The versatile Swiss Movement Concept for everyone games ...

The versatile Swiss Movement Concept for everyone

games, exercises, tips and tricks

2

Hello! I’m Ronnie Racket and I want to show you my exciting world.

Let’s rock the street!

Please observe the copyright All rights of reproduction of this work, in any form and including extracts of same, are held by the creator. It is illegal to exploit this work in any way without the creator’s consent (Street Racket). This applies in particular to reproduc-tion, photocopies, translations, microfilming and the electronic visual storage and processing.

Imprint Publisher: Street Racket by MS Sport Solutions GmbH

Rahel & Marcel Straub Adetswilerstrasse 12 8344 Bäretswil Switzerland www.streetracket.com [email protected]

Author: Marcel Straub Layout: anstalt.ch Ronnie Racket: Marcel Straub (idea) & Nico Monn (realization) ISBN: 978-3-9525034-0-9 UID No.: CHE-112.123.578 Date: November 2018

3

Contents

1. Introduction: The Street Racket philosophy 4 1.1 What makes racket sports such a valuable exercise? 5 1.2 Maximum use of available time! 5

2. Rules 6

3. Developing basic skills with racket and ball 7 3.1 Introduction to the games 7 3.2 Development of basic skills 8

4. Games without a playing field 14 4.1 Boccia 14 4.2 Darts 15 4.3 Golf 15 4.4 Islands 16 4.5 Rolling the ball 16

5. Games on a single playing field 19 5.1 Basic form and basic rules 19 5.2 Doubles 20 5.3 Rotations 20

6. Games on a cross playing field 24 6.1 Quartette 24 6.2 Team Duel 25 6.3 The King’s Game 26 6.4 Cross Duel 27 6.5 Ball Relays 28

7. Games on an XL playing field 32 7.1 Large-Sized Quartette 32 7.2 Large-Sized Team Duel 32 7.3 Large-Sized King’s Game 32 7.4 Large-Sized Ball Relays 32 7.5 8 Players Game and 16 Players Game 33 7.6 Three-way Competition 33

8. Hitting the ball against the wall 36 8.1 One player 36 8.2 Single 36 8.3 Double 36 84. Rotation 36 8.5 Collecting points 37

9. Helpful tips 39 9.1 Personalizing the game 39 9.2 Training of accuracy 39 9.3 Additional options to achieve equal opportunity 40 9.4 Final organizational and practical tips 40

4

1. Introduction: The Street Racket philosophy

This game and exercise collection with many helpful tips introduces the exciting and versatile world of Street Racket to all interested players and users.

Anyone who plays Street Racket or enables the use of Street Racket will profit from the following positive aspects:

Multipurpose exercise game that is great fun for everyone

Promotion of health, motion, and team play

Trains all coordinative skills / motor skills

Turns spaces of all kinds into playgrounds and playing fields

Creates active spaces in a matter of seconds - where people can meet and interact in healthy and social ways

The scalable playing fields adapt to any space available (just draw them larger or smaller)

Requires no additional infrastructure (no logistics, no maintenance costs, no authorization required)

Promotes ambidexterity and bilateral motor skills and therefore body awareness and competence in movement

Conscious and safe, fluid patterns of motion

Activity for individual players, pairs or small and large groups

No smash or volley for more flow of the game: control and cleverness instead of strength!

Simple first steps into the precious world of racket sports

Immediate experiences of success motivate and lead to regular exercise (sustainable concept)

Supports the creation of a real game culture

Maintains mobility into old age

Safe and long-lasting playing equipment (short, light-weight rackets and larger, soft balls)

Women WITH men (gender equality!), old WITH young, pros WITH beginners

Helps develop an active population with increased motor skills and abilities

Prevention of accidents through improved hand-eye-coordination

Active inclusion, such as of handicapped persons and marginalized groups

Minimal effort (and minimal financial expenses) for a great and long-lasting effect!

This Street Racket game and exercise collection provides a wide and sustainable basis for activities that promote motor skills, healthy and active daily sessions and social encounters. Many of the suggestions may be combined with each other and developed further. Moreover, the basic concept offers lots of space for creativity and should inspire your own new forms of exercise.

The principle of Street Racket is based on long and controlled rallies from one player to the next, including everyone and enabling everyone to enjoy varied coordinative experiences and to make progress. In order to maintain this cen-tral nature of the concept and also to promote the many emotional, social, and cognitive aspects associated with it, we suggest preventing “slamming the ball down” (i.e. smashing) even for any new forms of the game. This allows the ball to be played smoothly, prolonging the active sequences, which would be interrupted and strongly reduced by "smashing" the ball, which tends to be some sort of aggressive-destructive behavior, while also reducing the number of experiences of success and therefore the players’ motivation. The Street Racket exercise concept is easy to understand and easy to use. In order to obtain the best effects possible, however, it is strongly recommended that organizations, such as schools, companies, sports clubs or associations, have an official instructor provide a playful introduction to Street Racket. These motivated and experienced experts can increase the benefits of Street Racket even more.

Inquiries regarding workshops and introductions as well as orders for equipment may be requested by e-mail at the fol-lowing address: [email protected]. We will also be happy to provide advice regarding the general practical applica-tion of the game as well as the installation of temporary or permanent playing fields.

We recommend the educational booklet "Learning through movement with Street Racket" to schools for in-depth Street Racket training. It contains exciting ways to use Street Racket for a variety of school subjects (such as mathematics and languages) and supports active, motivated, and social learning. That is the long-term and multipurpose contribution that Street Racket makes to schools on the move and for education in general. The innovative booklet, which includes many attractive exercise cards for all grades, can be downloaded from the web shop at www.streetracket.com.

Declaration

Street Racket is for everyone and therefore addresses both genders. We herewith declare explicitly that we use male pronouns (”he” or ”him”, etc.) solely for the purpose of making the text easier to read and understand. Female play-ers are always meant to be included despite use of male pronouns.

5

1.1 What makes racket sports such a valuable exercise?

There is hardly an activity that is as significant to human motor skills as a game with a racket and a ball. Every player carries out a range of complex and constantly changing movements within seconds, while his body and brain work together closely and intensively. Each situa-tion is unique because the angle as well as the height and speed of the ball change for every stroke, constantly requiring fast and complex adjustments. The positioning of the player and his opponent change all the time (ori-entation). All these adaptations happen playfully and are lots of fun while the intensive training, which is so important for our development, hardly makes itself felt as such. In addition to the skills with racket and ball, our bodies also learn many other enormously important skills as a kind of side effect, in contrast to team sports in which the individual player is not necessarily involved and may be passive for a lengthy period, or which may also lead to repetitive activities.

Street Racket immediately involves long ball exchanges between players, and what matters is control, which makes more precise and successful activities possible. This leads to additional valuable results, such as motiva-tion and positive emotions regarding self-esteem and a sense of belonging.

Since Street Racket can be learned more easily and fast-er than traditional racket sports, the multipurpose posi-tive effect of this racket sport can be used even more broadly. Therefore Street Racket is also an ideal intro-duction into the world of racket sports, acting like a bridge to the well-known traditional disciplines, such as tennis, squash, badminton, and table tennis. Yet top players and top athletes don’t lose out. This collection also includes very challenging, intensive and complex applications.

The focus is on training hand-eye coordination since it is the central basis for the development of motor skills. This also includes promoting a sense of physical confi-dence and gaining individual competence with respect to one’s movement and health. In that sense, a Street Racket game played on a regular basis also contributes to the prevention of accidents and falls, to rehabilitation and therapy, as well as to the reduction of widely spread diseases that are caused by inactivity.

