Official Hardcourt Bike Polo Rules Determined

An organization known as the League of Bike Polo was formed over the past year and is becoming the defacto legislating body of Hardcourt Bike Polo. Recently an official set of rules was published and I agree with some of them but prefer our Bozeman-specific rules to others. What are everyone's thoughts?

North American Hardcourt Bike Polo Rules

 

Equipment

 

1 - Teams will consist of three players on the court at one time.

    1.1 - You may have substitutes as long as they are not playing on another team in the tournament.

    1.2 - A substitute may only be made during a break after a goal is scored.

    1.3 - All players on a team will wear distinctive matching colors.

    1.4 - If in the opinion of the referee the colours of the two competing teams are so alike as to lead to confusion, the team lower in the draw shall be instructed to play in some other colour. 

2 - Any common type of Bicycle is allowed. (bmx, road, track, mountain bike)

    2.1 - Must have at least one mechanism for stopping. (ie: handbrake, fixed wheel)

    2.2 - Handlebars MUST be plugged. 

    2.3 - No exposed chainrings, pegs, or other protrusions. These must be covered or removed if they present a safety hazard.

    2.4 - You may not add anything to the bicycle to help block shots (ie: a bar under your BB, or netting in the front triangle) with the exception of wheel covers.

    2.5 - Helmets are mandatory.

3 - Mallets must resemble a croquet mallet with a wide side & round end. (Modified ski poles, and plastic pipe are the most common materials.)

    3.1 - The head of the mallet will be a maximum of 18 cm (7 inches) in length and 2.5 inches in Diameter (outside diameter) .

    3.2 - The Head of the mallet must not have any sharp edges.

    3.3 - The handle end of the mallet MUST be plugged.

4 - The ball will be a street hockey ball.

    4.1 - The ball will not be a liquid filled ball

5 - The Goals will be nets.

    5.1 - The opening of the net will be 180 cm (72") and the height will be 80 cm (32 inches) (measured between the inside edges of the posts.)

6 - Courts will be of a hard surface. (usually concrete or pavement)

    6.1 - Boards of at least 40 cm (16 inches) in height must surround the court to keep the ball in play.

    6.2 - The minimum court size will be 30.5m X 15.25m (100' X 50') (Tennis court or basketball court) and maximum size will be 60m X 26m (200' X 85') (NHL rink)

    6.3 - There will be a minimum of 3 meters (10 feet) between the goal line and the back boards.

 

General Rules of Play

 

7 - Start of a game:

    7.1 - Each team will begin behind his/her own goal line.

    7.2 - The ball will be positioned at center court.

    7.3 - Play will begin with a "3 - 2 - 1 - Go" from the sideline.

8 - Scoring a goal must be made with what started as a "shot"

    8.1 - a "shot" is defined as a ball that is struck with the end of the players mallet. wrist shots, or scoop shots are not considered a "shot"

    8.2 - "Ball dragging" is allowed, however the ball must be passed before a goal can be scored.

    8.2 - a "shuffle" is defined as a ball that is striked with the side of the mallet.

    8.3 - a ball that is "shuffled" into the goal does not count as a goal. 

    8.4 - if a ball is "shuffled" into the goal the defending team will get possession of the ball. 

    8.5 - if a player scores on his own goal in any fashion (shot or shuffle) it will count as a goal for the opposition.

    8.6 - If the ball becomes lodged against a player, bicycle, or spokes in such a way that it cannot be dropped immediately, the play will be stopped. The ball will be placed on the ground. The person it was lodged on will get possession, and play will resume.

9 - After a goal is scored:

    9.1 - The team that scored returns to their half of the court.

    9.2 - The team that was scored upon gets possession of the ball.

    9.3 - Play will not resume until both teams have returned to their half of court.

    9.4 - The defending team may not attack until the ball or an offensive player has crossed half court.

10 - Players must not touch the ground, or "Dab"

    10.1 - A "dab" is if the player puts his foot on any horizontal surface. (the ground, his mallethead, a bike, the ball, another player.) 

