Introduction to Tetherball
In the most common form of tetherball, a ball similar to a volleyball is tied to a ten-foot, vertical pole by a slender rope. Two players, each confined to one half of the area surrounding the pole, try to hit the ball repeatedly in one direction so that the rope wraps completely around the pole. Paddle tetherball has identical rules, but a tennis ball or something similar is struck with a paddle. From this point on, the word tetherball will refer to both games, except where specifically differentiated.
If you've never seen tetherball, check out the animation. To keep the file small so that it will load almost instantly, I let your imagination shorten the rope as it wraps around the pole.
Tetherball offers an intense, head-to-toe workout for advanced players and an easy learning curve for beginners. On the Advantages page, we'll look at the many reasons tetherball should get more recognition in the sports world.
With wider recognition, tetherball would develop standard rules like those enjoyed by tennis or soccer. Each community seems to have its own take on how to play, and while diversity is good, the game needs to take a more definable form before it can grow. To address this problem, I'll suggest rules that result in the most fun and best competition.
At the beginner level, tetherball tactics rarely amount to more than hitting the ball back and forth. On the Tactics page, we'll see that there's a great deal more to the game, including dynamic strategic elements.
Tetherball equipment is fairly inexpensive, but many of the cheapest setups are inadequate. The Equipment page will steer you toward the best tetherball poles, sets, and balls and help you set up a court.