Join Mental Health America of Putnam County and the discussion around mental health awareness in our sixth annual dodgeball tournament on March 8th, 2025 beginning at 1:30 pm (Doors open at Noon). Form your teams of 6-8 people in a chance to win prizes donated from local and regional businesses and donors.

We're especially excited that our location is the brand, new YMCA of Putnam County! We are the first event (as of this writing) in the new facility!!

Spectators are welcome and free to attend! We will have many Mental Health tables and businesses with freebies, plus, a wonderful Silent Auction, all open from Noon to the end of the tournament. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Equipment
• No more and no less than six regulation size balls will be used for each match.
Players
• Each team must have at least six players with as many as two substitutes. All players must be easily identifiable by similar color attire, uniforms or pinnies.
Substitutions
• Lineups must be determined prior to the start of each game. No substitutions are allowed once a game has begun except in the event of an injury to a player or players.
Retrievers
• Retrievers return balls that have left the court boundaries. A ball that is out of bounds can only be returned to play from behind the end line.
• Whenever possible a team should provide their own retrievers and players who are currently “out” can act as retrievers.
• Retrievers may not enter the court boundaries and can only retrieve balls from their team’s side of the court.

Game Play
• Games will begin with all players on their respective end lines.

The Rush
• On the referee’s signal both teams may rush to the center of the court and retrieve as many balls as possible.
• Players may not slide or dive into the centerline during the rush. Players who slide or dive will be called “out” and must leave the court. Crossing over the centerline will result in an “out”.

Requirements for Putting a Ball Into Play
• After the rush, any retrieved ball must first be completely behind the attack line before throwing it at an opponent.
• Players may cross the attack line to retrieve a ball at any time. They may not cross the centerline. An infraction will result in an “out”.
• A player may pass a ball from any part of the court to a teammate during the rush or during game play, but balls retrieved in front of the attack line must always first go behind the attack line before being thrown at an opponent.

Matches
• All games are “elimination”. A game is played until all opponents on one side have been eliminated.

“Out”
In addition to the rules above under Game Play, a player is considered “out” when:
• A live ball hits any part of the player’s body or clothing.
• A player is hit by a ball that has rebounded off of another player or rebounded off of a ball that is lying on the court.
• Striking a player from the opposing team in the head with a thrown ball (intentionally or unintentionally).
• A defending player catches a live ball that they have thrown. When this occurs, a player from the defending team may reenter the playing area. A defending player can catch a ball that has rebounded off of a teammate before it hits the floor.
• If any part of the player’s body crosses the end lines, sidelines or center line. If a player’s momentum carries them across the sideline or end line when catching a throw from the opposing team they are not “out” as long as the catch is controlled before crossing the line.

All referee decisions are final. No arguing, please.

Remember, we are here to have fun and support a great cause!

All proceeds stay in Putnam County and go to promoting community-wide mental health and MHAoPC programs!

For event-related questions, please click on the [b]Contact the Organizers[/b/ button on the left-hand side of this page.