Section 7: Violations & Penalties
Use simple, consistent consequences that keep the game moving. Ordinary boundary or start errors change a player's role; unsafe contact requires an immediate pause and correction.
- Minnow goes out of bounds: Treat the minnow as caught. They wait outside the active area and join the sharks on the next crossing.
- Minnow returns to the starting safe zone: Treat the minnow as caught once they return fully across the starting end line.
- Minnow does not enter by the five-count: Treat the minnow as caught, except where a different start arrangement was agreed.
- False start: Stop and reset the crossing. Explain the signal again before restarting.
- Shark crosses a boundary: Any tag made while outside the active area is invalid. The shark must return inside before tagging again.
- Tag after safety: The tag does not count. The minnow remains a minnow.
- Premature tagging by a caught minnow: The tag is invalid under the default next-crossing conversion rule.
- Grabbing, pushing, tripping, tackling, or deliberate body blocking: Stop play. The contact is not a valid tag. Explain the safe technique; repeated or serious conduct means sitting out the round.
If unsafe play or interference prevents a fair crossing, let the affected minnow reach the destination safe zone without being chased, or replay the crossing if several players were affected. A player forced outside a boundary by prohibited contact should not receive the normal out-of-bounds consequence.
For a disputed tag, pause briefly and hear what the players observed. If the caller cannot resolve whether a legal tag happened before safety, keep the player as a minnow. Respect the decision and continue; honest uncertainty should not turn into an argument.