Code of Conduct

Our goal at Smoky Mountain Axe House is to be a family friendly environment where everyone is safe and having fun. We promote competition through sportsmanship and fair play. Our leagues/events should be played in a sportsmanship-like manner. Although competition may become intense, we expect our participants to maintain a high degree of sportsmanship up to and after the final throw. As a participant in any WATL tournament or event, you must pledge to:

  • Respect the game, play fairly, and follow all rules and policies.
  • Accept & respect the decisions of SMAH officials.
  • Demonstrate good sportsmanship before, during, and after games, win or lose.
  • Be responsible for the sportsmanship of teammates and assist in maintaining a respectful environment for all participants.
  • Be courteous to opposing players, teams, officials, spectators, monitors, or facilitators and treat all players and SMAH officials with respect.
  • Help to maintain and keep all equipment and conditions at the facility in good condition.
  • Obey all facility rules, while respecting all equipment, common areas, playing areas, parking areas, and surrounding neighborhoods.
  • Refrain from the use of abusive language or profanity. (Including but not limited to: contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion, gender, or sexual orientation
  • Not engage in any behavior which would endanger the health, safety, or well being of any player, official staff member, or spectator.
  • Not engage in verbal, written, or physical threats or abuse aimed at any participant, official, staff member, or spectator.
  • Not initiate a fight, scuffle, or exchange with any individual (including but not limited to: pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, verbal threats or harassment).
  • Not use alcoholic beverages at any location.
  • Not allow, use or encourage illegal drugs at any location.
  • Wear/use all required and issued equipment and/or uniforms.

Pre-Game Rules

Minimum Age

WATL does not enforce any age requirement or limit. Each affiliated location is allowed have an age requirement if they so choose. Please contact your local participating league location to inquire about their age rules.

Target Quality

  1. Targets should be relatively new and of sound quality prior to league commencement.
    1. When targets deteriorate to a point where excessive movement or ‘wiggling’ of the axes occur when they land in the damaged area causing or risking good throws to fall out, the boards should be switched out to ensure fair play.
    2. If a large piece of wood or chunk falls out during play, the player may request to have the board changed but the ultimate decision will fall on the axe throwing referee (coach).
    3. Targets must be sprayed with water from a spray bottle prior to the start of league play.
      1. If boards are continually hard, league members may request to have more water sprayed on the boards.
      2. No-one other than the official coach may alter the boards before, during, or after any match unless authorized by the presiding official. This includes pulling out pieces of boards, chopping or softening the board with their axe, watering the boards, etc

Warm Up Throws

  1. Players may have up to 5 practice throws prior to their first match.
  2. Players may have 1 practice throw prior to any subsequent matches.
  3. The axe throwing referee will notify players when their match will commence.
  4. The league will allow practice throws before official league start time subject to availability, fairness and consent of referee on premises.

Scoring

Scoring Area of Axe

    1. The axe head, blade and cheek up to the front of the eye but not past it.
    2. If there is no visible eye of the axe in the top of the axe head then it counts as where the handle would meet if going straight through. To be determined by the official presiding over the match.
  2. The black line awards points associated with the ring.
  3. 6 points for the bullseye.
  4. 4 points for the 2nd ring.
  5. 3 points for the 3rd ring.
  6. 2 points for the 4th ring.
  7. 1 point for the 5th ring.
  8. 8 points for the Killshot.

Killshot Throw

    1. The Killshot is active for the 5th and 10th throw of the match only. Otherwise it will be treated as if the Killshot is not there.
      1. Before throwing for the Killshot, the player must make clear to the Judge and opponent they intend on throwing for the Killshot.
        1. This is referred to as “calling the Killshot” and activates it for the full 8 points.
        2. The player cannot change their call (Killshot or non-Killshot) once a Judge confirms, for that specific throw.
      2. The Thrower with the higher points must decide to call first. In the case of the tie, either thrower may volunteer to call first.
        1. If neither thrower volunteers to do so the Judge will flip a coin to decide and assign one player as heads, and the other as tails.
    2. The Judge will confirm a Killshot call (or a non-Killshot call) with the throwers prior to a throw being made.
      1. If a throw is made prior to a Judge confirming the call, the throw will be counted as fault.
    3. If the Killshot is called but the players axe does not hit the Killshot, then no points are awarded.

