A player shall be out if any part of his body touches the ground outside the boundary but during the struggle a player shall not be out if any part of his body touches directly the ground or a player who is inside the boundary. If any player goes out of the boundary during the course of play he shall be out. The umpire or referee shall declare such player out by shouting his number.
If an anti or anti's who have gone out of bounds hold a raider, the raider shall be declared not out. The anti who have gone out of bounds will only be declared out.
When a side sends more than one raider at a time, a warning shall be given by the umpire or referee and if in spite of the warning, it continues to do so, the umpire or referee shall declare all the raiders out except the first one.
If a raider, while in the opponent's court, loses his cant he shall be out.
No anti shall willfully push the raider out of the boundary by any part of his (anti's) body, nor any raider shall willfully push or pull an anti or anti's out of the boundary. If the raider is pushed outside the boundary or the anti is pushed or pulled outside the boundary, the umpire or referee shall declare the raider or the anti as not out and the anti or the raider who pushes out, pulls the opponents outside the boundary shall be declared out.
As long as a raider has not reached his court, none of the anti's shall touch the ground of the raiders court, beyond the midline with any part of his body. If he does so, he shall be out. If an anti or anti's who are out, holds a raider or have violated the said rule while holding or helping to hold the raider, the raider shall be declared not out and the anti or anti's who touched the raider's court shall be declared out.
A raider or an anti is not to be held by any part of his body deliberately other than his limb or trunk. The one who violates the rule first shall be declared out. The umpire or referee shall declare such raider not out.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Indian Kabbadi
Kabaddi (sometimes written Kabbadi or Kabadi) is a team sport that originated in South Asia. Two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a "raider" into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath during the whole rules.
Origin:
The origin of Kabaddi can be traced to pre-historic times when man learned how to defend in groups against animals or attack weaker animals individually or in groups for survival and food. Though Kabaddi is primarily an South Asian game, not much is known about its origins. There is, however, concrete evidence that the game is 4,000 years old.[citation needed] Another theory states that the sport is actually inspired by the way Abhimanyu tried to break the Kaurava formation (Chakravyuha) but failed. Kabaddi also is about attacking the opponent formation and returning safely.
There is a popular belief that Kabaddi originated in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu. A folk history of the game tells that it developed from a game of tag between two young boys - the rule of holding one's breath being added later.[citation needed] The game is known by many names, all of Tamil origin: Kabaddi, Sadugudu, Gudugudu, Palinjadugudu and Sadugoodatthi. The word 'Kabaddi' could have originated from the Tamil words 'kai' (hand) and 'pidi' (catch).
Federations:
The Kabaddi Federation of India (KFI) was founded in 1950, and it compiled a standard set of rules. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was founded in 1973 . The AKFI has given new shape to the rules and it has also the rights of modification in the rules. The Asian Kabaddi Federation was founded under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar.
Kabaddi is a very popular game in Bangladesh, especially in the villages it is also called the 'game of rural Bengal'. In some areas Kabaddi is also known as Ha-du-du. But despite its popularity Ha-du-du had no definite rules and it used to be played with different rules in different areas. Ha-du-du was given the name Kabaddi and the status of National Game of Bangladesh in 1972 .
Bangladesh Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed in 1973 . It framed rules and regulations for the game. Bangladesh first played a Kabaddi test in 1974 with a visiting Indian team, which played test matches with the district teams of Dhaka, Tangail, Dinajpur, Jessore, Faridpur and Comilla . In 1978, the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed at a conference of delegates from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in the Indian town of Villai .
In 1979, a return test between Bangladesh and India was held at different places of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Punjab. The Asian Kabaddi Championship was successfully arranged in 1980 and India emerged as the champion and Bangladesh as the runners-up. Bangladesh became runners-up again in 1985 in Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Jaipur, India. The other teams included in the tournament were Nepal, Malaysia and Japan. Kabaddi was played as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The game was included for the first time in Asian Games held in Beijing in 1990. Eight countries took part including India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. India won the gold medal and has since won gold at the following three Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998 and Busan in 2002.
Players at the competitive level are usually well-built, strong and also at the same time need to be swift, agile and have high levels of stamina and endurance to be good at all aspects of the game. There is a lot of strategizing which forms part of the gameplay and the players need to be in prime mental and physical condition to successfully participate in a game of kabaddi, else serious injuries may often result.
Kabaddi is popular throughout South Asia, and has also spread to Southeast Asia, Japan and Iran. It is the national game of Bangladesh where it is known as হাডুডু Haḍuḍu. It is the state game of Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra in India. It is played by the British Army for fun, to keep fit and as an enticement to recruit soldiers from the British Asian community.[1]
Gameplay:
Kabaddi at the Asian Games 2006In the team, or transnational, style of kabaddi, two teams of seven members each occupy opposite halves of a field of 12.5m × 10m (roughly half the size of a basketball court). Each has five supplementary players held in reserve. The game is in 20-minute halves, with a five-minute half-time break during which the teams switch sides.
Teams take turns sending a "raider" to the opposite team's half, where the goal is to tag or wrestle ("confine") members of the opposite team before returning to the home half. Tagged members are "out" and sent off the field.
Meanwhile, defenders must form a chain, for example, by linking hands; if the chain is broken, a member of the defending team is sent off. The goal of the defenders is to stop the raider returning to the home side before taking a breath. If the raider takes a breath before returning, the raider is sent off the field.
A player can also get out by going over a boundary line or part of the body touches the ground outside the boundary, except during a struggle with an opposing team member.
Each time a player is out the opposing team earns a point. A team scores a bonus of two points, called a lona, if the entire opposing team is declared out. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.
Matches are staged on age and weight. Six officials supervise a match: one referee, two umpires, a scorer and two assistant scorers.
Forms of Kabaddi:
Amar:
In the 'Amar' form of Kabaddi, whenever any player is touched (out), he does not go out of the court, but stays inside, and one point is awarded to the team that touched him. This game is also played on a time basis, i.e the time is fixed. This form of kabaddi is played in Punjab, Canada, England, New Zealand, USA, Pakistan and Australia. In the Amar form of Kabaddi, each team consists of 5-6 stoppers and 4-5 raiders. At one time, only 4 stoppers are allowed to play on the field. Every time a stopper stops the raider from going back to his starting point, that stoppers team gets 1 point. on the other hand, every time the raider tags one of the stoppers and returns to his starting point, his team gets one point. At one time, only one of the stoppers can try to stop the raider. If more than one touch the raider, an automatic point is awarded to the raider's team. If the stopper is pushed out by the raider or vice versa, then the team whose member is still in the field gets a point. If both the raider and the stopper go out, the result is a common point, where nobody gets a point. The Amar form of kabaddi is also used by the World Kabaddi Federation (WKF) in its National, Beach and Circle Kabaddi competitions.
