Paddleball Doubles over a Rope
A 2-on-2 paddleball game over a rope 4 feet high in which the serve and the return must both bounce before being hit; from the third shot on, players may volley. Students learn doubles positioning, when to move up to the rope, and how to communicate.
How to play
- Stretch long ropes 4 feet high between posts or tall cones and use cones to mark courts 16 feet wide by 20 feet deep on each side; set up as many courts as groups of four.
- Warm up for 4 minutes with a free 2-on-2 rally in which each player only hits balls on their half of the court.
- Serve underhand and crosscourt from behind the baseline; the returner must let the ball bounce, and the server must also let the return bounce.
- From the third shot on, the ball may be volleyed or played off one bounce; a team loses the point if the ball bounces twice, lands out, or fails to clear the rope.
- Use rally scoring to 11 points, switching serve every 2 points, with a 6-minute time cap on each game.
- Play three games with court rotation: winners move up and losers move down; before each game, teams get 1 minute to agree on who covers which side.
Rules
- Call 'mine' before hitting a ball that comes down the middle.
- Nobody touches the rope or reaches a paddle over to the other side.
- When it's unclear whether a ball landed in, the receiving team makes the call.
Variations
Easier
Lower the rope to 3 feet, shorten the court to 13 feet deep, and allow two bounces.
Standard
Use a 4-foot rope, a bounced serve and return, and volleys from the third shot on.
Harder
Shorten the court to 10 feet deep, and a team only scores when it wins the point with a volley.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the team with a student who has mobility needs plays two bounces on its side.
- Autism: draw the starting serve and return positions on a card so they stay the same every point.
- Fitness or skill level: stronger pairs start each game down 3 points.
Learning goals
- Coordinate court coverage with a partner in doubles.
- Apply the two-bounce rule to move up to the rope at the right time.
- Settle disagreements during play through respectful discussion.
Equipment for a class of 25
- paddleball paddles: 26
- soft balls: 12
- long rope: 6
- cones: 36
Teacher tip
The two-bounce rule, borrowed from pickleball, keeps the serve from turning into a smash and lengthens rallies. If a pair never moves up, pause and teach them to advance together after the third shot.
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