Section 01
Eligibility
Every team is four students from one institution. Every team must be led by a current college athlete. Other positions may be athletes or non-athlete students. Cross-school teams are not supported.
Official
The Playbook
Ballathon's canonical rules and process documentation.
Section 02
Registration
Every participant creates a persistent Ballathon Player Profile — including players arriving with a complete team.
Section 03
Assessment
Before the event, every player completes the Know Your Game behavioral assessment. The objective is development and self-awareness, not prescribing positions.
Section 04
Player Profiles
Profiles carry university, sport, major, year, position, skills, interests, experience, Ballathon history, teams, results and achievements.
Section 05
Positions
Captain owns the team. Product Manager owns the solution. Growth Manager owns the evidence. Operations Manager owns resources.
Section 06
Team Formation
Captains either bring their team or draft it. Either way, every player creates an individual profile.
Section 07
Draft
Captains browse the Draft Pool at their own institution and send Draft invitations. Players accept or decline.
Section 08
Rosters
When all four positions are filled, the roster is complete. Rosters lock Friday at 5:30 PM.
Section 09
Pregame
Friday: check-in, orientation, Know Your Game, draft, team talk, warm-up, huddle. The Challenge is not revealed.
Section 10
Kickoff
Saturday 8:00 AM. Challenge revealed. Game Clock starts.
Section 11
Challenge
A real problem from a Challenge Partner, with real stakes and resources attached.
Section 12
Competition Rules
There are no prescribed rounds. Teams allocate their own people, time, attention and resources.
Section 13
Coaching
Coaching opens Saturday 12:30 PM and closes Sunday 10:00 AM. Coaches ask questions; they do not solve the Challenge.
Section 14
Scrimmage
Saturday evening. 5 minutes presenting, 10 minutes feedback. No score. No elimination.
Section 15
Sunday Review
Optional Review Version submitted before 10:00 AM receives structured feedback: strongest part, biggest concern, unanswered question, one thing I'd fix. Final judges cannot see it.
Section 16
Final Submission
All final materials are submitted through the Ballathon portal before the Final Whistle.
Section 17
Final Whistle
Sunday noon. No further editing, building, research, external assistance or access to materials.
Section 18
The Box
All teams enter a controlled waiting environment. No phones, laptops, materials or outside communication.
Section 19
Presentation
Presentation order is determined by a simple game of chance. Tell Us: the Captain is the sole formal presenter for five minutes.
Section 20
Q&A
Defend It: five minutes. The whole team participates. Judges may direct questions to individual players.
Section 21
Judges Review
Prove It: submission materials unlock only after every team has presented. Judges record individual impressions before deliberating.
Section 22
Scoring
Judges evaluate what they heard, how the team defended it, what the evidence demonstrates and how the team performed. Methodology is under development.
Section 23
Awards
Ballathon Champion is the primary award. Additional awards may include MVP, Top Captain, top position awards and a Challenge Partner Award.
Section 24
Postgame
Every participant eventually receives a Postgame Report: how you showed up, where you helped your team, where you can improve.
Section 25
Leaderboard
Results feed the National Intercollegiate Ballathon Leaderboard. Teams are ranked, not individuals.