Soccer Tennis

Soccer Tennis Club at Ohio State

NAYSI Activity Tip
May 22, 2012
No. 19

Key elements of this game are …

• 1 regulation tennis court, or reasonable facsimile

• 1 over sized tennis ball, or or reasonable facsimile

• 1-3 players per side

• 21 point games

• Start game by kicking ball over net from service line

• 2 bounces permitted

• Use of hands or arms not permitted

• Hacky sack skills are useful

Note: Modify the rules to fit the age and skill level of the players.

Source: The Ohio State Lantern. To read the article in The Lantern of 5/22/12, Click Here.

5 on 4 defensive drill

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 3, 2011
No. 18

5 on 4 Defensive Basketball Drill

Coach Thad Matta of Ohio State was not satisfied with his team defense on this 2010-2011 Big Ten leading team. The Buckeyes, known for good defense under Matta, were giving up 50% shooting over a five game span.

Matta called Bobby Knight, former Indiana head basketball coach [known for good defense] and former Buckeye sub and 5th starter on the Lucas - Knoll - Havlicek teams.

What was Knight’s suggestion: Have four starters play defense against five offensive players.

In the following two games, it appears that this drill worked as advertised.

21

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 15, 2010
No. 17

21

This is a basketball shooting game that can be played with one to five players. There may be too much standing around with more than five players.

Establish a “Long” shooting line. This can be the foul line. Closer for young players. Further to work on 3 point shooting.

The “short” shooting is usually a lay up. This rule can be modified to be right hand, left hand or dominant hand.

• Players get 2 points for making a “Long” shot.
• Players get 1 point for making a “Short” shot.

• To begin scoring, players must make a “Long” shot. Once done, they can start shooting “Short” shots.
• Players who reach 20 points must go back to 11 or 15 points.

• This means that players must reach 21 on a Long shot, not a Short shot.
• When players make a Long and a Short, they can then shoot another Long and Short.
• This can continue until they miss.
• Players may intentionally “miss” shots in order to not land on 20 points.

This game is usually played as one against all others. First to reach 21 wins. Good family game.

Variation: Players must use their non-dominant hand.
Variation: Move the Long and Shot lines in and our and from side to side.
Variation: Change the required game shot to a hook shot or jump hook.

Beach Tennis

NAYSI Activity Tip
March 6, 2009
No. 16

Beach Tennis

On a recent trip to the Gulf coast I saw a few guys playing tennis on the beach. Being a reasonably competent tennis player, I ambled over to their court, laid out on the sand, to see what was happening. Sure enough, it was tennis, laid out like beach volleyball. Needless to say, it was a no-bounce version of the sport – a serve and volley game. Here are the details of this version of tennis:

Court is 30 x 60 divided down the middle for singles and doubles.

Net is 5 feet 10 inches high.

The ball is a very soft no-bounce beginner ball.

Scoring is No-Ad – 15 - 30 – 40 – game.

Play pro set [8 games] and win by two games.

Receiving player or team can elect where to receive at 40 all.

Only one serve per point.

Net ball on serve is replayed if the ball lands in service court. Play a “let” and serve gain. Otherwise, it is point lost.

Serve from behind baseline.

Players change ends on odd games.

Touching the net or going over or under the net is loss of point.

Lines are in bounds as in regulation tennis.

This sport seems to be most suitable for teens and older players who have developed some tennis skills. For younger players and beginners, the net can be lowered and a soft sponge ball can be used. In other words, change to game to suit the ability of the players.

For more information, see www.BeachTennis.com.

7 on 7 Football

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NAYSI Activity Tip
January 1, 2009
No. 15

7 on 7 Football

During the BCS bowl football games at the end of the 2008 season, an announcer attributed the success of the Big 12 quarterbacks to this practice activity. It is called 7 on 7 football.

Simply stated, each team is composed of its offensive and defensive players without their respective interior linemen - the big uglies. It is a passing, route running, catching and defensive game. Linebackers and defensive backs do what they can to stop the ends, running backs and quarterbacks. Sounds like a fun game to me. This practice activity is played at a fast pace. Needless to say, it is most helpful if the players are running their offensive plays and defensive schemes.

Suggested Rules: Not blocking. Not hitting. No tackling. Award points to the offense for completions and to the defense for incompletions. Award points for touchdowns and interceptions. Naturally, the winners watch the losers run or the losers carry the winners back to the locker room.

Variation: Add pads and helmets so that players may practice their blocking and tackling.

Special Teams Football Practice Game

NAYSI Activity Tip
September 1, 2004
No. 14

Special Teams Football

Can you visualize a football game where there are no passing plays and no running plays. What if every play was a kick off, punt, field goal or extra point. If you can imagine this, then you know how Jim Tressel, Ohio State football coach, practices his special teams activities. Use this game to add a little variety to your football practices, class activities or pick up games.

League Dodgeball

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NAYSI Activity Tip
July 4, 2004
No. 13

League Dodgeball

No winers here. The GSN network, a cable alternative, featured a show called Extreme Dodgeball. The major sponsor of this program is Burger King. Extreme Dodgeball is played between two teams, five per side, on a modified box type court. Teams consist of two females and three males with colorful names and theme outfits.

The objective, as in the dodgeball games we grew to love in school, was to eliminate your oppponents. Hit them and they are out. Catch the throw from an opponent and the thrower is out. Block a throw from an opponent with a ball in your hands and you are safe. Drop the ball after the block and you are out.

I judged that this made for TV court to be about 50 feet long by 30 feet wide with a center line. There is also a hot spot circle on each end wall about eight feet off the ground. This is a Get Out Of Jail Free spot. Hit the hot spot of your opponent and your teammates who have been eliminated can come back on the court and resume playing.

This dodgeball game is fast paced and played in a best two out of three format. Game One is played with two standard soft red rubbber playground balls. Game Two is played with three balls, one being about twice the size of the other balls. Players just fire away at each other as would be expected. Head shots are not permitted. A Game Three is played if needed. When this occurs, the game goes back to two balls. However, one player on each team is designed as a hot player with a headband. Hit that banded player and the game is over. You win.

As a side light in this program, an announcer interviews people, both male and female, about their experiences in dodgeball. I can see it now. This made for TV program could expand easily into the International Dodgeball League with state and then regional play that leads to elimination tournaments around the globe. Like tennis, there could be leagues for men, women, mixed and seniors. You gotta love it.

http://www.dodgeballusa.com

http://www.Dodge-It.com

http://www.osudodgeball.com

For more information about dodgeball, do a search through your favorite search engine or http://www.naysi.com. For kicks, try this new web search engine called Dogpile at http://www.dogpile.com. -jh