Sup Ball
Look over the rules and tell me what you think.
Will be showcased at the 2011 St Kilda Festival
Inspired by the Dukes surf polo finally Sup ball is finally born.
Created by Suploves Stuart Murray it is designed to test skills and showcase Sup.
Sup ball can be taken to the festivals of the world. This is action sport with a water twist.
It's essentially a possession game relies on skill not brawn
It is a game of possession, positioning skill and team work.
Here are the rules
Oversize Tennis Ball or the like
Playing field say 100m square
Water polo goal at each end
5 players a side
referee
5 minutes each way.
Shooting for supballers is from two board lengths away from goal.
Possession stays with team who does not drop ball into water.
Possessor can pass the ball at any time.
Maximum possession “Triple 5 Rule” "5 paddles/direction changes, 5 bounces on the board while drifting and then 5 seconds"
All supballers are to stay one board length from each other.
No holding ball between legs
Can be played with a goalie. If with a goalie then goalie can roam and only take possession within the oppositions two board length shooting zone and must shoot within 5 seconds.
Invites to Victorians to enter a team.
Many years ago I had a few games of Canoe Polo, so I guess I will give some feedback based on that.
The playing area is too large, canoe polo only uses 35m x 25m approx., with 5 players a side. Our boards are really that much larger so having a field over 3 times the size would make for a very slow game... fast games are exciting.
I would suggest a water polo ball, reasonably light, float and easy to hold in one hand.
I'm not sure how you paddle and hold the ball if not between your legs, might work better to be netball style, no paddling with the ball and pass with-in 5 seconds. The skill then is in the off the ball play rather than on, getting into position for a pass, leading etc.
The only other thing I would include is mandatory PFD and full face helmet, both will offer protection against being hit by a paddle. No matter how friendly the intent is, it only takes one rush for a ball for someone to get hit hard. I imagine a paddle to the head would not only hurt but could be fatal.
Could be fun, but after seeing how trashed a Kayak gets from polo I'll take an inflatable board please
Aus 301
thanks for input.
Have been trialing this and it has been so much fun even for new paddlers.
There is a one board exclusion zone for defenders. It becomes a game of strategy.
And we have found it very easy to hold the ball and paddle.
So far alot of laughs all around.
Had the kids sitting watching the adults have all the fun.
I've played Canoe Polo for about 30 years and have been thinking of a way to transfer this to Stand Up, for those interested this will give you an idea on what Canoe Polo is about.
I don't get the holding the ball, not dropping it and bouncing it on your board - how would that work, I can't picture it. Using a SUP paddle requires two hands so the only way you can really hold the ball is between your legs, which isn't allowed, or with your head - which would make paddling really awkward.
I would think it may make more sense that the ball sits in the water and you possess it by dribbling and flicking it around using your paddle. If you did it that way I could retire my original naish alloy paddle from pizza flipping duties and use it for Supball.
hey its easier than you think
Have had all levels of paddlers acheiving the holding the ball and paddling skill and same does for the bouncing the ball on the board skill. The disctinction here is that the ball must be bounced in consequential fashion.
The "Triple 5 Rule" is the maximum possession allowed befroe you have to dump(pass/shoot) the ball. The supball may be passed by the supballer at any time during this period.
We are playing tomorrow morning at ST Kilda so come down and join a team and the fun.
There will probably end up being several different versions of SUP Ball around the world. Kind of like the football codes. There'll be a European version, an American version and a Victorian version (which will of course, be the best and most entertaining.) And NSW will play 2 other competing versions and they'll be horrid.
Careful you don't fall into the water while paddling at St Kilda unless you don't mind falling into a sewer.. The water is foul and will make you sick..
DJ
Holding the ball is easier that it seems, in canoe polo its called a chicken wing, tolu stick the ball under your arm ( in SUP it would need to be lower arm ) and paddle, a bit awkward but works.
Would work well with inflatables, then you could tackle as well
Supball making its world wide debut at the St Kilda Festival was a huge hit.
Even had some first time Sup novices Supballing!!!
Rules worked very well with only minor tweaking for the goals being bouys.
So we skidded/skipped the ball through to register a goal.
Supball is based on skill, possession and positioning and is inclusve and accessable.
Stuart Murray