THIS IS YOUR TIME OFF

Players and teams in the Competitive Conference of Campus Cup are experienced and skilled in dodgeball. These participants likely have past history in Campus Cup and have played competitive dodgeball before in other University of Alberta settings. They are in this tournament for an intense, action-packed weekend of exciting games. Teams registered in the Competitive Conference get top priority of premium gym spaces that are best suited for competitive play (i.e the David Tuckey Gymnasium for playoffs and the Education Gym for round robins). If you as a participant/team care about the nuances of dodgeball and want the best environment to really show your stuff, Competitive is the conference for you! We strongly recommend that at least one player from each Competitive team registers to be a Campus Cup referee.

Participants in the Experienced Conference of Campus Cup are familiar with, and have past experience in, University of Alberta dodgeball, be it through the Lister Dodgeball League, East Campus Dodgeball League, Campus & Community Recreation intramurals, or previous Campus Cup tournaments. This conference is geared towards teams that have a decent knowledge of UofA dodgeball, but might not have the desire to play in the highest tier. These teams are looking for a solid tournament structure with other teams that share a similar interest and skill level. Gym space for the Experienced Conference will be be adequate in satisfying the dimensions required for a solid game of dodgeball (i.e the Education Gym for playoffs and the Main Gym for round robins). We strongly recommend that at least one player from each Experienced team registers to be a Campus Cup referee.

The Recreational Conference is reserved for teams and players who are new to the Campus Cup Tournament and the University of Alberta dodgeball environment. Teams are looking to have a ton of fun and show great spirit in how they interact with other teams, but they might not have as much skill or experience as others. This conference is for novice players who are looking to get started in the dodgeball environment or to continue to improve their skills as participants and as team members. Gym space for the Recreational teams are well suited for the kind of play that appeals to the fun-loving side of dodgeball (i.e the Main Gym for playoffs and the East Gym for round robins). Teams in this conference will be scheduled as efficiently as possible to avoid downtime, and spending extra hours on campus.

It's pretty easy. When you get hit by a ball, get off the court. The golden rule of dodgeball is When in Doubt, You are Out or if you're not sure if a ball was live when it hit you, be a sport and step off. If the referee calls you safe, then you can go back and play.

Balls in the Campus Cup game of dodgeball are still live until it hits the ground. That means, if the ball bounces off a teammate, a bench, the wall, the roof and then hits you, you are still out.

This is the rule that confuses the most first time players up. Campus Cup dodgeball considers the ball an extension of your body. That means that if a ball hits a ball you are holding, it is the same as a ball hitting you in the head. You're out! Also catching does look cool, but there is no reward. You are safe, the person who threw is safe, and no one gets to come back on the court.

If you step on or over the centre line, you are out. Doesn't matter how much (or little) of your shoe went over. Going over that line, gets you out. Make sure to watch this at the beginning of the game when you start, and run for the balls. Too much momentum and you could be in for an early elimination. Also, watch your throws. Pro tip: stand two feet back. Your throw will still have the same power, and you won't risk crossing the middle line. Also, stay inside the side boundary lines and back line. If you go out too much the ref may call you out. If you are not sure what line is where, ask the referee before the game starts.

Everyone is coming out this weekend to have fun. Don't be that person and ruin the experience for others. Treat the referees and the other players with respect. Referees are volunteers who are here to help make the games run smooth, and their calls are final and non-reversible. Yelling about a call won't get you anywhere. Unsportsmanlike conduct can get you removed from a match or the tournament. Remember, everyone makes mistakes. No one is out to wreck your team's chances.