Surjeevani:
'Surjeevani' Kabaddi is played under the Kabaddi Federation of India, governed by its rules. In Surjeevani Kabaddi, one player is revived against one player of the opposite team who is out, one out, one in. The duration, the number of players, dimensions of the court, etc. have been fixed by the Kabaddi Federation of India. This form of Kabaddi is the closest to the present game. In this form of Kabaddi, players are put out and revived and the game lasts 40 minutes with a 5-minute break in between. There are nine players on each side. The team that puts out all the players on the opponent's side scores four extra points for a 'Iona'. The winning team is the one that scores most points after 40 minutes. The field is bigger in this form of Kabaddi and the 'cant' different in various regions. Modern Kabaddi resembles this form of Kabaddi especially with regard to 'out & revival system' and 'Iona'. The present form of Kabaddi is a synthesis of all these forms with changes in the rules.[2][3]
Gaminee:
This is played with nine players on either side, in a field of no specific measurements. The characteristic is that a player put out has to remain out until all his team members are out. The team that is successful in putting out all the players of the opponent's side secures a point. This is akin to the present system of 'Iona'. After all the players are put out, the team is revived and the game continues. The game continues until five or seven 'Iona' are secured. The game has no fixed time. The main disadvantage of this form of Kabaddi is that the player Is not in position to give his best performance since he is likely to remain out for the better part of the match until an Iona is scored.[2][3]
History and development:
The game, known as Hu-Tu-Tu in Western India, Ha-Do-Do in Eastern India and Bangladesh, Chedugudu in Southern India and Kaunbada in Northern India, has changed through the ages. Modem Kabaddi is a synthesis of the game played in various forms under different names.[2]
A dramatized version of the Mahabharata[clarification needed] has made an analogy of the game to a tight situation faced by a character called "Abhimaneu", heir of the Pandava kings, when surrounded by the enemy. Buddhist literature speaks of the Gautam Buddha playing Kabaddi.[citation needed]
Kabaddi received international exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, demonstrated by Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra. The game was introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta in 1938. In 1950 the All India Kabaddi Federation came into existence and compiled standard rules. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was founded in 1973. After formation of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the first men's nationals were held in Madras (re-named Chennai), while the women's were in Calcutta in 1955.The AKFI has given new shape to the rules and has the right to modify them. The Asian Kabaddi Federation was founded under the chairmanship of Mr. Janardan Singh Gehlot.
Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation is now headed By Mr. Janardan Singh Gehlot as President and Mr. Muhammad Sarwar as Secretary General.
Kabaddi was introduced and popularized in Japan in 1979. The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation sent Prof. Sundar Ram of India to tour Japan for two months to introduce the game.
In 1979, a return test between Bangladesh and India was held at different places of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Punjab. The Asian Kabaddi Championship was arranged in 1980 and India emerged as champion and Bangladesh runner-up. Bangladesh became runner-up again in 1985 in the Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Jaipur, India. The other teams in the tournament were Nepal, Malaysia and Japan. The game was included for the first time in the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990. India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh took part. India won the gold medal and has won gold at the following three Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998 and Busan in 2002. India won the gold medal in the 2006 Asian Games at Doha.
Attempts to popularize kabaddi in Great Britain saw British TV network Channel 4 commission a programme dedicated to the sport. The show, Kabaddi, on Channel 4 in the early 1990s, failed to capture viewers despite fixtures such as West Bengal Police versus the Punjab. Kabaddi was axed in 1992, but not before its presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy suffered a collapsed lung while participating in the sport.[4]
In the 1998 Asian games the Indian Kabaddi team defeated Pakistan in a thrilling final match at Bangkok (Thailand). The chief coach of the team was former kabaddi player and coach Flt. Lt. S P Singh.
The first World Kabaddi Championship was held in Hamilton, Canada, when 14,000 people at the Copps Coliseum watched top players from India, Pakistan, Canada, England and the United States. The next edition was in Surrey, British Columbia, which hosts the first all-kabaddi stadium.[5][6] India has remained world champion since it was included in Asian Games and South Asian Federation games. In 2008 Sukhbir Singh Badal mooted a professional world kabbadi league with sponsorship to attract the best players; this league will be based in India with tournaments in Canada as well. The current Kabaddi Championship team consists of several local Indian players, Himanshu Batta, Ravi Venkataya, Harman Dhaliwal, Kapil Singh and Mayank Gauri.[7]
Kabaddi is now a very popular game and is a regular sport in Asian Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Beach Games apart from SAF Games. Kabaddi will be a demonstration sport during Commonwealth Games 2010 at New Delhi.[8]
One of the many greats of the game of Kabaddi is one Grant Owens, a 3 time Kabaddi World Champion (Twice with England, Once with the Outer Hebrides). One of the skills that makes Owens such a great player, is his low centre of gravity and his rumoured 7 litre lung capacity.
Origin:
The origin of Kabaddi can be traced to pre-historic times when man learned how to defend in groups against animals or attack weaker animals individually or in groups for survival and food. Though Kabaddi is primarily an South Asian game, not much is known about its origins. There is, however, concrete evidence that the game is 4,000 years old.[citation needed] Another theory states that the sport is actually inspired by the way Abhimanyu tried to break the Kaurava formation (Chakravyuha) but failed. Kabaddi also is about attacking the opponent formation and returning safely.
There is a popular belief that Kabaddi originated in the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu. A folk history of the game tells that it developed from a game of tag between two young boys - the rule of holding one's breath being added later.[citation needed] The game is known by many names, all of Tamil origin: Kabaddi, Sadugudu, Gudugudu, Palinjadugudu and Sadugoodatthi. The word 'Kabaddi' could have originated from the Tamil words 'kai' (hand) and 'pidi' (catch).
Federations:
The Kabaddi Federation of India (KFI) was founded in 1950, and it compiled a standard set of rules. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was founded in 1973 . The AKFI has given new shape to the rules and it has also the rights of modification in the rules. The Asian Kabaddi Federation was founded under the chairmanship of Sharad Pawar.
Kabaddi is a very popular game in Bangladesh, especially in the villages it is also called the 'game of rural Bengal'. In some areas Kabaddi is also known as Ha-du-du. But despite its popularity Ha-du-du had no definite rules and it used to be played with different rules in different areas. Ha-du-du was given the name Kabaddi and the status of National Game of Bangladesh in 1972 .
