Your Questions Answered!
A: Tchoukball is the fastest handball sport in the world. It was designed by a Swiss Sports Biologist in the 1960's so is a relatively new sport. The sport was designed to enable men and women to play together on an equal playing field. (It's one of the only sports in which this happens in all competitions). Tchoukball is a high action and fast paced sport that embodies the essence of
teamwork!
Q: How do I play?
A: It's very easy to play and most people pick the sport up very quickly! The Basic Rules are as follows:
- There are 9 People in a Tchoukball Team.
- The game is played on a 40x20m court with two trampets at an angle upright on either ends of the field.
- Tchoukball is a non-contact sport, so there are no interceptions or tackles allowed!
- When attacking you can only take 3 steps with the ball and only 3 passes before you must shoot. (This means the ball can go from either end of the court in a short period of time!)
- If the ball touches the floor then the other team gains possession.
- Touching the ball below the knee results in a change of possession.
A typical net found when playing Tchoukball
Q: Do I have to be good at sport to play and get picked for the team?
A: As Chris Westwood would say ' If you can throw, run and catch then you can play Tchoukball!' If you come to the training sessions then you will learn how to play very quickly and with the nature of most sports they do keep you fit! You will improve your hand-eye coordination and improve your awareness skills. If you do come regularly and prove to us that you are a loyal member of the club then you will get picked for the two teams we are running this year which are:
1st and 2nd Team Captain: Jamie Warner
Q: Can both men and women play?
A: Yes, and at the same time! This is because of the nature of the game being a non-contact sport. We train with men and women with the Portsmouth Tchoukball Club which do have a Ladies Team. Currently we don't have a Ladies Team at the University but in the future we do wish to have one if there are the numbers.
Q: When are the training sessions?
A: There will be 2 Training sessions a week and they are at the following times during term time:
TUESDAY EVENINGS: 7:30pm - 8:30pm and optionally 8:30pm-9:30pm at Portsmouth High School: Cost £2
(Coached by Former GB Captain Alex French, there will also be other GB players there and regulars of the Portsmouth Tchoukball Club)
WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: 5:30pm-6:30pm at St. Pauls Gym: Cost £2 - Trained by GB Captain Dave Going
Q: What should I do if I am interested in joining the UoP Tchoukball Club?
A: Tuesday 30th September and Wednesday 1st October we will be at the Freshers' Fair in Ravelin Park. The Committee members will all be there to speak to you about Tchoukball and what we plan to achieve this year! The Fresher's Fair is the perfect time to sign up to become a member of the newest club at the University!
Membership for the Academic Year 2009/10 is £25 (this does include a set of Knee Pads which is the only piece of equipment you will need to play!)
If you do miss us at Fresher's Fair, as there is so much there and you don't find us, then please contact us through this website or through the Sports Representive for the Union or link on the section 'contact us'.