Ringo Partners: Flat Throws and One-Hand Catches
An introduction to ringo, a sport created in Poland in the late 1950s that is played by throwing and catching a rubber ring. Students work on flat throws and one-hand catches.
How to play
- Take a minute to explain where ringo comes from and its core idea: you catch the ring with one hand and throw it with that same hand. Each pair sets two cones 5 meters apart (2 min).
- Flat throws at 5 meters: wrist spins, ring stays level, release at hip height; catch with one hand (5 min).
- The receiver raises their right or left hand just before the throw, and the ring must go to that hand (4 min).
- Throw with the same hand that caught it, without switching hands and without holding it more than three seconds (4 min).
- Distance challenge: each clean catch lets the pair move their cone back a step; a drop moves it in a step (5 min).
Rules
- The ring must fly flat; if it goes on edge or straight up, the throw doesn't count.
- Catch and throw with one hand, using the same hand you caught with.
- Never throw toward another pair; pairs line up in two parallel rows.
- Never throw at someone's face: aim for the chest or the hand that's up.
Variations
Easier
3 meters apart and two-hand catches allowed.
Standard
5 meters, one-hand catches, and throws with the same hand.
Harder
Mix short and long throws so the partner has to move before catching.
Adaptations
- Students with visual impairments: the ring rolls along the floor to them while the partner calls out from the cone.
- Students with limited mobility: play seated or in a wheelchair at a short distance with chest-height throws.
- Students lacking confidence: choose their catching hand and distance each round.
Learning goals
- Throw a ring flat and on target with one hand.
- Catch with one hand, including the non-dominant one.
- Learn where ringo comes from and how it works.
Equipment for a class of 25
- ringo rings: 15
- cones: 30
Teacher tip
Line all pairs up in two parallel rows so no ring crosses into another pair. Typical mistake: a stiff throwing arm; the spin comes from the wrist. If you don't have ringo rings, rubber pool rings or foam rings about 6–8 inches across work fine.
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