Bangladesh Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed in 1973 . It framed rules and regulations for the game. Bangladesh first played a Kabaddi test in 1974 with a visiting Indian team, which played test matches with the district teams of Dhaka, Tangail, Dinajpur, Jessore, Faridpur and Comilla . In 1978, the Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation was formed at a conference of delegates from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in the Indian town of Villai .
In 1979, a return test between Bangladesh and India was held at different places of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Punjab. The Asian Kabaddi Championship was successfully arranged in 1980 and India emerged as the champion and Bangladesh as the runners-up. Bangladesh became runners-up again in 1985 in Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Jaipur, India. The other teams included in the tournament were Nepal, Malaysia and Japan. Kabaddi was played as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The game was included for the first time in Asian Games held in Beijing in 1990. Eight countries took part including India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. India won the gold medal and has since won gold at the following three Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998 and Busan in 2002.
Players at the competitive level are usually well-built, strong and also at the same time need to be swift, agile and have high levels of stamina and endurance to be good at all aspects of the game. There is a lot of strategizing which forms part of the gameplay and the players need to be in prime mental and physical condition to successfully participate in a game of kabaddi, else serious injuries may often result.
Kabaddi is popular throughout South Asia, and has also spread to Southeast Asia, Japan and Iran. It is the national game of Bangladesh where it is known as হাডুডু Haḍuḍu. It is the state game of Punjab, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra in India. It is played by the British Army for fun, to keep fit and as an enticement to recruit soldiers from the British Asian community.[1]
Gameplay:
Kabaddi at the Asian Games 2006In the team, or transnational, style of kabaddi, two teams of seven members each occupy opposite halves of a field of 12.5m × 10m (roughly half the size of a basketball court). Each has five supplementary players held in reserve. The game is in 20-minute halves, with a five-minute half-time break during which the teams switch sides.
Teams take turns sending a "raider" to the opposite team's half, where the goal is to tag or wrestle ("confine") members of the opposite team before returning to the home half. Tagged members are "out" and sent off the field.
Meanwhile, defenders must form a chain, for example, by linking hands; if the chain is broken, a member of the defending team is sent off. The goal of the defenders is to stop the raider returning to the home side before taking a breath. If the raider takes a breath before returning, the raider is sent off the field.
A player can also get out by going over a boundary line or part of the body touches the ground outside the boundary, except during a struggle with an opposing team member.
Each time a player is out the opposing team earns a point. A team scores a bonus of two points, called a lona, if the entire opposing team is declared out. At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.
Matches are staged on age and weight. Six officials supervise a match: one referee, two umpires, a scorer and two assistant scorers.
Forms of Kabaddi:
Amar:
In the 'Amar' form of Kabaddi, whenever any player is touched (out), he does not go out of the court, but stays inside, and one point is awarded to the team that touched him. This game is also played on a time basis, i.e the time is fixed. This form of kabaddi is played in Punjab, Canada, England, New Zealand, USA, Pakistan and Australia. In the Amar form of Kabaddi, each team consists of 5-6 stoppers and 4-5 raiders. At one time, only 4 stoppers are allowed to play on the field. Every time a stopper stops the raider from going back to his starting point, that stoppers team gets 1 point. on the other hand, every time the raider tags one of the stoppers and returns to his starting point, his team gets one point. At one time, only one of the stoppers can try to stop the raider. If more than one touch the raider, an automatic point is awarded to the raider's team. If the stopper is pushed out by the raider or vice versa, then the team whose member is still in the field gets a point. If both the raider and the stopper go out, the result is a common point, where nobody gets a point. The Amar form of kabaddi is also used by the World Kabaddi Federation (WKF) in its National, Beach and Circle Kabaddi competitions.
Surjeevani:
'Surjeevani' Kabaddi is played under the Kabaddi Federation of India, governed by its rules. In Surjeevani Kabaddi, one player is revived against one player of the opposite team who is out, one out, one in. The duration, the number of players, dimensions of the court, etc. have been fixed by the Kabaddi Federation of India. This form of Kabaddi is the closest to the present game. In this form of Kabaddi, players are put out and revived and the game lasts 40 minutes with a 5-minute break in between. There are nine players on each side. The team that puts out all the players on the opponent's side scores four extra points for a 'Iona'. The winning team is the one that scores most points after 40 minutes. The field is bigger in this form of Kabaddi and the 'cant' different in various regions. Modern Kabaddi resembles this form of Kabaddi especially with regard to 'out & revival system' and 'Iona'. The present form of Kabaddi is a synthesis of all these forms with changes in the rules.[2][3]
Gaminee:
This is played with nine players on either side, in a field of no specific measurements. The characteristic is that a player put out has to remain out until all his team members are out. The team that is successful in putting out all the players of the opponent's side secures a point. This is akin to the present system of 'Iona'. After all the players are put out, the team is revived and the game continues. The game continues until five or seven 'Iona' are secured. The game has no fixed time. The main disadvantage of this form of Kabaddi is that the player Is not in position to give his best performance since he is likely to remain out for the better part of the match until an Iona is scored.[2][3]
History and development:
The game, known as Hu-Tu-Tu in Western India, Ha-Do-Do in Eastern India and Bangladesh, Chedugudu in Southern India and Kaunbada in Northern India, has changed through the ages. Modem Kabaddi is a synthesis of the game played in various forms under different names.[2]
A dramatized version of the Mahabharata[clarification needed] has made an analogy of the game to a tight situation faced by a character called "Abhimaneu", heir of the Pandava kings, when surrounded by the enemy. Buddhist literature speaks of the Gautam Buddha playing Kabaddi.[citation needed]
Kabaddi received international exposure during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, demonstrated by Hanuman Vyayam Prasarak Mandal, Amaravati, Maharashtra. The game was introduced in the Indian Olympic Games at Calcutta in 1938. In 1950 the All India Kabaddi Federation came into existence and compiled standard rules. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) was founded in 1973. After formation of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, the first men's nationals were held in Madras (re-named Chennai), while the women's were in Calcutta in 1955.The AKFI has given new shape to the rules and has the right to modify them. The Asian Kabaddi Federation was founded under the chairmanship of Mr. Janardan Singh Gehlot.
Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation is now headed By Mr. Janardan Singh Gehlot as President and Mr. Muhammad Sarwar as Secretary General.
