Olympic Style rules

Section 1: Game Setup
1.1 Field Setup
a. The playing field consists of a defense circle, with a radius of 18 feet, 9 inches*, around a central point where a tee is placed.
b. The defense circle can be marked with field liner for semi-permanent outdoor use, or with polyspots or short cones for temporary outdoor and indoor use.
c. No offense box is necessary for Olympic Style games. If an offense box is already present, it can be ignored.
d. The playing field should be in an open area with as few obstructions as possible. Recommended space is at least 60 feet x 60 feet; optimal space is 100 feet x 100 feet or more if available.

* Also known as 3 Joe. One Joe (the guy we used to mark out the toppleball circle for several years) is 6 feet, 3 inches.

1.2 Equipment
a. The central tee should have a spring-loaded base and a whiffle ball on top.*
b. Batters hold a flat paddle, similar in size to a cricket bat (but wider and not curved).
c. A standard-weight beach volleyball for the defense should be used when playing outdoors.** If indoor space is limited, or if playing with younger children, an 8-inch Rhinoskin ball can be substituted.

* The spring for our camp tee broke in 2004, so some photos will show a base with a whiffle ball bat instead. This is an acceptable substitute, as is any standard batting practice tee on which a whiffle ball can be set.
** The ball we use has some padding, which reduces hit distance a bit, and lessens how much it hurts if you are accidentally hit with the ball.

1.3: General Game Play
a. Games can last for as long as all players want to play, but typical games allow for one or two at-bats for each player.
b. Before the start of play, a batting order should be determined such that every player is included.
c. Players switch from defense to offense (and vice versa), in keeping with the pre-determined batting order, if the whiffle ball falls off of its tee due to any factor except wind.*

* If using a whiffle ball bat as a tee, teams switch if the bat visibly moves due to any factor except wind.

Section 2: Offense
2.1 Positions
a. There is only one player on offense at any given time, and that player assumes the role of the "batter" inside the defense circle. The batter holds the toppleball paddle and stands inside the defense circle, attempting to prevent the defense from hitting the tee.

2.2 Scoring
a. Instead of trading places with another batter (as in Team and Tournament Styles of play), each batter scores runs by running to and touching any part of the defense circle line with a hand or foot, and then returning to and touching the base of the tee with a hand or foot.
b. Batters may score as many runs in an at-bat as they want, and may score multiple runs on one hit by completing the scoring sequence more than once in succession.
c. Batters are responsible for keeping track of their own score.

2.3 Batting
a. The batter may attempt to initiate a score unless the ball is stationary inside the circle, there is a stoppage of play, or the ball is considered dead (see rule 2.3e). For example:

1. The batter has touched the ball with a body part or the paddle, and the ball has failed to fully exit the circle.
2. The ball has been thrown/dropped/deflected into the circle by the defense and has failed to fully exit the circle.

In the case of i., the batter must tap the ball out of the defense circle to a defender. In the case of ii., the batter must kick or hit the ball out of the circle before exiting.
b. The batter may use any body part (arms, legs, feet, etc.) to hit the ball, and may also use the paddle to hit the ball.
c. The batter may not catch or throw the ball.
d. The batter may not kick or hit the ball if it is touching or has corssed to the outside of the defense circle line.
e. The batter has one touch in which to hit or kick the ball out of the circle for each time the ball enters the circle after being touched by the defense (via a throw, drop, pass, etc.). If the batter touches the ball with either the bat or any body part and the ball fails to fully exit the circle, the ball is considered dead and must be tapped out of the circle to a defender.

1. Any ball leaving the circle as a result of incidental double contact (e.g. ricochet off of the bat and then the foot) is also considered dead, and no runs may be scored.
2. If incidental double contact leads to the defense catching a fly ball (see rule 2.3g), the batter must give the defender a free throw.

f. The batter is allowed to block the ball as many times as necessary to prevent the ball from hitting the tee (e.g. in case of a ball that bounces back towards the tee after the initial contact). After one touch, the ball is considered dead as in rule 2.3e and must be tapped out.
g. If the defense catches a ball that has touched any body part of the batter or has touched the paddle but has not yet touched the ground (a fly ball), the batter must stand back from the tee and give the defender who caught the ball a free throw. If the defender hits the tee, the batter's turn is over and the next player in the batting order is up.
h. Batters typically defend the tee, using a traditional baseball stance, to prevent the defense from hitting it and initiating a batter switch. The batter may not defend the tee in the following ways:

1. standing with legs and/or torso directly in line between the ball and the tee.
2. obscuring the tee with a vertically-oriented paddle.
3. movement in an attempt to block the ball that involves a weight shift ito the line between the ball and the tee, even after the ball has been released (e.g. lunging to block with a knee).

Defending the tee in any of these ways is considered "blocking," and is penalized by awarding an open, free throw at the tee by the defender holding the ball at the time of the penalty.
i. Batters must "give a lane" (provide a clear path between the ball and a majority of the tee) for the defense at all times, including:

1. when the batter does not have possession of the paddle.
2. when the batter is moving to defend the tee against another defender after a pass is thrown.
3. when the batter is running to or from the defense circle line while attempting to score.

Any blocking penalty called* during these situations will result in a free throw for the defense.

* It is common to play Olympic Style without a referee, so players should agree on guidelines for calling penalties. Generally, a second or further instance of blocking should result in a penalty, called by the defender with the ball at the time.

Section 3: Defense
3.1 Positions
a. The defense is spread out along the outside of the defense circle line.
b. The defense may not send players away from the defense line for the purpose of catching fly balls. All defenders must play in close proximity to the circle line unless chasing a ball after contact.
c. Defenders may not step, kneel, or place a hand(s) on the ground inside the circle line for any reason during game play. A defender may reach into the circle as long as no body parts tought the ground inside the circle line. A line violation results in a free kick for the batter, with the ball placed inside the circle line.

3.2 Defense Play
a. The goal for the defense is to hit the tee and cause the whiffle ball to fall. This initiates a team switch, allowing the next player in order to bat, and forcing the batter to play defense.
b. The defense may not hide the ball during batter changes.
c. During batter changes, the defense must wait for the batter to get set in the circle before attempting to hit the tee.
d. No member of the defense may hold the ball intentionally for more than five seconds during play, as this constitutes an unfair advantage for the defense. Within the five seconds, the defender must pass or attempt to hit the tee with the ball. Violation of this rule will result in a free run for the batter. If a holding penalty occurs, the defender must also pass the ball to a teammate before play can resume.