1.2 Maximum use of available time Street Racket guarantees maximum use of the time available for activities and sports. Short or no distances to the venue, no or only minimal preparations and above all: long, rhythmic rallies. Sustainable and safe activity is immediately ensured. In other, similar disci-plines, long rallies are rather seldom, infrastructure needs to be set up and you are often busy picking up balls and preparing for the next rally instead of actually playing. In school sports this is an especially central factor be-cause in many places time available for moving around is quite restricted or occasionally has to yield to the aca-demic focus. The time available for physical activities should be used to the greatest possible extent. The simple setting also has the advantage that addition-al playing fields or structures can be drawn immediately if necessary, and activities can be guaranteed spontaneously for new or changing groups without any organizational loss of time. The playing fields themselves don’t require any support or maintenance and have a huge challenging character. You just want to get out there and play.

And because the playing fields can be chosen freely in their size whereby the intensity (in addition to the choice of exercise) can be influenced, the games can also be played in the sense of an active break. That is, right away where you are, without changing clothes, showering, etc. Street Racket reaches out to all! Take your chance for a fun and healthy game wherever, whenever!

6

1.2 Optimal use of available time

Street Racket makes optimal use of available time possi-ble. No long distances to the sports venue, no or only minimal preparations (in case the venue has to be sketched) and above all, long, rhythmic rallies ─ sustain-able and safe activity is immediately ensured. In other, similar disciplines long rallies are rather seldom and you are often busy picking balls up and preparing for the next rally. In school sports this is an especially central factor because in many places time available for moving around is quite restricted or occasionally has to yield to the academic focus. The time available for physical activ-ities should be used to the greatest possible extent.

The simple setting also has the advantage that addition-al venues can be drawn in immediately if necessary, and activities can be guaranteed spontaneously for new or changing groups without any organizational loss of time. The playing fields themselves don’t require any support or ownership and have a huge challenging character. And because the playing fields can be chosen freely in their size whereby the intensity (in addition to the choice of exercise) can be influenced, the games can also be played in the sense of an active pause, that is, right away where you are, without changing clothes, showering, etc.

2. Rules

After it has been hit, the ball always has to move upward or in a straight line (no downplay / smash).

Before it is hit, the ball always has to bounce once (no volley). (Exception: The ball may be served directly from the hand without touching the center square or without the player stepping into the center square.)

Longer rallies More exercise No destructive actions

- girls WITH boys, women WITH men - young WITH old - beginners WITH pros

How points are counted

The following rules apply to competitive games: The winner of one rally earns one point and gets to serve the ball again (winner's ball). The first player who

scores 11 points wins the set. A competition is always played “best of five”, i.e. until one player has won three sets.

7

3. Developing basic skills with racket and ball

3.1 Introduction to the games

Certain groups of players need to be introduced to Street Racket "off court" and in an interesting and fun way in order to enable them to experience and play the multitude of exciting training and competition formats on a Street Racket field.

Even though the concept wants for all players to quickly achieve success and be ready for the main formats in a comparably short period of time, the players must gain certain basic skills first. This applies especially to very young players (children under the age of 6), people without any experience in racket sports as well as individuals with coor-dination problems or a handicap. In addition to the following exercises, various basic formats familiar from other types of racket sports help to improve required skills. These include bouncing, balancing or passing a ball – alone, in a team of two or in groups (for instance in the form of relays).

The following principles or instructions may be used to simplify nearly all exercises in this book:

All exercises in this chapter may be performed anywhere and anytime. The best effects are achieved if the original Street Racket equipment, which was specifically developed for that purpose (and may be ordered at www.streetracket.com) is used. The perfect combination of racket and ball as well as the safety aspects that were taken into consideration when developing the Street Racket sets accelerate progress considerably. Light rackets with a larger hitting surface and soft, compact balls that bounce ideally (and that are completely safe for the players and the environment, and can also be used under windy conditions and hardly absorb any moisture) enable players to see quick results, thus boosting motivation and enabling more physical activity.

- Catching and throwing: The games are played with-out rackets. The ball is caught and then thrown in-stead of hit. This also creates positive effects for the improvement of hand-eye coordination.

- Hitting and catching single balls or stopping the ball: Instead of continuously hitting the ball with the risk of quickly losing control, single balls or, for example, two balls in a series are hit; then the ball is caught/stopped again. Starting from that position, the players then start hitting the ball again.

- Hitting the ball with your hand: In the first phase the racket isn’t used just yet. The balls are hit directly with the player’s hand (fingers slightly spread apart and braced).

There are many more valuable exercises with racket and ball that vastly improve motor skills. A tried-and-true selection of these exercises has been summarized in the “Street Racket Challenge” as part of the overall concept. This arrangement of exercises, which allows for inde-pendent practice with a racket and a ball at various training stations and provides direct qualitative and quantitative feedback and may be downloaded for free at www.streetracket.com under “Downloads”. Of course you can create and develop your own similar exercises. Any activity with a racket and a ball enhances the development of motor skills and promotes hand-eye coordination- and therefore naturally the basic Street Racket skills as well.

8

3.2 Development of basic skills

3.2.1 Keeping the ball alive

“Keeping the ball alive” as long as possible. Whether accom-plished by one or two players or a group, according to the principles of Street Racket while continuously hitting it up into the air, letting it bounce once, and hitting it back up into the air. This method lets players from the beginning internalize and comply with the two basic rules that are characteristic of Street Racket: The ball may only be hit from bottom to top (no smashing/slamming down), and it has to touch the ground once before each hit (no direct play/volley).

Variations

Very easy: At first, a balloon may be used instead of a ball to enable beginners to make their first hits, thus celebrat-ing their first successes. This gives the players much more time, and the goal area is considerably larger, too. The balloon doesn’t bounce and always has to be played di-rectly again and again, thus deviating slightly from the concept so the rule “no volley” does not apply for the benefit of the players. However, if the motor skills are still rather limited, this technique can be useful as a starting point.

Easy: The players stand close together; the ball is played in a steep, upward direction. This reduces the space play-ers can move around in while aiming and hitting the ball precisely has priority. In a group, the order in which the players take part may either be set or chosen at random, or each player selects the next player by calling his name or the number assigned to him.

Scoring points: As a small competition format to enhance concentration and motivation, the goal areas are drawn on the ground (for instance concentric circles or squares). The game is played according to the basic form but each player tries to let the ball bounce in the goal area for the highest number of points. The circles are specifically suit-ed to use on an open space, the squares as introductory forms on a Street Racket playing field (see sketches). Points may either be counted cooperatively (for instance, which team of two players or which group gets the most points before making a mistake) or competitively (which player wins a duel or gets the most points in a group). We recommend setting a specific height for the ball, in order to have enough time to hit the ball (for instance demand-ing that the ball must fly above the player’s heads at its highest point). The idea of target areas may be applied to many of the following game formats on the Street Racket playing field (single or cross) and may also be modified

creatively. It serves as an incentive for many types of players if they can pursue a quantitative goal during the game.

Complication: The two players carry out a coordinative task between each ball contact. They do a high five with their available hands after each hit; they switch the racket from one hand to the other hand in between the hits; they touch each other with the inside of the foot; they spin around in a circle, etc. The players’ own ideas of how to move are to be encouraged here and will mo-tivate them even more.

Approaching the final format: A) The players take a few steps away from each other during the exercise, so that they get already very close to the correct process and rhythm of a proper rally (yet still without lines/boundaries on the playing field). B) The players draw their first playing field (3 squares of optional size; however, a size 2x2 m per square is recommended) and try to achieve a rally that lasts as long as possible. Which pair can create the longest rally (competition against all other pairs)?