Kabaddi was introduced and popularized in Japan in 1979. The Asian Amateur Kabaddi Federation sent Prof. Sundar Ram of India to tour Japan for two months to introduce the game.
In 1979, a return test between Bangladesh and India was held at different places of India including Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Punjab. The Asian Kabaddi Championship was arranged in 1980 and India emerged as champion and Bangladesh runner-up. Bangladesh became runner-up again in 1985 in the Asian Kabaddi Championship held in Jaipur, India. The other teams in the tournament were Nepal, Malaysia and Japan. The game was included for the first time in the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990. India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh took part. India won the gold medal and has won gold at the following three Asian Games in Hiroshima in 1994, Bangkok in 1998 and Busan in 2002. India won the gold medal in the 2006 Asian Games at Doha.
Attempts to popularize kabaddi in Great Britain saw British TV network Channel 4 commission a programme dedicated to the sport. The show, Kabaddi, on Channel 4 in the early 1990s, failed to capture viewers despite fixtures such as West Bengal Police versus the Punjab. Kabaddi was axed in 1992, but not before its presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy suffered a collapsed lung while participating in the sport.[4]
In the 1998 Asian games the Indian Kabaddi team defeated Pakistan in a thrilling final match at Bangkok (Thailand). The chief coach of the team was former kabaddi player and coach Flt. Lt. S P Singh.
The first World Kabaddi Championship was held in Hamilton, Canada, when 14,000 people at the Copps Coliseum watched top players from India, Pakistan, Canada, England and the United States. The next edition was in Surrey, British Columbia, which hosts the first all-kabaddi stadium.[5][6] India has remained world champion since it was included in Asian Games and South Asian Federation games. In 2008 Sukhbir Singh Badal mooted a professional world kabbadi league with sponsorship to attract the best players; this league will be based in India with tournaments in Canada as well. The current Kabaddi Championship team consists of several local Indian players, Himanshu Batta, Ravi Venkataya, Harman Dhaliwal, Kapil Singh and Mayank Gauri.[7]
Kabaddi is now a very popular game and is a regular sport in Asian Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Beach Games apart from SAF Games. Kabaddi will be a demonstration sport during Commonwealth Games 2010 at New Delhi.[8]
One of the many greats of the game of Kabaddi is one Grant Owens, a 3 time Kabaddi World Champion (Twice with England, Once with the Outer Hebrides). One of the skills that makes Owens such a great player, is his low centre of gravity and his rumoured 7 litre lung capacity.
Indian hockey
Hockey is the national game of India. It has made India stand tall and has proved itself to the world, in spite of being under political suppression. Hockey is a team game, which is played by two teams of eleven players. Either team tries to hit the ball with the hockey stick into the goal, and also tries to prevent the opponent from doing so. Over the years, different player positions and tactics have been adapted for effective attacking and defending.
The game of hockey is played widely across India. It is popular and is played by both men and women. The origins of the game can be traced back to the earliest civilizations of the world. The rules of hockey are very similar to the rules of football except that players must use sticks instead of their feet to play the ball.
The game of hockey is played widely across India. It is popular and is played by both men and women. The origins of the game can be traced back to the earliest civilizations of the world. The rules of hockey are very similar to the rules of football except that players must use sticks instead of their feet to play the ball.
Shuttle cock rules
Badminton is played with two single or two teams of two players each. It is a racquet sport. The rectangular court is divided into two halves with a net in the centre. Unlike other racquet games like squash or tennis badminton does not use a ball. It is played with a feathered projectile, which is called a shuttlecock.
Shuttlecocks characteristically are light weight and are thereby affected by the wind. Thus professional badminton is played indoors as even the slightest breeze can effect the direction of the shuttlecock. The 10 rules of badminton given below are valid for both professional and amateur badminton games.
The game involves the two opponents hitting the shuttlecock over the net into the other person's side. The rally ends when the shuttlecock touches the ground. Only one stroke is allowed to pass it over the net. One badminton match is made up of three games, of 21 points each. Professional badminton games are of five kinds: Men's singles, Men's doubles, Mixed doubles, Women's singles and Women's Doubles.
In a badminton match, the court size for a single's game is 44 feet long X 17 feet wide and for a doubles match it is 44 feet long X 20 feet wide. The height of the net is 5 feet.
The 10 rules of badminton are as follows:
1. A game starts with a coin toss. Whoever wins the toss gets to decide whether they would serve or receive first OR what side of the court they want to be on. The side losing the toss shall then exercise the remaining choice.
2. At no time during the game should the player touch the net, with his racquet or his body.
3. The shuttlecock should not be carried on or come to rest on the racquet.
4. A player should not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.
5. A serve must carry cross court (diagonally) to be valid.
6. During the serve, a player should not touch any of the lines of the court, until the server strikes the shuttlecock. During the serve the shuttlecock should always be hit from below the waist.
7. A point is added to a player's score as and when he wins a rally.
8. A player wins a rally when he strikes the shuttlecock and it touches the floor of the opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault. The most common type of fault is when a player fails to hit the shuttlecock over the net or it lands outside the boundary of the court.
9. Each side can strike the shuttlecock only once before it passes over the net. Once hit, a player can't strike the shuttlecock in a new movement or shot.
10. The shuttlecock hitting the ceiling, is counted as a fault.
Learning and inculcating the 10 rules of badminton is the first step towards getting into the game. Besides these, it's a good idea to get to know more about the equipment laws, which govern what equipments can be used - the design of the racquet, the weight and shape of the shuttlecock (for correct speed). Surprisingly there is no rule for the minimum height of the ceiling, but nevertheless, a low ceiling would be problematic.
Shuttlecocks characteristically are light weight and are thereby affected by the wind. Thus professional badminton is played indoors as even the slightest breeze can effect the direction of the shuttlecock. The 10 rules of badminton given below are valid for both professional and amateur badminton games.
The game involves the two opponents hitting the shuttlecock over the net into the other person's side. The rally ends when the shuttlecock touches the ground. Only one stroke is allowed to pass it over the net. One badminton match is made up of three games, of 21 points each. Professional badminton games are of five kinds: Men's singles, Men's doubles, Mixed doubles, Women's singles and Women's Doubles.
In a badminton match, the court size for a single's game is 44 feet long X 17 feet wide and for a doubles match it is 44 feet long X 20 feet wide. The height of the net is 5 feet.
The 10 rules of badminton are as follows:
1. A game starts with a coin toss. Whoever wins the toss gets to decide whether they would serve or receive first OR what side of the court they want to be on. The side losing the toss shall then exercise the remaining choice.
