Office of Campus Recreation
|
INNERTUBE WATER POLO RULES |
Revised for Fall 2010
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY
1. Participation is limited to currently-enrolled UTM students, faculty
members, and full-time staff. All areas of eligibility are covered in the
Intramural rules which are available through the Campus Recreation Office and
online at the UTM Campus Recreation web site.
2. In order to participate in an Intramural contest each player must present
their valid UTM Skyhawk Card
3. Participants must be able to access the
TEAM COMPOSITION
1. Teams consist of 5 players. A team must have 5 players to start a game. No goalies are allowed.
2. Jack and Jill teams must have at least two women on the team.
3. Substitutions may be made only between halves, during time-outs, and
following a made goal. Substitutes must report to the referee before entering
the water. Play resumes when the official blows the whistle. Intentionally
delaying the game will be penalized by a free throw awarded to the opposing
team. Substitutes may wait in the
pool on the side closest to shallow end.
In the Jack and Jill division guy for guy and girl for girl.
EQUIPMENT
1. All players must follow UTM Aquatics and the
2. All players must wear appropriate swimwear. No eye glasses are permitted in
the pool. Goggles are allowed.
3. Jewelry is NOT allowed to be worn by any participant during an intramural
event. This jewelry consists of any visible rings (including wedding bands),
watches, necklaces, earrings, studs, bracelets, and any other such similar
jewelry. Only medical alert bracelets are permitted. A player is subject to
ejection for failure to remove any jewelry after first warning.
PLAYING AREA
1. The playing area is in the shallow end of the pool.
2. The goal box is the area that extends five yards from the edge of the pool
across the entire width of the playing area. The area is marked by the lines in
the pool.
GAME TIME & LENGTH
1. Game time is forfeit time. A team needs at least 5 legal players to begin
the game.
2. Each game will consist of two 12-minute halves with a 3-minute halftime
period. A running clock will be used.
Teams will change goals at halftime.
3. The following will resolve games
that end in a tie.
A. Three players from each team will be selected to shoot. The shooters have to have been in the
pool at the end of regulation.
B. A coin flip will decide which team has the option of shooting first or
selecting the goal.
C. Teams will alternate shots at the same goal.
D. Shots will follow the penalty shot procedure.
E. If the score remains tied following the first 3-player shootout, a sudden
victory shootout will occur in which the game is won if, after ANY equal number
of shots, the tie is broken. Players who shot in the first 3-player shootout
are again eligible to shoot. Each shooter must wait for 2 other shooters from
their team to shoot before they are eligible again. (i.e., 2nd shooter in first
shootout can shoot 5th, 8th, and 11th...).
INCLEMENT WEATHER.
1. In the case of inclement weather, the Intramural Sports staff will not make
a decision regarding the playing of games until after 4:00 pm. For information
on cancellations, call the IM Office Rain Line at 881-7007).
A. If inclement weather occurs after the closing of the Intramural office,
decisions regarding the continuing of the games will be made at the pool by the
IM supervisors or aquatics personnel.
METHOD OF PLAY
1. At the start of each half, one or the other team will receive the ball in
front of their goal. The same
procedure will be used after a score.
2. Teams must have 3 players on the offensive end and 2 players on the
defensive end.
3. Players must sit horizontally in their inner tube with rear end in the
middle of the tube and arms & legs over the side. No player may leave
his/her inner tube. The ball may not be touched or maneuvered when a player is
out of his/her tube. Handling the ball while not in a tube is a penalty
resulting in a free throw for the opposing team. The only thing you can do when
not in your tube is get back in it.
4. Players dribble the ball by pushing it in the water, holding it between
their knees, holding it with 2 hands, holding it with 1 hand in the air,
holding it against their body, or holding it in their lap. One or both hands
may be used to pass, catch, or throw the ball. The ball may not be held
completely underwater.
5. Players may not hold on to the walls or goal area while having possession of
the ball.
6. Contact with the opponent's body is NOT permitted. The defensive player may
also seize or knock the ball from the possession of the player holding the
ball.
7. The feet may not be used to knock the ball out of the possession of another
player or to score a goal.
8. No player may enter the goal area at any time, except when the defense is
retrieving the ball after the ball has entered the goal area. A player is
considered in the goal box when any portion of his/her inner tube enters the
box. Offensive players will be called for a technical foul when illegally
entering the box. If a defensive player enters the box, he/she must get out as
soon as possible. A penalty shot will be awarded when a defensive player
actively plays defense from within the box on a legal thrower.
9. Moving screens are NOT allowed. A player cannot use a teammate to leverage
themselves or gain an unfair advantage.
10. A ball deflected out of the pool will be awarded to a player of the
opposing team nearest to the point where it left the pool for a free throw.
SCORING
1. In the Jack and Jill division, two points will be scored for each goal by a
male player. Three points will be scored for each goal by a female player. The
same point value is applied to penalty throws. Both males and females will
score one point for a shootout goal.
2. A goal is scored when a legal shot, taken outside of the goal box,
completely crosses the goal line. Any shots taken from inside the goal box will
be disallowed. The ball may hit the water in its path to the goal.
3. If a player falls out of his/her tube in the process of scoring a goal
(following the throw and prior to the ball entering the goal), the goal will
NOT count.
4. Following each goal, the ball is put back into play by the referee returning
it to the team just scored upon.
5. Offensive players may retrieve any rebounds that exit the goal area. Any
rebounds that stay within the goal area must be retrieved by the defense.
6. Teams may NOT throw the ball beyond the center zone.
IX. TECHNICAL FOULS
1. Each of the following infractions constitutes a technical foul:
A. Starting play before the referee blows the whistle
B. The goalie throwing the ball across the center line
C. Intentionally holding the ball
D. intentionally delaying the game
E. Stalling - When a team is penalized for stalling, the opposing team will be
awarded the ball for a free throw at the edge of the goal area of the team
being penalized.
F. Striking the ball with a clenched fist.
G. Any player going into their opponent's goal area. If a player is forced into
the area but is still making an attempt to get out, NO foul will be called.
H. Throwing directly at the goal on a free throw (must be first thrown to a
teammate)
I. Holding the ball completely underwater.
2. The penalty for a technical foul is a free throw at the spot of the
infraction.
X. PERSONAL FOULS
1. Each of the following infractions constitutes a personal foul.
A. Unnecessary or intentional bodily contact with an opposing player.
B. Holding onto or dumping an opposing player's inner tube.
C. Contacting a player with the ball.
D. Committing any technical foul for the purpose of scoring or preventing a
score.
2. The penalty for a personal foul is a penalty throw at the mid court.
3. For any flagrant, malicious, or violent fouls, the offending player will be
ejected and a penalty shot will be awarded to the offended team.
XI. FREE THROWS & PENALTY THROWS
1. On all free throws, the ball must be passed within 5 seconds to a teammate
before an attempt for a goal may be made. All players must be 3 feet away from
the free thrower prior to the throw.
2. Penalty shots will be taken by the offended player.
3. The following procedure will be followed for all penalty throws.
A. The player taking the throw must go to mid court. All other players must be
at least 3 feet away from the thrower.
B. The official shall ensure that the thrower is ready. The thrower shall raise
the ball into the air and attempt to score the goal.
C. Following an unsuccessful attempt, the ball remains live and in play.