9

3.2.2 Games using target areas

A container/target (cardboard box, plastic bucket, hoop, circle drawn with colored chalk, etc.) is set up or marked on the ground. The players try to hit the ball into the goal with a normal stroke (racket). The basic rules for the strokes (see chapter 2 and exercise above) should be adhered to since they are essential for Street Racket and ensure that everybody gains access to the game imme-diately.

Variations

Easy: Hit the ball into the container from a close distance (as a preliminary form, the ball may also just be thrown)

Medium: Increase the distance after each hit (stand one step further away from the target after a suc-cessful hit)

Challenging: Hit the ball that you get from your partner into the goal; hit the ball that you juggle or bounce into the goal; hit the ball with your weaker hand, etc.

3.2.3 Everyone against everyone else

In a defined space (if possible in a space that is partially or completely closed in by walls) everyone has a racket. One third of all the players has a ball (= the catchers). All catchers may now go after the players who don’t have a ball and hit them with the ball anywhere on their bodies by hitting their ball with the racket. They are to avoid hitting them in the head; hitting their rackets counts, too. Anyone who is hit becomes a new catcher and takes over the ball. The goal is to avoid being hit as long as possible and to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible. In addition to catchers’ skills with racket and ball, the »pursued« players’ coordination skills and stamina are nurtured here.

Variations

Easy: The catcher may run with the ball in hand.

Medium: While running, the ball must be balanced on the racket; the player’s hand must not touch it (except when picking the ball up from the ground and placing it back on the racket).

Challenging: The ball must be bounced on the racket while moving around.

Very challenging: For a specific period of time, two players as a team (or larger teams) pass the ball to each other until somebody is hit. The numbers of times the ball may be touched by each player (catcher) can be changed (controlling the degree of difficulty and intensity). Which team achieves the most hits within a certain period of time?

10

3.2.4 Covering a specified distance

The ball is played over a defined distance from the start-ing point to the goal. It has to stay on a direct/straight line as much as possible. This is particularly important if many players simultaneously participate in this exercise next to each other.

Variations

Easy: The ball is picked up and then hit (or also thrown or passed) directly from the player’s hand or after bouncing once. The ball is to be hit in a con-trolled manner and not as hard as possible. As a var-iation, the trainer may, for instance, specify how far the next ball should fly (setting the distance with his own hit/ball), and the players will try to cover that distance as precisely as possible. The player who comes closest to hitting the required distance gets to specify the distance of the next hit. This variation also works well in a meadow since the ball will come to a quick stop in the grass and can therefore be controlled better.

Medium: The ball is played nonstop from start to finish according to the Street Racket rules – always from bottom to top as well as with the requirement that the ball touch the ground after each hit. Who manages to cover the whole distance without a break/mistake?

Challenging: A team of two players alternate in hit-ting the ball. Which team covers the whole distance without a break/mistake? Which team manages the distance in a certain number of hits or in the short-est time?

3.2.5 Hitting the ball against a wall

Hitting the ball against a wall is perfect for those playing Street Racket for the first time, for beginners and for individual training (even indoors). A player tries to hit the wall with the ball, lets the ball bounce once, and then repeats this motion several times.

Variations

Easy: Throw the ball at the wall, catch it and throw it back at the wall (familiarizing yourself with its rhythm and bounce).

Medium: Throw the ball at the wall, then hit it against the wall with the racket once and then catch it again (balls coming towards a player are easier to hit then if a player has to put the ball in motion standing still).

Challenging: One or two players hit the ball against the wall over and over again by themselves or alter-nating. How many consecutive hit can be done?

For further field concept applications directly linked with playing the ball against wall, see Chapter 8, “Hitting the ball against the wall”.

Note: If players tend to hit the ball too hard (something Street Racket tries to avoid through the basic rules and the setting of the courts) a line should be drawn approx. 2-3 m away from the wall. Each ball must bounce before that line.

11

3.2.6 Playing the ball after throwing or "feeding"

Before a player feels at home on an official Street Racket playing field (and with the constant ball movement back and forth), it can be very helpful and motivating to "feed" some balls by gently throwing or hitting them to the player first. An experienced player, a trainer or a teacher precisely and slowly throws or hits the ball to a beginner on the other side of the Street Racket field (or also in an unmarked space just to get the feel for it), providing sufficient height and a slow pace. After letting the ball bounce once, the player then tries to hit it back to the trainer in a controlled manner.

Variations

Easy: The ball is always stopped before it is played again (slowing the game down).

Medium: The ball is continuously and directly – i.e. after it has bounced once – hit again.

Challenging: Two or more players switch positions (rotation) on one side while delivering one hit each and then moving back in line. For a more intensive game, each player runs around a marked spot be-hind or parallel to the playing field or around the trainer once on the other side and delivers the next hit when it is his turn again.

In the next chapter, “Forms of games without a playing field”, you will find many more interesting and playful forms that promote the basic skills and provide begin-ners with plenty of opportunities to improve control of their racket and the ball.

3.2.7 Playing in a circle

Several players form a circle. As much as possible, the ball is played (according to the basic Street Racket rules) in such a way that lets each player of the team hit it at least once. As soon as the team has managed to do so, the players shout out “Racket!”. Which team accom-plishes this task first?

Variations

The ball is hit directly (volley - suitable for exercises on a meadow, on gravel, etc.). This way the game is accelerated and one of the main rules (always one bounce) is left aside due to the surface or to intensi-fy the challenge.

The exercise is carried out with two balls simultane-ously (a great challenge for accuracy and for watch-ing the entire playing field at once - peripheral vi-sion).

The players who have played the ball sit down on the ground in larger groups/circles. This way the rest of the group have a better overview of the players that still need to hit the ball to accomplish the group task.

12

Notes and your own Street Racket ideas

13


14

4. Games without a playing field

Forms of games without a playing field enrich the overall concept of Street Racket with innovative and exciting game ideas outside the characteristic Street Racket playing fields - which consist of three squares. On the one hand, these options help each player to build up and improve the individual skills and abilities (general coordination and specific Street Racket coordination); on the other hand, these forms may be used as open, creative variations that playfully introduce beginners to racket sports. These game forms also have great educational potential since they provide interesting options for learning in movement (such as language skills, mathematics, general knowledge). The sepa-rate, multipurpose exercise collection "Learning through movement with Street Racket" (a mobile, active, healthy, and social way of learning for of all subjects) may be obtained at www.streetracket.com.

4.1 Boccia

A meadow is perfect for Street Racket Boccia because the balls won’t roll away, and in this way the game can provide better feedback about one’s own playing skills. All the players form a large circle. One player hits a dif-ferent ball (in color or size) into the center of the circle with a racket or by hand or foot. This ball is the target object. Then all players hit their Street Racket balls as close as possible to the target ball. In the next round (the circle may be made larger or smaller as a way of variation) the winner of the last round is allowed to hit the target object into the circle. Scoring may, for exam-ple, consist of 3 points for the winner, 2 points for sec-ond place and 1 point for third place to turn Street Racket Boccia into a little but exciting challenge.

4.1 Bocce

Variations

Line Boccia: All players stand on a line. One player plays his ball straight without a specified distance. Then all of the other players, using their rackets, try to hit their balls as closely as possible to that first ball (see also 3.2.4. "covering a distance") . Then the players pick up their balls and another player (for example the winner of the last round) specifies the required distance by hitting his ball first.

Team Boccia: Player A hits his ball; Player B tries to hit his ball as closely as possible to A’s ball. After that the players switch. This variation may also be played continuously until the team has covered a certain distance. Team Boccia can be played as a team of two or in small or bigger groups.

