games. The good news is a Mayan ball game is about to begin. The bad news is that this game is much more than just an exciting team sportâit can be very dangerous. The outcome of the game can determine whether the players live or die.
Letâs Play Ball
The ball court you are standing in is shaped like a capital letter I, with high sides decorated with elaborate carvings. The high sides help to keep the ball in play.
For the game itself, you are going to need to put on some equipment to protect you from injury. The ball is made of solid rubber. It can weigh almost nine pounds and is hard enough to break your bones. So make sure you strap on some padded shin, knee, and forearm protectors made from animal skin. Think yourself lucky thoughâthe ball was sometimes made from a human skull wrapped in strips of rubber to make it bounce well.
Put on your feathered headdress and you are ready to play ball. You look a-Maya-zingâas do the other members of your team who enter the court wearing their finest animal skins, feather headdresses, and jewelry.
Mayan Rules
Now this is the tricky part: Historians arenât exactly sure how this game was played. So, you are going to have to keep your wits about you. What previous time travelers do know, however, is that you should try really hard to help your team win, because the losers are often sacrificed to the gods.
Take a look at the end of the court. You will notice that there is a stone ring, just large enough for the ball to fit through. It is probably a wise move to aim for that. Make sure you are whacking the ball in the right directionâown goals arenât good no matter which century you are in.
Get In Some Practice
You will need:
⢠an open space ⢠shin pads/elbow pads/any kind of helmet ⢠a soft soccer ball or beach ball ⢠two hoops or buckets
Put a hoop at each end of your playing area about eight yards apart. If you donât have hoops, place a bucket at each end.
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Get a group of friends together and divide into two teams with at least two players on each side. Then put on your protective gear (you shouldnât really need this if your ball is soft enough, but it will help you get into the spirit of the game if you do). Jaguar-skin skirts are optional!
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The aim of the game is to get the ball into your bucket. So, decide which team is going to aim for which goal. Then, determine with the toss of a coin which team will start the game. The winner of the toss starts with the ball.
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It is thought that the Mayan players were not allowed to use their feet to move the ball. They had to whack it with their knees, arms, or hips. You are not allowed to kick, catch, or throw the ball, other than with clenched fists. To begin, the ball can be headed, punched, kneed, or chested to a player on the same team. The team with the most goals after 10 minutes wins.
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Warning
If you do accidentally kick the ball, or hit it with the palm of your hand, the ball is given to the other team.
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How To Beat The Spanish Armada
The wind is blasting your ears, and you are swaying back and forth like part of a circus act. Youâve landed in the crowâs nest of an English warship. Unfortunately, a crowâs nest is a little lookout platform three-quarters of the way up the shipâs mast.
All around you other ships are racing through the waves. Your ship is part of an English fleet chasing the mighty warships of a fleet known as the Spanish Armada away from the English coast.
Top Tactics
Youâre spotted, and the sailors suspect you of being a stowaway. They take you to the commander, Sir Charles Howard. Unfortunately, he has been known to keelhaul rebellious sailors, having them dragged beneath the ship by a rope. They would be cut to ribbons by the barnacles below. Luckily, heâs in a good mood. After months of fierce fighting, the Spanish are on the run. So, heâs quite happy to quaff a tot of rum and
Letâs Play Ball
The ball court you are standing in is shaped like a capital letter I, with high sides decorated with elaborate carvings. The high sides help to keep the ball in play.
For the game itself, you are going to need to put on some equipment to protect you from injury. The ball is made of solid rubber. It can weigh almost nine pounds and is hard enough to break your bones. So make sure you strap on some padded shin, knee, and forearm protectors made from animal skin. Think yourself lucky thoughâthe ball was sometimes made from a human skull wrapped in strips of rubber to make it bounce well.
Put on your feathered headdress and you are ready to play ball. You look a-Maya-zingâas do the other members of your team who enter the court wearing their finest animal skins, feather headdresses, and jewelry.
Mayan Rules
Now this is the tricky part: Historians arenât exactly sure how this game was played. So, you are going to have to keep your wits about you. What previous time travelers do know, however, is that you should try really hard to help your team win, because the losers are often sacrificed to the gods.
Take a look at the end of the court. You will notice that there is a stone ring, just large enough for the ball to fit through. It is probably a wise move to aim for that. Make sure you are whacking the ball in the right directionâown goals arenât good no matter which century you are in.
Get In Some Practice
You will need:
⢠an open space ⢠shin pads/elbow pads/any kind of helmet ⢠a soft soccer ball or beach ball ⢠two hoops or buckets
Put a hoop at each end of your playing area about eight yards apart. If you donât have hoops, place a bucket at each end.
Â
Get a group of friends together and divide into two teams with at least two players on each side. Then put on your protective gear (you shouldnât really need this if your ball is soft enough, but it will help you get into the spirit of the game if you do). Jaguar-skin skirts are optional!
Â
The aim of the game is to get the ball into your bucket. So, decide which team is going to aim for which goal. Then, determine with the toss of a coin which team will start the game. The winner of the toss starts with the ball.
Â
It is thought that the Mayan players were not allowed to use their feet to move the ball. They had to whack it with their knees, arms, or hips. You are not allowed to kick, catch, or throw the ball, other than with clenched fists. To begin, the ball can be headed, punched, kneed, or chested to a player on the same team. The team with the most goals after 10 minutes wins.
----
Warning
If you do accidentally kick the ball, or hit it with the palm of your hand, the ball is given to the other team.
----
How To Beat The Spanish Armada
The wind is blasting your ears, and you are swaying back and forth like part of a circus act. Youâve landed in the crowâs nest of an English warship. Unfortunately, a crowâs nest is a little lookout platform three-quarters of the way up the shipâs mast.
All around you other ships are racing through the waves. Your ship is part of an English fleet chasing the mighty warships of a fleet known as the Spanish Armada away from the English coast.
Top Tactics
Youâre spotted, and the sailors suspect you of being a stowaway. They take you to the commander, Sir Charles Howard. Unfortunately, he has been known to keelhaul rebellious sailors, having them dragged beneath the ship by a rope. They would be cut to ribbons by the barnacles below. Luckily, heâs in a good mood. After months of fierce fighting, the Spanish are on the run. So, heâs quite happy to quaff a tot of rum and