Volfsball is a three aside non-contact game played on a circular pitch. Points are scored by throwing or kicking the ball at the Volfsball stand, or through the Volfsball hoop.

Volfsball Rules

1. The pitch is made up of three circles. The centre circles is 4 metres in diameter. The Volfsball stand is in the centre of this circle (the no-go zone). No player can enter this area unless play is ruled dead and the ball has landed there.
2. The middle circle (the defending zone) is three metres wide and is outside the centre circle (no go zone), it is occupied by the defending team
3. The outer circle is occupied by the attacking team
4. The attacking team may throw or kick the ball anywhere within their region in order to shoot at the Volfsball stand. Once they have the ball they may not run with it.

5. The game is made up of three periods, each three minutes long. The attacking team has 15 seconds in which to take a shot otherwise the defending team is given possession of the ball. In the final 30 seconds each team has ten seconds to shoot.

6. Play is started by one attacking player standing outside of the circle. They can move around the outside of the attacking circle and choose where to pass the ball into play. The clock starts as soon as the player they have passed to touches the ball.

7. After a shot, the attacking team only regains possession of the ball if it rebounds or lands back in the attacking area, or if the ball lands in the defensive area and an attacking player is able to legally retrieve it.

8. If the ball lands anywhere else or is stopped by the defending team, the   defending team gain possession of the ball. One of the players newly in attack must take the ball outside of the pitch. Play recommences when this player throws the ball to one of their team-mates, both of whom must be inside the attacking area before the ball is thrown.

9   Players newly in defence must move into the defending area promptly upon losing possession. Play may recommence before the players newly in defence have moved into the defending area. Defending players must not obstruct attacking players or attempt to block shots until they have moved inside the defending area. Attacking players must not obstruct defending players’ safe passage into the defending area. Obstruction will result in a warning. Blocking a shot while still in the attacking area will result in a penalty shot and possession for the new attacking team.

More complicated rules

1. If the players catch the ball they can pivot on one foot. If the pivot foot is lifted and returned to the ground this is deemed as travelling. If the player stops with both feet, they may decide which foot to pivot on.  If they do move or jump more than once, they are penalised for travelling (like basketball) and possession is handed to the other team. When shooting the pivot may be lifted (i.e. the player jumps off the other foot) but if the pivot is returned to the ground before the ball is released, it is deemed as travelling.
2. If the players kick the ball they are allowed two touches of the ball, i.e. one to stop it, one to shoot. Any more than two touches and possession is handed to the other team.
3. No player is allowed to move outside their area. If a player moves out of their designated attacking or defending area, they lose possession of the ball. A player is classified as having moved out of their area if their bodyweight leaves their designated area – so a player may retrieve a ball from the opposing area with a foot or an arm as long as their weight remains in their own area.
4. If a player illegally retrieves the ball, they are given a warning and possession passes to the other team.
5. If a player in the defending area blocks or interferes with a shot by entering the no go area, the attacking team are awarded a free shot from anywhere in their zone, plus possession of the ball. If the player blocks a shot and lands in the no-go area this counts as a penalty and the same free shot and possession rule applies. If the player lands in the no-go area but does not interfere with the ball, they are given a warning by the referee.
6. If a player blocks the ball and lands in the no go zone but the shot still hits the Volfsball stand to score the attacking team have a choice. They can accept the point and retain possession, or they may choose to nullify the point and take a free shot and possession instead – this typically might be when the attacking team requires more than one point to win the game.
7. No player may touch an opposing player. Exceptions include when opposing players come into contact with one another in an attempt to retrieve the ball on the boundary of the attacking and defensive areas (in which case contact must be incidental to the goal of retrieving the ball), or when a defensive player attempts to steal the ball from an attacking player and their hand makes contact with the attacking player’s hands (as in basketball, the hand is considered “part of the ball” when it is in contact with the ball). Contact under other circumstances will result in a warning. Excessive or unnecessary contact will result in a yellow card.
8. Players in the defending zone should have their feet behind the white outer line where the defending zone meets the attacking zone. Also in terms of demarcation a player is only deemed to have entered the no-go zone if they have stepped over the white boundary line.
9. If a player receives three warnings and receives a yellow card, (a one minute sin bin penalty) they may not be substituted but the game must continue with two players for the duration of the penalty. However a player can be substituted off when they have two warnings.
10. If a shot is in the air or has been taken before the final buzzer but is still travelling after the final buzzer goes off the score still counts (like basketball). If for example someone threw the ball with 0.01 seconds left it went through the hoop, and a player from the attacking team caught the ball on the other side, and threw it all while still in the air, play would still be live. Play is only dead when the ball touches the ground or touches a player who is in contact with the ground.
11. If a player blocks a ball but lands in the attacking zone in the same blocking motion, the ball is given back to the attacking team.
12. Intentional blocking of shots by entering the no go area will result in a free throw & possession for the other team and a yellow card. If the player does not touch the shot but enters the area they will be given a warning. Three warnings amounts to a yellow card.
13. Players are not allowed to run through the no-go zone during the game. Each time they do this they will be given a warning. Three warnings will result in a yellow card.
14. Substitutions can be made during the game at any point. This is done when the team has possession of the ball, they hand the ball to the incoming player, and the incoming player then takes the throw in that re commences play. Players can substitute on and off as many times as they like. One substitution can be made each time a team gains possession of the ball. The incoming player must take the throw in to recommence play. The outgoing player must leave the pitch before the throw in, or play will be halted and the throw in taken again. Between periods, teams may make multiple substitutions.
15. If a player shoots from the attacking circle but lands in the defending circle the score does not count.
16. The player must shoot before the shooting clock or time elapses. If the player shoots and the ball is still in the air once time has elapsed any points from this shot still count.
17. Players may not lift up other team mates. 
18. When possession changes players may not run through the no go area to assume a new position – the ONLY time a player is allowed in the no-go area is to retrieve the ball when it is dead – i.e. stopped moving. Those who run through the no go area will be given a warning – three warnings leads to a one minute ban.
19. Players should not use unnecessary force when throwing or kicking the ball. Volfsball pitch dimensions were created it is not necessary to throw or kick the ball as hard as possible, such that a player attempting to block the ball could potentially be injured. At times it is necessary to throw the ball quite hard to score, but any attempts to score through defending players by kicking or throwing the ball hard, or hard enough that they move away from the ball to escape injury will result in a yellow card for the offending player and one minute ban from the field.

