Pinfuvote King of the Court in Threes
A pinfuvote tournament in teams of three using a king-of-the-court format: the ball can be played with any body part and winners move up a court. Students practice a variety of strikes, decision-making in a net game, and handling winning and losing.
How to play
- Set up 4 courts, 20 × 30 ft, with a low net (or rope) at 5 feet. Form 8 teams of three (one team of four if needed) and number courts from 1 (king) to 4 (3 min).
- School rules: the ball may be struck with any body part, each team gets up to 3 touches to send it over, and one bounce on the floor is allowed before each touch.
- Serve by striking the ball with the hand from the end line. A point is scored when the ball bounces twice in a row on one side, goes out, or fails to cross the net.
- Games last 3 minutes or go to 7 points. On the whistle, the winner moves up a court and the loser moves down; on court 1 the winner stays, and on court 4 the loser stays (18 min).
- Wrap-up (3 min): each team shares which body part earned them the most points.
Rules
- No player may touch the ball twice in a row.
- No catching or holding the ball.
- Touching the net or crossing to the other side gives the point away.
- Safety: foot strikes stay below the waist and never near a crouching teammate.
Variations
Easier
Allow two bounces before each touch and lower the net to 3 feet.
Standard
Any body part, 3 touches, and one bounce allowed.
Harder
Each of the three touches must use a different body part, such as foot, knee, and hand.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: may catch and toss once per rally, and their team plays on a narrower court.
- Autism: arrows on the floor show which way to move up or down, and changes are announced in advance.
- Lower skill level: may always use the hands.
Learning goals
- Strike the ball with different body parts to send it over the net.
- Choose the best strike based on the ball's height.
- Move up or down courts with good sportsmanship.
Equipment for a class of 25
- low nets or ropes: 4
- foam balls: 4
- cones: 16
Teacher tip
Ban headers for safety and point out that the foot, knee, and thigh work well on low balls. A light foam ball makes rallies last longer.
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