Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board

Program Information

Registration Options

Team Registration

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Divisions:

Open: leagues without gender restrictions for play and field position
Co-Ed: players identity as female/male with gender rues in place for play and field position

MPRB Skill Levels:

Recreational: A laid-back approach to your kickball experience; a social atmosphere geared toward the fun and recreational aspects of the game of kickball
Competitive: A more serious approach to the game, a higher level of play. Ideal for previous league champions and/or experienced teams looking for a higher level of competition.

Rosters:

All players must be 18 years or older
Minimum number of players on a team is 11
Maximum number of players on a team is 20

Individual Registration

We accept individual registration for kickball
Learn more and register through our individual registration process

MPRB League Rules

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) House Rules:

Kickball is actually very similar to softball and baseball. The object is to advance more runners across home plate than the opposing team. USA Softball slowpitch softball rules are the basis of the MPRB kickball rules. Any rule not defined below will be similar to the rule found in the USA Softball rule book.

Rosters:

All players must be 18 years or older
Minimum number of players on a team is 11
Maximum number of players on a team is 20Teams:
Each team must roster at least 11 players and at most 20 players
Females and males must be equally represented in both the infield and the outfield when possible
If fielding the minimum of eight players (four male/four female or five female/three male), that team should place three players in the outfield and the remaining five in the infield (first, second, third base, pitcher and catcher)
If fielding the maximum of 10 players (five male/five female), four players must play in the outfield, while the remaining six will play the infield (first, second, third, shortstop, pitcher, and catcher)
Pitcher and catcher must be of different genders
If a team cannot field at least three men (with five women), that team will forfeit the game
Teams will have a five-minute grace period before a forfeit is declared
A floating kicking order will be used when an odd number of male/female players are in the kicking order
You should never have the same sex kick back-to-back
In the field, there will never be more than five male fielders. The following ratios for male/female are acceptable for the field:
three male/five female
three male/six female
three male/seven female
four male/four female
four male/five female
four male/six female
five male/five female
five male/four female
All players playing the field must be in the kicking order
Any players that are not playing the field can still be in the kicking order but must remain so during the course of the entire game
All team players must kick in a consistent kicking order
If you have kicked at least once, you must stay in that same kicking order, unless you are injured
Kickers are allowed to but and infielders can move as close to the plate as they would like
There is no imaginary line that fielders must stay behind as long as they remain in fair territory
Catchers MUST be in foul territory BEHIND the kicker when the ball is kicked (failure to do so is Catcher Obstruction)

Game Play:

A managers' meeting will take place before the game with the umpire to cover ground rules
Regulation games last nine full innings or 55 minutes (whichever comes first)
In the event of a tie score at the end of the game, the game will be marked as such
If time allows, an extra inning may be played if both teams agree to it
If both teams scheduled to play each other forfeit the game, the game will be marked as a 0-0 tie. Each team will get one point for the tie.
A game that is called off by the umpire or League Director due to inclement weather before three full innings of play will not be considered a regulation game
The game may be rescheduled or resumed at the point that the game was stopped, if possible
The first two games lost due to weather are not made up
There will be a seven-run rule in effect per team per inning
When a team scores seven runs in one inning (even if the team has fewer than three outs), they must stop kicking and switch places with the other team
This rule is in effect for all innings except the ninth inning as called by the umpire (in those innings unlimited runs may be scored)
A runs ahead rule will be used as follows:
20 runs after four innings or 10 after five innings

Ball in Play:

When a defensive player in the infield has control of the ball, the play ends
If a runner intentionally touches or stops the ball, even if they are on base, the play ends (the runner will also be called out)
Players in the field are allowed to kick the ball (as opposed to throwing) towards another team player in the field
This is particularly helpful if you have a long throw from the outfield
There is no infield fly rule
If the the umpire feels a ball is intentionally dropped to turn a double play, the kicker is out and all runners will return to the last base occupied
The catcher may not impeded the ability of the kicker to put the ball in play
Catcher Obstruction: a delayed dead ball call by the umpire that happens when a catcher is in front of the kicker at the time the ball is kicked or hinders the kicker's ability to kick the ball
If obstruction is called and the kicker reaches first base safely and all other runners advance at least one base, the obstruction is cancelled and all action stands
If all runners and the kicker do NOT advance at least one base safely, the manager of the offensive team has the option of taking the result of the play or placing the kicker at first base and advancing runners only if forced

Pitching:

Pitchers must "Roll" the ball to the kicker
A pitched ball must first contact the ground after leaving the pitcher's hand, no more than three feet from the hand, as judged by the umpire
A pitched ball that bounces higher than one foot multiple times before reaching home plate, also as judged by the umpire during or after the pitch, results in an illegal pitch
The strike zone extends one foot on either side of home plate and one foot high
Any part of the ball over the strike zone, as judged by the umpire, will be a strike
If the ball falls short of the plate and does not cross over, the pitch will be called a ball
The pitcher must have at least one foot on or both feet behind the pitching plate until the ball is kicked
Failure to do so results in an illegal pitch
Pitchers may only be replaced twice per inning

Kicking:

The order of kicking shall be alternating male and female players
No player may kick more than once until the entire team rotation per genders has had a chance to kick
To preserve the male-female alternating kicking order, it may be necessary to have one gender kick more than once
All kicks made with the leg, at or below the knee, result in a live ball
Any ball "kicked" above the knee or stepped on, intentionally or unintentionally, is a considered a foul ball
If a "legal" kick is made and the ball contacts the kicker a second time while behind the home plate, the result is a foul ball
All kicks must occur at or behind the front edge of the front plate
If any part of either foot touches the ground past the front edge of home plate prior to the kick of the ball, the kicker will be called out
As in Co-Rec softball, a walk to a male kicker will result in a two base award
The next kicker (a female) shall kick
With two outs, the female has the option to walk or kick. Should the female choose to walk and pass the previous male kicker, while on his way to first, no out shall be called during this dead ball period
A male kicker advancing to second base without touching first base shall be called out if properly appealed

