Forehand Strike (a new sport)
The new sport of Forehand Strike was created by Terrell Green from Winchester, Virginia in 2021. Forehand Strike is a sport that combines the game of Roundnet, the underhand serve in Tennis, and Foursquare!
When was the last time you watched a tennis match, or played one yourself? It can be plenty of fun, but here is the thing: at a certain fitness level, only a small number of highly elite athletes can keep up with the action. All of the rest of us, who are merely looking to have fun and get some exercise, get left behind. That is the sport of tennis in a nutshell, leaving behind the masses for a fast-paced game that looks exciting right up to the point that you try to return a 100-mile-per-hour serve!
In this way, Forehand Strike is different.
forehand strike gamePicture this. You step out onto the court, the same court that some tennis players were using only minutes prior, and you pick up the ball. It's softer than a tennis ball and much less intimidating. As your opponent raises a hand to serve, you realize something: they are going underhand. The ball makes its way onto your side of the court, and while you still have to pay attention in order to return it, it looks a lot less like a whizzing jet as it approaches you.
Here is a little-known fact about tennis: until 1878, you had to serve underhand. The game changed that year - for the worse, many would argue - by getting rid of that rule and putting an emphasis on speed and power over mental acuity and focus.
Forehand Strike embraces the old way of doing things, reclaiming the underhand-only serving rule so that players can sharpen their eyes and their minds, without developing a serve that only the local trainers would ever be able to handle.
Let's take a closer look at the gameplay and what Forehand Strike involves.
To start playing Forehand Strike, you simply need an official sized Forehand Strike net, an official Forehand Strike foam ball with the correct size and density, an official pair of customized Forehand Strike gloves that creates friction with the ball to control the direction and spin, a nice piece of chalk or vinyl tape to create a formal or informal court (that is to say, a driveway, basketball court, or a hardwood-floor gym will do in a pinch!), and a copy of the official rules for anyone who hasn't played before. It is still a phenomenal cardio workout, the same way that tennis is, but because of the underhand serves and the softer, more manageable ball, you are not going to see any of those violent, impossible-to-catch openers.
To win, you earn enough points to close a set (17 points) and then enough sets to close a match. You can play one-on-one (singles) or two-on-two (doubles), on an area officially 40 feet by 20 feet. Serving you hit the ball diagonally, beginning with the left service area square, using either hand but never making any backhanded shots or volleys. Note that you must also let the ball bounce once before you return it.
This is a patent-pending game that anyone can get into, meaning that it is perfect for cookouts and parties, as well as for your daily exercise routine. You will break a sweat, without breaking your ankles, and you will improve your hand-eye coordination too. The rules are straightforward, each match entailing much more rallying action than you are used to in tennis, combining pre-1878 tennis fundamentals that foster ambidexterity and unpredictability!
Official Rules of Forehand Strike Rules
Equipment Required:
- Official Forehand Strike Ball
- Official Forehand Strike Gloves
- Official Forehand Strike Net with chalk to setup boundary lines or the four service area boundaries of a tennis court.
Serving Rules
- The player who will serve first (Player 1) is decided by a coinflip.
- Player 1 starts the game by serving from just outside the back-left corner of their left service area (shown above). This is Player 1's serving base line, and Player 2 will line up diagonally across from player 1, outside the back-left corner of their respected left service area. This is considered Player 2's serving baseline.
- In order to serve, the player must let the ball bounce once outside the serving baseline. Then with an underhand forehand striking motion the player will serve the ball. It must land diagonally on player 2â s left service area box to begin play. Overhand serves are not allowed, and the ball has to bounce once before you hit it.
- After Player 2 returns the serve in their left side area (which would begin a rally), the play can be in either the left or right service area (please see dimensions above). After Player 1 serves to Player 2 and a rally begins, the ball must stay inside the boundary lines (Please see above).
- Each Player alternates serving two points at a time, with the only exception being if a game ties at 16-16, then players will alternate serving at every point.
- If a player strikes the ball and it goes outside the boundary lines, the opponent is awarded a point.
- During a rally, if the ball hits the net but still bounces onto the opponent's service area, the rally continues, but if the ball hits the net and doesn't make it onto the opponent's service area, then the opponent is automatically awarded a point.
- After the set is finished, Player 2 will move to the service area on their right and will serve diagonally to Player 1's right service area.
- Player 1 will start the third set by moving back to their original left service area, and Player 2 will receive the serve from their original left service area. Players only switch service areas at the beginning of each set and continue switching until the match is finished, and the winner determined.
- Backhanded shots (hitting the ball with the back of your hands) and Volleys (where the ball is struck before it bounces on the ground) are not allowed. The ball must bounce once before a player can return it.
- During a serve, if the ball hits the net but still bounces onto the opponent's side of the Player 2's service area, the point is a let (which means it needs to be replayed).
- If the ball hits the net and doesn't make it onto the opponent's service area, then the opponent is automatically awarded a point.
Scoring and Game Play
- A game match can be best of any odd number of sets: 3, 5 or 7. A game match can be best of any odd number of sets. For advanced play, matches are played best of 5 sets (first to win 3 games) or best of 7 sets (first to win 4 games). For kids and beginners, it's ideal that matches be played best of 3 sets (first to win 2 games).
- Each set is played to 17 points.. If a game ties at 16-16, a player must win by 2 points. In this situation, players alternate serving one serve each.
- The game can be played as Singles or Doubles.
- Come up with an honor system to resolve disputes. Since Forehand Strike is a new sport with no referees yet, players should find a way to resolve a dispute, or play the point over.
Official Forehand Strike Doubles Rules
- In Forehand Strike you can play doubles with 4 players.
- The same rules for singles apply to doubles play in terms of serving & scoring, with a couple of exceptions"
The Exception rules for Doubles Play:
- In the diagram above, Player 1 will start play at the serving baseline (outside the left service area) serving diagonally 2 times to Player 3, then Player 1â s partner (Player 2) will start play at the serving baseline (outside the right service area) serving diagonally 2 times to Player 4.
- Next, Player 3 (on the opponent team) will start play at the serving baseline (outside the left service area) by serving diagonally 2 times to Player 1.
- Then Player 4 will start play at the serving baseline (outside their right service area) by serving diagonally 2 times to Player 2.
- Then Player 1 will start the two-serve play all over again.
- Just like single play, each set is played to 17 points. If a game ties at 16-16, a player must win by 2 points. In this situation, players alternate serving one serve each.
- After set 1 is over, Players 3 and 4 (the opponent team) will serve first and swap sides to serve against different players. Player 3 will now be in the service area that Player 4 was in and Player 4 in the service area that Player 3 was in. Players 1 & 2 will remain in their original service areas until set 2 is complete.
- At the beginning of set 3 Players 1 and 2 will begin serving for set 3 and will swap sides to serve against different players. Player 1 will now be in the service area that Player 2 was in and Player 2 in the service area that Player 1 was in. Players 3 & 4 will remain in their original service areas until set 3 is complete.
- A doubles pair does not have to strike the ball alternately. This allows a doubles pair to utilize communications skills to avoid getting tangled up and get more creative with team shot selections.
website: www.forehandstrike.com
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Related Pages
- See our large list of other New Sports
- About Tennis
- Complete list of unusual sports
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