How to Play
The premise is simple: Kick the ball, run to the end of the field, run back, and score. Your team repeats this as many times as they can in the 6 minute inning. But there’s a catch… The defense will use the ball you kicked to tag or throw you out. They may even have up 6 different balls from previous plays.
Simplified Rules
Kicking / Running (Offense)
- Kick the ball, run to the end of the field, run back
- Score as many times as they can in the 6 minute inning.
- Runners must stay within the sidelines.
- When a ball is kicked, it becomes live and the defense can use it.
- A runner can catch a ball thrown at them and not be out
Dead Balls
- Dead balls are balls which the defense is not allowed to use for defensive purposes.
- A live ball that touches the ground becomes dead.
- If a fielder holding a live ball is tagged, that ball becomes dead.
- Dead balls are to be gently kicked to the sidelines by the defense.
- The offense uses dead balls for kicking, this makes them live once picked up.
Fielding (Defense)
- The defense will use the ball to tag or throw out runners.
- Fielders can use balls from previous plays as long as those balls weren’t made dead.
- A runner will become out if they kick a pop up and the defense catches it.
- A fielder who first picks up a ball from the ground has 3 seconds of immunity from being tagged, but also cannot get a runner out in those first 3 seconds.
Chasing (Offense)
- A chaser is like a bodyguard for the runner.
- There can be up to 2 chasers at any given time for the offense.
- If the chaser tags a fielder holding a ball, that ball becomes dead.
- The chaser can block thrown balls
In practice there are fewer rules than other sports and the rules become very intuitive by the end of your first game.
Common Field Mojo Scenarios
The following common scenarios will make understanding the rules simple:
Scenario 1: A fielder (defensive player) has a ball. The fielder throws the ball at the runner (offensive player). The ball hits the runner. The ball then hits the ground.
Result: The runner is out. The ball, since it touched the ground, is dead. This is a good play by the defense.
Scenario 2: A fielder (defensive player) has a ball. The fielder sneaks past the chasers (offensive guards), tags the runner (offensive player) with the ball, and run off, still holding the ball.
Result: The runner is out. The ball is still in posession by the offense, and can be used in future plays. This is a fantastic play by the defense.
Scenario 3: A fielder (defensive player) has a ball. The fielder approaches the runner to make a play, but a chaser (offensive guard) tags the fielder.
Result: The ball is now a dead ball. Bad for the defense.
Scenario 4: A kicker (offensive player) kicks the ball. A fielder (defensive player) goes to grab the ball but fumbles it to the ground.
Result: The ball is now a dead ball. Bad for the defense.
Basic Field Mojo Tactics
These are some very basic tactics and pointers. These are not necessarily the best tactic to use in every situation.- Having more live balls is good for the defense, and bad for the offense.
- A fielder should only grab for a rolling kicked ball if they are very confident they can do so with out fumbling it. Sometimes it is better to wait for the ball to slow down.
- All fielders should try to know where all chasers are at any given time. Chasers will sneak up on you!
- Fielders who do not have a ball are still part of the play! A teammate may need to throw the ball to you in an emergency.
- In most situations, it is bad for a runner to be unguarded by a chaser.
- Fielding teams making high risk throws at runners will lose balls quickly. It’s better to save a ball for the next play than wasting it.
- One common fielding tactic is to have 3 people with balls forming a triangle around a runner. The fielder with the easiest shot is the only one who makes a throw or tag.
