Rock-It-Ball

Rock-It-Ball is a fast moving combat ball sport. It was developed in North Yorkshire (Great Britain) in 2005 and introduced to the wider audience across the world in February 2006. This happened at the Youth Sport Trust’s Sports Colleges Conference when Rock-It-Ball attracted attention for its ability to increase participation amongst reluctant teenagers and youngsters. It is now being introduced to a quickly growing number of schools in Great Britain and was even asked to be a partner on the Youth Sport Trust’s national TOP Activity programme which is supported by Sainsbury’s.

Schools everywhere in Great Britain are adopting Rock-It-Ball for a couple of reasons. It helps drive participation amongst young people who do not normally take part in such sportive activities. Players of all ages and abilities can have fun with it; and it does not bring preconceptions from established sports (such as football or icehockey). With this in mind, it is an ideal sport for the introduction of Sport Education. Materials for Rock-It-Ball and Sport Education have been developed by the Carnegie Faculty at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Rock-It-Ball is played by Rock-Iteers, using fast sports balls and ‘Rock-Its’. These are poles with moulded scoops on each end. Rock-It-Ball is also a very flexible sport and it can be played in a variety of formats, rules and games. However, in its "base" format, each team consists of 4 or 5 players depending on the size of the hall where Rock-It-Ball is played. With 4 players on each side there are 4 balls in the game; with 5 players there are 5 balls. Hitting a player or players of the other side with the ball scores points. A hit scores one point; but if the targeted player catches the ball, he or she gains two points.

The sport has spread very quickly through schools in Great Britain. In addition, it is also being used in some prisons and universities. It already has a National Governing Body, the Rock-It-Ball UK Association and an International Governing Body, the International Rock-It-Ball Federation which has been set up to cope with the increasing interest from other countries.

The most famous Rock-Iteer in the UK is Keith Chegwin.

As part of the development inaugural ‘world’ championships were held in 2005. Winners were Team Chaos from Northallerton College from North Yorkshire. 2007 Carnegie Rock-It-Ball champions are Loughborough University.

The first club to be founded was "Tees Valley Spartans" in December 2006. The "Wearside Comets" followed as the second closely afterwards.

The first official World Cup organised by the International Rock-It-Ball Federation was held in the North East of England on June 3rd, 2007. Winners were Scotland. Runners up were Pakistan. Third place went to England and fourth place to India. Event host was Keith Chegwin.

There is lots of information available on the various websites around this sport. Indeed worth a trial, both from a sports as well as website perspective:

Rock-It-Ball - [1] Youth Sport Trust – [2] Sainsbury - [3] Carnegie - [4] RIBUK – [5] International Rock-It-Ball Federation – [6] Keith Chegwin - [7] Loughborough University - [8]

Further Reading

Nicholas B. (2006, March 31st): Rock-it-ing around the classroom clock. Times Educational Supplement p29.-[9]
Rock-It-Ball (May 2007) Aquila Magazine Vol XIII pp16-17 - [10]
The Latest Thing (Spring 2006) PE and Sport Today p41
Rock-It-Ball (October 2006) School Sport Magazine
Rock-It-Ball 'All Comers National Championships' (December 2006) School Sport Magazine
Rocking 'em at Leeds (April/May 07) School Sport Magazine
A Whole New Ball Game for a Ryedale Company (Jan 2007). UK Trade and Industry Magazine p4
I'm a teacher and a ... rock-it-ball player (Issue 52, Sept 2007). Primary Teachers p39 [11]