Two Person Attack Association (TPAA)
Rules and Regulations
Preface
This is the first edition of the official playing rules for Two Person Attack Association (TPA). It contains all current rules to play Two Person Attack during our videotaping of the initial showing of the sport. Any dispute between players and officials will be determined on site by the Commissioner of the league, David Kelly, whose rulings are final.
Rules
Rule #1- Equipment-
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Ball- Each game will always use three TPA approved balls in play. Six
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Uniform- Each team of two players will be assigned a different color shirt to wear (team color).
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Footwear- Sneakers must be always worn during all TPA matches. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
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Headbands, Hats, Wristbands, and Jewelry- Only TPA Approved clothing or accessories can be worn during any TPA approved match.
Rule #2- The Players-
Twenty-four players will play the game at a time. The teams will be broken down into sets of two people on a team (twelve teams). The twelve teams will compete while moving around the inside of the arena. Players can not push, pull, hold, or grab any other player, including the other player on their team. During play, if contact occurs between players, each player involved in the contact must make an attempt to separate themselves from his/her opponent/teammate immediately. Failure to do so will result in an immediate removal of any player in violation of the rule. The player will be deemed “out” by an official and the official will send that player out of the game as an eliminated player. He/she can return to the game if their teammate catches a ball and gets them back into play, and the official has let them back in to the game. If the violation is deemed too harsh, and/or the intent breaks sportsmanship protocol, the player can be kicked out from the match permanently.
Rule #3- Officials-
The game will be officiated by four officials: three game officials and one “overseeing” official. The three game officials are responsible for making calls about the game’s actions during play. Each game official will be on the playing court, and be responsible for tracking one colored ball (and its surroundings). The officials will call players out, back in, and follow all rules and regulations of the said game.
Note- If a ball touches an official during a game, the ball is ruled to have not touched anything. An official does not count as a wall, floor, ceiling, or another player. The ball will be deemed to have moved untouched. If a player released a ball and wants to pick it up again and the ball has only touched an official, the ball must stop moving before repossession occurs.
Rule #4- The Start of the Game-
Each player must start the game with one hand on an outside wall. If you remove your hand from the wall, or lift your foot from the designated starting spot before the buzzer, the official will eliminate you from the game. The balls will be placed on the middle circles (see diagram #1- Court Dimensions) on the Two Person Attack court’s Logo balls. The game will start with a whistle sound and each player can move freely after the start. Twenty-four numbers (marked 1-24) are marked as starting areas are shown on the court and a random draw will occur as to where each player starts. The random draw starting places assignments will be given out (twenty-four hours) before the start of the match. Three starting points are on the court for the officials to start. The starting spots for officials are noted by the numbers 25, 26, and 27 on the floor.
Rule #5- Objective of the game-
Players (and their team) must try to eliminate other players from the game by hitting other players with a ball, catching a ball a player from another team has thrown, or by manipulating a player to fail to follow the rules and regulations of a TPA game. Failure to try to eliminate other players will result in a player’s elimination.
Rule #6- Ball Actions-
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Throw- A throw is a movement when a player who is holding a ball with his/her hand releases the ball from the hand and the ball moves in any direction. The ball may be thrown against a wall, the ceiling, at a person, or to a partner (provided the partner is still in the game) or thrown against the ground without it striking another person.
Note- If a player throws the ball and it strikes another person, not on their team, or a wall he/she may pick the ball up and continue play. If a ball is thrown, bounced, or rolled to a partner and the ball is not caught in the air, neither the partner nor the thrower can touch the ball until the ball hits a wall, a person on another team, or completely stops moving.If this happens the player touching the ball first is deemed out.
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Catch- A catch is a legal play that occurs when a player gathers the ball in the air thrown from another player and the ball has not touched anything else yet (wall, ground, ceiling). If the player who catches the ball is on another team, the thrower is deemed to be “Eliminated”. If the player who catches the ball is on the thrower’s team, play continues and the ball is live.
