Rules

Taken from EHBPC rules:

We will be using a Franklin Super Hi-density Streethockey ball.

Helmets will be required.

The 2 courts will be 20mX30m.

The goals will be 165cmX75cm

Players listed on your registration form can be replaced by a like representative (representing your polo scene) up until the end of late registration on the morning of the 1st August.

In the rules below, precedence takes priority. If it is listed in the rules first, it most likely over rides anything listed below it.

Bike:

* You can ride any bicycle you like, handlebars must be plugged and you must have at least one brake. A fixed drive counts as a brake.
* Wheel covers are allowed but any defense oriented frame additions are not.

Mallets:

* Referee will have the final say in mallet safety.
* Mallet heads should not be made of metal or any material that is sharp and/or could obviously chip, shatter or splinter.
* The handle end of the mallet shaft must be securely plugged.

Players:

* Teams will consist of 3 players.
* During a match, equipment can be substituted but not players. After or before a match, only an injured player can be substituted and only by someone who is not a registered player. This substitute player must finish the rest of the day but could again be substituted by the original player on the following day.

Offensive team means the team that possesses the ball in their opponents half of the court or defends the goal which the ball is not in the same half of the court. Whichever may be the appropriate case.

Defensive team means the team that does not posses the ball or defends the goal which the ball is in the same half of the court. Whichever may be the appropriate case.

Start of the Game:

* Players will start in their goal area with the ball placed at centre court. At the referee’s shout of ‘3,2,1, Go!’ any or all players from either or both teams can charge the ball for possession.

Play of the Ball:

* Play of the ball is considered to be anything directly related with, or within one maneuver of, the process of blocking possession, gaining possession, passing, traveling with and putting the ball into your opponent’s goal.

Goals:

* Goals will be 165cmX75cm and netted.
* Goal area will be a clearly marked 165cm out from the goal.

Shuffles & Hits:

A ‘Hit’ is only made from the end of a player’s mallet.

A ‘Shuffle’ is hitting the ball with the broadside of the mallet or the shaft of the mallet.

* An offensive shuffle does not count as a goal. If the ball is shuffled into the goal by the offensive team, play continues uninterrupted. Either team can take control of the ball but the team that shuffled cannot score until any second player has possessed the ball.
* If a team puts the ball into their own goal, it is a goal for the opposing team.
* An offensive hit directly into the goal is a goal.

Reflection & Deflection:

Reflection means a hit coming off of a offensive player’s bike or person whether purposeful or accidental.

Deflection means a hit coming off of a defensive player’s bike or person whether purposeful or accidental.

* If an offensive player adds momentum or direction purposefully to a reflection it is not a goal. All other reflections are goals.
* Deflections, not starting from an offensive shuffle, count as a goal for the offensive team.

Ball Joint and Lobs:

* It is legal to lob the ball (’throw’ the ball with the mallet) and/or to travel with the ball using the ‘ball joint/angelo’ cupping style of carrying the ball but you cannot score with either method.

After a goal is scored/resetting the game:

The scoring team is the team that has just scored a goal.

The conceding team is the team that has just allowed a goal to the opposing team.

* In case of the ball ricocheting from the goal past half court, the conceding team must possess the ball before scoring team can possess it. The ref can instruct for the ball be passed back across half court
* After a goal is scored, the scoring team must return to their own goal area and cannot come back across center court until the ball or any player of the conceding team has come past center court.
* The conceding team takes possession of the ball. No conceding player with or without the ball can then pass half court until at least two players of the scoring team have returned to their goal area, one of these players can be a ‘goalie’ who was already in the goal area. In the case of the scoring team taking undue time returning to their goal, the referee can call ‘game on’. Likewise, in the case of the conceding team taking undue time taking the ball past half court, the ref can call ‘game on’.
* A player is not required to tap out for a foot-down after a goal has been scored but must return to their goal area.

Fouls:

* Players must not touch the floor with their feet. Touching the sides of the wall or barrier with your feet is allowed. A foot touching any mallet or ball on the floor is considered a foot-down. Each time a player does foot-down, that player is out of play and may not play the ball until they touch either sideline at center court. The player must immediately tap-out and not purposefully obstruct play. Intentionally obstructing play after foot-down will be considered a strong penalty. A possible goal that is blocked by a player out of play due to foot-down is not a goal.
* Throwing your mallet is not allowed at any time and will be considered a strong penalty.
* Overly aggressive behavior such as unnecessary elbowing, grabbing, pushing, punching with hands, pushing or kicking with feet, and headbutting will be considered a strong penalty.
* A ‘T-bone’ or charging, intentional, forward moving bike contact that is perpendicular or near perpendicular (resulting in a maneuver similar in shape to a letter ‘T’), can be considered a strong penalty.

‘Like’ contact that is allowed:

* Non-aggressive Body to body, mallet to mallet, and bike to bike. Apart from the fouls listed above.
* Contact is only permitted within the play of the ball. Contact away from the play of the ball can result in a penalty.

‘Non-like’ contact that is allowed:

* Ball to body, mallet or bike.
* Body to ball is allowed if the player is sat in the saddle, feet on the pedals, hand holding mallet, other hand on bars. Players should not intentionally restrain, nor add momentum to the ball with your body. This can result in the ref calling a tap-out.
* If the ball becomes trapped within a player’s bike or person play continues but please be aware that any legal play towards the bike or person will be considered as play towards the ball and therefore legal.

Time outs:

* Refs can call and extend injury and mechanical failure timeouts over and above these rules, but is under no obligation. The ref will call game-on when appropriate and if the timeout is unnecessary.
* Can be called by a player only after a goal is scored.
* May be called in order to tend to physical injury.
* May be called in order to tend to a mechanical failure.
* Will be limited to maximum five minutes, one per game per team.

Referees and Penalties:
Above all, the players have the responsibility to keep legal play on the court. In the case of disputes there are three referees that will be appointed per game. The referees’ duties will be:

* Have the final word.
* Determine what is and is not a goal.
* Determine what is and is not a foul that can result in a penalty and what the penalty is for such foul.
* Correct the goal if it is moved.
* Keep track of score. Score must be called out after every goal.
* Keep track of time.
* Call injury time outs for major injuries.
* Provide an extra ball at point of exit if the ball is knocked out of play.

Penalties can be:

* Tap out at either the sidelines or either goal line.
* Give possession of the ball over to the opposing team.
* Be removed from the game until the next goal is scored or for a set time or even permanently. Timed games; 10 minute game=30 second penalty, 15 minutes = 45 seconds, over 20 minutes = 1 minute.
* In extreme cases any form of public humiliation can be considered proper punishment for offenders.