order
through the lineup and all players must kick before anyone kicks again.

3. GUYS AND GIRLS CAN BUNT. This rule is literally in the third sentence of the WAKA rules book.
and bunting is allowed so get a good catcher on your team. You dont have to like it but you might want
to learn it if you want to win. IN OUR LEAGUE ONLY ONE GUY PER INNING MAY BUNT. ALL
SUBSEQUENT BUNTS ARE A FOUL. BUNTS ARE OBVIOUS CHOPS AT A BALL, NOT A SHORT KICK.

4. RUNNERS CAN LEAVE ON FIRST DEFENSIVE TOUCH, BEFORE THE BALL IS ACTUALLY CAUGHT. You
have a guy on second and your kicker pops one to the Right Fielder. It bounces off his head so your
runner takes off for third. WOAH! The Center Fielder was able to run over and make a diving catch
before it hit the ground. Does this mean your runner has to go back and touch second? NO! You can
leave when the ball is touched whether or not it was caught.

5. THE STRIKE ZONE IS 12 ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PLATE AND 12 HIGH (roughly a ball width). THE
BALL MUST BOUNCE TWICE BEFORE IT GETS TO HOME PLATE OR ITS A BALL. Pretty self-explanatory.
If any part of the ball touches 1 foot outside of the plate its a strike. If youre not comfortable judging
one foot, then use the width of the ball as a guide. Also, the ball must start to roll OR bounce at least
twice BEFORE touching home plate or its a ball as well. Its not automatic though so the kicker can
choose to kick it if they want.

6. FOUL BALL RULES.

1. Fouls and Strikes are separate.

2. Fly Balls that hit something are a DEAD BALL FOUL and cannot be caught for an out.
3. YOU MAY TAG UP ON A CAUGHT FOUL BALL.
4. Balls that are touched in fair territory but land foul are fair. This is determined by the location of
the players feet, not the location of the ball.
7. ONE BASE ON OVERTHROWS DOES NOT INCLUDE OVERTHROWS IN THE FIELD OF PLAY. If you
are running to first and the ball flies over the first basemans head you get one base and must stop. This would
be second base, not third. This is not a guarantee so they can still try to get you out. If they throw the ball into
play to get the runner out, the one base rule is gone and play may resume. If the overthrow occurs at second
for instance, and the ball rolls into the outfield this ball is still in the field of play and not considered an
overthrow. The runners may advance as they please.

8. THE MAGICAL, INVISIBLE ENCROACHMENT LINE. This line extends from First Base to Third Base. NO
player in the field may be in front of this line until THE BALL IS KICKED. Pitchers must pitch from BEHIND the
pitching strip and stay behind that line until it is kicked. EVEN IF YOU KNOW THEYRE GOING TO BUNT!
Catchers must stay behind the kicker at all times, not to the side, directly behind until it is kicked. A single
Warning will be issues to the team commiting any Posistion infraction, and all subsequent infractions by that
team will result in a free base to the kicker, even if they did not kick the ball that play.

9. YES, IF A BALL TOUCHES A RUNNER, EVEN BY ACCIDENT, THEYRE OUT. YES, YOU CAN PEG
PEOPLE, BUT NOT IN THE HEAD - UNLESS THEYRE SLIDING! The ball is like a game of hot potato for
runners. If it touches you when youre off the base or should be off the base you are OUT. If the first baseman
drops the throw but it deflects into the runners leg before they get to first they are OUT. If you throw the ball
and it hits the runner they are out. If the kicker kicks the ball and hits their runner the runner is OUT. If a kicker
kicks the ball and runs into their own kick just outside of the box theyre OUT. And finally, if you hit someone
in the head with the ball they are safe, unless the runner is sliding. At this point the head shot rule is no
longer in effect. Peg away.

10. BASES ARE THE POINT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, NOT NECESSARILY WHERE THEY ARE What?
Yes, thats right, where they should be. Bases get moved during plays all of the time. Runners are considered
safe if theyre touching the spot where the base should be and fielders get the out of they have their foot on
the spot the base should be as well. Doesnt happen often but still becomes an issue. The physical base is just
a courtesy marker. This doesnt mean you measure after each play, this means if someone slid and the base
when flying they dont have to get to the base three feet away to be safe. Same thing goes for defenders.

11. VARIATIONS ARE NOT AN OBLIGATION There are a lot of rules variations that float around these
leagues. It is NOT an obligation for ANY team to play them. If your team wants a beer-in-hand game it is not
an obligation to accommodate. WAKA rules are written the way they are for a reason: thats the game we
offer. Besides, rule 1.03 prohibits alcohol on the field anyhow. Remember, opposing captains that dont want
to play a variation are not being rude for saying no, youre being rude for giving them crap if they say no.

12. THERE IS NO INFIELD FLY RULE Infielders dont have to catch the ball but you have to run if youre on
first. There is no penalty for dropping a infield fly, there is no penalty for purposefully NOT catching an infield
fly, there is nothing against letting it drop right by first, tagging the person on the bag then touching the base
for a double play. Its a great play.

Finally, if you have NO idea what the rules are, have never played sports and literally have no idea how to
officiate a game, DONT. Your team needs to send people to ref a game, who know what theyre doing. Refs
arent just figures on the field to look good, theyre there to make sure the game runs smoothly and to clear
up any disputes. Its 45-minutes of your time during a few times a season so please pay attention, keep your
phone in your pocket and ask the teams for a beer. Its a nice gesture for your work. You would expect the
same from your refs.