All players must wear a helmet and eye protection. We recommend helmets with a full-face shield.
Each match consists of 3 three-minute periods. The first team to win 2 periods wins the match.
To win a period:
- Capture your opponent’s flag, OR
- Eliminate all of your opponent’s players, OR
- Have the most remaining players at the end of the match.
- Each team consists of 7 on-court players, plus subs.
- At least two players must be of the opposite gender.
- The 7 on-court player positions are 4 Forwards and 3 Backcourts
- Forwards can play anywhere in front of their own back line. Forwards may not cross their own back line with either foot.
- Backs can use the whole court.
- Substitutions can only be made between periods, even if there is an injury during the period.
- Snowballs must be made with the snowball maker 15 minutes prior to the game.
- Each team can use up to 90 snowballs in each period to a maximum of 270 snowballs.
- Referees will check the teams’ snowballs before the match. If the team has not made enough snowballs, no additional snowballs can be made. If there are more than 270 snowballs, the excess snowballs will be removed.
- All players must wear a helmet and eye protection. We recommend helmets with a full-face shield.
- Helmets and eye protection must be worn throughout the game.
Players may directly hand snowballs to one another, place snowballs on the court for later use, or roll snowballs to one another. Teammates are not allowed to toss snowballs to one another.
A snowball is invalid if it is:
- Less than 2/3 of a snowball.
- Not on the court, or comes from outside the court.
- Broken during a period and has been fixed by having snow added to it.
- Newly made during the period.
- Taken from a player who is out.
Players are out, and cannot play for the rest of the period if:
- They have been hit anywhere on their body, including clothing, with a thrown snowball.
- A player is not considered out when hit by a snowball thrown by another player who is out.
- A hit by a snowball that ricocheted off an object or another player does not count as a direct hit.
- A player is eliminated even when struck by a teammate’s or one’s own snowball. Even catching a snowball tossed by a teammate counts as a direct hit. Snowballs must be passed or rolled to teammates.
- Two players hit each other simultaneously (both players are out).
- Any part of their body crosses over the end line or sidelines.
- As long as the player is still in contact with the line, they are still considered to be in.
- They touch a snowball that is not on court.
- A forward player’s foot crosses their own team’s back line, or touches a snowball behind their own back line.
- They use an invalid snowball (see above).
- They begin to move before the referee signals the start of the period.
- They commit a foul (see below).
Players who are called out must leave the court from the nearest sideline or end line immediately.
A player committing a foul will be called out, and cannot play for the rest of the period.
Teams that receive 2 fouls in one game will be disqualified from the tournament.
The referee will call a foul:
- If a player commits an act deemed dangerous by the referee.
- If a player interrupts the period (for example, if a player’s disruption stops the period from continuing).
- If a player protests a decision made by the referee.
Teams will be disqualified from the tournament if:
- They receive 2 fouls in one game.
- They refuse to start a match without good reason.
- A player who is not listed on their roster plays in a game.
Starting the period:
- Snowballs for one period are placed behind the chateau, on the field.
- Players line up on the back line holding up to 2 snowballs.
- At least one foot must be touching the back line.
- The referee will signal the start of the period.
- If a player begins to move before the referee signals the start of the period, they are out.
Interrupting the period:
- If the referee believes the period needs to be interrupted, the period will be suspended immediately.
- If there is an injury during a period, teams can call for a time out.
- Time outs last 90 seconds.
- When returning to the game, players are not allowed to pick up loose snowballs from the ground.
- To resume the game, active players will line up on the back line like at the beginning of the period, but each player is only allowed to hold 1 snowball.
- The period will resume with the signal of the referee.
Ending the period:
- The period ends when a team is declared the winner or when the time for the period runs out.
- The chief referee will signal the end of the period.
- At the end of the period, players who aren’t out stand on the back line to be counted.
Ending the match:
- The referee will declare the end of the match.
- When the match ends, both teams line up at the center line and wait for the referee to announce the results.
- If a match cannot be continued due to injury, and if the injury was caused intentionally, the team that caused the injury will be declared the loser.
- In the event that the cause of the injury is not clear, the team unable to continue will
be declared the loser.
If a team captures their opponent’s flag, or if they get the entire team out, they win 10-0. If time runs out, both teams get 1 point for the remaining number of players on the field. The team with the most players left wins.
Capturing the flag
- Capturing a flag means when the flag is pulled out of its holder.
- If a flag is pulled by a player who is out, the flag must first be replaced into the holder before the teammates can attempt to capture the flag.
- If the flag falls out of bounds, it can no longer be captured for the win.
Only 3 team members can advance onto the opponent’s side of the court at any time; a fourth teammate entering the opponent’s side would mean an automatic game loss. If a team member gets out while on the opponent’s side, another team member can then advance to replace him.
Players who are out do not count toward the 4 or more people on the opponent’s side.
Final decisions of wins and losses are as follows:
- The first team to win two periods wins the match.
- If the both teams won the same number of periods, the team with the most points will be declared the winner of the match.
- If the total points for all three periods is tied, then the winner of the match will be
decided by a victory throw.
- Victory throws are done by the 7 players who were on the court during the third period.
- If the game is still tied after all 7 players from each team has had a turn, then all 7 players will take a second throw.
- The victory throw is invalid if the player’s foot or other body parts touch the area beyond the flag stand.
Victory throw set up:
- A target is placed on the chateau.
- Players must stand behind the flag stand.
- Each player is allowed one throw to knock the off the target.
- Teams alternate throws.
- The team with the most knockdowns of the target off the chateau wins.
- If a team gets 4 knockdowns, they win the victory throw.