Note- If a ball is thrown and the ball is caught by the thrower after the ball has hit another player and the ball has not hit the wall, ground, or ceiling the player that was struck by the ball is not out.If the ball is caught by someone other than the throwers teammate before it touches the wall, ground, or ceiling, then the thrower is out of the game.If a ball bounces off an opponent and then is caught by the thrower’s teammate, nobody is out and play continues.
Rule #7- Player Movement-
1. A player who has not been eliminated from the game and is not in possession of a ball may move freely around the constructs of the court. When fewer than five people remain in the game, any player may take up to three steps in their movement. The player can take three steps, throw the ball against the wall and then take another three steps, as a new possession has occurred. The player can still only hold the ball for up to five seconds.
2. A player who is not eliminated and is in possession of at least one ball cannot move and can only pivot. If a player in possession of at least one ball moves both feet, he/she is eliminated from the game.
Note- If a ball is thrown at a player who possesses a ball, and the player possessing the ball jumps out of the way to avoid being hit, he/she has moved their pivot foot and is eliminated when one-foot lands and they are still in possession of a ball.
3. Any player in possession of a ball can throw the ball against a wall and repossess the ball after it strikes a wall. If the player who throws the ball against the wall is still in possession of at least one other ball, he/she cannot move to get the thrown ball. He/she can only pivot to repossess the second ball. Any other player in the game can try to attain possession of the ball once it is thrown.
4. If a player has more than one ball is his/her possession and releases one of the balls, the five second possession count continues for the ball still being possessed. Players can only hold a ball for up to five seconds. If a player is in possession for more than five seconds, they are eliminated from the game.
Rule #8- Individual Elimination-
An individual is eliminated from the game when his/her thrown ball is caught by an opponent in the air, when he/she is struck by a ball thrown from an opponent and the ball is not caught by the struck player or his/her teammate, a player holds the ball for more than five seconds, when a player illegally moves with the ball in hand, or when a player illegally contacts another player. Multiple eliminations occur when the flight of a thrown ball strikes more than one opponent of the person throwing the ball, as long as, the ball has not touched the ground, wall or ceiling. A player can also be eliminated when he/she forces illegal contact on another player by pushing, pulling, holding, grabbing, or kicking another player during the game. A player can, at any time, be removed from a game for what an official deems an action or language in violation of the TPA Sportsmanship code.
Rule #9- Individual Reentry into Game-
If a player is out of the live action and his/her teammate catches the ball and the official calls a player back into the game, said player has ten seconds to get back onto the court.
Rule #10- Team Elimination-
A team is eliminated from the game when both players from a team have been eliminated.
Rule #11- Possession of a Ball-
Any player who possesses a ball may only possess a ball for up to five seconds. If the ball is not released by the five seconds, the player will be eliminated from the game by an official. The player may return to the game if his/her teammate legally catches a ball.
Rule #12- Dropped Ball-
If a player drops a ball, he/she cannot pick it up until it the ball has hit a wall, another player has touched the ball, or the ball has stopped moving entirely. The same is said for a thrown ball from one teammate to another that is not “Cleanly Caught”. (“Cleanly Caught” means that the flight of the ball goes through the air from one teammate to the other without touching any wall, ground, or ceiling.)
Rule #13- Bounced Ball-
A player cannot bounce the ball and then repossess it. If a player possesses a ball after that player bounced the ball, the player is eliminated.
Rule #14- Rolled Ball-
A player cannot roll the ball and then repossess the ball unless the ball has touched a wall, or another team’s player.
Rule #15- Passing the Ball-
A player may throw a ball to a teammate. His/her teammate must catch the ball to continue with it. If the ball is dropped, anyone on the team that threw the ball or attempted to catch the ball cannot touch that ball until it has either stopped rolling, touched an opponent, or has struck a wall. If the ball bounces or rolls to a teammate, the receiving teammate cannot pick up the ball or deliberately guide the ball until it has touched a wall, a player on another team, or stops moving. If a player purposely maneuvers the ball with any body part (foot, leg, torso, etc.) after their team has dropped the ball and the ball has not hit a wall or stopped moving the player is eliminated from the game.