15

4.2 Darts

Two players form a team and position themselves on opposite sides of a large circle (dart board). Several con-centric circles with increasingly wide rings (and respec-tively decreasing number of points) starting at the cen-ter (recommended width of approximately 40 cm per ring) form a large "dart board". Every player tries to earn as many points per hit as possible by playing the ball into the center of the circle. The partner on the other side of the circle picks up the ball with his hand (stand-ing outside the outer circle) and hits it back to the first player, also collecting points with each stroke. Which team manages to get the most points with, for instance, 10 hits (5 per player) or within a set amount of time)?

Variations

Other darts games: Basically all familiar dart variations may be played with racket and ball in this way as a co-ordinative racket game. Instead of concentric circles you can also use the form of a traditional dartboard with 20 triangles and the numbers 1 to 20.

All these games are not only fun to play and promote extra competences but they also help to improve the basic skills (shot making, accuracy, ball control etc.) needed for all kinds of Street Racket activities.

Additional forms of Street Racket darts which can be used in the area of mathematics, languages and general knowledge are included in the booklet "Learning through movement with Street Racket" - available in the Street Racket webshop.

4.3 Golf

Different targets are hit in a given order. Each time the ball is hit with the racket and may be retrieved at any time. The player must not move while holding the ball in his hand until he has performed the next hit. When an object has been hit by the ball, the next target is aimed at, and the game continues from that spot.

Variations

Count the hits (focus on the quality of each hit)

Time challenge: Cover the golf course as fast as pos-sible (focus on intensity)

Team play: Switch back and forth between players and require as few hits as possible for the team to complete the course. Or play the game using other common and fun golf variations (such as "scramble" etc.).

Variations

Changing the distance: Move the outer ring further away from the center of the circle, thus increasing the length of the hit (making it more difficult) or decreas-ing it (making it easier).

Rope pulling by numbers: Two players play against each other. Starting with, for instance, 10 points, Play-er A tries to earn 20 points while Player B tries to score 0 points. Player A’s points are counted positively (add-ed); player B’s points are counted negatively (subtract-ed). Which player will achieve his objective first?

Variation with passing and then hitting the ball: The ball is played into the center of the "dart board" after a "pass" from the partner. This closely simulates the real game and accelerates the exercise.

Variations

Sustainability: If possible, establish a permanent "golf" course in an outdoor area and mark it, for in-stance, by sketching or mapping it. Now this course can be played over and over again, and two lists of winners are kept, one of the fewest number of hits and one of the fastest times.

http://www.streetracket.net/shop

http://www.streetracket.net/shop

16

4.4 Islands

Beginning at the starting line, circles (islands) of various sizes are drawn on the ground at irregular distances. Who will make it into the target area at the other end with the fewest hits? A player who hits the island may step onto it and hit the next ball from there. If a player does not hit the island he has chosen as his target, he must keep aiming at that island until he hits it.

May also be played by a team of two players; the balls are stopped by the partner and returned. Players switch as soon as an island is hit.

Variations

The players draw their individual islands on the ground (all islands should have roughly the same size), thus creating a path to the target area. The entire path to the island may be drawn before the game begins; al-ternatively, a new island is drawn after the last island has been hit. Use chalk or lay hoops on the ground.

Vary the routes: As in sports climbing, separate routes may be marked with different colors. The blue circles, for instance, are very small and farther apart, while red circles are large and close together. For each color the current record (the least number of hits) may be rec-orded (directly with the chalk of that color at the end of the route onto the ground or on a piece of paper).

Variations

"Islands" may be played according to the criteria of quality (number of hits) or quantity (time challenge). Depending on the task, the atmosphere as well as the effect of this exercise will change immediately (quality: focus on concentration; quantity: focus on intensity). Both versions encourage different and important abilities and skills.

The islands can be marked with letters or numbers, which creates exciting and multipurpose founda-tions for cognitive exercises and new learning strat-egies. For more details see the teaching aid "Learn-

ing through movement with Street Racket" at www.streetracket.com.

4.5 Rolling the ball

Two base lines are used, drawn or marked on a large (in-door or outdoor) space. Two teams are formed; each has to stay behind its own base line. All players have a racket and a ball. A larger, lighter ball (such as an inflated beach ball) is put into the center of the court.

Once the signal is given for the start, all players try to hit the ball in the center with Street Racket strokes (i.e. with-out downplaying the ball) and move it toward the base line on the other side. Which team manages to hit the large ball across the other team’s base line? The players may step across their base line to fetch new balls from their own half of the playing field. Or 1-2 players per team are assigned to that task for each round of the game.

Variations

Use several center balls for more intensity and fun.

Increase or decrease the hitting distances by chang-ing the distance to the base line.

Simplification: Hit with the hand instead of with the racket or simply throw the ball towards the target.

Variations

Complication: Players hit with their weaker hands.

Square with 4 teams: 4 teams take position at equal distance on all four sides around the large ball and try to move it across one of the three other base lines.

17


18


19

5. Games on a single playing field

5.1 Basic form and basic rules

Three squares of equal size are drawn in a row (with chalk, paint or spray paint) or marked (with tape or sports marking). The center square is marked with a cross as a visual aid and thus “blocked”.

Rules for competitive games

A player who is unable to hit the ball into the field of his opponent or fails to follow the basic rules will lose the rally, and the opponent scores the point.

The lines count as part of the playing field.

The player who wins the rally gets to serve for the next rally (winner’s ball).

A set is played until 11 points have been earned; a match consists of three winning sets (best of five).

Variations

Play with the “wrong”, non-dominant hand (pro-motes bilateral motor skills/ambidexterity).

Play one rally with your right hand, the next one with your left hand.

Play freely with two rackets or only carry out strokes with your forehand or backhand respectively.

Play with two balls simultaneously (very challenging regarding the rhythm, control, and precision).

Play with two balls and hit one ball back and forth with the racket while catching the second ball in the reverse rhythm with the other hand, throwing it back immediately. Very challenging.

Important – please note!

The size of the playing field is scalable and adapts to the available space in a flexible manner. Larger playing fields provide more space to move about and more intensity; smaller playing fields are a greater challenge when it comes to precision, fine motor skills, and control. The size of 2 meters per square is recommended for a stand-ard-size playing field, which is a total space of 2x6 meters. For reasons of safety, a minimum of 1.5 meters of free space each should be in front of and behind the playing field.

We recommend starting out by practicing many cooperative forms of games and playing competitively only as a subsequent step. Cooperative (i.e. team-oriented) exercises promote control of the ball, self-assurance, and flow of motion, thus supporting the development of a true game culture. The larger number of ball contacts also en-sures that the intensity, or rather the share of real activity, is increased. In addition, the players’ concentration is enhanced and quick experiences of success - that are essential for lasting and regular physical exercise - are promoted.

Basic rules

Player A plays the ball across the center square into the square of Player B and vice versa. The ball must not touch the center square.

During the basic game the ball has to bounce once each time (no volley/direct play) and must be hit from the bottom up (no smash/downplay).

The initial stroke may be played directly out of the air (while the player lets the ball drop from his hand - the only kind of volley allowed) or after bouncing once.

The players may stand anywhere. Only during the first stroke are they not allowed to touch or step over the line of the center square.

20

5.2 Doubles

Two players on each side form a team. After each ball contact, the players switch, immediately creating space for their partner’s stroke.

A double is either played cooperatively (which two teams achieve the longest valid rally as a group of four players?) or competitively (which team will win the game?).

Variations

All players use two rackets (promotes ambidexteri-ty), i.e. a total of 4 rackets per side.

Play with only one racket on each side and hand the racket to your partner immediately after the stroke (teamwork, pressure situation, fun factor).

A team can play two strokes in a row: Player A can play the ball to Player B before hitting it back to the other team. This variation slows down/simplifies the game and promotes teamwork even more. Remem-ber to the ball has to bounce before the next hit in all the variations, too.

