Ben B's Big Ball Dodging Tourney 2023

Dear Team, 

Thank you for your interest in Ben B’s Big Ball Dodging Tourney 2023.   This tournament is to celebrate Ben’s love for dodgeball, 16th Birthday, and to raise awareness/funds for Ben Banks Jr. Foundation!  To learn more about Ben's Foundation please visit Benbanksfoundation.org.  

The tournament takes place Saturday March 25, please see below for grade/age group tournament times. This packet of information will give you all the details about the event, the registration process, and the game rules. 

For more information about the tournament, registration or general questions, please contact Marie Banks at benbanks5k@gmail.com or call 412-498-1325.

BEN B’S BIG BALL DODGING TOURNEY -  SATURDAY, MARCH 25 2023

LOCATION: Blackhawk High School, 500 Blackhawk Road, Beaver Falls, PA 15010

AGE GROUP/TIMES AGENDA - CHECK IN/GAMES BEGIN

Ages 8-12 - (grades 3,4,5) Check in: 9am/Games begin: 9:15am

Ages 10-15 - (grades 6,7,8) Check in 11am/Games begin: 11:15

Ages 14-80 - (grades 9,10,11,12 & Adults) Check in 1pm/Games begin: 1:15

PLEASE INVITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO BE Spectators cheering on their favorite team, and try their luck at winning a basket.
Basket raffle will be drawn at the end of the tournament at 4pm. You do not need to be present to win.  Baskets will be delivered to winners who are not present during the drawing
BASKET TICKETS $10/25

PS5 BIG TICKET ITEM TO BE RAFFLED $5/1 TICKET

Admission - $3 voluntary donation.  Players and Volunteers are free
Tournament T-shirt to $20

CLICK TO SEE ONLINE MERCH FOR PURCHASE

TEAM INFORMATION/REGISTRATION FEES - $50/TEAM - (6-8 person team)

The maximum number of teams for the tournament is 50. 
The maximum team size is 8 players and the minimum team size is 6 players.

TEAM CAPTAIN’S INFORMATION

As the captain, it is your responsibility to organize your team. All team players must check in. It is preferred for you to check in as a team. 
All participants must wear shirts! Your team is encouraged to wear similar colored t-shirts or have a clothing theme. If you choose to wear a costume, make sure you can move in it.
Food and drinks are NOT permitted in the gymnasium/bleachers.  
Referees will officiate all games. Referees cannot see everything, and players are expected to play by the honor system. If you know you are out, go out. If you think you may be out, go out. Keep the games fun. REFEREES DECISIONS ARE FINAL—NO EXCEPTIONS! 
Play by the "Let's Have Fun" rule: We are all here to have fun, and we encourage players/teams to have fun. Unsportsmanlike behavior may result in that player being ejected from the game, and tournament. An ejected player is required to leave the premises immediately. Refusal to leave the premises may result in a team forfeit. Captains are encouraged to enforce this rule
1st place teams in each age group receive a Team trophy or individual medals, bragging rights, and refund of the registration fee.. Awards presentation will take place immediately following the game 
Encourage your friends, family, co-works, and community to come out and support your team! Admission - $3 voluntary donation.  

GAME RULES AND REGULATIONS:

GAME CLOCK  At both scorer tables, an official stopwatch will be used for timing each game. All teams must be set and ready to play at the scheduled game time. The clock will not wait for teams. 

BOUNDARIES OF THE COURT  During game play, all players must remain within the boundary lines of the court. If a player goes out of bounds, the referee will call that player out. Players may not go out of bounds to retrieve balls. Players, who are out, are encouraged to shag balls. However, the ball(s) must be returned to the side of the court that they went out on. A referee may call a player or teammates out for unsportsmanlike conduct if this occurs. 

THE OPENING RUSH  The game begins by placing the dodgeballs along the centerline: 3 on one side of the center hash and 3 on the other. Players then take a position behind their end line. Following a signal by the court monitor, teams may approach the centerline to retrieve the balls. This signal officially starts the contest. Teams may only retrieve the three balls to their right of the center hash. Once the ball is picked up in the middle at the beginning of the game it must be thrown against your own teams' wall to get it checked in then game play can begin There is no diving or sliding to retrieve balls on the centerline. No player at any time shall cross the center line while retrieving balls on the opening rush. Any player diving, sliding or that crosses the center hash line on the opening rush will be called out. 

WINNING A MATCH   A match consists of the best of 3 games, a double elimination.   Each game will last a maximum of 3 minutes. The game is over when all of a team’s players are eliminated or if time elapses, the team with the most players left wins. If, after time has expired, there is a tie, there will be a 1 minute sudden-death period between the remaining players where the first team to have a player eliminated loses. If there is still a tie then it is double sudden death overtime in which there will be a “duel” between the two team captains. 

YOU ARE OUT IF  A Referee says you are out. You or your uniform is hit by a live thrown ball. A live ball you throw is caught by the other team. You go out of bounds. You lose control of shield ball while blocking a live ball and then the shield ball falls to the ground. ***If you dive or slide on the opening rush***. ***If you cross the center hash line on the opening rush***. The Definition of "LIVE" ball is: A ball that has been thrown and has not touched anything, including the floor/ground, another ball, another player, the referee or other item outside of the playing field (wall, ceiling, etc.), 

THE THROWER IS OUT IF  You catch a live ball that has only hit you, it counts as a catch, and the thrower is out. Once the ball hits you or is deflected by you, only you can catch the live ball to make the thrower out. Teammates cannot get a thrower out by catching a deflection that hit another teammate. 

WHEN YOU ARE CALLED OUT  You must exit the court of play quickly. If a referee feels that a player has intentionally interfered with ongoing play, they can call a teammate out. 

VIOLATION  In order to reduce stalling, a violation will be called if a team in the lead controls all 5 balls on their side of the court for more than 5 seconds. This also applies to teams that have a tie score in overtime or sudden death play.