Base Running:

Runners must stay within the base line
Fielders trying to make an out on base may have their foot on base but must not impede the runner, especially if the fielder does not have the ball
Runners hindered by any fielder within the base line shall be safe to which they were running
A runner is out when they run outside the three-foot lane and, in the umpire's judgement, interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base
The runner may run outside the three-foot late to avoid a fielder attempting to field a kicked ball
When the defensive player, due to an errant throw, uses the foul portion of the double base, the runner can run in fair territory when the throw is coming from the foul side of first base
If intentional interference is ruled with a kicker or thrown ball, the runner is out
The play ends when all runners have completed their base running and a defensive player has control of the ball in the infield
When, in the judgement of the umpire, all immediate play is apparently completed, the umpire will call time
Neither leading of nor base stealing is allowed
A runner off of their base when the ball is kicked will be called out
Sliding is allowed
If a base runner advances i front of another runner or touches the runner in front of them, they will be called out
Hitting a runner with the ball above shoulder level is not allowed
Any runner intentionally hit above the shoulders as they are running or sliding to a base will be safe
If contact first occurs below the shoulder and secondar contact is made above it, it is NOT an out
If a player intentionally throws at the head of another player, they will be ejected
If a player demonstrates unsportsmanlike conduct, as judged by the umpire, with an excessively hard throw or other act of aggression, they may be ejected
If the runner intentionally uses their head to block the ball, the runner is out
After a ball is caught, runners must tag (go back to) their originating base before running to the next base
One extra base is awarded on an overthrow or kick by a defensive player
Any ball that crosses the line of play line, as established by the umpire, is considered an "overthrow"
All attempts necessary should be made to avoid a collision with the catcher during plays at the plate
Any player may not "block" any base without the ball in their hands
Catchers need to know where they are standing to avoid unnecessary collisions

Definitions:

Strikes: any foul ball or a pitch within the strike zone, as defined above, either not kicked, or missed by the kicker
Balls:
A pitch outside the strike zone
A ball falling short of the plate and does not fully cross over the plate
A pitch that bounces higher than one foot multiple times before reaching home plate, as judged by the umpire
A pitcher advancing in front of the pitching plate before the ball is kicked
Any catcher advancing forward of home plate before the kicker kicks the ball
Fouls:
A kicked ball landing fair but ending up in foul territory without being touched before reaching first or third base
Any ball touched by a fielder while the ball is in fair territory is automatically fair even if the ball goes foul
Count: Each kicker will be allowed a three ball and two strike count with no courtesy foul
Outs: A count of three outs by a team completes the team's half of the inning
A count is two strikes
A runner touched by the ball (held, thrown, or kicked) at ANY time while not on base
Any kicked ball (fair or foul) that is caught before touching anything other than another defensive player
A defensive player touching (tagging) the base to which a runner is forced to run. The fielder must have control of the ball (ie., it must be off the ground)
A runner off their base when the is kicked
When the runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a kicked ball or a fielder attempting to throw/kick the ball
A kick occurring in front of home plate
Designated Runner:
In cases of injury/illness, a time-out may be requested for participant and replacement with a substitute of the same sex
If the player later returns to play, the player must be inserted in the same kicking order position previously held
If a player cannot continue, the lineup will continue in the same formation, less the player is removed, as long as the removal does not take a team below the minimum eight players
Ejected Player: Any ejected player, at any time, that does not have a substitute that has not already been in the game will result in a forfeit for that team.
The pitcher may only be replaced twice per inning
Switching other player positions during the course of the inning is allowed

Behavior:

Unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated
Each team member is responsible for his or her conduct; respect yourself and others
It is the manager's responsibility to maintain control of their team
Casual profanity is prohibited
No drinking of intoxicating beverages is allowed at fields/games
No smoking on the field or in the dugout

Late Arrival & Forfeits:

A team must have eight players to start a game, no team shall start short
A team not ready to play at game time will be given a five minute grace period
At five minutes, the game is forfeited
Forfeits are frowned upon, but if your team cannot field enough players to play, the team manager is responsible for contacting the league director ASAP

Equipment & Apparel:

Metal spikes are not allowed
One official game ball is required by each team
Uniforms are not required to participate in the league, but matching t-shirts are recommended

Inclement Weather:

Click HERE for gameday weather and game status updates
The league director will aim to update this page by 3:30pm on gamedays
If the weather worsens after 3:30pm, the decision as to whether or not to cancel is left up to the umpire at the field

Standings:

Final standings are based on:
Points earned (W=2, L=0, T=1)
Head to head record
Run differential from head to head games
Coin flip

Field & Equipment:

Field:
Kickball infield consists of home plate and three bases (first, second, and third)
The pitcher's mound will be 50 feet
The distance between home plate and first base, first base and second base, second base and third base, and third base and home will be 65 feet (forming a square)
Bases and home plate will be provided by MPRB
Equipment:
One beautiful bright red, blue, yellow or orange 8.5-inch kickball
Teams are responsible for providing game balls
Additional equipment such as cleats and/or any protective equipment must be provided by participants
Metal cleats are not allowed

kickball

Relive Recess: Join a kickball League

Spring registration opens in February

Fall registration opens in June

Program Information

Registration Options

MPRB League Rules

Locations

Download Our App