Description
Tallyball is a fast-paced team sport in which the objective is to score the most number of tallies (i.e. points) for the team using a ball in a racquetball court. There are multiple ways to score.
Setup
The ball: Tallyball is played with a tallyball, a small ball that can be held in the hand and that bounces. A tennis ball is the official standard.
The court: The court is a racquetball court with end lines marked with black, red, green, or blue tape 1 meter from each of the two narrow walls. The court will already have a line dividing the court in half, parallel to the end lines. A team's end zone is the area on that team's side between the wall and the inner edge of the tape—thus the inner edge of the tape must be 1 meter from the wall, not the middle or outer edge of it.
The people: An umpire with a whistle is required in official games. Two teams of 3 players each line up on the end lines on either side of the court. A tallyball is placed at the center of the court on the ground.
The court: The court is a racquetball court with end lines marked with black, red, green, or blue tape 1 meter from each of the two narrow walls. The court will already have a line dividing the court in half, parallel to the end lines. A team's end zone is the area on that team's side between the wall and the inner edge of the tape—thus the inner edge of the tape must be 1 meter from the wall, not the middle or outer edge of it.
The people: An umpire with a whistle is required in official games. Two teams of 3 players each line up on the end lines on either side of the court. A tallyball is placed at the center of the court on the ground.
How to Play Tallyball
- After setup, decide which team pitches first. This can be done via coin-flipping, rock-paper-scissors, or any other fair method, including brief discussion. At this point, the umpire can start intervene in the game by blowing a whistle as necessary. If the whistle is blown during the game, all players must stop and obey the umpire's instructions.
- The campaign begins. All players must be lined up at the end lines. The pitching team sends a player to the center to retrieve the tallyball. The player returns to the end line and throws the ball toward the center of the other end line.
- The catching team attempts to catch the tallyball. If it is not caught, proceed to step 4. If it is caught, then the catching side attempts to score for the team using any of the non-home-run methods listed below before a player from the pitching team can run around the bounds of the court—either clockwise or counterclockwise—and pass his/her team's own end line. The runner cannot be tackled or blocked. If he/she passes the end line before the catching side scores, the pitching side scores a home run (7 tallies). Otherwise, if the catching side scores, then the runner's chance to score is lost and the game continues to step 4.
- Both teams continue the campaign and try to score. (See the next section about scoring.) Players may cross to the other side to handle the tallyball. Anyone holding the ball may be tackled. To tackle, grab one of the player's wrists, and the ball must be dropped. Once the ball hits the floor, anyone can pick it up. Dribbling the ball prevents a player from being tackled. The campaign continues until a touchdown is scored or when the umpire stops the campaign.
- A new campaign begins. The team that scored the touchdown gets to pitch. Repeat steps 2-4.
- After 8 campaigns or when the umpire stops the game, the game is over. The team with the most tallies wins.
Ways to Score
MethodTouch
|
Tallies1
|
DescriptionThe ball touches the wall of the opposing team on accident—i.e. an opposing team member scores on his/her own team, earning your team 1 tally. Gameplay continues.
|
Shot
|
2
|
A player rolls or hits the ball with his/her hand, hitting the opposing team's wall. Gameplay continues.
|
Bounce
|
3
|
The ball is thrown against the wall of one's own team, bounces back, crosses the center line, and is not caught by any opposing player and then immediately released—i.e. dropped or thrown against the wall of the catcher's side. The ball bouncing off any non-floor surface after first being bounced off the wall does not invalidate the requirement for the opposing team to catch and release it. If the ball is caught on one's own team's side of the court by an opposing team member, the ball need not be released.
|
Goal
|
4
|
The ball is kicked to the opposing team's wall. Gameplay continues.
|
Touchup
|
5
|
A player is behind the opposing team's endline and catches the ball. The ball then must be thrown anywhere by the scorer. During this period of throwing, he/she cannot be tackled. Gameplay continues.
|
Touchdown
|
6
|
A player steps over the opposing team's end line holding the ball without being tackled. Both feet must be in the end zone. The campaign ends. The scorer carries the ball back to his/her own side.
|
Home run
|
7
|
A pitching side player runs in either direction around the bounds of the court and passes his/her own endline before the catching side scores with the caught tallyball at the beginning of each campaign.
|