Variations

Two against/with one for an uneven number of players. Or three against/with two, and so on.

Two slow the game down and to promote control, each player can hit twice in a row ("control stroke"); one hit to control the ball on the spot, the other hit to play the ball across the field as usual.

Increase the intensity: A small marker (such as a cross drawn with chalk, an object placed on the ground, etc.) is placed behind or next to the playing field. After each stroke the player has to run around this marker first before it’s his turn again. Additional tasks (push-ups, sit-ups, solving a math problem, an-swering a quiz question, etc.) may be carried out where the marker is. New tasks can be invented and added.

5.3 Around the world (rotations)

At least two players are on one side of the playing field and at least one player is on the other side. There may also be more players on each side (intensity is decreased with each additional player, team factor is enhanced).

After the start, or rather after each stroke, the player in question changes sides and runs to the other side of the playing field. There he stops and waits until it is his turn again to hit the next ball. The players agree on the direc-tion in which they will switch sides (usually counter-clockwise); it is useful to switch sides after a certain playing time.

When in the competitive form of the game (a variation in which a player is eliminated after making a mistake) only two players are left, they will play a final game (sin-gle) until a number of points (as agreed on by the group) has been scored. The winner gets 3 points; the loser of the final gets two points, and the last player who is still in the game before the final game gets one point.

Organization

In the competitive form of the game, in which a player may be eliminated, any player who makes a mistake must leave the playing field. Instead of passively waiting for the next round, eliminated players draw additional playing fields and play singles, rotations or doubles, until the current round is over, and all players gather for a new round. There are always spaces close to the main playing field that may be used for additional playing fields (even smaller ones) or for hitting the ball against the wall (see Chapter 8). There is no need to be inactive once a player is eliminated temporarily.

21

Variations

All players use two rackets (promotes ambidexteri-ty).

Play with only one racket on each side and pass the racket on to the next player immediately after the stroke (teamwork, pressure situation, fun factor).

Double rotation: One group rotates separately on each side without running over to the other side. The two groups work together (more flow of the game) or play against each other. In this version ad-ditional tasks can be added in the direct vicinity of the playing field (such as a short-distance run, pushups, rope skipping, long jumps or high jumps, kicking a ball into a soccer goal, throwing a ball into a basketball hoop, your own ideas, etc.).

Variations

Around the world for only two players: An intensive form that challenges precision, tactics and endur-ance. Two players cooperate, exchanging the ball in the form of a rotation. Two consecutive hits are per-formed by each player as they need to retrieve their own ball and they play it back to their partner. If a "control stroke" (optionally or mandatory) is includ-ed (the player slows down and controls the game by first playing one shot on the same spot before hit-ting the ball to the other side - see also "slowing down the rotation"), this will simplify the task and can be a stepping stone to the final task of direct play.

Slowing down the rotation: The following variations are very helpful for integrating less skilled, mobile, agile or fit players into the game: Each player carries out two consecutive strokes, first a "control stroke" on the spot, then the actual hit to the other side. This promotes the player’s individual control of ball and racket on the one hand while slowing down the game on the other hand. This way the players have enough time to move to the other side. Alternately, the same player may do several strokes until switch-ing sides. This version also slows down the game as a whole for the other players and may be used to automate the shot making (several actions in a row).

Rotation with passing the ball: To integrate all play-ers successfully into the rotation (particularly im-portant for beginners and smaller children or people with a handicap) and to maintain the flow of exer-cise at every level, the coach/trainer or a good play-er may stand at one side and pass the ball nicely to the receiver. The other players are on the opposite side, carry out one stroke, and then run all around the playing field (and the coach) before lining up again at the back. The coach can either throw the ball by hand or play it directly with his racket, de-pending on the level of the players’/group’s skills. This version also increases intensity (due to a flow in the players’ movements and the double running dis-tance).

Rotation for one player only: The attempt to do a rotation on one’s own is even more intensive. It re-quires extreme precision and the perfect choice of stroke (height, speed, position). In addition, this type of movement is very intense. The rotation itself is a very exciting task for advanced, ambitious play-ers. How often can the ball be hit back and forth cor-rectly? Which techniques and solutions work well? For motivational reasons the high score can be listed.

22


23


24

6. Games on a cross playing field

Two single playing fields are connected to create a cross with many new and exciting options for playing and inter-acting. Alternately, the two playing fields may still be used for activities in two separate individual playing fields (sin-gles, doubles, rotations, etc.). This provides great potential for even more activity and creativity. Also, the cross play-ing field resembling the Swiss flag represents the origin of Street Racket and is the core of the concept.

6.1 Quartette

Four players occupy the 4 squares of the playing field, one player per square. Every player tries to defend his square and to hit the ball into one of the three other squares. The quartette is very well suited as an introduc-tion to the many ways the cross playing field can be used. Which group can create the longest rally without making a mistake (cooperation)? The competitive form is also very exciting and motivating (in a second phase). Any player who fails to hit the ball into one of the other three squares will lose one life. The game is over when a player loses his last life (for example his fifth one) or when a specific period of time has passed (then the player with the most lives left is the winner). More than 4 players may participate in the game. Any player who makes a mistake will lose one life and give up his square for a new player (and waits his new turn). As always, the Street Racket rules also apply to the quartette (no vol-ley, no smash) for the best results and progress.

Variations

Elimination: If a player of the quartette has no more lives, he will be eliminated. Simultaneously the square in question is no longer part of the game. Therefore only three squares are left for the three remaining players; the final game is then played in the last two squares.

Running quartette: To increase intensity (running distances, range of movement) and cognitive as-pects, each player immediately moves into the square he has hit the ball into. Course of the game if 5 players participate: At the beginning of the rally, player No. 5 stands outside the playing field and takes over the server’s square as soon as the latter has changed his position after the first stroke. Course of the game with 4 players: Players are not allowed to aim at the free square (this would count as a mistake of the player in question).

Team Quartette: For 8 players (or more) at the same time, most forms of the quartette can be played by teams of two players. Two players each keep alter-nating in their respective squares, making room for their partners after each stroke. Even more players can participate if a team that has made a mistake is replaced by another team of two players waiting for their turn.

25

Numbered fields: The 4 squares are numbered 1

through 4. The squares are divided into two halves or three sections by drawing a line (horizontal or vertical) with chalk of a different color. These new zones are numbered, using the numbers of the oth-er squares (for instance the three new sections of square 1 are now numbered with 2, 3 and 4; if the square has been divided in half, the two new sec-tions can bear the numbers 2 and 3). The number of the section of the playing field in which the ball bounces is also the target area into which the next ball has to be hit. Therefore a player has only very little time to process this information and solve the problem with the correct action.

Other markings for the playing field: The playing field that must be aimed at next may be marked with arrows (without or in combination with num-bers), simplifying the task. Instead of numbers or di-rections (arrows), you may also use colors, shapes or letters for this form of the game, a high percentage of which is highly cognitive. The input/stimulus may thus be altered and adapted to the players’ ages or levels of skills (or any current topic in a school con-text).

6.2 Team Duel

Two players each form a team in the cross playing field, each player covering one of the 4 squares. Team A (re-sponsible for squares 1 and 2) tries to score on team B’s field (in squares 3 and 4) and vice versa. As a variation, a team may hit the ball twice before it is played to the opponent. The first player of team A plays the ball to his partner; only then is the ball played to Team B.

Variation: Team Duel "switch"

To increase the intensity and promote team work, a change of positions is built in. This form of the game also demands more concentration and readiness as well as reaction capacity. The players of a team switch their positions after each hit they (one of the two players) have carried out. The team on the other side does the same after each of their strokes. A quick shout of “switch” or “change” after each stroke within the team promotes the flow of the game and helps the players to remember to switch positions immediately.