Sudden Death

    1. In the event of a tie after 10 throws in a single match, the match enters into sudden death.
    2. ONLY Killshots are allowed during all sudden death throws.
    3. Players will remain in their respective targets for sudden death throws (no switching of targets required).
    4. Players may not score on the same killshot twice in a row. Players must alternate Killshots.
    5. Both players must throw within 5 seconds of each other but not before Judge confirms that the lane is open.
    6. In the event that both players miss the Killshot during Sudden Death, a measuring tape or accurate measuring device will be used to measure the distance from the closest valid scoring area of the axe head to the closest edge of the Killshot. The player with the shortest distance will be awarded the match.
      1. If Player 1 has an axe that has dropped and Player 2 misses the Killshot, but is on the board, Player 2 will be awarded the match.
      2. If a player touches their axe before a measurement is made, the match is awarded to the opposing player.

Tallying Scores

    1. When the axe is resting in its final place it will be scored.
    2. The points from the axe will be determined by where the scoring area of the axe head meets the surface of the wood that the axe head is embedded into.
    3. If a thrower touches any part of the axe before the presiding official announces the score, the throwers points are marked as 0.
    4. If the score is too close to make an accurate call by eye, the presiding official will benefit the thrower and give the higher points.
    5. If a thrower attempts to touch any part of their opponents axe at any time during a match without permission they will be suspended from the match.

League Attendance

Late Players & Early Departures

  1. Players are allowed to arrive up to 1 hour late, after official league start time.
  2. Players are allowed to leave up to 1 hour early, prior to the end of the scheduled official league time.
  3. If a player arrives late, after the 1 hour official start time or leaves earlier than the 1 hour league completion time:
    1. The player that was scheduled to go against him will be granted an automatic win, but will perform 10 throws and have their points recorded.
    2. The late player will automatically receive a loss and a zero for all throws.
  4. Exceptions are allowed with consent of opposing players affected that day and approval from referee.

Playoffs Exception

  1. Players are required to arrive to the playoffs at the start of regulation play.
  2. If a player is not present when their match begins, a 10 minute grace period will be offered.
    1. If the player does not show up, they will forfeit their match and the player that is present will be awarded the win.
    2. If the player arrives during their grace period, but is late for their next match, they will be immediately disqualified.

Absences

  1. Players are allowed to miss up to 2 days of regulation play during the season and make up their matches and throws in subsequent weeks:
    1. Players must make up any missed matches by week 7, otherwise, a loss will be attributed to their absence with a score of 0.
    2. No missed matches and throws are to be performed during week 8 (playoffs) – the seven week mark is the cut off.
  2. In order to miss a regulation league night, players are required to give a minimum 1 day notice to the referee of their absence.

Safety

 Axes

    1. Each and every axe is inspected prior to each league night to ensure the axe is up to standard.
    2. Broken axes may not be used.
    3. Participants are instructed to grip the axe by the handle and only the handle.

 Injuries

      1. If there is an injury of a player during league play, the injured player must seek prompt attention for any injuries.
      2. The injured player may continue to compete after injury only after the player and league official decides it is safe to do so.
      3. The Player and League official may have up to 2 minutes to decide whether the injured player may continue. If no decision has been reached in 2 minutes the injured player must forfeit the match. Their match will count as a loss but all points earned in the match are still recorded.
      4. If either the player or the league official decides the injured player is too injured to continue, the injured player must forfeit the match. Their match will count as a loss but all points earned in the match are still record.

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