Ringball teams descend on South Coast

PLAYERS and supporters descended on Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre in Gamalakhe on Monday last week for the Ringball National Championships.

Co-hosted by Ringball KwaZulu-Natal and Margate Sports School, the tournament comprised 120 men’s and women’s provincial and district teams who vied for national supremacy across seven divisions, namely U11, U13, U17, U23, seniors, masters and veterans.

The official opening of the tournament started with a parade of the teams at the Ugu Sports and Leisure Centre last Sunday. Dignitaries included Ringball South Africa president Johan Oosthuizen, who officially opened the national showpiece.

Matches were played daily from 7.30am to 5.30pm, with the finals contested last Friday. Ockie van Schalkwyk, president of Ringball KwaZulu-Natal, said while Gauteng was the team to beat, the host province had been boosted by a welcome increase in player participation.

Ringball is a non contact sport played by both men and women, usually in separate games.

It is similar to the game of netball and can be played on an all weather grass court measuring 27m x 18m, but divided into three.

The object of the game is to throw the ball from one player to another into a ring goal which is placed on either side of the court. Teams consist of nine players. Three players of each team play in each section of the court – three goal shooters, three centre players and three defenders.

These players may at no time during play touch ground in an adjacent section, step on or receive the ball over the lines separating the sections.The ball is passed through the air from player to player and is caught with the hands, so that the ball does not touch any other part of the body.

In passing the ball, a player may not move forward or backward, feint a pass or be in possession of the ball for longer than two seconds in an attempt to pass the ball. To score points, the ball must fall through the ring from above. Full results are awaited.