2. At no time during the game should the player touch the net, with his racquet or his body.
3. The shuttlecock should not be carried on or come to rest on the racquet.
4. A player should not reach over the net to hit the shuttlecock.
5. A serve must carry cross court (diagonally) to be valid.
6. During the serve, a player should not touch any of the lines of the court, until the server strikes the shuttlecock. During the serve the shuttlecock should always be hit from below the waist.
7. A point is added to a player's score as and when he wins a rally.
8. A player wins a rally when he strikes the shuttlecock and it touches the floor of the opponent's side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault. The most common type of fault is when a player fails to hit the shuttlecock over the net or it lands outside the boundary of the court.
9. Each side can strike the shuttlecock only once before it passes over the net. Once hit, a player can't strike the shuttlecock in a new movement or shot.
10. The shuttlecock hitting the ceiling, is counted as a fault.
Learning and inculcating the 10 rules of badminton is the first step towards getting into the game. Besides these, it's a good idea to get to know more about the equipment laws, which govern what equipments can be used - the design of the racquet, the weight and shape of the shuttlecock (for correct speed). Surprisingly there is no rule for the minimum height of the ceiling, but nevertheless, a low ceiling would be problematic.
Tennies rules
The modern game of tennis originated in the United Kingdom in the late 19th century as "lawn tennis" which has heavy connections to various field/lawn games as well as to the ancient game of real tennis. After its creation, tennis spread throughout the upper-class English-speaking population before spreading around the world[1]. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all ages. The sport can be played by anyone who can hold a racket, including people in wheelchairs. In the United States, there is a collegiate circuit organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The rules of tennis have changed very little since the 1890s. Two exceptions are that from 1908 to 1960 the server had to keep one foot on the ground at all times, and then the adoption of the tie-break in the 1970s. A recent addition to professional tennis has been the adoption of electronic review technology coupled with a point challenge system, which allows a player to challenge the line (or chair) umpire's call of a point.
Tennis enjoys millions of recreational players and is also a hugely popular worldwide spectator sport, especially the four Grand Slam tournaments (sometimes referred to as the "majors"): the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.In 1954, Van Alen founded the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a non-profit museum in Newport, Rhode Island.[23] The building contains a large collection of tennis memorabilia as well as a hall of fame honoring prominent members and tennis players from all over the world. Each year, a grass-court tournament and an induction ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members are hosted on its grounds.
[edit] Court
Main article: Tennis court
The dimensions of a tennis court, in metric units. (See imperial version).Tennis is played on a rectangular, flat surface, usually grass, clay, a hardcourt of concrete and/or asphalt and occasionally carpet (indoor). The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, and 27 feet (8.23 m) wide for singles matches and 36 ft (10.97 m) for doubles matches.[24] Additional clear space around the court is required in order for players to reach overrun balls. A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. The net is 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) high at the posts and 3 feet (91.4 cm) high in the center.[24]
The modern tennis court owes its design to Major Walter Clopton Wingfield who, in 1873, patented a court much the same as the current one for his stické tennis (sphairistike). This template was modified in 1875 to the court design that exists today, with markings similar to Wingfield's version, but with the hourglass shape of his court changed to a rectangle.[25]
[edit] Lines
The lines that delineate the width of the court are called the baseline (farthest back) and the service line (middle of the court). The short mark in the center of each baseline is referred to as either the hash mark or the center mark. The outermost lines that make up the length are called the doubles sidelines. These are the boundaries used when doubles is being played. The lines to the inside of the doubles sidelines are the singles sidelines and are used as boundaries in singles play. The area between a doubles sideline and the nearest singles sideline is called the doubles alley, which is considered playable in doubles play. The line that runs across the center of a player's side of the court is called the service line because the serve must be delivered into the area between the service line and the net on the receiving side. Despite its name, this is not where a player legally stands when making a serve.[26] The line dividing the service line in two is called the center line or center service line. The boxes this center line creates are called the service boxes; depending on a player's position, he will have to hit the ball into one of these when serving.[27] A ball is out only if none of it has hit the line or the area inside the lines upon its first bounce. All the lines are required to be between 1 and 2 inches (51 mm) in width. The baseline can be up to 4 inches (100 mm) wide if so desired.[26]
[edit] Play of a single point
Main article: Point (tennis)
Two players before a serve.The players (or teams) start on opposite sides of the net. One player is designated the server, and the opposing player, or in doubles one of the opposing players, is the receiver. Service alternates between the two halves of the court. For each point, the server starts behind his baseline, between the center mark and the sideline. The receiver may start anywhere on their side of the net. When the receiver is ready, the server will serve, although the receiver must play to the pace of the server.
In a legal service, the ball travels over the net (without touching it) and into the diagonally opposite service box. If the ball hits the net but lands in the service box, this is a let or net service, which is void, and the server gets to retake that serve. The player can serve any number of let services in a point and they are always treated as voids and not as faults. A fault is a serve that is long, wide, or not over the net. There is also a "foot fault", which occurs when a player's foot touches the baseline or an extension of the center mark[28] before the ball is hit. If the second service is also faulty, this is a double fault, and the receiver wins the point. However, if the serve is in, it is considered a legal service.
A legal service starts a rally, in which the players alternate hitting the ball across the net. A legal return consists of the player or team hitting the ball exactly once before it has bounced twice or hit any fixtures except the net, provided that it still falls in the server's court. The ball then travels back over the net and bounces in the court on the opposite side. The first player or team to fail to make a legal return loses the point.
Rules:
No-ad: The first player or doubles team to win four points wins the game, regardless of whether the player or team is ahead by two points. When the game score reaches three points each, the receiver chooses which side of the court (advantage court or deuce court) the service is to be delivered on the seventh and game-deciding point.
Pro set: Instead of playing multiple sets, players may play one "pro set". A pro set is first to 8 (or 10) games by a margin of two games, instead of first to 6 games. A 12-point tie-break is usually played when the score is 8-8 (or 10-10). These are often played with no-ad scoring.
Match tiebreak :This is sometimes played instead of a third set. This is played like a regular tiebreak, but the winner must win ten points instead of seven. Match tiebreaks are used in the Hopman Cup for mixed doubles, on the ATP and WTA tours for doubles and as a player's choice in USTA league play.
The rules of tennis have changed very little since the 1890s. Two exceptions are that from 1908 to 1960 the server had to keep one foot on the ground at all times, and then the adoption of the tie-break in the 1970s. A recent addition to professional tennis has been the adoption of electronic review technology coupled with a point challenge system, which allows a player to challenge the line (or chair) umpire's call of a point.