26

6.3 The King’s Game

4 players position themselves on the 4 squares of the cross court. Each player tries to defend his square and to hit the ball into one of the three other squares. Any player who makes a mistake must go back to square 1, and the now unoccupied squares are filled from lower to higher. If there are more than 4 players, the eliminated player waits in line before trying to move up again. Who manages to move up to the king’s court and collect the most points? Only the king may bring the ball into the game. He receives one point per rally during which the king manages to remain in the game.


The game is either played until a specific number of points is earned or for a specified period of time. The Street Racket rules (no volley, no downplay) apply to the King’s Game as well.

The King’s Game is ideal for 4 to 7 players in one cross playing field. In case of 8 or more players, we recom-mend drawing a second Street Racket cross playing field and dividing the group in half in order to make more individual activity and movement possible.

1. Starting the game

Always from king to player 1, player 2 or player 3.

2. Continuing the game

From any player to any other player.

3a. Example: Player 2 makes a mistake

Player 2 is eliminated and gets back in line (or moves to square 1 if there are only 4 players). Player 1 moves up to Square 2. The king stays on the throne and gets one point.

3b. Example: The king makes a mistake

The king is eliminated and gets back in line. All players move up one square. The king who steps down from the throne keeps the points he has earned so far (and he can add new points when he manages to become king again). Player 3 becomes the new king and now has the opportunity to collect points.

27

6.4 Cross Duel

Two players play back and forth while each of them co-vers two adjacent squares and is positioned between his two squares. Both of the opponent’s squares may be aimed at as desired.

The Street Racket rules (no volley, no downplay) apply to this variation as well.


To control intensity, the minimal height of the ball may be specified (i.e. knee, hip, shoulder, head). This is par-ticularly useful at the start of this game (or any other game) and to secure longer rallies and playtime.

1. Start of play

Player A aims at one of player B’s squares.

2. Continuing the game

Player B hits the ball back into one of player A’s squares.

Variation

The players are instructed to maintain a specific stroke rhythm: For example, the players have to alternate in hitting each of the opponents’ two squares or hit the same square twice in a row. This makes the exercise more controlled, and the movement pattern is easier to follow.

Please note

The Cross Duel is one of the most intensive forms in this collection of exercises. While most exercises are also well suited for active breaks or short units of physical exercise without preparations, the players should first do other forms of the game to warm up before playing the Cross Duel.

28

6.5 Ball Relays

6.5.1 Solo Ball Relay

How often does a player manage to hit one square after another? The Street Racket rules (no volley, no down-play) also apply to all ball relays.

3.2 Development of basic skills

6.5.2 Duo Ball Relay

How long do two players manage to take turns hitting one square after another? To do so, player A moves back and forth between two squares and Player B moves between the other two squares.

6.5.3 Quartette Ball Relay

One player is in each of the 4 squares. The ball is played into one square after another, and the players stay in their positions. How many valid strokes can the quar-tette make this way or how often can the ball be played square by square. How often does the team manage to play the ball all around without making a mistake?

Variation

Speeding up the exercise: Which quartette manages the fastest round or can play the most rounds in one mi-nute? Therefore the ball has to be hit as fast as possible from one square to the next. This is accomplished by the following 4 ways to create pressure and save time:

1. Keep the strokes flat (low height of the ball);

2. Play the ball immediately (shortly after it bounces in half-volley style);

3. Hit the ball precisely to the perfect spot (so that the next player is already in the right position to make the next hit effortlessly);

4. Hit the ball harder (this measure is least effective and makes the next stroke more difficult).

This principle of “creating pressure” can also be used in many other forms of the game. Above all, varying the specified height of the ball can have an effect on the character of each exercise, making it easier or more difficult.

29

6.5.4 Group Ball Relay

The ball is played by a group of 5 players, one after an-other. Each player follows the ball and occupies the next square for his next stroke. The 5th player replaces the first player at the start since his square has become empty after he has moved on to the next square.

Variations

Version with more than 5 players: An additional ball may be used for each additional player: 6 players play with 2 balls, 7 players play with 3 balls, and 8 players play with 4 balls. The players who hit the balls are al-ways in one of the four squares, and next to each play-er who has a ball an additional player has to be ready to occupy the square that has been abandoned. Espe-cially the 8-player/4-ball version is a huge challenge with respect to control of the game, the players’ rhythm together, and their cooperation.

Version with 4 players: If there are only 4 players, the last player of each round carries out two strokes, one after another, runs after his first ball into the next square and then moves it on to the next player/square.

6.5.5 Running against the direction of the ball

3 players play the ball, one after another, running oppo-site to the direction of the ball into the free square after their strokes. So the players, for example, hit the ball to the left and then move to the right. How often can they successfully achieve a ball relay this way? This exercise is very suitable for training to get into free space and let-ting go of the ball in a way that is useful for several dif-ferent sports (such as soccer, basketball, etc.). The exer-cise is also a very good training method for principles of speeding up the game (applying pressure, see chapter 6.5.3 Quartette Ball Relay, variation).

6.5.6 Group Rotation in a cross playing field with 2 balls

A ball is moved back and forth between squares 1 and 3; a second ball is moved back and forth between squares 2 and 4. Every player of the group participates with both balls, alternating between the two rallies. A player hits ball 1 into square 1, moves on to square 2, etc. Best suited for 8 to 12 players.

Variation

Instead of a combination of all squares, the rotation may also be played twice separately (similar to a rotation in a single playing field). The players have to decide if their running is direct (crossing the other group while paying close attention to the second ball) or indirect (running around the other group at a longer distance).

30


31


32

7. Game Forms on a XL playing field

The four “empty” corners outside a cross playing field are drawn with two additional lines each, integrating them into the game concept. This creates a new, large square with the identical central zone and up to 8 squares instead of the 4 squares formerly used. The XL court provides numerous additional game options as well as room for more players and larger groups. Depending on the exercise and number of blocked squares, the strokes become longer and have to be played with more speed because the target areas are farther apart from each other (di-agonally).

7.1 XL Quartette

The previous 4 target squares of the cross playing field are marked with a cross (like the center zone) and are “out-of-bounds”. Now there are 4 new target squares on the edges; only these squares are “in”. Short strokes into a neighboring square are no longer possible so the correct technique becomes more important. The strokes have to be carried out more precisely so as to overcome the longer dis-tance.

7.2 XL Team Duel

The rules of the game are the same as those for the Team Duel (6.2). In the large-sized version, the strokes are longer and the exercise is more intensive and re-quires greater control of racket and ball (racket skills).

6.5.5 Running against the direction of the ball

Variation XL Team Duel Switch

The same rules as those for Team Duel Switch (variation of 6.2) apply. Due to the longer distances between the squares the players have to cover when exchanging the ball, this exercise is more intensive. Hint: The player who doesn’t get a ball from the oppo-nent can immediately focus on the other square and position himself there to be ready for the next action.

7.3 XL King’s Game

The game rules are the same as those for the King’s Game (6.3). In the large-sized version, the strokes are longer and the exercise is more intensive and requires greater control of racket and ball (racket skills).

7.4 XL Ball Relays

The game rules are the same as those for Ball Relays (6.5). Depending on the number of "valid and open“ squares more players can join the relays.

33

7.5 8 Players Game and 16 Players Game

One player stands in each of the 8 squares. The rules are similar to those for the Quartette (6.1). Two players can alternate on each square/target area, which results in a total of 16 players. To increase the intensity for such a large number of players (16-Game), areas outside the playing field can be marked that the player has to run around after each stroke while his partner covers the court. You may also play this game with 2 to 3 balls, adding intensity, difficulty and excitement.

