49 kickball terms defined, including force out, tag up, mercy rule, side retired and wild pitch, each explained in a single line.
Most kickball terminology is borrowed straight from baseball, which makes the kickball vocabulary quick to learn and easy to get slightly wrong. The terms below are the words related to kickball that decide what happens on a play, plus the words associated with kickball as both a schoolyard game and a league sport. The kickball glossary lower down holds every term in a single line, which is the version to keep open when you are teaching the game to someone new.
Must-Know Kickball Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Base
- Bunt
- Catcher
- Double
- Foul ball
- Home run
- Inning
- Kick
- Outfield
- Pitcher
- Runner
- Strike
- Tag out
- Triple
- Walk
- Ball
- Base coach
- Dead ball
- Fly ball
- Force out
- Line drive
- Pop-up
- Sacrifice
- Side retired
- Slide
- Steal
- Switch
- Team captain
- Tiebreaker
- Wild pitch
Kickball Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Ball | A pitch that misses the strike zone and is not kicked. Four of them send the kicker to first base. |
| Base | One of the safe spots a runner has to touch on the way around the diamond. |
| Base coach | A player standing near first or third base to tell runners when to go and when to hold. |
| Bunt | A soft, deliberate kick that barely puts the ball in play, used to advance runners or beat the throw. |
| Catcher | The fielder behind home plate who takes pitches that are not kicked and covers plays at home. |
| Dead ball | Any moment when the ball is out of play. Nobody advances until it is live again. |
| Double | A kick that gets the kicker safely to second base. |
| Double play | One play that produces two outs, usually a catch followed by a throw to a base ahead of the runner. |
| Fair ball | A kicked ball that stays inside the lines running from home plate through first and third base. |
| Fielding | Handling a kicked ball on defense, by catching it in the air or picking it up off the ground. |
| Fly ball | A ball kicked high into the air. Caught before it lands, it is an out. |
| Fly out | The out recorded when a fielder catches a kicked ball in the air before it touches the ground. |
| Force out | An out made by touching the base a runner has to reach, without needing to tag the runner. |
| Foul ball | A kicked ball that lands outside the fair lines. It is not a hit and normally counts as a strike. |
| Grounder | A kicked ball that rolls or bounces along the ground through the infield. |
| Home plate | The plate the kicker stands beside and the base a runner must touch to score. |
| Home run | A kick that lets the kicker circle all the bases and score without being put out. |
| Infield | The area inside the bases, covered by the fielders closest to home plate. |
| Inning | One round of the game in which both teams kick and field. It ends for a team after three outs. |
| Kick | The kickball equivalent of a swing. Where the foot meets the ball decides how far and how low it goes. |
| Kicking order | The fixed sequence in which a team's players come up to kick. It repeats through the game. |
| Line drive | A hard kick that travels low and fast, difficult for fielders to react to. |
| Mercy rule | A league rule ending the game early when one team leads by a set margin. |
| Out | The end of a kicker's or runner's turn, by a caught fly, a tag, a force play or three strikes. |
| Outfield | The open ground beyond the infield, patrolled by the fielders with the most ground to cover. |
| Pitch | The ball rolled toward home plate for the kicker. It has to reach the strike zone to count as a strike. |
| Pitcher | The player who rolls the ball to the kicker and fields anything hit back up the middle. |
| Pop-up | A kick that goes high but not far, usually an easy catch for the defense. |
| Run | One point, scored when a runner touches all four bases in order and reaches home plate safely. |
| Rundown | A runner caught between two bases with fielders throwing back and forth to tag them out. |
| Runner | Anyone on the bases trying to advance without being tagged or forced out. |
| Sacrifice | A kick made on purpose to move a runner up, accepting that the kicker will probably be out. |
| Sacrifice fly | A caught fly ball deep enough that a runner tags up and advances after the catch. |
| Safe | The umpire's call when a runner reaches a base before the fielders can complete the play. |
| Shortstop | The infielder covering the gap between second and third base. |
| Side retired | The call that all three outs are in and the teams change between kicking and fielding. |
| Slide | Dropping to the ground into a base to get under a tag while keeping speed. |
| Steal | Advancing to the next base during the pitch rather than after a kick. Many leagues restrict it. |
| Strike | A missed or fouled kick, or a good pitch left alone. Three strikes are an out. |
| Strike zone | The area over home plate a rolled pitch has to pass through to count as a strike. |
| Switch | Moving fielders around to suit the kicker at the plate or the situation on the bases. |
| Tag out | Touching a runner with the ball while the runner is off a base. |
| Tag up | Waiting on the base until a fly ball is caught, then running. Leaving early sends the runner back. |
| Team captain | The player who sets the kicking order and the field positions and speaks for the team. |
| Tiebreaker | The league procedure for settling a game still level after the scheduled innings. |
| Triple | A kick that gets the kicker all the way to third base without stopping. |
| Umpire | The official who calls balls, strikes, fair and foul, safe and out. |
| Walk | Four balls, which sends the kicker to first base without a play. |
| Wild pitch | A pitch rolled so badly that the catcher cannot control it, letting runners advance. |
#1 Base
A designated safe area on the kickball field where a runner can stand to avoid being tagged out by the opposing team. Each base must be touched by runners as they progress to score a run.
