Bload Bowl

The Bload Bowl is a sport of Polynesian origin . It is about a mixture of all the collective sports, with vocabulary and techniques borrowed mainly from three of them: the Water polo, the Basketball and the American football. Important detail: this sport is mixed.

He is played out of not very deep water (it is allowed to go in water contrary to the water polo). Two teams from 2 to 15 players dispute a match in 10 points, the goal being to go to plate the balloon on other side of the swimming pool. The contact is allowed, but not violence. In spite of the apparent simplicity of the play, there exists an enough complex payment to mitigate all the situations.

History

This sport was invented with Tahiti by a group of students in 1993, starting from a board game: the Blood Bowl. Transposed in a swimming pool, the play, become sport, did not preserve any more but of vague resemblances (a removed from rim spirit and a little vocabulary) to its distance relative.

After a few years of practice in restricted group, Bload Bowl opened with new players. In 1998-99, its natural development (more than 200 players) and envies it to make it discover with the greatest number encouraged the pioneers of this sport to be constituted in association. It is thus into 1999 that the Hamuta Bload Bowl Stars or HBBS is born (“Hamuta” is indeed the cradle of this sport; the orthography of Blood was modified in Bload to allow the deposit of the mark INPI).

Until 2000, the first practitioners played of small number. The matches took place only at the private individuals who had kindness to lend their swimming pool! The first public meetings in swimming pool go back only to September 2002.

Since the academic year 2000-2001, Bload Bowl is recognized officially with the UPF (University of French Polynesia) and is practiced within the Sports association of the University center of French Polynesia. Bload Bowl is present on Internet since September 2003 with its site http://www.bloadbowl.com, the sporting site more consulted Polynesia. With more than 240 registered voters in the forums, it is also one of most active.

Today, Hamuta Bload Bowl Stars counts 80 members and made discover Bload Bowl with nearly 700 people in Polynesia.

Payment

Here the official payment of Bload Bowl:

Article 1: Bload Bowl

Bload Bowl is a sport with registered trade name. It can be practiced officially only within Hamuta Bload Bowl Stars or of any other association approved by it.

Article 2: Ground & Ballon

2.1 Bload Bowl is practiced in a swimming pool, of which the length must be ranging between six and twenty meters, the width between four and fifteen meters, and the depth between one meter and three meters. Thirty percent at least of the surface of the swimming pool must be a depth lower or equal to one meter sixty; thirty percent at least of the surface of the swimming pool must be a depth higher or equal to one meter forty.

2.2 a zone of a minimal width of two meters must be arranged around the swimming pool to make it possible to the referees to circulate. The access to this zone is interdict with the public.

2.3 the balloon must have a diameter ranging between 19 of 23 centimetres, and a weight ranging between 130 and 170 grams. It must be printed, color, of images of cartoons. This balloon is called Toon.

Article 3: Safety

3.1 Any official meeting must proceed in the presence of a graduate first-aid worker.

the 3.2 organizers must make sure that a telephone in operating condition is placed at their disposal on the spot of the meeting.

Article 4: Composition of the teams

the teams are made up from 2 to 15 players.

Article 5: Goal of the play

the gaining team is the first arrival at ten points, with two points of variation at least on the opposing team.

Article 6: Course of the part

6.1 the player whose Statute is highest takes seat with his team on the side downward of the swimming pool. The first possession of ball returns to the opposing team.

the 6.2 teams change camp all the two marked points.

Article 7: Touchdown

7.1 a point is marked at the time of each Touchdown carried out.

7.2 Touchdown is granted when a player plates the balloon against the wall or curbstone opposed to his starting curbstone. Will be refused all the too litigious platings to be noted of visu by the referee, in particular those marked of the end of the fingers, those marked under water, and those maintained less than one tenth of a second.

Article 8: Dunk

a point is also marked when a player plates the balloon on the top of curbstone and that this one rebounds inside the swimming pool. If the balloon rebounds apart from the surface of the swimming pool, he is considered “in key”. If however a player arrives, without leaving the swimming pool, to recover the balloon before it left in key, Dunk is validated.