7.6 Three-way Competition

Three players each form one team and hit the ball over the center zone, which now consists of three squares (each marked with a cross), into one of the three squares of the opponents’ team. Each player covers one of the three squares of his team and tries to defend it, or rather not to make any mistakes playing the ball across.

Variations

2-against-2 form of the game in the same setting / field size; this increases the intensity and the degree of difficulty.

Elimination: Any player who makes a mistake is eliminated and no longer available to his team. This makes the game more challenging for the remaining team members. The game is over when there are no more players on one side.

Just like in the 8 Players Game / 16 Players Game, every player switches with another player in his re-spective square. This version may also be played with the "Elimination" version until one pair wins the round of the game.

34


35


36

8. Hitting the ball against the wall

The basic forms of the game, such as singles, doubles or rotations, may also be played by hitting the ball against the wall. In addition, this lets players practice strokes on their own as well. Forms of the game in which the ball is hit against a wall require less space and are particularly suited for indoor action.

Outdoors, the playing fields on the wall can be marked with

chalk, too, while various kinds of tape (based on the de-sired durability of the playing fields) work very well in-side buildings.

8. Hitting the Ball against the Wall

Sports markers made of rubber (such as "court lines") or marker cones may be used on the ground. If the playing field is to be installed permanently, you can use special paints or sprays depending on the surface.

A basic Street Racket playing field is marked half up against the wall; the other half stays on the ground. In addition to a target area on the ground, this creates another one on

the wall that the ball must be hit into. As always, the basic forms may be played either cooperatively or competi-tively.

8.1 One player 8.2 Singles

8.3 Doubles

Variations

Two playing fields are drawn next to each other on the wall. This allows for more space to move sideways and for more different stroke options (cross strokes and different angles). The target zone, or rather the landing zone on the ground, must be expanded for cross strokes (see Z in diagram).

You may do without a target area on the ground to make the exercises easier. We recommend applying a mark or line in front of which the ball has to bounce. Otherwise the balls are hit too hard, thus eliminating the Street Racket philosophy (i.e. the control of the ball is more important than force).

All players use two rackets each when doing the wall exercises (promotes ambidexterity) or they alternate left and right hand.

8.4 Rotation

Play the exercises with only one racket and hand the racket over to your partner immediately after each stroke (teamwork, pressure situation, fun factor).

37

8.5 Collecting points

As a form of competition, various target areas are drawn onto the wall or the ground, or combining both. Now the players try to play against the wall either coopera-tively (which pair or which group manages to achieve the most points over a certain period of time or with a certain number of strokes) or competitively (which play-er wins the duel against his opponent or the game with-in a group) and collect as many points as possible this way. The idea of these target areas may also be inte-grated into any of the exercises playing against the wall or all previous chapters to encourage certain additional aspects (such as precision, concentration, motivation, cooperation, etc.).

Variations

Predict the goal: While playing against the wall, each player predicts out loud into which number or zone he will place his next ball (based on the level of skills, the ball can also be caught and thrown). If the ball touches the ground in this area, the player will earn one point (or, as another version, the number of points that have been assigned to this zone).

Copy the goal: During a rally the second player al-ways tries to hit the same numbered field as the first player. How often does he manage to copy the goal set by his predecessor? After a rally, after earning a specific number of points, or after a specific time pe-riod, the two players switch roles.

Achieve the goal: Each subsequent player must achieve the goal set by the previous player. After each stroke one player sets a goal for the next play-er. The latter earns one point if he achieves the set goal and immediately sets another goal, or rather specifies a number for the next player. At the begin-ning of a rally the second player specifies the first goal for the server.

Hit numbers: This works the same way as the “achieve the goal” variation. But now the first player specifies a two-to-five-digit number (or an even higher number), and the second player tries to "build" this number by hitting the numbered zones (with directly played balls or balls played out of the player’s hand each time to simplify the task). If the first player, for instance, says “3248”, the numbers 3-2-4-8 have to be hit in this sequence. If the player succeeds in doing so, he will earn one point. Now the roles are switched.

All of these variations may be played as a pair or a group or as a cooperative form against other pairs or groups (who fulfills the tasks the fastest or best?). As an alternative, a referee may, for example, specify a number the group or pair must hit as quickly as pos-sible, or he may pose a simple math problem the players have to solve as quickly as possible by hitting the correct numbers/results.

38


39

9. Helpful tips

9.1 Personalizing the game

The guidelines of the Street Racket concept already make sure that everybody can be included to participate. The rules, the equipment and the versatile game forms quick-ly make a smooth game possible at all skill levels. Yet if the playing levels differ too much within a group or pair of players, there are simple organizational tricks for mak-ing the game more interesting for everyone and for com-pensating for the differences. This gives each player a true challenge based on his current abilities, which also increases the players’ motivation and progress.

9. Helpful Tips

9.1 Personalizing the game

Varying the playing fields to achieve more equal oppor-tunities for the players has several positive effects:

Concentration and precision for more advanced players are encouraged.

Advanced players have to move more than their less skilled opponents.

Less skilled players are able to focus completely on the stroke/shot making instead of their positioning.

Less skilled players have more space in which to place the ball since they cannot yet perform as pre-cisely as their counterparts.

Variations

Street Racket triangle: Instead of a rectangle (con-sisting of 3 squares in a row) you may use a triangle as the playing field. The larger the angle, the more it makes allowance for the different levels of play. This way you can split any kind of triangle into 3 zones.

Variations

Additional blocked zones: One or more zones in the less skilled player’s target area are marked with a cross, blocking them. This may be the back or front, left or right half of the square or any combination thereof.

9.2 Training of accuracy

Additional zones are marked in a single or cross playing field for extra training of concentration and precision. These zones may be positioned simultaneously on two sides or only (or partially) on one side of the playing field. Depend-ing on the side of the court, this increases the level of difficulty for the player in question.

Bonus zones: The player gets a bonus for precise strokes into the corners of the square on the other side. For that purpose, one, several or all corners of the target square are marked with additional, smaller squares. When a player hits these new zones with the ball, he wins the current rally

directly. Or the game continues and only these accurate hits are counted.

Minus zones: Competitive racket sports are all about get-ting your opponent to run. Balls that land in the middle of the opponent’s playing field (without angles, length or shortness) do not fulfill that purpose. For that reason mi-nus zones are drawn to prevent loose strokes/hits. The size of this zone (a circle is recommended) may vary. A player who hits the minus zone directly loses the current rally. Or the game continues and these hits are deducted from the

current score.

40

9.3 Additional options to achieve equal opportunity

The court of the more advanced player is expanded with the same results as described above.

The less skilled player has the option of carrying out a control stroke in order to escape very challenging situa-tions and reduce the speed of the rally (control stroke: see the following chapter 9.4).

The more advanced player must play with his weaker hand or switch his racket from one hand to the other after each stroke.

The more advanced player must hit his balls at a specific minimal height (for example, the highest point the ball travels must be at least as high as his shoulders or his head); this reduces pressure and makes it easier to return the ball for the other player.

The more advanced player has to do an additional task after each stroke (touch specific marks so as to run more, do a complete spin, etc.).

