Ring Tennis

Summary

Finally, a game for those "rings" that you all have in your storage closet and don't know how to use.

Materials

1 ring per game, 1 net per game, standards to support the net, and cones or 1/2 cones to mark court boundaries.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The students will demonstrate competency in catching and throwing skills and in successful use of positional strategies.

Instructional Procedures

• The game can be played with singles, doubles, or more depending on the space available and/or class size. Typical courts are anywhere from 30-40' long, from baseline to baseline, and for singles, 10-12' across, and doubles, 14 -18' across. If needed, you could change court size based on the space available. See diagram.
• The first server starts the game by tossing the ring from behind the back line of the right side of the court, across the net, into the opposite (or left) side of the opponent's court. The serve must be tossed underhand only and must be delivered upward. If the ring touches the net on the serve, and then lands in the correct side of the opponent's court, the server must reserve. The serve alternates from left to right after the first serve of the game.
• A point begins by the server throwing the ring from one side of the back line across the net and into the diagonally opposite area of the opposing court. If the ring hits the ground within the target area, the server wins the point. If the ring hits the ground out of the target area, the opposing side wins the point. The receiving player should try to catch the ring before it hits the ground if they think it is a "good" serve.
• If the receiver successfully catches the ring, that player then throws the ring from where it was caught, back to the other side of the court aiming to make the ring land anywhere within the lines except the neutral area. If the ring lands legally, the side that threw wins the point. If it lands in the neutral area or outside the lines, the side that threw the ring loses the point. Otherwise, if the ring is caught, then play continues in the same way until the ring does eventually hit the ground.
• Scoring - this is a good game to teach students how to score like tennis, or you can score points as in badminton. For tennis scoring, you would use 15, 30, 40, deuce, advantage, game. A game is won when a side in the lead with 40 wins the next point or when a side with "advantage" wins the next point. If scoring as in tennis, the server continues to serve until the game is over.
• You could also play points to 15 or 21 as you would in badminton. If scoring as in badminton, the server loses their serve when they fail to return the ring. The opposing team then serves and service alternates until one team has reached 15 points.
• General throwing rules or suggestions:
  • Underhand throws only.
  • At least one foot must be touching the ground when throwing the ring.
  • Fakes or feints are not allowed. Penalty is loss of point being played.
  • Rings can't be thrown so they fly flat in the air.
  • Players may not cross neutral line while a point is being played.
  • Players may stretch their hand over the neutral line, but not over the net.
  • If the ring touches an object outside the court, the player that threw it loses the point.
  • If the ring lands on the line, it is considered good.
  • Only one player on a side can touch the ring on a turn.
  • If the ring touches any part of the body other than the hand, the point is lost.

Bibliography

Adapted from internet search of Ring Tennis.