INTRAMURAL WATER POLO RULES

PLAYERS:

1. Each team shall consist of a minimum of seven players. The team consists of three men and three women plus a goalie, who can be either sex. At any time during a contest the number of men may exceed the number of women by only one and the number of women may exceed the number of men by only one (excluding the goalie).
2. Each player shall have name and cap number registered with the scorekeeper prior to the listed game time.
3. Each team must have a designated goalie and team captain.
4. The team captain is the only player who may address the referees.
5. A team may start the game with six players. Failure to have six players ready at game time will result in a forfeit.

TIME:

1. Each game will be four periods; each seven minutes long with running time.
2. If the score is tied at the end of regulation, a sudden death overtime period will be added and the first team scoring wins the game.
3. Teams change defensive ends every period and at overtime.
4. There will be a two minute interval at the end of the first and third period (and overtime if necessary) and five minutes between halves.
5. Each team shall be entitled to one time-out each half, none in overtime.
6. A time-out can be called by any player on the team controlling the ball.
7. Time-outs are two minutes in duration.
8. The game clock stops only during time-outs and injuries.

STARTING:

1. A five minute grace period will be allowed before a game is forfieted.
2. Periods are started with each team member's head on or behind the two-yard line, three players on each side of the goal, the goalkeeper between the goal posts and no players hanging onto the sides of the goal. Periods start with a sprint for the ball.
3. Time-out periods are restarted by awarding a free throw to the goalkeeper of the team calling the time-out.
4. During restart after a goal, each team must be in its own defensive half. The team just scored upon must put the ball into play by taking a free throw from the exact center of the playing field. The free throw must be directed towards the team's own defensive end at the referees signal. No player may cross the half line until the ball is in play. Failure to restart properly will be a technical foul.

SUBSTITUTIONS:

1. At any time during the game a player may be substituted by leaving the field at the side of the pool nearest to his own goal-line. The substitute may enter the field of play as soon as the departing player has visibly risen from the water.
2. If an official time-out is called for an injured player, that player must leave the game but may return at the next available moment.
3. Any player receiving three exclusion fouls or a major foul must be substituted for after the one-minute penalty interval.
4. The scorekeeper must be notified of any cap number changes. Failure to do so shall be a technical foul.
5. All players not in the water must remain behind their respective goal line. Failure to do so will result in a personal foul for a player on the deck and ejection of a player in the water.

GOALS:

1. A goal may be scored by any part of the body except a clenched fist.
2. A goal may be scored at the start of the period after the ball has been deliberately played by two players.
3. A goal may be scored at the restart, free throw, corner throw, or goal throw after the ball has been deliberately played by one player, in addition to the player making the throw.
4. It will be a goal if the goalkeeper brings the ball into the goal while throwing except on a free throw, before the ball is in play.
5. The ball must be entirely inside the plane of the goal posts to count as a goal.

GOALKEEPERS:

1. May take the ball in two hands within the 4 yard line only.
2. May not hang on or push off the goal posts at any time.
3. The goalkeeper may not cross the halfway line.

ENFORCEMENT: Any violation of above rules will be a technical foul. An exclusion foul will result if the goalie intentionally take the ball underwater to prevent a goal.

TECHNICAL FOULS:

1. Failure to make progress toward scoring, stalling for time, or deliberately slowing the restart after a goal.
2. To hold onto, or push off from the goal posts or their fixtures; to hold onto the end rails or fixtures and to push off from the sides during actual play. Players may hang onto the sides for resting purposes only.
3. To take or hold the ball underwater when, through bodily contact, the player in possession of the ball: (1) is forced to take the ball under against their will; (2) purposely takes the ball under and there is contact by the defender on their shoulders or arm or hand holding the ball; or (3) purposely takes the ball under water within one yard of a defender.
4. To strike the ball with a clenched fist.
5. To be within two yard of an opponent's goal line or to remain there except when in possession of the ball or when behind the line of the ball. A player inside an opponent's two yard line who released the ball to another player must immediately make normal progress to move outside the two-yard area unless he remains behind the line of the ball. Otherwise, any goal scored on the play will not count. The position of the head shall determine two-yard line infractions.
6. To fail to put the ball into play within three seconds after being awarded a free throw.
7. If an illegal time-out is called and is awarded by the referee.
8. Failure to put the ball into play within a reasonable period of time after the referee has awarded the ball to the nearest player who is in position to make the throw.
9. To cause the ball to go out of bounds.
10. To physically assist a teammate at the start, restart or at any time during the game.
11. To touch the ball with two hands except for the goalie.

ENFORCEMENT: A technical foul shall be penalized with a free throw awarded to the team fouled at the point at which the foul occurred.

12. To start before the referee blows the whistle at the start of a quarter.

ENFORCEMENT: The ball shall be awarded to the offended team at their opponent's 2 yard line.