9.4 Final organizational and practical tips

Holding the racket and hitting the ball

Based on the overall concept and the philosophy “sim-plify to the max”, the basic technique, i.e. holding the racket and hitting the ball, should be kept as simple as possible. While in many racket sports the technique is prescribed in great detail, when it comes to Street Rack-et, this aspect is mainly left up to the player. Obtaining the correct technique is guided by success and failure as well as by the special rules of the game (especially "no smashing/downplay"), and therefore the players learn it mostly on their own. Due to the simple wooden racket (very little slice or topspin), this means that the hitting surface must be "open" and the stroke generally flows from the bottom to the top, or rather from the back to the front. This compact and focused basic motion is a solid foundation not only for Street Racket but for all racket sports. With increased specialization (racket, ball, playing fields, rules of the games) the technique must be expanded and adapted to the established racket sports. For the game forms previously mentioned it is sufficient to keep the racket face up/open faced; the focus is on basic shot making, fun, physical exercise, and creativity.

Game culture with forehand and backhand

The ball should not be played in front of the player’s body but rather on the player’s side. This promotes the differentiating between forehand and backhand and supports the development of a true game culture.

Focus on where the ball hits the racket

The player’s focus on where the ball hits the racket is a great help that serves to improve control of the equip-ment and precision. The players have to see with their own eyes how the ball hits the racket and flies off of it. Only then do their eyes follow the direction of the ball that has just been hit. Training of ambidexterity

Thanks to the simple setting (courts, rules, equipment) players are soon able to carry out many game variations with their weaker hand as well. This encourages further development of motor skills and activates additional brain regions. The many exercise ideas outside the Street Racket courts ("off court") can also be carried out with the weaker hand. Ambidexterity is specifically re-ferred to in particularly suitable sections in this collec-tion of exercises.

Performing control strokes

This game variation is very effective and may be used for nearly all forms of exercise. It is also explicitly men-tioned in areas where control strokes are particularly suited. When a player carries out two strokes in a row, the speed of the game is slowed down and the task as a whole becomes easier to achieve. After bouncing once, the ball is hit straight up into the air and, after it has bounced again, hit to the other side (into the target ar-ea), while the height of the control stroke determines the additional time available. The results are longer units of movement (longer rallies) and a greater sense of success. A difficult or unsuccessful stroke from the op-ponent may also be retrieved this way, and the rally can continue, while direct play would most likely result in failure and the end of the rally.

41

Monitoring progress and recording results

In many locations (schoolyard, backyard, car-free streets, etc.) the adjacent spaces or the court itself can serve as a black-board or note pad. Points earned during single exercises (such as dart or golf) or the score of competitions or tournaments may be recorded this way. During competitions in various groups, one player of each group may count the points of the next group and also record the results this way.

Marking the balls

A permanent, waterproof mark on each ball is recommended for any exercises that require several balls which belong to a specific player or group (such as boccia, golf or darts). This lets every player know exactly which ball is his and also, for exam-ple, who has won a competition, thus avoiding unnecessary discussions. Options are letters from A-Z, numbering all balls or individual symbols.

Changing the basic rules

As an option, the two characteristic rules (no downplay and no volley) may be ignored individually or as a whole in all or selected exercises. The results are faster rallies with new stroke options and new movements that are also useful for the development of motor skills as other abilities are needed or supported. Since the Street Racket concept is mainly aimed towards gaining control of the game and long rallies, this method is not mentioned until the end of the book even though it can be a very attractive option, especially for ad-vanced players.

Social Street Racket tournament

The purpose of Street Racket is to reach out to everybody and to get everybody moving while feeling good and having posi-tive experiences. The same applies to the Street Racket tour-nament forms – everyone should be a winner. The social tournament is played in short sets of 5 points each – without overtime/extension. The winner of a rally gets the ball/serve (winner’s ball); at the beginning of the tournament the first player to hit the ball is determined by a coin toss or other random process. The player who earns 5 points first (played as a single or doubles tournament) wins one tournament point. After the game, new opponents are spontaneously picked; there is no tournament schedule. The winners of a game start the next game with a score of 0; the losers transfer the points they have already earned into the next game. Therefore a game may start at 4:3 or 3:0. The player who first increases his score to a total of 5 points wins the game. This method lets every player experience success and also demonstrates that every point counts and that commitment always pays off. The tournament is, for example, played according to that method for thirty minutes. If desired, a winner of the tournament (who has won the most games) may be announced. If not, each duel is a competitive experience per se.

Different surfaces

Street Racket may be played on any hard and mostly even surface. A slight incline is no problem – on the contrary, it even promotes various coordinative aspects. And due to changing sides or rotation games, in the end every setting is the same for all players. Street Racket also works very well on the beach (i.e. close to the water when the ebb tide sets in or on relatively well-packed sand) or on packed snow (ski piste, prepared surface); on surfaces like these the ball will bounce sufficiently well. However, the basic game rules don’t work in deeper sand, on an unmowed lawn or in the water (ball won’t bounce or will only bounce minimally). In order to still enjoy the benefits of Street Racket as much as possible on these surfaces, we recommend not only using the specifically devel-oped equipment for the best results, but also specifying/ marking the boundaries of the playing field. The “no volley” rule is ignored and the balls are all hit directly out of the air. The game is faster and more challenging; yet the balls still have to land within the Street Racket playing field structures. This still avoids strokes that are too hard, and control remains to be the most important aspect. The direct strokes/volleys must still never be played downward (smash) so as to apply the Street Racket philosophy as much as possible.

Rules of fair play at the start

For all games we recommend proceeding as follows when the ball is first put into play. The first ball of a rally should reach a specific height at its highest point to guarantee a controlled start into each exercise. This specified height may be reduced when the level of play increases: head, shoulder, waist or knee.

42

Personal Postscript

“Sports has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope where there was once only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination. Sports is the game of lovers.” Nelson Mandela

Racket sports have been very important to me ever since my early childhood. My parents were actively involved in a large racket sports center in the Zurich area. Every day I spent many happy hours there, making new friends I still have today and making great progress with my motor skills. Numerous other stations in my life have also contributed to the creation of Street Racket, among others the twenty years as a member of the Swiss squash national team.

In 2015, I was asked to promote table tennis on the small Caribbean island of Dominica with my whole family in tow. This marked the hour when Street Racket was born. On site, equipped with plenty of donated table tennis rackets and balls in my suitcase, I quickly and unexpectedly learned that there were hardly any tables around with which we could implement the project. So we started to use the space available (streets, backyards, parking lots) and we drew the first two-dimensional "tables" on the ground. Then we worked intensively on our concept until it took on its cur-rent shape.

Playing with a racket and a ball has had a very positive effect on my life in many ways; on my health, my wellbeing, my stamina, my self-esteem, and my social contacts. And it has been a close companion to me in my professional life as well. But there was always this frustrating feeling that racket sports cannot be enjoyed easily enough by the gen-eral population. There were too many obstacles.

For many years I have had the dream of letting everybody benefit from the numerous personal experiences I have had with racket sports. Street Racket does more than just promote sports, physical activities, and health. With our concept, we also want to contribute to the active support of community and integration, uniting people in social play. Street Racket welcomes everybody and creates spaces for movement and encounters everywhere. We are happy about every new member of the Street Racket family as we can achieve our goals and visions together – step by step.

Let’s rock the street!

Marcel Straub

Acknowledgments

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents, who introduced me to the world of racket sports at an early age, and supporting and encouraging me along the way. I am also very grateful to many people for their belief in our visions and their expertise. Thank you all for many valuable conversations, big and small favors, and for sharing a dream. Focusing my whole life on Street Racket was a challenging and risky path to take, which has made (and still makes) these individuals all the more important to me.

And of course I especially want to thank Rahel, my incredible wife, for driving Street Racket along with great care, empa-thy, and boundless energy. And for being a wonderful partner, not only in private life. Let us keep rocking the street and

life itself and enjoy this exciting and wonderful adventure together with the people we meet and move!

The versatile Swiss Movement Concept for everyone games ...

Documents

Transcript of The versatile Swiss Movement Concept for everyone games ...