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

Yes, it’s just kickball, but it has rules that define what WAKA kickball is. If know these 12+ things you will
have a much better kickball experience. Remember, only captains are able to challenge calls and refs can
kick people out of games if they’re 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. 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 in the third sentence of the WAKA rules book. “… and
bunting is allowed so get a good catcher on your team.” You don’t have to like it but you might want to
learn it, if you want to win. I​N 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 IT’S A BALL. – ​Pretty self-explanatory.
If any part of the ball touches 1 foot outside of the plate it’s a strike. If you’re 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 it’s a ball as well. It’s 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 player’s 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 baseman’s 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 THEY’RE GOING TO BUNT!
Catchers must stay behind the kicker at all times, not to the side, directly behind until it is kicked.

9. YES, IF A BALL TOUCHES A RUNNER, EVEN BY ACCIDENT, THEY’RE OUT. YES, YOU CAN PEG
PEOPLE, BUT NOT IN THE HEAD --- UNLESS THEY’RE SLIDING! – ​The ball is like a game of hot potato for
runners. If it touches you when you’re off the base or should be off the base you are OUT. If the first baseman
drops the throw but it deflects into the runner’s 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 they’re 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, that’s right, where they should be. Bases get moved during plays all of the time. Runners are considered
safe if they’re 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. Doesn’t happen often but still becomes an issue. The physical base is just
a courtesy marker. This doesn’t mean you measure after each play, this means if someone slid and the base
when flying they don’t have to get to the base three feet away to be safe. Same thing goes for defenders.

11. VARIATIONS ARE NOT AN OBLIGATION – ​Basically, there are a lot of rules variations that float around
these leagues. It is not the obligation of ANY team to play them. If your team wants a “beer-in-hand” game it is
not your opponent’s obligation to accommodate. WAKA rules are written the way they are for a reason: that’s
the game we offer you. Besides, rule 1.03 prohibits alcohol on the field anyhow. Just remember, opposing
captains that don’t want to play a variation are not being rude for saying “no,” you’re will be rude for giving
them crap if they say dont want to.

12.​ ​THERE IS NO INFIELD FLY RULE – ​Infielders don’t have to catch the ball but you have to run if you’re 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. It’s 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, please DON’T. Your team needs to send people to ref a game, who know what they’re
doing. Refs aren’t just figures on the field to look good, they’re there to make sure the game runs smoothly
and to clear up any disputes. It’s 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. It’s your unofficial fee. You would
expect the same from your refs.