Tetherball Is A Great Sport That Can Be Enjoyed By Everyone

Though no official tetherball games are ever played, it is a unique sport that offers a great workout for young ones and adults alike. In tetherball, a ball similar to a volleyball is suspended by an 8 foot long rope, that is attached to a pole that is 10 feet high. The game is played by two players, and each player is assigned his own area around the pole. It is a game that is easy to play, and is usually popular among summer camps, and in schools. As mentioned earlier, the game is not official, but once the basics of how to play tetherball are learned, and the tetherball rules are understood, the game can become as popular as volleyball itself, as well as other sports such as tennis.

Tetherball Rules and Regulations

The purpose of tetherball is to have the ball wrapped around the pole completely in one direction when struck (hit or punched) by the hand, so that it can no longer be swung by the opposite player. The person who serves first is always at an advantage, that is why one match is not enough to declare a winner. Matches of odd numbers, with a victory margin of 2 games, must be played so as to declare the ultimate winner. After setting up the tetherball equipment, each player can choose their side, after a coin flip that will also decide who serves first.

• To serve, a player holds the ball in one hand, and hits it with the other, so that it swings around the rope in a direction chosen by him, i.e. clockwise or counter-clockwise. Ideally, a good player will serve in a manner that the ball cannot be touched by his opponent, giving him a complete advantage in the game. Once the ball has been served, it cannot be stopped.
• The player hits back the ball, as one does in volleyball, and tries to get the ball to wind around the pole in the opposite direction, for him to win. If the ball consecutively wraps four times around the pole, by the server, then ideally, the server should give the opponent a chance to strike back. This can alter the game, and take it to a whole new level.
• The player to wrap the tethered ball to the pole in one direction, so that it can no longer be swung further by either player, wins.

Among tetherball rules, there are mainly four types of penalties that are applicable while playing the game.

• A player may step off his area, and end up in his opponent's area. This may be an unintentional occurrence, but a penalty nonetheless.
• Players are not allowed to touch the rope while playing the game.
• Stopping the ball, and serving again is not allowed while playing tetherball.
• During a player's turn, he is not allowed to punch the ball more than once. Hitting it more than once qualifies for a foul. In some cases, the ball may hit the pole, and under such circumstances the player is allowed to continue.
• Holding the pole qualifies for an immediate penalty, which means the game is lost by the player who held it.

With the exception of the last penalty, if any of the above-mentioned fouls occur, the ball is stopped in its position, and served by the opponent, from the point where it was last wrapped. On the occurrence of three fouls by a single player, the game is won by the opponent. In case both players commit a foul at the same time, the game is stopped at that point. The ball is taken three feet away from the pole, held by both the players. The players release the ball together, so that it hits the pole, and thereon, either player can choose to hit it, depending on the direction of the ball.

Now that you know and understand all the tetherball rules, play this game, enjoy it, and make an attempt to popularize it enough for it to become a fun official sport.