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Ball Game Four Square
- Functions
- Ball Game and Physical Play
Four Square is a group ball game played on a 'court' comprised of a grid of four squares. Each player stands in a square of their own. One serves the ball and it must land in another square. From there the players bounce the ball into each other's square. If the ball bounces outside the boundaries of an individual players square or the larger square the player is out. Similarly, if a player misses receiving the ball they are out. There are many different variations to the game.
Details
At School 17
Four sqaure was popular at School 17 at the time of research and was being played on a daily basis. Each player stands in a square of their own. The king serves the ball and it must land in another square. From there the players bounce the ball into each other's square. If the ball bounces outside the boundaries of an individual players square or the larger square the player is out. Similarly, if a player misses receiving the ball they are out.
If only four players are playing, the person who is 'out' after each serve goes to the dunce position, and other players progress to king. The order of progression is dunce, jack, queen and king.
If there are more than four players, the extra players will line up next to the four square court. When one of the players is out, he or she will join the line, and the new player will enter the game in the dunce position.
Carnie Rules
This variation of the game is played in the same way as above, however players must bounce the ball once in their square before it lands in another persons square. In some cases the king must also serve the ball at the dead centre of the squares.
Observation: When observing this game being played, rolling the ball along the ground from one square to another was clearly an acceptable alternative to bouncing the ball, and this aspect of the game was not completely understood by the researcher or explained by students.
At School 14
The court is a large square divided into four squares by a cross. The object of the game is to bounce the ball back and forth and if it is hit out the hitter is 'out' or if it bounces twice in a square or allowed to bounce and then continue out of the square the possessor of the square is 'out'. When a player is 'out', they vacate their square and the other players rotate to fill the vacant square to that point. The King is the highest in hierarchy and they descend through Queen and Princess to baby. If the Queen is 'out' then she leaves and the Princess is promoted to Queen, baby to princess and a new player takes the baby square. Thinking of other schools where the 'baby' player was called 'dunny', I asked if there were other titles for the players and they replied, interestingly, that sometimes the 'baby' player is called 'toilet cleaner'. There was still no reference to 'dunny' and nor did I mention it.
Players: 4
Boys and Girls
Age:11-13
Props: Four Square Court
At School 15
Players: 4
Boys and Girls
Age:11-13
Props: Four Square Court
Four square or handball on concrete patch. No walls.
There is also another version of four square played at Forest campus between glass brick walls - the walls being used as part of the game
6 Players: 6
Boys
Age: 12
Glass brick walls
At School 11
Players: 4+
Boys
Age: 9-13
Props: Four Square Court, tennis ball or small rubber ball
The game involves hitting a ball across a line. The ball has to be bounced in the servers area first and then travel to the receiver's area. The receiver must return the ball on the first bounce. There are defined boundary lines and if the ball goes out of this area, the default player is replaced by another player. There are other default rules as well.
At School 01
Players: 2
Boys
Age: 8
Props: Four Square Court, tennis ball or small rubber ball
At School 01, 2 players played two square in a four square court
At School 13
Players: 7
Girls
Age: 10
Props: Four Square Court, tennis ball
The game can be played with a number of players, who would take their turn in being in the square. The aim is to hit the ball into another square, where the receiver has to return it to another player in a square. The ball is only able to bounce once in your square before you must hit it on. If the ball lands outside your square the server is out. If you miss hitting the ball or the ball bounces more than once in your square you are out. Players: rotate around the squares when a new player enters the game.
At School 06
Players: 4
Boys
Age: 11
Props: Four Square Court