Tennis enjoys millions of recreational players and is also a hugely popular worldwide spectator sport, especially the four Grand Slam tournaments (sometimes referred to as the "majors"): the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.In 1954, Van Alen founded the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a non-profit museum in Newport, Rhode Island.[23] The building contains a large collection of tennis memorabilia as well as a hall of fame honoring prominent members and tennis players from all over the world. Each year, a grass-court tournament and an induction ceremony honoring new Hall of Fame members are hosted on its grounds.
[edit] Court
Main article: Tennis court
The dimensions of a tennis court, in metric units. (See imperial version).Tennis is played on a rectangular, flat surface, usually grass, clay, a hardcourt of concrete and/or asphalt and occasionally carpet (indoor). The court is 78 feet (23.77 m) long, and 27 feet (8.23 m) wide for singles matches and 36 ft (10.97 m) for doubles matches.[24] Additional clear space around the court is required in order for players to reach overrun balls. A net is stretched across the full width of the court, parallel with the baselines, dividing it into two equal ends. The net is 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) high at the posts and 3 feet (91.4 cm) high in the center.[24]
The modern tennis court owes its design to Major Walter Clopton Wingfield who, in 1873, patented a court much the same as the current one for his stické tennis (sphairistike). This template was modified in 1875 to the court design that exists today, with markings similar to Wingfield's version, but with the hourglass shape of his court changed to a rectangle.[25]
[edit] Lines
The lines that delineate the width of the court are called the baseline (farthest back) and the service line (middle of the court). The short mark in the center of each baseline is referred to as either the hash mark or the center mark. The outermost lines that make up the length are called the doubles sidelines. These are the boundaries used when doubles is being played. The lines to the inside of the doubles sidelines are the singles sidelines and are used as boundaries in singles play. The area between a doubles sideline and the nearest singles sideline is called the doubles alley, which is considered playable in doubles play. The line that runs across the center of a player's side of the court is called the service line because the serve must be delivered into the area between the service line and the net on the receiving side. Despite its name, this is not where a player legally stands when making a serve.[26] The line dividing the service line in two is called the center line or center service line. The boxes this center line creates are called the service boxes; depending on a player's position, he will have to hit the ball into one of these when serving.[27] A ball is out only if none of it has hit the line or the area inside the lines upon its first bounce. All the lines are required to be between 1 and 2 inches (51 mm) in width. The baseline can be up to 4 inches (100 mm) wide if so desired.[26]
[edit] Play of a single point
Main article: Point (tennis)
Two players before a serve.The players (or teams) start on opposite sides of the net. One player is designated the server, and the opposing player, or in doubles one of the opposing players, is the receiver. Service alternates between the two halves of the court. For each point, the server starts behind his baseline, between the center mark and the sideline. The receiver may start anywhere on their side of the net. When the receiver is ready, the server will serve, although the receiver must play to the pace of the server.
In a legal service, the ball travels over the net (without touching it) and into the diagonally opposite service box. If the ball hits the net but lands in the service box, this is a let or net service, which is void, and the server gets to retake that serve. The player can serve any number of let services in a point and they are always treated as voids and not as faults. A fault is a serve that is long, wide, or not over the net. There is also a "foot fault", which occurs when a player's foot touches the baseline or an extension of the center mark[28] before the ball is hit. If the second service is also faulty, this is a double fault, and the receiver wins the point. However, if the serve is in, it is considered a legal service.
A legal service starts a rally, in which the players alternate hitting the ball across the net. A legal return consists of the player or team hitting the ball exactly once before it has bounced twice or hit any fixtures except the net, provided that it still falls in the server's court. The ball then travels back over the net and bounces in the court on the opposite side. The first player or team to fail to make a legal return loses the point.
Rules:
No-ad: The first player or doubles team to win four points wins the game, regardless of whether the player or team is ahead by two points. When the game score reaches three points each, the receiver chooses which side of the court (advantage court or deuce court) the service is to be delivered on the seventh and game-deciding point.
Pro set: Instead of playing multiple sets, players may play one "pro set". A pro set is first to 8 (or 10) games by a margin of two games, instead of first to 6 games. A 12-point tie-break is usually played when the score is 8-8 (or 10-10). These are often played with no-ad scoring.
Match tiebreak :This is sometimes played instead of a third set. This is played like a regular tiebreak, but the winner must win ten points instead of seven. Match tiebreaks are used in the Hopman Cup for mixed doubles, on the ATP and WTA tours for doubles and as a player's choice in USTA league play.
Cricket introduction
The cricket as "a bat and ball, team game played during the summer in the British Isles and in several countries influenced by the British, such as Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, and West Indian nations".
What though accounts for its popularity (especially since many find it to be an over-long sport full of unintelligable terms)? Having 800 million plus playing it on the Indian sub-continent helps. Also, being able to beat so frequently the country that invented the game must lend some satisfaction to those who play it outside of the British Isles. Let us look at some of the elements to the sport.
Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players on a grassy field, in the center of which are two wickets - the equivalent of baseball's 'bases'. When a team is 'in', the other team attempts to get each of them 'out'. Then the team that was 'in' is 'all out', and takes its place in the 'out field'. The team that was in the out field in turn goes 'in' until they too are 'all out'. This process (an innings) may be repeated once more (a match can last one day or take as many as five.
The team with the highest number of 'runs' (points scored primarily by running between wickets after hitting the ball) wins the match, after which the players and spectators recover from the confusion over a beer in the pavilion, crickets equivalent of golf's nineteenth hole.
Cricket afficionados will tell you that one subtle difference between their sport and baseball is that the ball can bounce before the batsman hits it. This bouncing is called a 'pitch', but the player bouncing it is not called a 'pitcher' like his baseball equivalent. He is the 'bowler', and must keep his arm straight when releasing the ball, which he aims at the batsman's wicket (or base). The wicket consists of three upright wooden sticks so placed that that the ball cannot pass between them. Wooden 'bails' lie in grooves on top of them. When hit by the ball the whole arrangement collapses, indicating the batsman is 'out'. At this point, all watching sagely murmur 'bowled him', and the next team member comes in to bat.
The act of bouncing the ball on its way to the batsman allows the bowler to impart 'movement' to the ball, with the intention of catching the batsman unaware. This movement, or spin, may cause the batsman to missjudge the flight of the ball, resulting him to mis-hit into the waiting hands of a player from the opposite team, or even to miss it all together. A collection of six balls ('deliveries') is called an over; one delivery in an over can be aimed at the batsman's head. This may cause the watching public to mutter 'that's just not cricket'. Which, of course, it is.
