Make Your Own Fun...Garden Sports

With summer now in full swing (hopefully!), and with the Holidays approaching; it's going to be a long and glorious summer for those of us who are finishing exams. It's time to escape those computers (for a bit anyway) and get active out in the sun.

But What Is There To Do?

Well, pupiline will provide you with the ultimate guide to creating your own Olympics, Wimbledon, and the European Championships right in your back garden.

Firstly the joy that is Swingball. Many of you should be familiar with this sport of Kings - a competitive masterful game that pits all of your skill and judgement against that of your fellow competitor (or even yourself in a fast paced solo game).  For those of you who are unfamiliar, the basics of Swingball is a tennis ball on a rope attached to a coil on a metal pole, which is banged into the ground. Plastic tennis rackets are provided and the aim is to hit the attached ball to your opponent at such a high velocity that they can't (as they are lying on the ground, knocked out by a flying tennis ball ;-) ), or won't, return it. The game ends when the rope reaches the end of the coil. Therefore it can be a co-operative effort, but it is far more fun to watch your opponent chase rocketing balls around like a headless chicken.

However, for those who prefer co-operation in their game, or don't want summer long feuds with their friends; Bat and Ball or Group 'Keepsies Upsies' with a football may be for you. Bat and Ball is simple: 2-4 people keep a rally going between each other (you should definitely keep score - my personal best is around 450). 'Keepsies Upsies' is the solo effort of keeping the ball in the air for as long as possible, using whatever body part. Doing this in a group is immense fun - especially if you limit it to just headers.

Finally, another pupiline fave - "Ultimate". This is a team game involving a Frisbee and the essence of Netball and American Football (but it's twice as interesting and easy to play!). There are many rules that complicate this simple game but it is best just to start off with the basics and move on. A pitch of whatever size must have two end zones, two sides of equal numbers score points by throwing the frisbee to a team mate in the opposition's end zone (who will hopefully catch it!) Players may only hold the Frisbee for 5 seconds, in which time they must pass it to another and can't move while holding it, or it passes to the other side. This is now a sport getting recognition and has it's own World Championships - but garden level can be just as entertaining!

 All these games and sports are simple, cheap and can be done alone or with a large group - try a Swingball Championship for a laugh! All will provide hours of fun... I guarantee it!

(I'm off to organise a Swingball Marathon, pupiline's favourite sport ;)

by ChrisM