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At School 09

Players: 4
Boys
Age: 6
Props: Tennis Ball

There are numerous variations of the rules played at this school. Very similar to the rules of some 4 Square games.

See attached desciption sheet.

At School 01

Players: 3
Boys
Age: 11
Props: small rubber ball

Handball on Junior Playground concrete using small rubber ball. Two children play, one waits in line for his turn.

There is another game of handball played at School 01 called Relay handball: 2 teams facing each other taking it in turns to hit the ball "Round the World". The server hits it once again Then runs to opposite team at back of line. Played on tennis courts, Junior Playground

Players: Many
Boys and Girls
Age: 9
Props: small rubber ball

At School 02

Players: 4
Girls
Age: 11
Props: Basketball

and

Players: 2
Boys
Age: 13

and

Players: 2
Boys and Girls
Age: 10

and

Players: 2
Girls
Age: 9

At School 04

Players: 4 (but two or more can play depending on the rules
Boys
Age: 12
Props: small rubber ball (Spalding brand Hi-bounce ball)

Played on a court with four squares. Each square has a designated name - Ace, Kings, Queens, Dunce - and there is a hierarchy. Ace is the most important, followed by Kings, Queens and lastly Dunce. As the game progresses and a player goes out, the people in the squares below move up one square, so eventually the person in Dunce has a chance to be Ace if he stays in the game long enough. Ace usually sets the rules for the game and can arbitrate in disputes.

To start the game, Ace has to say, "Ace calls the rules!" and this means that he can choose 'Old School' or 'New School' rules. But if someone else beats him by saying, "Queens calls the rules!" (or Kings or Dunce), the person who said it first gets to choose, but people mainly let Ace do it.

There are two different ways of playing: 'Old School' rules and 'New School' rules. 'New School' has 'baby' rules, but 'Old School' rules means the game is played straight - without any 'baby' rules. This means the ball must bounce in your own square when you hit it back, and if it lands on a line you play on.

In 'Old' School, if the lines are cracks separating concrete paving squares and the ball lands on a line and bounces funny, and it's a really hard shot, you can redo it.

Ace can also 'make bottoms'. This means that if he calls, say, "Bottom 3!" when he is setting the rules, if he misses a shot, he doesn't have to 'hack it' (go out of the game), but he moves down to Dunce. 'Bottoms' affects everyone - in 'bottom 3', if Kings went out he would move down to 'subs' and Dunce would move up to Queens and Queens would move up to Kings. If Queens went out he would go straight into 'subs' (substitutes - people waiting to get into the game).

When there is a dispute, e.g. if someone is meant to go out and he disagrees, Ace calls out, "Majority rules!", and the other players put up their hands to vote whether the player stays in or has to 'hack it' (go out of the game).

Sometimes instead of "Majority rules!" Ace calls out "Death Match!" or "Death Rally!", and the dispute is settled by the best out of 3 rallies. This rule applies in both 'Old School' and 'New School'.

Also, at the beginning of the game after Ace says "Old School" or "New School" and any other rules, he can say, "Deadlock" or "Thunderlock", and that means that no-one can change the rules for that game. When Ace gets out, the next Ace can say, "Peas in a pod" and that allows him to 'break the lock' and change the rules from 'Old School' to 'New School' and vice versa.

Some of the 'baby' rules are:

• 'upsies' (the ball doesn't have to bounce in your square after you hit it)
• ''cherry' (the same as 'upsies')
• 'cupcake' (hitting the ball up in the air)
• 'treetops' (the ball is hit hard to bounce high up in the air)
• 'minis' (the ball can bounce more than once in your square before you hit it)
• 'grabs' (you can grab the ball in the middle of a rally and then play on)
• 'cheaps' or 'cheap shots' (the ball can bounce as many times as it does. If don't say 'cheaps', the ball can
• only bounce 1 or 2 times.)
• 'power shots' (grab the ball and slam it into the other person's square)
• 'lines' (called when the ball bounces on a line)
• Ace can say, 'I call lines' (the ball can bounce on a line)

Players: have to say the name of the shot they're about to do before they do it.

MINIS

There is also a Handball game called 'Minis', usually played when the boys are feeling tired.

Instead of standing up, players can kneel or sit down in their squares.

At the start of the game, Ace calls, "Minis!" and everyone sits down or kneels. Ace can also say, "No knees!" and everyone has to sit down.

When playing Minis, you are allowed to do hard shots, but you can't do 'lobs' (in the air) or shots in corners.

At School 08

Players: 4 (but two or more can play depending on the rules
Boys and Girls
Age: 11-12
Ball and Four square court

Utilising a heirarchy (from lowest to highest) of Dungeon, Joker, Queen, King. I've seen this game many times at other schools and this seems to be a version furthest back along the evolutionary progression. I spoke later to at least two teachers who claimed to have brought the game to the school and taught the pupils. Versions of this game are fairly consistent regarding the top three characters - King, Queen, Joker (or Jack), and then vary when it comes to 'Dungeon' where the lowest in the hierarchy can also be 'Dunny' or 'Dunce'.

Informal games are played here as well. 2 13 yo girls were observed playing Handball on a four-square court on the asphalt

At School 18

Players: 6
Boys
Age: 10-12
Props: Ball and Four square court.

Handball in painted four-square, asphalt surface. Tennis ball. Five different games.

Players: 9
Boys
Age: 11
Props: Ball and Four square court.

4 square. Hit ball onto ground goes into other square if they miss it they are out, or if it goes into the other square they are out and they go to the end of the line of boys waiting to move into the square.

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