Slamball
Slamball is a ball sport from the United States that was developed in the 2000s.
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Slamball is based on basketball , but is supposed to impress with its spectacularity, which is to be achieved, among other things, by trampolines in the area around the baskets, a higher score for dunks and a very short maximum attack time. The sport consists of several elements from other sports. In addition to basketball, parallels to more physical, more aggressive sports such as American football or hockey become clear. The equipment of the playing field also enables the players to make new movements that can be assigned to the field of gymnastics . The players jump, fly and crash hard against each other.
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The rules are similar to basketball , because the aim of the game is to play the ball through the 3 meter high basket. Two teams play against each other, each team consists of 8 players, 4 of whom are active on the field. These are distributed over the following 3 positions:
- 1 handler (attacker);
- 2 Gunner (midfielder);
- 1 stopper (defender).
The game is played in two halves, each of which is 16 minutes long. In Fouls runs pm on, at time outs it is stopped it. Throws on the basket can be made from anywhere within the playing field. Hits always count as two points. Exceptions are the “ slam dunks ” that give the game its name and throws from outside the island, which count 3 points. The attacking team must attempt a throw at the basket within 15 seconds. The players are allowed to run around each other on the playing field outside the trampoline and to fend off the ball directly from the basket even though it is beyond its maximum trajectory, so-called " goal tending ". If the ball is touched by two opposing players at the same time, the ball goes to the defending team.
The playing field is by high walls made of acrylic glass limited, as a gang may be used. Four rectangular trampolines are embedded under the baskets. These catapult the players over five meters high and thus enable the spectacular dunks . Between the trampolines is the "island" where an attacker can linger briefly to prepare for a new move. Together with the trampolines, this area forms the “SlamZone”, in which special foul rules apply, which are precisely defined and very complex. In general: A foul is when the opponent is attacked in the air or from behind. In the case of a foul, there is a rally or, in the case of any more serious foul, a “free throw” which cannot be compared with a basketball free throw : In the so-called “face-off free throw” there is a 1 on 1 between the fouled Player and the defender. The attacker stands at the center line and is allowed to attack the basket, whereby the player who committed the foul tries to prevent this by blocking .
History of origin
The inventor of the sport is Mason Gordon , who wanted to develop a ball sport inspired by the shape and aesthetics of video games. His project was supported by the film producer Mike Tollin . In 2000, the first playing field was set up in an old warehouse in Los Angeles and the game was tested by different athletes. Slamball then prevailed in California . Because of the spectacular course of the game and the perfection of the players, Gordon's Slamball received a television contract during the first season, which made the sport popular. Slamball is now also played in various European countries. The sport has been televised regularly since its inception in the USA , and there is now a fan base in Great Britain too. In the US sitcom King of Queens , the main characters also play slamball, which gave this sport a boost in its popularity in Europe. In 2006 Slamball toured Europe. In the German-speaking countries, appearances in Munich , Cologne , Basel and Berlin were on the program.
