Each team is allowed 5 players on the court during a game. A team is allowed a maximum of 3 males on the court at one time, there is no restriction on the number of females. Teams require a minimum of 4 players to start a game, with at least one of these to be a female.
DURATION
Games are 30 minutes 2 x 13 minute halves with a 2 minute half-time break. The extra 2 minutes are to allow for players to take and leave the field prior to and following their game. If a game starts late, the game time may be adjusted, with each half being a minimum of 10 minutes.
THE DRAW
The entire season schedule (draw) is posted online prior to Round 1 commencing. If you have an issue with any individual times or dates, Lunchtime Legends may on request alter the draw before the commencement of Round 1. Game times generally cannot be changed after the season has started. The draw is computer generated, team match ups and times are random and are designed to offer maximum variety of competition with the available teams and number of rounds.
WARM UP
Please ensure you arrive a few minutes before your game to sign on, warm up and stretch to avoid injuries.
SIGN ON
All players must sign-on prior to their game. Players must sign on under their own names, and sign-on only for themselves and not for other team members. Players must sign on and participate in 3 games during the Round Robin competition to participate in the Finals Series. If your team has a forfeit win or a washed out game that has not been replayed, each player is considered signed on for that game (This is only relevant if your team makes the Finals Series).
Please Note: Signing on under someone else’s name may disqualify you from any insurance cover you may otherwise be eligible for if you are injured. Signing on for other players may disqualify them from any insurance cover they may otherwise be eligible for if they are injured while playing. Please refer to your HR department for your specific insurance information.
PLAYING SHOES
Sports Shoes, Runners and Cross Trainers are preferred. Anything with blades or studs are not acceptable.
JEWELLERY / SUNGLASSES
Please ensure all watches, jewellery and sunglasses (unless prescription) are removed before the game begins. These items are best left at the office. Please do not give jewellery to your umpire/referee to mind, we have Supervisors at the courts who will take care of such belongings if requested.
Your nails should also be cut to the height of the finger tips, and players with long nails may be requested to wear gloves or tape these for their safety and the safety of other players.
TEAM CAPTAINS
Each team is to nominate a Captain prior to the start of play. The Captain is responsible for the conduct of the team, will participate in the toss before the game, sign the scorecard and nominate a “Lunchtime Legend” from the opposing team at the end of the game.
LUNCHTIME LEGEND
Lunchtime Legends encourages participants to play to the best of their ability as well as exhibit good sportsmanship and fair play at all times. At the conclusion of each game, the captains nominate a player from the opposing team who they believe has exhibited this behaviour the most. This person is the “Lunchtime Legend” for that team. The competition supervisor will select a “Legend of the Round” from all the teams. This person has their name posted online for a week alongside the round results. The votes from each round are tallied through the season with a “Legend of the Series” trophy awarded at the end of each competition for the person with the most nominations.
SUBSTITUTION
Players may substitute as often as they wish during a game as long as this does not cause a break in play. Players may substitute for any player as long as such substitution does not contravene the gender requirements. Players being substituted must leave the court prior their replacement entering the court.
To effect a substitution, players may call to the referee after their team has been scored against and this must be acknowledged by the referee.
INJURIES / BLOOD RULE
A player that receives an injury that results in any blood must leave the field of play and a normal substitute is used. The player may not return to the field until the blood is cleaned up, and the wound is covered. For serious injuries received during play, the game may be stopped to assess and provide aid to the injured party. If the player needs to leave the field, a normal substitute is used. If a valid substitute is not available, the team must continue to play minus a player.
LATE ARRIVAL
To keep the games on time, teams arriving late will be punished accordingly; On the second minute the offending team is running late, the opposition receives 5 points. On the fourth minute, the opposition receives another 5 points. At the 5th minute, the game is deemed a forfeit win with a score-line of 15-0 in favour of the non-forfeiting team. If both teams are running late, both teams will be penalised. (Eg, if team 1 shows up two minutes late, and team 2 shows up 4 minutes late, the game will start 10-5 in favour of team 1). If after 5 minutes neither team has shown, the game is deemed a forfeit draw with a score of 0-0 and no points awarded in the competition total .
RING-INS
During the Round Robin competition, teams who register as a “Team Entry” may use players who did not originally register with their team to “fill in” for regular players. This is preferred by Lunchtime Legends as an alternative to forfeiting games. These players must sign on under their own name for the team they are playing for prior to the start of the game. Teams that are made of Individual Entries may use Ring Ins only where they are a direct substitute for a non participating player. Ring-ins cannot act as Captain, but for all other purposes serve as a normal player on the team. A ring-in player who signs on and participates in 3 games for another team is permitted to play for that team in the Finals Series. If teams are in need of ring-ins, we recommended finding ring-in players prior to coming down to the fields. Playing as a ring-in is done at your own risk, as your company or the company you play for may not cover you under their respective insurance policy.
FORFEITS
If you have to forfeit a game, please contact us on 0416 499 118 before 10am on the day of play. An email to admin@lunchtimelegends.com.au before the day of play is also acceptable. If you forfeit twice without giving Lunchtime Legends such notice or three times with notice, your team will be withdrawn from the competition with no refund and your place will be made a bye for the remaining rounds of the draw. There is no exception to this rule and we encourage all teams to make every effort to play at your scheduled time slot every week.
If a team is withdrawn from the competition due to forfeits, it will not be allowed to play with Lunchtime Legends the following season.
Forfeiting a game results in a 15-0 loss and NO competition points will be awarded to your team.