13. When taking a free throw or corner throw, to throw the ball directly, or after dribbling, at the opposing goal or goalkeeper.
14. To fail to be ready to start after a time-out, or at the beginning of a period.

ENFORCEMENT: The ball shall be awarded to the offended team's goalkeeper.

If a technical foul is committed during a dead time situation: a) by a defensive player, then it is an exclusion foul; or b) by an offensive player, then it is an ordinary foul and a change of ball possession.

ORDINARY FOULS:

1. To hold, sink, or pull back an opponent who is not holding the ball.
2. To push, to push off from or retard the free limb movement of an opponent, or to impede them in any way, unless they are holding the ball. Swimming on the shoulders, back or legs of an opponent constitutes impeding. It is also considered impeding for either the defensive or offensive player, either with or without the ball, to duck under his opponent while swimming even, ahead of, or behind his swimming opponent.

ENFORCEMENT: Ordinary fouls shall be penalized by a free throw awarded to the team fouled at the point of the foul.

EXCLUSION FOULS:

1. To hold, sink, or pull back on an opponent who has attained a position of offensive advantage.
2. To deliberately splash water in the face of an opponent.
3. To deliberately flip the ball away after committing a foul.
4. To interfere with the taking of a free throw, corner throw or goal throw.
5. To commit any ordinary foul before the ball is put into play after any awarded free throw, corner throw, goal throw, penalty throw, or face-off.
6. To interfere with the referee in the execution of their duties.
7. For a player to be detected with sharp nails after the game has started.
8. For a player to be guilty of misconduct. Misconduct is use of disparaging, insulting or obscene language or gestures. Second offense misconduct will result ejection from the game.
9. To over aggressively hold, sink or pull back an opponent. To avoid fouling over aggressively, the defensive player must attempt to play the ball, not the player.
10. To commit three ordinary fouls during a single possession.

ENFORCEMENT: An exclusion foul shall be penalized by removal of the player to the penalty corner designated by the referee for one full minute. A substitute will not be allowed. A free throw will be awarded at the point of infraction.

NOTE: Any player committing any combination of three exculsion fouls shall be removed from the game and may be replaced by a substitute after the one minute penalty interval.

FOUR YARD PENALTY SHOOTING FOULS:

1. A player with or without possession of the ball achieves a position of advantage inside the four yard line, and is fouled by the defense in an attempt to prevent a goal.
2. If a player or goalie pulls down or pushes away the goal to prevent a goal from being scored.

ENFORCEMENT: An exculsion foul is awarded to the defensive player, and the offensive team is awarded a penalty throw to be taken on the four yard line.

NOTE: The goalie must have their head positioned near the goal line prior to the shot. The shot shall commence upon the signal of the referee and shall be one continuous motion.

MAJOR FOULS:

1. To commit an act of brutality against another player or an official. Brutality is to attack, strike, or kick an opponent or to make improper movements with that intent as, in the opinion of the referee, to endanger their person or another player in any way. Deliberately throwing the ball at an opponent constitutes such an attack. A player in possession of the ball, may be tackled, but may not be attacked in violation of this rule.
2. To refuse obedience to or show disrespect for the referee or to exhibit unsportsmanlike conduct.
3. To commit three exclusion fouls in one game.

ENFORCEMENT: For any major foul, a player will be ejected for the remainder of the game and a penalty throw will be awarded. Any player committing a major foul is immediately ineligible for further competition until they have completed the disciplinary hearing process in the Intramural Department. It is the participant's responsibility to contact the Intramural Office to determine the meeting time of the disciplinary hearing with the Director. A free throw is awarded to the opposing team at the point of the foul. The player may be replaced by a substitute after the one minute penalty interval. An ejected player who continues to interfere with the game shall constitute another major foul and will be required to leave the playing area.

FREE THROW TYPES:

Corner Throw: When the defensive team causes the ball to go past its own end line. The free throw is awarded to the offensive team on the two yard line at the side of the pool, closest to where the ball went out. No offensive player may be inside the two yard line when the throw is taken.

Goalkeeper Throw: When the offensive team causes the ball to go past the defensive team's end line. A free throw is awarded to the defensive goalkeeper.

Simultaneous Fouls: When two fouls of like severity occur, then a face-off takes place. If two fouls occur simultaneously of unlike severity, the more severe foul takes precedence.

Free Throw: On all free throws, the ball must be put into play (leave the offensive player's hand) within 3 seconds or a technical foul will result. For the ball to be legitimately put into play it must noticeably leave the player's hand. The defensive player may not attempt to block or deflect a free throw within 1 yard of the offensive player or a personal foul and an ejection will occur.

Dead Time: The period of time from when the referee blows his whistle to award a free throw to when the ball is put into play. Any ordinary foul during this period becomes an exclusion foul.