    10.2 - The ball cannot be played with the feet, kicking the ball will be counted as a "dab"

    10.3 - Each time a player "dabs" That player is out of play,  and may not interfere with the ball or other players until they "tap in"

    10.4 - If a dabbed player stops a shot from going into the net at the ref's discretion it may be ruled a goal. This means if there is no doubt in the ref's mind that the ball would have went in, it will be ruled a goal. If the ref is not sure if it would have went in or not, it will not be ruled a goal.
    10.5 - The "Tap in" area will be at center along either side of the court. 

    10.6 - If a player crashes or falls off his bike the play will continue unless the referee is of the opinion that the player is injured.

11 - Games are played to five points

    11.1 - If there are time constraints games may be timed. In this case the game will stop at a set time, or five points whichever comes first.

    11.2 - The minimum time for a timed game will be 12 minutes.

    11.3 - In a timed game the clock will stop when there is a goal and restart when play resumes. (to prevent a team from running down the clock to maintain a lead)

    11.4 - In a timed game if the game is tied at the end of the time, the ball will be reset (as in Rule 7) and the game will become sudden death (first goal wins)

 

Contact Rules

 

12 - Body contact is allowed. 

    12.1 - holding (with hands, elbows, or mallets) is not allowed 

    12.2 - Pushing with the hands is not allowed.

    12.3 - Mallet to mallet contact is allowed. (however it is poor etiquite to hit another players mallet if he is not playing the ball or in front of the goal.)

    12.4 - Mallet to body contact is not allowed.

    12.5 - Mallet to bike contact is not allowed.

    12.6 - Body to bike contact is not allowed.

    12.7 - Bike to bike contact is not allowed. (incidental contact/blocking is fine. deliberate hitting or T-boning is not)

    12.8 - Intent to injure another player is not allowed.

13 - Throwing of mallets is not allowed at any time, in any situation.

    13.1 - If a thrown mallet stops a ball from going through the goal the referee may use his discretion to call the play a goal. (see 10.3)

14 - Kicking is not allowed.

15 - Trash talking is allowed. Trash on the courts is not allowed.

 

Referees

 

16 - There will be a goal judge at each end of the court to rule on goals.

    16.1 - Goal judges will be responsible for resetting nets that are knocked out of place.

    16.2 - If a net is out of place, the goal will be considered the space on the court where the net would normally be sitting.

17 - A referee will enforce the rules.

    17.1 - If a player does not "tap in" or violates a contact rule the referee will issue the offending player a "yellow card"

    17.2 - issuing a "yellow card" or warning will not stop the play of the game.

    17.3 - When a player is issued a "yellow card" they will be required to tap in. They may not interfere with the ball or other players until they tap in.

    17.4 - a player may receive two "yellow cards" after that the player will recieve a "red card"

    17.5 - a referee may use his discretion to give a player a "red card" at any time. (in other words you can receive a red card without receiving any prior yellow cards.)

    17.6 - if a player receives a "red card" play will be stopped. The offending player will be ejected from the remainder of the game, and the non-offending team will get possession of the ball.

    17.7 - Should any incident or question arise that is not provided for in the rules the referee will rule on the matter.

    17.8 - Decisions of the referee will be final.

18 - A timekeeper will keep track of time if required, and will keep track of the score.

 

Time Outs

 

18 - There are no timeouts until a goal is scored.

    18.1 - After a goal is scored a short time out can be called for a mechanical, or water, etc.

    18.2 - If the ball goes out of play, the game will be paused until the ball can be retrieved. The defending team will then get possession of the ball, and play will be resumed.

    18.3 - a timeout will automatically be called by the referee in the event of a serious injury.

 

Rule Changes

 

19 - All major North American and Regional tournaments will use these rules.

    19.1 - The rules will remain unchanged for each year. With the exception of rules that are deemed urgent to protect player safety.

    19.2 - Any suggestions, modifications, additions, or deletions of rules can be submitted to the rules comittee and once per year they will be reviewed and rules will be modified accordingly.

    19.3 - The rules will be posted at www.leagueofbikepolo.com