According to the speed ('pace') and movement of a ball, the batsman has various options. He may drive it along the ground, lift it into air, or flick it to the side or behind himself. Alternatively, he may use the safety pads on his legs (or arms) to stop or deflect the ball. This is risky because it will invariably prompt the bowler and his team to shout 'Howwizzzahhtt!'. This means something like 'How does that look to you Umpire - is he out?' and is usually ignored by the umpire (referee) unless he judges that the ball would have continued on to hit the wicket. Then the batsman is given 'out' and the bowler's teammates smugly feel that their banshee scream was justified. If the batsman is out without having scored a run, this is a 'duck' and his embarrassment is compounded.
On the edge of the field is the boundary. If a batsman hits the ball to this boundary he is awarded four runs. If it does not bounce before doing so it is six runs (and stands a good chance of hitting a spectator).
The field itself is divided into two halves, the on side and the off side. 'On' is synonymous with 'Leg', and represents the side of the field to the left of the batsman as he faces the bowler or opposite wicket. Presuming of course he is righthanded; if not, everything I've just said is reversed.
Fielders are placed at strategic positions (in order to both stop runs and to catch a batsman out if possible) and these positions have distinct names. For example, the long off position is near the boundary, far away from the batsman to his front and right, while silly mid-on represents a position of extreme danger, as the name might suggest, being as it is immediately to a batsman's left. A square leg says more about where one umpire stands rather than how he is standing, while backward point or deep fine leg says nothing about any mental or physical ability at all.
Indeed. It has been said that the amount you know about cricket is inversely proportional to a greater understanding of how to play. The popular American entertainer Andy Williams, on seeing his first cricket match, was completely intrigued by the bowlers, who spend a great deal of time rubbing the ball up and down on their groin (see spin). Other neutral observers would be advised to follow his example and worry not about the rules, teams or results but instead treat the whole experience as a strange and fascinating ceremonial ritual.
What though accounts for its popularity (especially since many find it to be an over-long sport full of unintelligable terms)? Having 800 million plus playing it on the Indian sub-continent helps. Also, being able to beat so frequently the country that invented the game must lend some satisfaction to those who play it outside of the British Isles. Let us look at some of the elements to the sport.
Cricket is played between two teams of 11 players on a grassy field, in the center of which are two wickets - the equivalent of baseball's 'bases'. When a team is 'in', the other team attempts to get each of them 'out'. Then the team that was 'in' is 'all out', and takes its place in the 'out field'. The team that was in the out field in turn goes 'in' until they too are 'all out'. This process (an innings) may be repeated once more (a match can last one day or take as many as five.
The team with the highest number of 'runs' (points scored primarily by running between wickets after hitting the ball) wins the match, after which the players and spectators recover from the confusion over a beer in the pavilion, crickets equivalent of golf's nineteenth hole.
Cricket afficionados will tell you that one subtle difference between their sport and baseball is that the ball can bounce before the batsman hits it. This bouncing is called a 'pitch', but the player bouncing it is not called a 'pitcher' like his baseball equivalent. He is the 'bowler', and must keep his arm straight when releasing the ball, which he aims at the batsman's wicket (or base). The wicket consists of three upright wooden sticks so placed that that the ball cannot pass between them. Wooden 'bails' lie in grooves on top of them. When hit by the ball the whole arrangement collapses, indicating the batsman is 'out'. At this point, all watching sagely murmur 'bowled him', and the next team member comes in to bat.
The act of bouncing the ball on its way to the batsman allows the bowler to impart 'movement' to the ball, with the intention of catching the batsman unaware. This movement, or spin, may cause the batsman to missjudge the flight of the ball, resulting him to mis-hit into the waiting hands of a player from the opposite team, or even to miss it all together. A collection of six balls ('deliveries') is called an over; one delivery in an over can be aimed at the batsman's head. This may cause the watching public to mutter 'that's just not cricket'. Which, of course, it is.
According to the speed ('pace') and movement of a ball, the batsman has various options. He may drive it along the ground, lift it into air, or flick it to the side or behind himself. Alternatively, he may use the safety pads on his legs (or arms) to stop or deflect the ball. This is risky because it will invariably prompt the bowler and his team to shout 'Howwizzzahhtt!'. This means something like 'How does that look to you Umpire - is he out?' and is usually ignored by the umpire (referee) unless he judges that the ball would have continued on to hit the wicket. Then the batsman is given 'out' and the bowler's teammates smugly feel that their banshee scream was justified. If the batsman is out without having scored a run, this is a 'duck' and his embarrassment is compounded.
On the edge of the field is the boundary. If a batsman hits the ball to this boundary he is awarded four runs. If it does not bounce before doing so it is six runs (and stands a good chance of hitting a spectator).
The field itself is divided into two halves, the on side and the off side. 'On' is synonymous with 'Leg', and represents the side of the field to the left of the batsman as he faces the bowler or opposite wicket. Presuming of course he is righthanded; if not, everything I've just said is reversed.
Fielders are placed at strategic positions (in order to both stop runs and to catch a batsman out if possible) and these positions have distinct names. For example, the long off position is near the boundary, far away from the batsman to his front and right, while silly mid-on represents a position of extreme danger, as the name might suggest, being as it is immediately to a batsman's left. A square leg says more about where one umpire stands rather than how he is standing, while backward point or deep fine leg says nothing about any mental or physical ability at all.
Indeed. It has been said that the amount you know about cricket is inversely proportional to a greater understanding of how to play. The popular American entertainer Andy Williams, on seeing his first cricket match, was completely intrigued by the bowlers, who spend a great deal of time rubbing the ball up and down on their groin (see spin). Other neutral observers would be advised to follow his example and worry not about the rules, teams or results but instead treat the whole experience as a strange and fascinating ceremonial ritual.
American college rules
American football grew out of the English game of rugby. Unlike soccer, the foot hardly ever touches the ball in American football. (Soccer is the game most of the world calls football.)
The Field is 100 yards long (and 160 feet wide). The middle of the field is the 50 yard line. The lines are labeled every 10 yards descending in both directions from the 50 yard line. Thus there are two 40 yard lines and no 60 yard line. Each team owns half of the field (they switch sides every 15 minutes of play). Thus, the two 40 yard lines are distinguished by who owns them. The "zero yard line" is called the goal line. The areas to either side of those 100 yards, extending 10 yards past the goal lines, are called the end zones. Teams try to get the ball past the opponent's goal line into the end zone to score a touchdown. At far edge of each end zone are the goal posts which, together with the cross bar, look like a big H. These are used only when a team decides to kick a field goal instead of going for a touchdown or to kick for an extra point after scoring a touchdown. To score the field goal or extra point, the ball must go between the vertical posts and over the bar.