Article 9: Faults

9.1 are regarded as major faults:

them blows.

them bites.

them key articular.

it seized by the shorts or the shirt of an adversary.

it maintenance closes neck between the arms or the legs.

them throttlings.

- All forms of pressures on the neck with the front armlever.

it compression of an adversary enters the arms or the legs.

it maintenance under the water of an adversary without balloon. Any player taking part in the fray where the balloon is regarded as being in possession of the balloon.

it projection out of the swimming pool of an adversary.

them thorough exerted with the feet on the level of the spinal column.

it seized by the hair, the ears, the fingers, the neck, the toes, the genitals.

- L' introduction of one or more fingers into the natural opening of an adversary.

It is also interdict with the players to leave the ground without valid reason: the referee will have any latitude to regard as “major fault” any temporary or final abandonment of the ground. Any will to hurt, or any form of dangerous, even involuntary play and even not specified in the payment, could be regarded as a major fault by the referee.

9.2 Sanctions:

the major faults are always followed of a handing-over concerned in favor of the victim team of the fault, except if a point of penalty is granted. On the initiative of the referee, the major faults can be sanctioned by a temporary or final exclusion and/or a point of penalty.

9.3 is regarded as minor faults:

them scratches.

them insults.

them spittles.

them para-faults (kisses, caresses, tickles…)

If the play is stopped following a minor fault, the choice of the team which carries out the handing-over concerned remains at the discretion of the referee. The minor faults are not sanctioned, except if they are considered to be voluntary or decisive in the action by the referee. The referee will have any latitude to regard as major a minor fault in the event of repetition.

9.4 Whole player has the right to stop the course of the play by shouting “Fault” or “Stop”, to announce a irregularity. It belongs nevertheless to the referee to sanction the abuses and to judge if the fault in question has, or not, influenced on the course of the play.

Article 10: Keys

the 10.1 balloon is declared in key:

- lorsqu' it reaches an object located outwards or above the swimming pool.

- lorsqu' it touches the ground apart from the swimming pool.

- lorsqu' a player holds the balloon in one with its hands, and that the elbow of the same arm touches the ground outside the swimming pool.

- lorsqu' a player in possession of the balloon touches the ground outside the swimming pool with part of its body located under the level of the belt. On the other hand, a player can be pressed on the ground outside the swimming pool with his freehand, or press the top of his body on the edge.

10.2 Each key is followed of a handing-over concerned in favor of the opposing team.

Article 11: Setting concerned

a 11.1 setting concerned is carried out at the beginning of part and after each stop of the play: Touchdown, Fault or Exit in key.

11.2 Before the setting concerned, no player can move away of more than three meters of its curbstone of departure.

the 11.3 team in possession of the balloon indicates a “Quaterback” among its players. This one must preserve in hands the balloon, which must be visible, and touch its starting wall with a foot until the setting concerned.

11.4 Quaterback proposes the setting concerned with the unfavourable captain by these ritual words: “Ready to fight? ”. The unfavourable captain can ask thirty second additional. When the setting concerned is accepted, Quaterback must announce it by pronouncing in an audible way the ritual word: “Fight”.

the 11.5 referee can exceptionally decide a setting concerned in the form of interval, in the event of uncertainty on the author of the key or of simultaneous faults made by adversaries. In this case, all the players must touch foot their wall starting; the referee launches the balloon in the center of the swimming pool, and the players can spring to recover it only once it touched water.

Article 12: Litigations

12.1 In the event of litigation, the final decision always falls on the principal referee; the possible assistant referees have only one advisory role.

12.2 In the event of absence of referee, the final decision falls on Senseïs present on the ground; if no Senseï is present, it is with the Star with the greatest seniority, or, failing this, with the Ex-Star or the Veteran with the greatest seniority, that the final decision falls.

12.3 If, in spite of article 12.2, no area of agreement is found, the litigation can be subjected to the directing office of the HBBS.

Article 13: Objects admitted on the ground

the 13.1 authorized behaviors are:

it shorts or the bathing slip for the men.

it shirt “a part” and possibly shorts for the women.

them possible bonnets or arm-bands of recognition.

them possible gum-shields.

them possible rubber bands for the players with the long hair.

