Irish Pong

Irish Pong, or FeatherBall, is an individual sport in which the goal is to eliminate rival players. It is played with a designated 'Pong Ball' that must be yellow in color, made entirely of foam (thus the name FeatherBall), and be approximately 3" in diameter. The game begins when one player hits the ball to another player, or group of players with the intent of making them drop it. Irish Pong is similar to Horse[http://en. .org/wiki/Horse_(game)#H-O-R-S-E] in that the game revolves around accumulating the four letters that make up the word "Pint". Due to it's viciously competetive nature, Irish Pong has recently developed a cult following in schools throughout the Ventura County.

Disclaimer
Irish Pong is a game of stamina, physical strength, dexterity, and speed. As such, Players participating in Irish Pong are expected to accept any injury resulting from play as 'part of the game'. Players are also expected to know and abide by all rules set down by the Pint Masters for their own safety and for the safety of others. There are no exceptions.

History
Irish Pong was created by the students of Oaks Christian School in the Fall Semester of 2008. The name Irish Pong was chosen, in part because of the lineage of it's creators, and also the style of play that it represents.

How to Play
Similar to Horse[http://en. .org/wiki/Horse_(game)#H-O-R-S-E], The object of the game is to keep from accumulating the four letters that compose the word "Pint". The game starts once a Pint Master "serves" the ball. After the first serve, players are expected to keep the ball from becoming stationary or from rolling on the ground for a length of over two feet. If the ball is dropped to the ground by a player, he must recover it quickly. Failure to do so will result in that player receiving the first "letter" from the word "pint" (in this case - a "P"). If the player who is nearest the ball after it is served or hit is unable to keep it in play, then he will receive a "letter" from the word "pint". A player is knocked out of the game once he has enough letters to spell out the word "Pint".
Irish Pong is played in two phases, or rounds. Round one is called the "Elimination Round". Round two is called the "Final Round". Once the game is reduced to two players, the "Final Round" rules come into place. The winner of the "Final" round has every right to boast and brag about his accomplishment.

Rules of Irish Pong

1. Irish Pong must be played with an official 'Pong Ball'. Official Pong Balls are foam balls designated by the Pint Masters to be suitable for play. Using any other ball is considered a bastardization of the sport and will be treated as such. Violators may be subject to suspension of play.

2. Irish Pong "tourneys" must be played with two Pint Masters present. (If there is only one Pint Master present, see Rule #4)

3. Players are not to dispute any call made by the Pint Masters. There are no exceptions to this rule.

4. If a Pint Master is absent for any reason during play, a temporary Pint Master may be appointed to judge any disputes that may arise. This title is typically appointed to the highest ranking member participating in play.

5. The maximum amount of players allowed to participate in each game must be determined by the Pint Masters prior to the first serve. Joining a game of Irish Pong after the first serve is strictly prohibited. Violators may be subject to suspension of play.

6. If a player falls parallel to the ground and is no longer standing, it is the responsibility of the other players to "remind" him that Irish Pong is a man's game. Players are allowed to kick the fallen player until he stands up again.

7. "Cheap Shots" are allowed, as long as it was possible for the victim to recover the ground ball. If not, the player who took the cheap shot recieves a letter.

8. If and when the Pong Ball lands in a trashcan, the last player to have touched the ball is automatically "Pinted". There are no exceptions to this rule.

9. Punching other players in the stomach, arm or in the general torso is permitted, and in some cases encouraged.

10. Insulting and otherwise bringing down another player is allowed, and encouraged.

11. "Plotting" against other players is allowed, and is in some cases considered necessary.

12. Players are not to take offense at anything that happens during a game, such as name calling or cheap shots, as everything is done "in the spirit of pong". As such, everything is to be forgotten at the end of the game.

Variations of Irish Pong
Irish Pong may be played one of two ways. The first and most preferred version of play, called 'Court Ball' is played in an indoor gym, as there are no variables to affect the rotation, path or speed of the Pong Ball. The second version of play, called 'Street Ball', is played outdoors, typically on a hard surface such as concrete or asphalt. This type of play is not recommended, because of the role that wind and other variables play on the performance of the Pong Ball. This is also because of the harm that can come to a player due to the hard surface. It is recomended that only seasoned players play in this environment.

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See Also

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