POINTS / COMPETITION TABLE
Teams receive 3 points for a win, 2 for a draw, 1 for a loss and 0 for a forfeit. The competition table is updated online at the conclusion of each round. Should 2 teams end up with equal points after the Round Robin, points for “For and Against” will apply. If 2 or more teams are on equal points and the “For and Against” difference is equal, the team with the highest “For” score will secure the higher place on the table. If this fails to separate the teams, the team with the highest number of wins will secure the higher place. In the rare event that 2 teams find themselves completely equal with each other on the table at the end of the Round Robin competition and both are eligible for a place in the Finals Series, then those teams will need to play an elimination game prior to the commencement of the Finals Series.
FINALS SERIES
At the completion of the Round Robin, the Finals Series commences. There are 2 rounds, Semi Finals and Grand Final. The top 4 teams from the Round Robin competition play each other in the Semi Finals, with 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd. The winners from each game play each other at the Grand Final. Players must have signed-on and participated in 3 or more games to be eligible to play. If your team has a forfeit win or a washed out game during the Round Robin competition, each player on your team is considered signed on for that game. In the event that a player is eligible to play for multiple teams in the Finals Series, ie. they have signed on and played for multiple teams during the round robin series, they can only play for one team in the Finals Series.
Prior to the commencement of the Finals Series, each player who is eligible to play for multiple teams must nominated the team they will play for in the Finals Series. If the team they nominate is eliminated from the finals series, then they are also eliminated from the finals series, and are still not eligible to play for any other team. Any participant from the competition is welcome to watch the Semi Finals and Grand Final, with a catered presentation ceremony at the conclusion of the Grand Final. Trophies will be awarded to the Winners and Runners-Up on Grand Final Day.
DRAWN GAMES (Finals series only)
For drawn games in the Final Series, extra time of 3 minutes will be played. If the game is still drawn at the conclusion of the extra time, golden goal rule applies whereby the team who scores first is declared the winner.
WASHOUTS
Whilst we are using an all weather venue, during heavy rain play will be suspended. Additionally, there is always the possibility that the courts may be unavailable due to unforeseen venue closure or court unavailability. Teams will be notified as soon as possible in this circumstance. Every effort will be made to reschedule unplayed games. Rescheduled games will be conducted on a weekday between 11:30am and 2:30pm during the regular Round Robin competition, with teams given notice the week before the replay round. Teams must play games as rescheduled or will be deemed to have forfeit. Replacement games are offered based on field availability, so if games cannot be replayed, unplayed rounds will be deemed drawn games, as may some played games where a round has been interrupted so as to even the number of games played by all teams. Lunchtime Legends has the right to postpone any round for the safety of participants (eg. storms making travel treacherous). Any game that is called off but has completed the first half will be considered a completed game, with the score at the time of calling being deemed the final result. Games called off before half time are considered unplayed.
LAWS OF THE GAME
RULES OF PLAY
Rules of play are based on standard rules as referenced by their governing body (F.I.B.A.) unless otherwise stated, but are modified to suit the social nature of the competition, the time available and the facilities used. Lunchtime Legends retains the right to make determinations on issues that fall outside of documented rules and is the final authority in all interpretations and decisions.
EQUIPMENT
Balls are provided by Lunchtime Legends.
Uniforms are not compulsory however we do encourage teams to wear similar colour team T-Shirts to avoid confusion. Lunchtime Legends provides Bibs to distinguish teams.
GAME START
The game starts with a jump off at the centre of the court with one FEMALE from each side.
GAME PLAY
Males cannot block or make contact with the ball whilst a female in possession is in the process of taking a shot for goal.
A male cannot steal a ball from a female in possession outside of the offensive 3 point area.
PENALTIES
If blocking occurs or contact is made by a male whilst a female in possession is in the process of taking a shot for goal, a penalty of 2 points will be awarded in favour of the offensive team.
If a male fouls a female in the process of taking a shot for goal, 2 points will be awarded in favour of the offensive team plus an additional free throw.
If a male steals a ball from a female in possession outside of the offensive 3 point area, the ball will be returned to the offensive team.
SCORING
Usual scoring rules apply equally for males & females.
TIMING
Timing of games will run continuous with no Time Outs permitted during regular game play.
Games that are within 5 points with 30 seconds on the clock will be stopped on all whistles.
FOULS
Players are permitted 3 Fouls in a game.
Players who commit 2 fouls in a half will be asked to sit out the remainder of the half, they can be substituted.
Players returning to the court in the second half after committing 2 fouls in the first half are permitted only one additional foul. On committing a 4th foul they will be asked to leave the court. They cannot return for that game but can be substituted.
DISQUALIFYING FOUL
Players need to be aware that the Disqualifying Foul Rule will be implemented liberally for those players committing dangerous or violent conduct, serious foul play (eg. spitting, punching, striking) or using foul or abusive language. Such behaviour is not tolerated in any form, and a player that is Disqualified CANNOT return to the court (can be substituted). Depending on the severity of the incident, a Disqualified player may face additional disciplinary action if the Referee or Supervisor deems it appropriate. This may include but not limited to suspending the player from participating in Lunchtime Legends competitions for a period of time. This decision will be made after investigation and review by the Lunchtime Legends management team.
JUDICIARY
The Lunchtime Legends management team values the participation of all teams. We understand from experience that people sometimes behave outside of character and we do not hold any grudges once a matter has been reviewed and sentences served. As a matter of process, any person facing disciplinary action will be notified in advance that a matter is being investigated. In reviewing the incident, input is taken from the team captains on both sides, any witnesses, as well as the competition supervisor and match umpire / referee. Individuals will be advised in writing of any disciplinary action via their team captain or organizer along with the incident report and must comply or the team will face disqualification from the competition.
