Section 3: Playing Area
Choose a flat, clear area with two opposite end lines and two sidelines. The space between the end lines is the active tagging area, sometimes called the ocean. Beyond each end line is a safe zone where minnows gather between crossings.
There are no official measurements. As a suggested setup for a small group, use an active rectangle approximately 15 metres long and 10 metres wide, with at least 3 metres of clear stopping space beyond each end line. These are adjustable starting dimensions, not standardized requirements; provide more stopping room whenever speed or conditions demand it.
- Make the area wide enough for players to pass without squeezing through tight gaps.
- Keep safe zones large enough for all remaining minnows to gather without crowding.
- Place boundaries well away from roads, steps, trees, equipment, walls, and other hazards.
- Explain exactly which lines or landmarks define the boundaries before play begins.
For this ruleset, a minnow reaches safety when both feet are completely beyond the destination end line. A player with a foot on that line is still taggable. Sharks must stay inside the active area and cannot reach into a safe zone to tag a player who has arrived.
The sidelines remain part of the playing area. Placing a foot on the ground completely outside a sideline counts as going out of bounds. Adapt the crossing and boundary criteria before play for participants using mobility devices.