Floor Pong - Ping Pong on the floor!
Floor Pong is a relatively new sport, similar to table tennis but on a floor. It can be played on any surface, like cement in a garage or wood in a gymnasium. Floor Pong is a fun sport. It can become very competitive if your good at it, and it can be leisurely and enjoyable if you want it to be, and it's a great form of exercise either way. Easy to play, easy to set up, cheap and fun.
Equipment Required:
- Floor Pong Court (Details in the rules section)
- Table tennis paddle
- Table tennis ball
- Athletic clothing and footwear
Sport Description
Floor Pong is played between two people, on a 7 foot wide, 14 foot long court. To start, one player must stand behind the back line, like tennis, then he must hit a ping pong ball once on his side, so it then bounces once on his opponents side, then the players may only hit the ball on their opponents side.
A player scores a point when ...
- He hits a shot past his opponent,
- His opponent hits a shot out of bounds (shots on the line, which is 1 cm wide, are in),
- When his opponent hits a shot under the net (a thin 2 inch wide board on top of some 6 by 6 inch wood blocks works as a net, just measure and make sure that the top of the board is 1 foot high and in the middle of the court, plastic pails also work as net poles/supports),
- If your opponent gets hit with the ball (if you intentionally hit him he gets a point),
- If your opponent hits the ball twice, hits it on his side when he's not serving, or double faults.
A fault is an error when you're serving it doesn't cost you a point unless you do it twice in a row (double fault), faults are:
- Serving while you're foot is in front of the baseline or back line,
- A serve that doesn't bounce on your side,
- A serve that bounces twice on your side,
- A serve that goes under the net,
- A serve that goes out,
- A serve that bounce behind your baseline or a serve the bounces on your side then his but exits out the side of your opponents part of the court (cross shots are legal after a serve though).
There are 5 sets per match. To win a set you must win 4 games. To win a game you must get 5 five points, if you're tied 4-4 you must win by two (like in tennis). If you win 3 sets you win the match.
Players alternate who's turn it is to serve every game. At the beginning of the match one player (doesn't matter who) gets to call a coin toss, if he wins he may choose which side to start on and if he wants to serve first or second.
A player has two, one minute timeouts per set, but the second timeout may only be used after the fourth game of a set if five or more games are needed. A player has one, ten minute medical timeout per match, it may only be used if a player has an injury or has "natural duties".
A player has one warning and two penalties per match. If a player does one of the following things: swearing, screaming, taunting, excessive celebration, taunting or yelling at the umpire and delay of match, for the first time in a match receives a warning, for the second time in a match the player receives a penalty of one point lost, for a third time in a match the player receives a penalty one game lost, for a fourth time in a match the player is ejected and loses.
If a player accidentally bumps the net, goes onto his opponents side of the courts or lets go of his paddle or throws it, his opponent gets a point. If a player is not ready for a serve, his opponent must re-serve but is does not count as a fault.
Hitting the ball before it lands on your side is legal as long as you don't do it on your opponents serve, it is then their point. If a paddle of the ball breaks during a point, the point is over and no one gets a point.
You may use an umpire if your in a league. An Umpire make every unless he unsure whether a player served with there foot in front of the baseline, whether there was a serve that went exited the side (illegal serve), or if a shot was out, in these cases he may consult side and back judges. Side judges tell the umpire whether a shot was in or out, and if a players foot was in front of line. Back judges tell the umpire whether a shot was in or out, and if a serve exited the side of the court or not. The umpire sits in a stand or chair on one side of the court by the net, one back judge kneels at the back of the court on each side, and 2 side judges kneel on each side of the court, one on on players side, and the other on the other players side. Umpires are good if you want to start a league but if your just playing for fun one player can be the umpire as long as he's fair.
Floor Pong must be played inside because wind messes with the ball.
Note
Related Pages
- Other new pong sports: Wall Pong, Pong Ball
- New sports related to ping pong: Headis, Blo-Ball
- About the sport of Ping Pong (Table Tennis)
- Other New Sports
- Complete list of unusual sports
Any comments, suggestions, or corrections? Please let us know.
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