Rule #16- Kicked Ball-
A player cannot kick the ball with intent. If the ball is kicked by a player, and the official deems the player knew they were kicking the ball, the player is immediately eliminated. If the ball strikes a player’s foot at any time during a match and the official deems the player did not know of the action, the player remains in the game as an active player, unless it was a thrown ball that hits the foot before touching the ground.
Rule #17- Handed Ball-
At no time can a ball be handed to another player during a game. Any player handing a ball to another player or receiving a hand off will be eliminated from the game immediately. If a player hands the ball to their teammate, only the player receiving the ball is deemed out.
Rule #18- Use of Walls and Ceiling-
A player can throw the ball against any of the four walls or ceiling. The walls and ceiling can be used for movement by the player throwing the ball. The player who throws the ball against a wall or ceiling is no longer in possession of the ball and can move freely until repossession occurs (unless he/she has possession of another ball). He/she cannot alter the movement of the ball before picking the ball up. The five second possession rule will restart on each possession. When a player throws a ball against a wall or ceiling, any player in the game can try to possess that ball.
Note- Once the ball is in possession, the player with the ball can only pivot to move.
Rule #19- Stoppage of Play-
Stoppage of play can occur if any of the four officials deems it necessary. A whistle blown twice will stop play for all emergencies. A restart from all emergency stoppages will put all remaining players back to their original starting area and the balls will be put back to the starting spots on the court. Emergencies include, but are not limited to, player injuries or misconduct.
Note- A one minute water break will occur after each game has been deemed completed by the officials.
Rule #20- Conduct/Misconduct-
Every player shall conduct himself/herself in a professional manner. No vociferous language will be tolerated. No racial, unethical, gender biased, sexual orientation biased, or unprofessional remarks will be tolerated. Misconduct of this rule will result in elimination from an entire match. It is up to the discretion of the officials. Any misconduct will automatically be reviewed by the commissioner. The commissioner will decide the length of a suspension if it is deemed warranted. The partner of the violating player can remain in the game/match but will continue as an individual team.
Rule #21- Coaches-
TPA does not ban any team from having a coach. It is legal. A coach cannot talk to the players during a match. A match is determined to finish when one team has won two games. Coaches can talk to players after the match is completed and before the players go to the TPA waiting room for the start of the match. If a team is using a coach, the coach should sign up as a coach on the TPA website. A nominal fee is paid to the league to be registered as a coach ($100 per year). Coaches can only coach one team at a time and must list the team they are actively coaching on the TPA website.
Rule #22- Completion of a Game-
A game is complete when only one team or person from one team remains in the game.
Rule #23- Completion of a Match-
In the “Intense Match”, a match is complete after 50 minutes of play and one team has won more games than all the other teams. If two or more teams are tied after 50 minutes, one playoff game will be played of all the teams tied to determine the winner. In the “Extreme Match”, a match is complete when one team has successfully won two games, and a second team has successfully won two games. The number of games played can be anywhere from 4-14 games played.
Rule #24- Injuries to Players-
If a player is injured and cannot continue play, his/her teammate can continue playing as a team of one. If a player gets injured during a “Regular” match and the team moves on to the “Daily Championship Match” or proceeds further in the “Victory Tournament” the uninjured player can only play as a team of one. An Athletic Trainer or doctor makes the decision if any injured player can proceed, under the direction of the TPA. If the injury was caused by “Bad Intent” by a player on another team during a TPA match or the injury is ruled as a “Non-Accident” according to the TPA Guidelines, a new “Teammate” can be substituted with approval by the TPA, as long as the new player has never played in any TPA matches before during that year of play (January through December).
Rule #25- Protests-
All TPA protests will be determined by the TPA Commissioner.