The combinations are authorized in the event of water temperature to less 22°C and subject to the agreement of the referee.

13.2 Apart from the behaviors of the players, the only object tolerated on the ground is the balloon. All the accessories such as the jewels, watches, bobby pins, glasses of swimming… are in particular prohibited.

Article 14: Modifications of the payment

The HBBS reserves the right to modify the payment at the time of certain meetings. The referees and the captains of the two teams will have however to be informed before the beginning of the match of the modifications which have occurred.

Players

Each new player obtains a name of Bload Bowler which reflects its aptitudes or its character.

All the players are moreover characterized by a Statut , which depends on their level and their seniority. There exist 5 Statutes in Bload Bowl:

- Pons : name of most famous of them, these players are of a époustouflante nullity. They are characterized by brilliant deeds, like passing the ball to an adversary, wounding a partner or to mark against their camp…

- Bleus : all the new players start with this statute. They count less than one score of matches to their credit.

- Hopes : this statute is reserved for Blue particularly promising but which does not have yet enough matches to their credit to claim with a higher statute.

- Veterans : they are experienced players who have added up more than one score of matches or play for more than 2 seasons.

- Stars : the Stars belong to the 5 best players in activity. Joined together, they form Dream TEAM.

- Ex-Stars : they were players of exception but had to give up Bload Bowl, or fell down on a lower level.

- Senseïs : they are the Masters of Bload Bowl. They took part in a radical way in the design or the evolution of the sport. They are, or were, of the players of exception. The statute of Senseï is inalienable. They are only 3 in the world.

The players are also characterized by a Position which they occupy on the ground. These Positions are similar to those which one meets with the American football:

- Launcher : this player is charged to address graduated master keys to his fellow-members. He must be large, but also nimble to avoid the adversaries which are ruent on him! The pure Launchers tend to disappear in the modern play, leaving room to more general-purpose players.

- Receiver : large accustomed curbstones of in-goal, the Receiver must know to thread quickly in unfavourable defenses. Its qualities: discretion, agility and especially the address in reception.

- Blocker : pillar of defense, it must also open breaches in attack. The good Blockers can also tear off the balloon with their adversaries. They must be massive, enduring and not fear engagement.

- Blitzer : he is in general the captain of his team, it is generally with him that the balloon is entrusted to engagement. He must know to improvise and find good opportunities; he must be general-purpose: to launch the balloon or to try an opening.

- BASIC : formerly named " basic player " , its ungrateful name lends sometimes to confusion, but the good BASIC is of a versatility to any test, can adapt its play to its team and the situation. It is humble, but can be decisive at all the stations.

Bload Bowl is certainly one of the most levelling sports: it has this of private individual that all the gauges find their place there, the only condition being of feeling at ease in water: the whole small are often preferred with large muscular, because they can thread in defenses, to pass under water… In the same way, this sport is mixed and of many girls already proved that they were worth their male partners well. A good team is besides always mixed and made up of very varied gauges.

The HBBS is particularly attached to the fact that Bload Bowl constitutes a formidable instrument of socialization, by showing that each one has its place in the company, the small one like the large one, the weak one like the fort.

Bload Bowl also goes beyond its statute of sport. It has its own language and philosophy indeed. There exists besides a small dictionary, available on the official site of Bload Bowl, which makes it possible to discover all the technical terms used in this so particular universe: to see the Lexicon.

Future development

Bload Bowl is still a young sport in full rise. Even if it is already well established locally in French Polynesia, it aspires to an international expansion.

Several matches of demonstration were already disputed in the whole world and of the projects of league are under development.

The major brakes with the development of Bload Bowl are the access to the infrastructures (swimming pools private or public) and especially the fact that it is about a sport still young and ignored general public.

More on Bload Bowl

You can visit the official site of Bload Bowl.

In addition to what was exposed to you in this article, you will find there galleries photographs, comments of match, simplified rules, a shop, very original cards of players, all the contacts necessary and of course the official forum.

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