The Game

The Game

Starting Play
All players from each team shall be lined up at their own goal line and in contact with the pool wall. The football shall be at rest in the centre of the playing area.

Play is started with a call out of “On your marks. Get set. Go.” by an impartial player, a spare, or other mutually agreed volunteer.

Restarting Play
Should play be stopped due to a rule infringement, it is restarted by one of the following methods:

Half Way
After an infringement of the rules causing a team to lose possession of the football, ball possession is awarded to the opposing team. The team with possession forms up on their side of the half way (center) line and the infringing team forms up on their own goal line.

The Face-Off 
A face-off is used to restart play when an infringement has happened but can not be attributed to one team or another (e.g., two opposing players simultaneously committing a surface carry).

To perform a face-off, a referee shall position the football on the bottom of the pool in an area of his/ her own discretion (often this is done by a blind-drop in the area of the infraction). The team captains shall assign one of their players in the water (typically the one that was closest to the ball at the break in play) to take position on the surface above the football. The referee shall signal the play to commence and the designated players may submerge to take possession of the football. The remaining players must not submerge until the football is touched.

General Rules of Play
  • The object of the game is to move the football underwater and deposit it within the goal area without committing a foul.
  • You may move the ball by swimming with it and handing it off, or by passing it to another team member while submerged.
  • The player in control of the football may be tackled, but the tackler must keep the ball in view and immediately release the player when they are no longer in control of the football.
  • A player is said to be "in control of the football" as long as the player is governing the motion or position of the ball. Normally this means holding the ball with one or both hands, but this extends to other surreptitious methods of manipulating the ball. Examples of this include holding it with your feet or legs, dribbling or juggling the football, balancing it on some part of their body or holding it against the body of another player.

The football may not be carried in a player's bathing suit or any other article of clothing. While the match is in play, the football must be carried underwater within the playing area.

Wall Blocking
The offensive player must:
  • Execute the block only within an arm's reach of the pool deck.
  • Lock their arms at the elbow.
  • Not "pin" the defensive player. 
The defensive player:
  • Is entitled to remove the offensive players from the wall provided they are within arm's length of the pool deck.
  • May not go over top of an offensive player's head or shoulders but may go over the offensive player's legs or torso.
  • Any player not meeting the above requirements shall be assessed an "Interference" penalty.
Scoring Procedures
A player must surface within an arm's reach of the side of the pool to score.
The ball must be placed on the side of the pool under control in the goal area in such a manner that the ball comes momentarily to rest on the pool deck with the scorer’s hand still grasping the ball. At this point a goal has been scored and whatever happens to the ball subsequent to this point is irrelevant.

A failed scoring attempt where the ball comes to rest above water is deemed a surface carry on the offensive team and the game is restarted as a half way with the defenders in possession the ball.

If the ball returns to the water on its own, during a failed scoring attempt, play continues uninterrupted.

Penalties

Minor Penalty
A minor penalty consists of a player being removed from the game and staying within the penalty area for one minute and the loss of possession of the football where applicable.

In club play a mm'or penalty is generally assessed as a “Loss of Possession“.

Major Penalty
A major penalty consists of a player being removed from the game and staying within the penalty area for two minutes and the loss of possession of the football where applicable.

Fouls and Infractions

Surface Carry
Is committed when two players surface while in possession of the football. A face off shall take place between the two players surfacing the football.
When a player in possession of the football breaks the surface of the water with any part of their body or equipment with the exception of their fins and feet to the ankles, a Surface Carry has occurred. A "Loss of Possession" penalty is assessed.
Hanging On To the Side or Pool Apparatus
This foul occurs when a player hangs on to the side of the pool for the purpose of affecting the play (e.g. blocking or goal tending). A minor penalty is assessed.

Exceptions:
A player may hold on to the side for the purpose of resting or adjusting equipment, providing the player is well out of the goal area. The player must remain within the play area.
Any player who is in possession of the football and is attempting to score may hold on to the side to aid the scoring effort. Should the effort be unsuccessful, the player must immediately release the side of the pool and submerge completely.
Technical Fouls
A technical foul occurs when a team or player shows unsportsmanlike conduct toward an opposing player or players or toward any official. Such conduct may consist of verbal remarks or any other action or gesture deemed inappropriate. A major penalty will be assessed. Continuation of the penalized behaviour shall result in the offending player being ejected from the game. The captain may then designate a replacement player, who must serve the penalty time.

Holding
Holding occurs when a player, either on the surface or underwater, holds another player who does not have possession of the football. A minor penalty is assessed.

Interference
Interference occurs when a player, either on the surface or underwater, intentionally prevents another player not in possession of the football, from engaging m' the play. However, a player is not obligated to move out of the way of another player. The following examples would constitute an interference penalty: pushing or pulling on an opposing player, or flailing (as opposed to swimming) of arms and legs to impede the motion of an opposing player. A major penalty is assessed.

Equipment Removal
Equipment removal occurs when a player causes another player's mask, snorkel, fins, or bathing suit to be removed or displaced. A minor penalty is assessed.

Surface Throw
Any player who intentionally throws the football out of the water shall be deemed to have committed a surface throw. A minor penalty is assessed.

Fighting
Fighting occurs when a player gives another player blows, or displays persistent and excessive aggressive behaviour toward another player. The player does not need to retaliate. The offending player shall be ejected immediately from the game. In addition, a "Rough Play" penalty shall be assessed against the offending player's team. The penalty must be served by a player designated by the team Captain. The designated player must be one who was in the water at the time of the infringement.


Rough Play
Rough play occurs when a player's performance, in the opinion of the Referee, may be considered hazardous to the other players.
Examples of rough play are elbowing, kneeing, kicking, charging, strangle holds, or tackles above the shoulders. A major penalty is assessed.

Any player who incurs a second rough play penalty during a game shall be ejected from the game upon assessment of the second penalty. Another player of the offending teams choice must serve the two minute penalty.
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