In the other direction, the field is divided into three parts, left, center and right, by the hash marks, which are 60 feet from each side line. Normally, for each play, the ball starts where it ended up at the end of the previous play. However, if the ball ends up outside of the center part of the field, it is brought back to the nearest hash marks so plays never start at the extreme sides of the field. The area to either side of the field is out-of-bounds.
Kickoffs: At the start of the game there is a coin toss to see which team gets the ball first. The team that has the ball is the offense; the other team is the defense. A football game is supposedly one hour, but takes about three hours to play because the clock is often stopped for various reasons. The game is divided into 15 minute quarters with a major division at 30 minutes which is called half time. At the end of the first and third quarters, the players merely switch sides. The ball is moved to the corresponding point on the other side of the field, and play continues. This switching of sides evens up any advantage due to the sun or wind. The players leave the field for 20 minutes at half-time. After half-time, play does not continue where it ended. Instead, the team that originally lost the coin toss gets to have the ball first following another kickoff.
At the start of each half and after each touchdown or field goal (when it's time to let the other team have the ball), the defending team starts by placing the ball on a tee at their 35 yard line and kicking the ball toward the other team. This is a kickoff. The other team tries to catch the ball and run it back as far as possible. If the player catching the ball sees there is no hope of running it back, he raises his hand asking for a fair catch. In a fair catch, the defending team may not tackle him and he may not run with the ball. If the ball is kicked into the end zone and no one catches it or the player catching it does not run with it, there is a touchback and the first play starts at the offense's 20 yard line. Unlike a touchdown, a touchback does not score any points.
Downs: The offense has 4 plays or downs to cover 10 yards or more. A play ends when the player with the ball is either stopped or goes out-of-bounds or if the ball is thrown and missed (which is called an incomplete pass). A player is stopped when his knees touch the ground either because he was tackled by a defensive player or because he fell. When a play is over an official blows a whistle. Normally, teams try to cover the 10 yards in 3 plays or less. If they don't make it in 3 plays, they use the 4th down to kick the ball toward the other team. The ball is not placed on the ground and kicked as it is in a kickoff. Instead, the ball is snapped back to the kicker who kicks the ball. This is punting. Teams don't have to punt on 4th down. Sometimes, if the distance to complete the 10 yards is very short or if a team is far behind in the score, they elect to go for it on 4th down--to try to complete the 10 yards with another play. If they fail to make it on 4th down, the ball is turned over on downs where it ends up. On 4th down, if they are close enough to the defense's goal posts, the offense may also elect to kick a field goal. If the field goal misses, the ball is turned over to the other team where it was before the field goal attempt.
If a team succeeds in advancing 10 yards or more, they get a first down. That is, they get a new set of 4 downs to make another 10 yards.
The Field is 100 yards long (and 160 feet wide). The middle of the field is the 50 yard line. The lines are labeled every 10 yards descending in both directions from the 50 yard line. Thus there are two 40 yard lines and no 60 yard line. Each team owns half of the field (they switch sides every 15 minutes of play). Thus, the two 40 yard lines are distinguished by who owns them. The "zero yard line" is called the goal line. The areas to either side of those 100 yards, extending 10 yards past the goal lines, are called the end zones. Teams try to get the ball past the opponent's goal line into the end zone to score a touchdown. At far edge of each end zone are the goal posts which, together with the cross bar, look like a big H. These are used only when a team decides to kick a field goal instead of going for a touchdown or to kick for an extra point after scoring a touchdown. To score the field goal or extra point, the ball must go between the vertical posts and over the bar.
In the other direction, the field is divided into three parts, left, center and right, by the hash marks, which are 60 feet from each side line. Normally, for each play, the ball starts where it ended up at the end of the previous play. However, if the ball ends up outside of the center part of the field, it is brought back to the nearest hash marks so plays never start at the extreme sides of the field. The area to either side of the field is out-of-bounds.
Kickoffs: At the start of the game there is a coin toss to see which team gets the ball first. The team that has the ball is the offense; the other team is the defense. A football game is supposedly one hour, but takes about three hours to play because the clock is often stopped for various reasons. The game is divided into 15 minute quarters with a major division at 30 minutes which is called half time. At the end of the first and third quarters, the players merely switch sides. The ball is moved to the corresponding point on the other side of the field, and play continues. This switching of sides evens up any advantage due to the sun or wind. The players leave the field for 20 minutes at half-time. After half-time, play does not continue where it ended. Instead, the team that originally lost the coin toss gets to have the ball first following another kickoff.
At the start of each half and after each touchdown or field goal (when it's time to let the other team have the ball), the defending team starts by placing the ball on a tee at their 35 yard line and kicking the ball toward the other team. This is a kickoff. The other team tries to catch the ball and run it back as far as possible. If the player catching the ball sees there is no hope of running it back, he raises his hand asking for a fair catch. In a fair catch, the defending team may not tackle him and he may not run with the ball. If the ball is kicked into the end zone and no one catches it or the player catching it does not run with it, there is a touchback and the first play starts at the offense's 20 yard line. Unlike a touchdown, a touchback does not score any points.
Downs: The offense has 4 plays or downs to cover 10 yards or more. A play ends when the player with the ball is either stopped or goes out-of-bounds or if the ball is thrown and missed (which is called an incomplete pass). A player is stopped when his knees touch the ground either because he was tackled by a defensive player or because he fell. When a play is over an official blows a whistle. Normally, teams try to cover the 10 yards in 3 plays or less. If they don't make it in 3 plays, they use the 4th down to kick the ball toward the other team. The ball is not placed on the ground and kicked as it is in a kickoff. Instead, the ball is snapped back to the kicker who kicks the ball. This is punting. Teams don't have to punt on 4th down. Sometimes, if the distance to complete the 10 yards is very short or if a team is far behind in the score, they elect to go for it on 4th down--to try to complete the 10 yards with another play. If they fail to make it on 4th down, the ball is turned over on downs where it ends up. On 4th down, if they are close enough to the defense's goal posts, the offense may also elect to kick a field goal. If the field goal misses, the ball is turned over to the other team where it was before the field goal attempt.
If a team succeeds in advancing 10 yards or more, they get a first down. That is, they get a new set of 4 downs to make another 10 yards.
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