Organizers decided to give it a try, receiving lots of enthusiasm from their HHS classmates. They created Dart Wars t-shirts (shown to the right) and made weekly elimination tournament brackets.  

The school administrators, however, were not as gung-ho about this after-school phenomenon, because the competition naturally spilled into the school day. The Dart Wars commissioners were summoned to the assistant principal’s office frequently due to disdain over the whole endeavor.  Little-by-little, rules were established to alleviate the in-school disruptions.

Since then, Dart Wars has become a rite-of-passage as a Highlands Juniors v Seniors’ competition.  It is a very organized game providing exhilarating, memorable competition for participants. Below, are the logistics of how Highlands Juniors and Seniors’ Dart Wars is organized.  The rules for the 2023 event appeared on the HHS Dart Wars Instagram page. 

Team Format: 

• Must be a Junior or Senior at Highlands High School 

• 4-5 players per team 

• Teams will be randomly assigned positions in the bracket. 

• Rounds typically begin on a Monday in mid-March. 

• Must submit team name, players’ names, and payment by noon the Saturday before. 

Finances: 

• Submit $15 per team to Dart Wars administrator (Jackson Lang) 

• 60% will be donated to charity and 40% goes to the winning team. 

General Rules: 

• Don’t be a jerk (that includes lying, cheating, trespassing, using unauthorized guns) 

• Players participate at their own risk.  Dart Wars Inc. is not responsible for any situations in which a student violates the law or gets into any sort of trouble, legal or otherwise.  

• Harassment, trespassing, property damage/violations are not allowed. 

• Disputes should be discussed by teams first. If no decision can be reached, the commissioner can be contacted for final decision. 

• No weapons or darts on school property during the school day (7:45-3:00) 

• Nerf guns or similar brands only. 

• Any rubber dart or disc allowed, no molded guns or rifles. 

• There will be a week off for spring break.  When you return, it will be the quarterfinals.  

• Absences: If you’re going to be out of town for a day, such as a school field trip, or a vacation, you must report this to the account and provide a substitute no later than 4pm the Sunday before the week begins.  Failure to do so will result in your team playing a man down that week.  

Kills: 

• A kill is where somebody gets shot by a dart or the dart hits something the person is carrying (You cannot throw darts) 

• Video evidence is strongly recommended but not mandatory. If you have video evidence, the commissioner is more likely to confirm the kill, and which lessen disputes about kills. 

• No shields (backpacks, jackets, a literal shield, etc.)  

• A player must be shot directly, no deflections. 

• Killed players are then eliminated for that round but can return to play if their team advances to the next round. 

• Eliminated players may still help their teammates but cannot actively shoot.  They may also participate in shootouts. 

• All kills must be reported to @hhsddartwars#### or to the commissioner. Attach a funny photo of the victim if you want to embarrass them more. 

• No shooting from a moving vehicle. The car must be in park if you’re shooting from an automobile. 

• A player cannot be shot if they are ONLY in their undergarments.  Max of 2 uses per round. Males – underwear; Females- bra and compression shorts/underwear 

Immunity: 

• Players cannot be shot at any school-sponsored event:  this includes school, any HHS athletic event, HHS theater rehearsal, HHS clubs etc. Players have 15 minutes of immunity before and after the event. 

• Players have immunity while working at a job or at church.  However, there is no 15-minute grace period. 

• Everywhere else is fair game. 

Shootout: 

• If teams are tied at the end of a round, a shootout will take place. 

• Teams are allowed to choose a time and place for the shootout. 

• If a shootout cannot be decided upon, a coin flip will decide who advances.