#2 Bunt
A strategic, light kick intended to barely send the ball into play and advance runners on base. Bunts can catch the opposing team off guard and are used to avoid powerful outfield kicks.
#3 Catcher
The defensive player positioned behind home plate, responsible for catching pitches that aren’t kicked. The catcher also plays a crucial role in preventing runs and tagging out players at home plate.
#4 Double
A play in kickball where the kicker successfully kicks the ball and reaches second base without being tagged out or thrown out, often resulting from a strong, well-placed kick.
#5 Foul ball
A kicked ball that lands outside of the designated fair play lines that extend from home plate to first and third base. Foul balls do not count as hits and can lead to a strike against the kicker.
#6 Home run
A powerful kick allowing the kicker to round all bases and score a run without being tagged or thrown out, typically sending the ball far into the outfield beyond reach of the defenders.
#7 Inning
A segment of the game consisting of both teams having a turn on offense (kicking) and defense (fielding). In kickball, an inning typically ends once three outs have been recorded against the kicking team.
#8 Kick
In kickball, the “kick” is analogous to a baseball pitch but involves a player kicking a rubber ball that has been rolled towards them by the pitcher. The goal is to kick the ball as effectively as possible to allow the kicker to advance to bases and score runs. The technique and point of impact on the ball can significantly affect its speed, direction, and the difficulty for fielders to handle it.
#9 Outfield
The area beyond the infield where outfielders position themselves to catch kicked balls. Outfielders must cover a lot of ground to prevent the ball from going past them and to support their infield teammates.
#10 Pitcher
The player who rolls the ball towards home plate to the kicker in kickball. The pitcher aims to make the ball difficult to kick far or accurately while avoiding rolling a ball that can easily result in a home run.
#11 Runner
A player who is currently advancing between bases or waiting on a base to run to the next after the ball is kicked. The runner tries to reach the bases safely without being tagged or forced out.
#12 Strike
A term for when the kicker either misses the ball or kicks it foul while attempting to kick a pitch that is deemed hittable. Three strikes result in an out, similar to baseball.
#13 Tag out
A defensive play where a fielder who is holding the ball tags a runner with it before the runner reaches the base. A successful tag out results in the runner being called out of play.
#14 Triple
A successful play where the kicker is able to reach third base without stopping after kicking the ball. It’s a display of both strong kicking ability and fast base running.
#15 Walk
Occurs when the pitcher throws four balls that the umpire deems un-kickable due to poor pitch quality. The kicker then advances to first base without the risk of being put out.
#16 Ball
In the context of kickball, a “ball” refers to a pitch that does not pass through the strike zone and which the kicker does not attempt to kick. The strike zone typically extends to the width of the home plate and the kicker’s knee to chest height when in a kicking position. If four balls are thrown to the same kicker, that kicker is allowed to walk to first base.
#17 Base Coach
A team member who stands near first or third base to signal and direct runners, helping them decide when to run for the next base. The coach’s guidance can be pivotal during close plays.
