What's Tchoukball?

Tchoukball No physical contact....lots of mental and physical activity...everyone plays ...and plays...and plays. Fun for children and adults.

What is Tchoukball? Tchoukball, pronounced “chookball”, an exciting new sport in America, is safe, challenging; and a sport that teaches and reinforces good sporting behaviors as you play. Dr. Hermann Brandt, a sports medicine physician in Switzerland, disillusioned by the increases in sport injuries and poor sporting behaviors in his favorite sport, European Team Handball, decided to restructure the game to eliminate these problems and maintain the same excitement as the original sport.

In creating Tchoukball (the sound of the ball as it rebounds from the net), Dr. Brandt actually increased the excitement of the game by creating rules that stimulate mental activity. In addition, the sport is so safe that people of different ages and abilities can play in the same game. Everyone has fun!

Tchoukball may be played outside or indoors with two teams of 7 to 9 or more players on each team. Indoors, the game is played on a basketball court with a floor-mounted goal, called the Frame, on each end of the court. Teams can score at either end of the court. Players pass the ball and cannot run with it. Players on the team in possession of the ball move quickly and strategically on the court to position themselves to receive a pass and score a goal. Players score by throwing the ball into the frame, which rebounds the ball back onto the court. If a player from the opposing team catches the ball on the rebound before it hits the floor, no point is scored. If the player throws the ball at the frame and misses the frame, the other team gets a point. Thus, players do not take wild shots.

In the official game, the third offensive player to catch a ball must take a scoring shot or place the ball on the court for a defensive player to pick it up and start their offensive play. The defensive team cannot interfere in any way with either a pass or a catch by an offensive player. The defense may not intercept a ball either. Instead, players focus their attention on the movement of the ball on the court so they can be in an advantageous position to catch the ball after it rebounds from the frame. This becomes challenging as offensive players learn to make quick judgments about what parts of the court are undefended and attempt to have the ball land in that part of the court. Highly skilled players can place the rebound on just about any sector of the court they desire.

Those who play the sport become very athletic in their offensive and defensive movements. Players, who may be initially timid, play with gusto and intensity because the possibility of a collision has been virtually eliminated.

In the Sport4All program, children 6 years old and under will build Tchoukball skills (catching consistently and throwing with good accuracy and force control are requirements of this game) by participating in a variety of throwing and catching activities including throwing at and catching balls that rebound from the frame. We use a large variety of colorful balls of different sizes, textures, weights and flight characteristics to maintain the interest of the very young. Learn more about it at www.tchoukball.net. Be sure to read the Charter as it points out the commitment to good sporting behavior!