Friday, June 17, 2011

Voit Tetherball - The Perfect Family Outdoor Game

In search of a game that will keep your kids occupied and at the same time get them much needed physical exercise? Voit Tetherball is the right choice.

Traditionally a North American game, tetherball is a game for two opposing players but a group of players can play it in turns. The game requires simple equipment that is easy to set and affordable too. All one needs is a stationary metal pole from which a ball is hung from a rope or a tether. Two players stand on opposite sides of the pole. Each of the players tries to hit the ball one way, clockwise and anti-clockwise. The game ends when one player manages to wind the ball all the way around the pole such that the rope does not stop it and the ball does not bounce.

The game can be made more interesting by adding simple rules to it. Some prefer only one hand hits, while some restrict hitting to just the fists. To add some more physicality to the game, the player can be stipulated to be partially or entirely off the ground while hitting the ball. Combining the hitting of the ball with activities like shouting out a vegetable or a city name before hitting the ball, would add a new dimension of education and learning to the game.

While originally, tetherball was played with volleyball, today many sporting goods manufacturers make tetherballs specifically out of a butyl inside and a rubber cover. The ball is typically the size and weight of volleyball, but is somewhat firmer unless a soft Voit tetherball is specifically purchased. Voit Tetherballs usually come with a bar recessed in the top where the rope is tied. Some simply have loops that protrude out, but this is less common as striking the loop with the hand can be painful.

The pole used to tie the ball to is typically 10 feet high and can be as low as seven feet too. This depends on the height of the players. The pole is anchored using a concrete filled tire or plastic base filled with sand or sometimes even water. The rope used to tie the ball is made of nylon and is long enough to let the ball hang about 2 feet above the ground.

Tetherball can be played by people of all ages. It is ideal for kids as also parents making it a perfect way to bond over a friendly game on a weekend. It is safe and requires minimal expenditure to set up.

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