Looking to try something new with the kids this summer? Check out these very UNIQUE (but also super fun) sports:
The brainchild of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has been adapted so that "muggles" can get in on the fun! In Harry's world, quidditch is played in the air with flying broomsticks, but in our world it's played on the ground, with players straddling brooms. Teams gain points by throwing the quaffle (big ball) into three hoops at each end of the pitch. But watch out for bludgers, whose job is to use dodge balls to hit other players, temporarily taking them out of the game. However, the most important part of quidditch is the appearance of the elusive golden snitch, which is represented by a neutral athlete in yellow. The first team to catch the snitch is awarded 30 points, which usually ends the game.
School-age kids may recognize handball from gym time. Recreational handball is generally played on basketball courts, with hockey nets serving as goals. Players must pass the ball back and forth, only taking three steps at a time, which the objective of throwing the ball in the net. That can be tricky though, seeing as each team has a goalkeeper!
While it may take a few minutes to get the hang of it, ultimate frisbee is a super fun sport that involves throwing a frisbee from one end of the field to the other. Teams receive points by catching the frisbee in their marked "end zone," but beware of the opposing team, who can steal plays by snatching the frisbee!
Takraw derives from an ancient Malaysian game, but can be described to Western culture as a cross between volleyball, soccer and badminton. Teams stand on opposite sides of what is essentially a badminton net, with the goal of kicking a ball over the net.
Think ping pong on a larger scale. Pickleball is played on a court with a badminton-like net. Players use their paddle to hit the ball over the net, and receive points when their opponent fails to return the ball back over the net, or hits it out of bounds.
