What Are the Rules for Slamball?

What Are the Rules for Slamball?
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Slamball follows similar rules to basketball but with one significant change: The court contains trampolines at ground level. With the extra height gained from trampoline jumps, slamball has major safety risks. That means wearing extra padding and protection. Also, slamball is a highly aggressive game, with players driving to the basket to slam the ball through the hoop from as much as 15 feet away. Referees don't penalize most physical contact and charges.

Court

Slamball players use a court 62 feet wide by 100 feet long, according to Amar Shah at ESPN. Each end has a basket, similar to a basketball hoop in that the rim stands at 10 feet tall. Four trampolines surround each basket. Each trampoline is set into the floor and covers an area of 7 by 14 feet. Like ice hockey, slamball courts have transparent plexiglass between the playing area and the spectators. Each game consists of four quarters, with five minutes per quarter.

Players

A slamball team features four players on the court, with four players on the bench. A coach can make as many substitutions during the game as he wants. On the court, player positions break down to stopper, gunner and handler roles. The stopper takes a defensive role, preventing the opposition from driving to the basket. Handlers spread the play to the gunners, who make bold drives for the basket. Between the two trampoline areas, some of the normal bouncing rules of basketball apply, such as there is no traveling allowed, but double dribbling is acceptable.

Scoring

As in basketball, players get 3 points for a shot made from beyond the 3-point line, but they also get 3 points when they make a "slam" -- a dunk via a trampoline jump. Shots off the backboard or from standing inside the 3-point line earn 2 points. A player must shoot within 20 seconds or the team must turn over the ball. Stoppers can jump on the trampoline nearest to the basket to try to block the gunner.

Contact and Kit

Face-on contact between offensive and defensive players is fair game, but hitting a player while jumping for the trampoline, or from behind is a foul. This means that elbow and knee pads are essential. Also, players should wear a helmet for protection. To prevent dangerous trips and falls in the slam zone, defenders can't chase an attacker into the area. After a player collects three personal fouls or two technical fouls, the referee will eject him from the game.

References

Article reviewed by Shawn Candela Last updated on: Jul 30, 2011

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