20. When attempting a shot if any part of an attacking team’s shooting arm crosses the line between the attacking zone and defending zone and comes into contact with a defending player this counts as a foul and possession is handed over. Any points from the shot do not count. However if the defender’s arm is over the line while touched it is not deemed a foul.

Penalties

1. If the game is in a knockout competition rather than a league match and is a draw after the three periods it will be decided by penalties. The three players (or three selected players if more) will have one unobstructed kick or throw at the Volfsball stand, from the inside edge of the attacking circle, then one shot each from the outside edge of the attacking circle. The points will be allocated using the normal scoring system.
2. The order will decided by coin toss. The winner will be decide whether to go first or second – the order then switches round once teams have finished shooting from the inner circle and move to the outer circle.
3. If the scores are still equal after both rounds it moves to sudden death – using the order ABBAABBAA – (each team takes turns to shoot first). Teams must cycle through at least three of their players – i.e. the same player cannot take the sudden death shots.

Timing Rules

1. A games is split into three, three minute periods. There is a one minute break between each period.
2. The clock is only stopped if there is an injury or a lost ball. Each team is granted one time out of thirty seconds per game. This automatically stops the clock. The time out can only be taken if the ball is dead or if they have possession of the ball.
3. A person not involved in the game is given the job as official timer. Their job is to make sure the teams shoot after 15 seconds and 10 seconds in the final thirty seconds of the game. Also they will let the players know of the time by shouting out how long is left at the two minute, one minute and thirty second mark and counting down the last ten seconds.

Volfsball Stand

The Volfsball Stand is triangular column measuring approximately six feet. It should move freely when hit but not blow in the wind. At the top of the prism is a vertical hoop 13 inches in diameter. The total height of the stand is just under 9ft.

Volfsball Ball

The ball is a size 3 football.

Scoring

1. One point for hitting the Volfsball column with a throw.
2. Three points for hitting the Volfsball column with a kick.
3. Five points for throwing the ball through the Volfsball Hoop, if this is scored players shout ‘Volfsball!’
4. Ten points for kicking the ball through the Volfsball Hoop, this is known as a ‘DoppelVolfsball’.
5. For each match and if there are more than two teams, one person will be given the designated scoring role. Their job is shout out the score after each score so that both teams can keep track of the score. Also they will be given a pad  or counter clicker to keep scores during the game to avoid mistakes.

Scoring Clarifications

If a shot hits the Volfsball hoop first and falls down onto the column it does not count as a score.

If the shot hits anywhere on the prism the – top, side, underneath this counts as a score.

Hitting the legs of the stand does not count as a score, but if the ball hits the part of the stand directly below the prism it does count as a score.

If a shot hits the prism and then by a miracle bounces into the hoop, this will count as a Volfsball, but there will be no points given for hitting the prism first.