#18 Dead Ball
A term used when the ball is not in play, typically after plays have concluded or when an infraction occurs. No player can advance bases or score runs until the ball is live again.
#19 Fly Ball
A ball kicked high into the air, typically to the outfield. Fielders must track these balls carefully to make catches and prevent runners from advancing or scoring.
#20 Force Out
Occurs when a runner has to advance to the next base because the batter becomes a runner and there’s no unoccupied base for the previous runner to retreat to. The fielding team can get an easy out by stepping on the base before the runner arrives.
#21 Line Drive
A hard, low-flying ball kicked straight into the field. Line drives can be challenging for defenders to catch due to their speed and trajectory.
#22 Pop-up
A ball that’s kicked high into the air with a short travel distance, making it potentially easy to catch. Pop-ups often result in an out if caught by the defending team before touching the ground.
#23 Sacrifice
A play in which a batter purposefully kicks the ball to allow runners to advance bases, sacrificing their own opportunity to become a runner. It’s a strategic move to help the team score.
#24 Side Retired
A term used to indicate that all players on the offensive team have taken their turn and the inning has ended. It’s similar to ‘three outs’ in baseball, signifying a shift from offense to defense.
#25 Slide
A move players perform to reach a base safely, wherein they dive to the ground to avoid a tag. Sliding is a skillful technique used to maintain speed while decreasing the chance of being tagged out by a defender.
#26 Steal
A strategic play where a runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is kicking the ball to the kicker. Steals require speed and timing, and can shift the momentum of the game by taking extra bases.
#27 Switch
An action taken by the defense to reposition players strategically based on the kicker or game situation. Teams switch fielders to optimize their defensive alignment, anticipating where the ball might be kicked.
#28 Team Captain
A person chosen to lead the team, responsible for strategic decisions like batting order and player positions. The team captain is also typically the liaison between the team and umpires or opposing teams.
#29 Tiebreaker
A rule or procedure used to determine a winner when the game is tied after the regulation number of innings. Tiebreakers vary by league but often involve additional innings or a count of kicks or baserunners.
#30 Wild Pitch
A wild pitch in kickball is similar to that in baseball. It occurs when the pitcher rolls the ball erratically, too high, too fast, or off target, making it difficult or impossible for the catcher to control. If the ball is deemed a wild pitch, runners on base may advance at their own risk.
FAQ
What is a force out in kickball?
A force out happens when a runner has to advance because the kicker became a runner and the base behind is now occupied. The defense only has to hold the ball and touch the base ahead of the runner, with no tag needed.
What does tagging up mean in kickball?
Tagging up means staying on your base until a fly ball has been caught, then running. If you leave before the catch, the defense can throw to your base and put you out.
What does kick mean in kickball?
The kick is the offensive act that puts the ball in play, the equivalent of a swing in baseball. Where the foot strikes the ball decides whether it goes high, low, long or into the ground.
What does inning mean in kickball?
An inning is one full round in which both teams take a turn kicking and a turn fielding. A team’s half of the inning ends once three outs are recorded against it.
What is the term for a kicked ball caught in the air by the defense?
A fly out, or a caught fly ball. The kicker is out immediately, and any runner who left the base early has to return and tag up before advancing.
How many outs end an inning in kickball?
Three. Once the fielding team records three outs, the side is retired and the teams change between kicking and fielding.
They split into the field (base, infield, outfield, home plate, strike zone), the play (kick, bunt, fly ball, line drive, tag up, force out) and the roles (pitcher, catcher, shortstop, base coach, umpire). The kickball glossary above lists every one of them.
What are some Kickball terms for beginners?
“Base,” “Outfield,” and “Foul ball” are some Kickball terms beginners should start with. Learning these concepts is crucial for understanding the field layout, playing positions, and rules of the game.
What are some funny Kickball terms?
“Bunt,” “Sacrifice,” and “Walk” are some funny Kickball terms that may bring a lighter side to the game, with names that amusingly contrast the spirited action of kickball.
What is a famous Kickball phrase?
“A home run” is a famous Kickball phrase that epitomizes the biggest scoring play possible, capturing the excitement of sending the kickball beyond the fielders’ reach and rounding all bases.
