Overball

Overball is a field sport, with elements of earthly soccer, rugby, and volleyball. The game is named so because the ball, called the overball, remains in play only while it is in the air. Movement stops when the ball touches the ground. Overball is the favorite pastime of common citizens and nobility alike.

It is thought by some conspiracy theorists that overball was invented by the ruling elite to distract citizens from corruption and tyranny.

See Overball Rules for the full set of rules.

Winning Conditions

The team with the most points after 90 minutes or whichever reaches 9 points is the winner. There is no overtime. If teams are tied, the game results in a draw.

Time

A game is set for 90 minutes total, broken up into three tries. 1st and 3rd tries begin with a kickoff, determined by coin toss (winner of the toss picks which try they kick and receive). 2nd try begins with a pip-off from center pip.

The clock does not stop during gameplay except during penalties and injuries. Teams are allowed 45 seconds during transitional moments to get set (ball changes hands, out of bounds, backstop).

Field and Equipment

The overball field is (approximately) 100 meters long by 40 meters wide, with a goal area on each side that's about 10 meters deep. The goal area is called the shade. The field is divided up into ten sections, each about 10 meters thick, called spills. The center of the field, at the halfline, is the ring, and the center point on the field is called the center pip. There is also one triangle dead center in the second spill on each side, which are called the back pips. These back pips are used for penalty kicks and kickoffs. The center pip is only used at the start of the second try pip-off, where the ball is placed on the center pip.

Players

There can be no more than ten players on a side at any given time.

Overball Positions

Overball Positions

Backfield

• Defender
• Leftback
• Rightback

The defender and the two backs are mostly on the backfield to defend against any sudden deep penetration of their home shade.

Back and Midfield

• Roamer

The roamer floats anywhere in the back and midfield. When a roamer is in play, typically one of the forwards will be out to allow a more defense-heavy formation.

Midfield

• Center
• Left Midrider
• Right Midrider

The Center is traditionally the most versatile player on the field, as he can cover all the surrounding positions, but the other difficult positions to play are roamer and trader. The two midriders are also similarly veratile, able to play both back and front fields, though they are often large in size to enable strong hits all along the midfield.

Frontfield

• Left Forward
• Right Forward
• Left Breaker
• Right Breaker
• Frontrider

The forwards are usually the fastest and most agile players on the team, second to the backs. They are the ones most likely to score. The breakers are typically some of the largest players. Their job is to wreak havoc on the others team from the flank side. They also provide solid blocking for the forwards. The frontrider plays the entire front zone in a defense-heavy formation, which is usually used to give other frontfielders a rest.

A frontrider is usually used as an extra forward in an offense-heavy formation. Usually when a frontrider is in play, the center is out.

Other

• Trader

The trader can cover any position, and is usually used to provide active relief to the other players. The trader is typically a very skilled player, oftentimes used as a sort of ringer for when the other players are injured or tired.

The initial positioning on the field upon "pip-off" has the players from each side lined up as in the diagram. During the rest of the game, players can take whatever positioning they want, barring any limitations (dead ball buffer).

Gameplay

The premise is that the ball must be in the air in order to make forward progress for a side, whose object is to get the overball into the opposite side's shade. The ball may be thrown, popped, kicked, tossed, or bumped forwards to another player.

Players may catch the ball, but they can only run backwards or sideways with it, never forwards (players may run forward after gaining possesion of the ball as long as they stay within their spill). The other side may attempt to create a dead ball by tackling the player only during a carry. A tackle puts the ball into the other side's possession with a stop, which is when players are reset and that side starts with the ball in hand. During a stop, the other side must buffer by positioning in the adjacent spills. The side in possession can only have a maximum of three players within the spill of the overball.

If the ball hits the ground outside of a tackle, it becomes grounded and players can only kick it backwards or sideways, never forwards (the ball may only move forwards if it remains within the spill). Players can only carry it if they receive possession of the overball while it is in the air; if it is grounded outside of a tackle, another player must kick it up to another player.

Scoring happens when a side gains control of the ball within the other team's shade. They then switch sides and the defender kicks off from the back pip.

A backstop happens when a side gains control of the ball inside the driving side's defending shade. This is the only time a player can "handle" the ball while grounded. A backstop is considered a goal.

Penalties

• Intentional Grounding - If a player has control of the overball, he cannot intentionally ground the ball (so as to resume kicking it back to teammates) to avoid tackle. He can only throw or kick the ball forward to get rid of it.
• Contact Foul - A player cannot tackle, slam, kick, punch, etc. another player who does not have control of the ball except when actively trying to go to the ball. A penalty kick is awarded.
• Contact Foul (Kicking) - A player cannot contact another player with the soul of their feet except in instances where a player goes down and gets stepped on during normal gameplay. Ball moves forward one shade.
• Contact Foul (Slicing) - A play cannot use the head when making a tackle. Ball moves forward one shade.
• Contact Foul (Sweeping) - A player cannot sweep another player off their feet except when making a play to get the ball. Ball moves forward one shade.
• Holding - A player cannot grab onto another player's jersey except during a tackle attempt. Ball moves forward one shade.
• Handling - A player cannot touch a grounded ball with the hands unless another player kicks it into the air. Ball changes possession.
• Interference - A player cannot force another player out of the way to gain access to a ball in play. Ball is grounded in offensive possession at the spot of the infraction.
• Illegal Forward Motion - A player cannot kick the ball forward while it's grounded, nor can he carry it forward (except for forward movement within the spill). Infraction results in the ball moving back one spill. If the ball moves into the home spill by penalty in this manner, the other team scores a goal.
• Out of Bounds - The ball resumes play in the other side's possession from the location it was upon exiting the field (whichever team last made contact with the ball gives up possession).
• Delay - If a team takes more than 35 seconds during a transition, they incur a delay pentalty, and forfeit possession of the ball.

Penalty Notes

• A ball can move forward by penalty only until the final spill. It cannot move forward into the shade by penalty, resulting in a goal. It can, however, move backward into the shade and result in a goal (see illegal forward motion).
• Penalty Kicks - A team may be awarded a penalty kick. Besides kickoffs, this is the only time a grounded ball can be kicked forward. Penalty kicks are usually placed at the spot of the infraction, and opposing players must buffer.

Season and Playoffs

Each team plays 15 games during the regular season, with at least one bye. Playoffs consist of the top 6 teams from the standings.

Playoff Structure

• Week 1: Wild Card Round
  • Game 1: Seed 3 vs Seed 6
  • Game 2: Seed 4 vs Seed 5
  • (Seeds 1 and 2 get a bye)
• Week 2: Semifinals
  • Game 3: Seed 1 vs Lower Seed Winner from Wild Card (i.e., lowest-numbered seed that advanced)
  • Game 4: Seed 2 vs Higher Seed Winner from Wild Card
• Week 3: Championship
  • Game 5 (Final): Winner of Game 3 vs Winner of Game 4

See Also

• List of Overball Teams