Viperball

Viperball is an outdoor sport where two teams of ten players attempt to score by passing and running with a ball trying to throw it into the goal of the opposing team. The sport is similar to outdoor version of team handball which was played at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

Players are restricted to passing the ball every three steps to another player or attempting to score (called a strike.) They are also allowed to run with the ball for up to six seconds before being forced to pass or strike.

Playing Field

The playing field is an 80 yard long by 50 yard wide rectangle. The goals are surrounded by a near-semicircular line that is generally 9 yards away from the goal called the crease. Only the goalkeeper may inhabit this area when the opposing team is attacking.

Equipment

The Viperball is 25-26 inches in circumference and between 11 to 12 ounces in weight and is similar to a Size 4 association football. The goal is 8 feet tall by 12 feet wide. Goals that are too wide (e.g. soccer goals) can be marked with field lines to delineate where the goal starts and ends.

Gameplay

Play begins with a coin toss. The team that wins the toss may elect to take possession of the ball from the start of the game or choose which side of the field they would like. In the second half, the teams switch ends and the team that started on defense, begins on offense.

Players must always be making a recognizable attempt to attack and attempt to score. Stalling is not allowed.

Scoring (a strike) occurs when the ball crosses the goal line inside the goal.

Players may take up to three steps with the ball or carry (run with it) for up to six seconds before they must pass the ball to another player or attempt a strike. This rule is called the 3 & 6 rule.

Game play usually lasts an hour and the team with the more points at the end, wins.

History

In 2004, the sport of Viperball was created by Tennis Polo enthusiasts in the Western United States as an indoor variation of Tennis Polo. In late 2005, the National Viperball League (NVL) was formed. The NVL eventually decided to go in a different direction and developed an outdoor version of the sport, after the indoor version of tennis polo failed to take hold.

The most recent edition of the Viperball rules were published in 2008.

External links

* [http://news.viperball2.com Omnivore GameLab blog about Viperball]