Sport

All about Tchoukball

Alternative sports are getting more and more fans and tchoukball is considered one of its greatest representatives. Although it is still little known, this activity has the potential to become a great sport and you will surely be able to achieve it at some point, since its practice has many benefits.

We are so used to common sports, such as soccer and basketball, that it can often be confusing to look at other types of physical activities that are also considered sports.

Well, it’s understandable why tchoukball might confuse you, as its name is quite peculiar. However, learning a little about this discipline may be the best way to start discovering the world of alternative disciplines that hides behind those ball sports that are most famous.

What is the history of Tchoukball?

In the mid-1970s, Dr. Hermann Brandt, a renowned biologist and specialist in sports medicine, based his different investigations on the constant injuries suffered by players in certain sports disciplines due to the impacts they receive when playing.

The Swiss, in 1971, declared that “the objective of physical activities is not to make champions but to contribute to the construction of a harmonious society ”.

Therefore, it could be said that what this character valued the most were activities that, although demanding good physical performance, promoted teamwork and did not risk the well-being of the players.

For that reason, he took on the task of creating his own sport, based on his values. A sport in which physical contact was not necessary, in which men and women could play professionally on the same team and in which fun was never lacking. Thus the “tchoukball” was born.

The tchoukball today

It is necessary to attend a tchoukball tournament to understand where its strange name comes from. The reason behind it is the sound the ball makes as it hits the rebounder: “tchouk”. That was what Brandt thought in the 70s.

The acceptance of tchoukball was really slow; in fact, Dr. Brandt died before he really saw the sport emerge. However, it progressively began to gain ground worldwide.

Surprisingly, Taiwan was the first country to promote the practice of tchoukball , with a large monetary investment in the 1980s. After this and with the creation of the International Federation of Tchoukball, the sport was consolidated in Europe, thanks to the boom it had in Switzerland and the UK.

However, as the sport had a period of inactivity in the 90s, to talk about tchoukball and modern history, its beginning is marked in the year 2000; when the first world tchoukball tournament was held.

Thanks to all this and the work of passionate players, the sport began to spread and tchoukball is now played in Spain, Chile, China and even Myanmar.

This is definitely one of the most organized alternative sports in the world. Therefore, if you want to put aside the typical soccer ball and explore new forms of fun, this activity is a good option.

Whats the game about?

Based on handball, in order to play it is necessary to have two teams of 7 players. In addition to that, it is required to have two rebounders and a handball.

Although there are those who prefer to play tchoukball on a grass field , the sport is played, most of the time, on a basketball or futsal court. It is also possible to play tchoukball in the sand, but this practice is governed by other regulations, exclusive to beach tchoukball.

The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible and, to do so, it is necessary to hit the ball on the rebound surface of the opposing team and make it touch the ground. However, it’s not as simple as running and shooting. Here’s what to keep in mind:

  • The ball cannot be intercepted in its path. You must wait for the throw to the rebounding surface or wait for a foul to be committed. This prevents players from committing aggressive actions against the other team.
  • When getting the ball, no more than 3 touches with the foot can be made on the ground before shooting.
  • You cannot hold the ball for more than 3 seconds before making a pass.
  • Ball touches are allowed only from the knee up. 
  • Throws cannot be made within the prohibited zone, delimited around the rebounders.

Because of all this, to play tchoukball you don’t need to be in top physical shape to win. Therefore, the game is based on strategy, as players must position themselves tactically to have control of the ball and make good passes that allow them to score points.

Thanks to the rules that avoid physical contact and that emphasize strategy, this sport is suitable for people of all ages , builds, heights and weights.

Is it recommended to play Tchoukball in the school environment?

Of course yes. Firstly, because after understanding the rules, the game becomes really simple and, also, because the most important thing is that it is a sport where there is no risk of physical injury.

Children will need to use their minds to be able to adapt to the speed of the game, looking for the best positions and analyzing the game. However, physical exercise is not neglected.

Additionally, this alternative sport manages to integrate both genders in the game and you do not need to have special skills to play.

As you can see, tchoukball is an alternative sport that has all the necessary characteristics to become a conventional sport. It is suitable for children and adults, but the best thing is that, unlike many competitive sports, team integration and collaboration is really promoted and exalted.

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