The Vancouver Dodgeball League embraces the honour system, and, as part of this approach, uses peer referees. The referee’s main purpose is to facilitate the game – not to make every single call as is the case with other sports. It is the player’s responsibility to play honestly and to abide by the honour system.
Main Responsibilities
Start of the game:
- Volunteering to referee – the two teams that are not playing shall referee the match.
- Setting up three balls at opposite ends of the centre line.
- Starting the opening rush by yelling “3-2-1-Dodgeball!”
- Starting the synchronized 10 second count as soon as the first ball touches the wall for activation during the Opening Rush.
- Ensuring that players activate the balls during opening rush by making the ball touch the wall.
During the game:
- Counting down 10 seconds as soon as a player picks up a ball.
- How to count balls picked up at different times: As one referee counts down a ball, another player could pick up another ball during the initial count. At this point, a second referee should start new count instead of having all refs count down one ball.
- Calling dead balls (“10-9…2-1-DEAD BALL!”).
- Focusing on one side of the game while occasionally looking to the other side to follow throws.
- Making sure eliminated players are lined up in the correct order that they got out.
- Making sure players returning to the game by a teammate’s catch come back in the order of first out, first in.
- Calling players out when they have been hit and do not leave the court.
- Keeping players in the game when they mistakenly think they have been hit.
- Calling players out who cross over the boundaries or step on or over the centre line.
- Pausing the game to settle on-court altercations and disagreements.
- Watching for high throws (above the 6 ft. line in co-ed / above the 5 ft. line in women’s).
- Assisting in moving dead balls to the appropriate sides.
- Starting a 10 second count as soon as one player remains on each team to initiate a showdown.
- Start the showdown by yelling “3-2-1-Showdown!”
- Seeking rule confirmation from VDL Execs when unclear.
Referee Protocols
We understand peer-reffing can be intimidating, however, it encourages players to learn and understand the rules while providing insight into the game. To ensure officiating consistency, follow these protocols:
- Be audible, clear and alert.
- Have the courage to make the right call. Be assertive.
- Do not deny a player from calling themselves out, UNLESS you are certain that player is safe.
- In that case, referees should inform the player to continue playing verbally and/or signaling the “safe” hand signal.
- Take your time in making the right call if it’s controversial.
- Stop the game if necessary to decide on the call with the other refs.
- If there are unsportsmanlike behaviour, pause the game to address the issue.
- If referees miss a play, or cannot make a definitive ruling, follow the honour system. If the player is uncertain, then it defaults to “when in doubt, you are out”.
- Do not consult with any other parties (non-referees) on a call.
- Restart a play if a call cannot be determined. Do not restart a game from the start, except for an interruption during the opening rush.
- Move laterally along the sidelines to get a better view of the game.
- Stay off the court whenever possible.
Corner Referees
- During playoffs, there will be four referees at the centre as usual.
- During the final matches between 1st and 2nd place and between 2nd and 3rd place, there will be four referees in each corner in addition to four centre referees.
- Each corner referee must stand at the corner they were assigned on the court. They can move laterally along the sidelines to get a better view.
Responsibilities of corner referees include:
- Watching players that touch or cross the sidelines.
- Observing the game in the same way as centre referees, as they may need to help centre referees make a ruling. Note: Only centre referees can make the final ruling, and their decision may override the corner referees.
- Calling players out if necessary (e.g., when centre refs miss the play or to echo the center refs call).
Corner referees are NOT responsible for the 10 second ball count.