Version 0.3, May 2014
1. SETUP
1.1 Equipment
- A small field or court
- An end zone is marked out at each end of the field.
- The exact size of the field should be scaled based on the number of players and their ideal stepping or passing range.
- One playground ball
- Chalk, tape, or other markers for the field
- Two sets of shirts, vests, or flags for marking teams
1.2 Participants
- Two teams of X players
- One referee/play-caller
- If there is no referee, the current ballhandler will be in charge of calling STEP and THROW. In this case, other players are responsible for making sure that the ballhandler actually waits for everyone to finish their step before throwing.
2. OBJECT
Catch the ball in the opponent’s end zone to score a point. First team to X points wins
3. START
Initial possession of the ball is determined randomly (coin flip or rock-paper-scissors).
The player with the ball starts at the center of the field. All other players position themselves anywhere on the field. All players must stay two arm lengths away from the ballhandler to start.
If the field is very small, play can start at the opposite end line rather than at center field.
4. PLAY
4.1 Stepping
The referee calls out “STEP.” When STEP is called, all players except the ballhandler take one step in any direction. Players must all step at the same time (more or less).
Steps can be jumps or leaps (both feet can leave the ground).
If a player hesitates and does not step in time, they lose the step and must return to where they were.
4.2 Throwing
After players step, the referee calls out “THROW.” The ballhandler throws the ball to a teammate.
During the throw, players can pivot and stretch as they like in order to catch or block the ball, but everyone must keep one foot planted.
The ball can be bounced or rolled.
The ball must leave the thrower’s hands before being caught by the receiver. No handoffs.
The receiving player’s planted foot must be in bounds.
If the ball is caught, play continues, STEP-THROW-STEP-THROW, until a goal is scored or possession is lost.
4.3 Defending
When the ball is thrown, opposing players can block or intercept the ball.
Once a player catches the ball, it’s caught – a defender cannot knock the ball out of a player’s hands.
Since players must keep one foot planted during the throwing phase, they cannot jump to catch or block the ball.
4.4 Turnovers
If the ball is not caught by the ballhandler’s teammate, possession switches: the player on the other team that is closest to the ball moves to the ball, picks it up, and becomes the new ballhandler.
When possession changes, the new ballhandler is the only player that moves. Everyone else stays in place until the next STEP.
If the ball goes out of bounds, it is inbounded from the point at the edge of the field where it went out.
If a defender blocks the ball by swatting it, they become the new ballhandler, even if another teammate is closer to where the ball stops.
4.5 Scoring
If the ball is successfully thrown caught in the other team’s end zone, the team scores one point.
The receiving player must be in the end zone. Catching the ball beyond the end zone is considered out of bounds and results in a turnover.
After a point is scored, possession switches to the other team, and everyone resets – the new ballhandler takes the ball to the center, and all players can position themselves freely.
5. END
The game ends when one teams scores X points.
