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end, the Loofball Coaching Team, a group of passionate volunteers, was formedin 2018 to develop and propagate the sport at the grassroots level. The group,which would be later incorporated as a non-profit organization with the officialname - Loofball Sport Development Initiative, made remarkable strides indeveloping as well as administering the sport by using systems and strategiesthat apply to the modern context.The rules of the game were first drafted by Engr. Winner Vidiyeno Matahula, asafety and health expert, an avid sportsman and a writer.Aim of the GameThe objective of the game is to launch the ball over the net with such speed anddirection so that the opponent fails to catch or return it. There are basically threephases of play: service, attack and defense. During service, the team with theball serves into the opponent’s home zone. Attack happens when a team tries todown the ball on the opponent’s court, whilst the opponent tries to defend orprevent the attacking team from scoring. A team scores a point when the balllands on the appropriate zone or section of the opponent’s court, or when theopponent fails to return the ball by committing a fault.SafetyAs a non-contact sport, the likelihood of physical contact in loofball is very low.This, however, does not prevent the likelihood of injury. Players should beencouraged to always stick to the rules of the game at least as a preventivemeasure against avoidable injuries.Most likely injuries in loofball include sprained shoulder, sprained ankle and kneeinjury. (See Injury Management)Rules Of The GameAs a fast-paced non-contact sport, loofball requires athletes and coaches tounderstand and master the rules of the game, to avoid errors or simply put,gifting points to the opponents. Below are basic play rules of loofball.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual6

Rules of Play················There are five players on each side of the court.Before service, players arrange themselves (within the home zone) in rows three players in the front and two at the back.Contact with the ball is by the hand or forearm. In other words, the ball mustnot touch a part of the body other than the hand and forearm before it is held.A player takes no more than two steps with the ball.A player does not hold or throw the ball more than once within a turn.A shot or serve is launched with one hand.A shot launched from the home zone is valid only when it reaches theopponent’s home zone.A lob is valid only when it reaches the diagonally opposite section of the forezone or the opponent’s home zone.A player must not overreach the net when lobbing or jump-shooting.Jump-shooting (during play) is allowed only within the home zone.Minimum of two and maximum of three throws in a turn.A player must not hold the ball beyond 3 seconds.In a set, the winning team serves next.A ‘line ball’ is in.Only one player is allowed to catch or hold the ball at a time.A serve is valid only when it reaches the opponent’s home zone. Moreover, aserve must not result in a ‘net ball’ nor ‘high-ball’.ScoringA match is played as best of three sets i.e. winning the first two sets wins thematch. The first two sets are played to 25 points whereas the third set is playedto 20. A set must be won by a point margin of 2. Each combat won earns a point.To win a combat, the opponent must commit a fault or fail to return the ball.Court sizeLoofball is played on a rectangular court measuring 17m by 8m separated by anet in the middle. The home zone on each side of the court measures 5.9m x 8m.The fore zone, a quadripartite region separating the home zones, measures 5.2mx 8m. The fore zone also incorporates a 2m diameter sub-region (called Olive) atits centre.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual7

Net Size and HeightA net, preferably of white or black color, 1 m wide and 8.5 m long with mesh sizeof 10 cm x 10 cm may be used. The net height (measured at the center) abovethe turf should be 2.30 m for men and 2.28 m for women and young people (saybetween 13 and 20 years). The net height, alongside the above courtdimensions, may be scaled down by 20 or 40 percent for young people below 13years.BallA standard size 2 loofball should have a circumference of 59.7 – 62.8cm and aweight of 190 – 240g when inflated to the required hardness. An inflated size 1 ormini loofball, on the other hand, should have a circumference between 50.3 –53.4cm and a weight between 150g and 190g. The pile length of the furry surfacemust not exceed 2.5cm.Coin TossBefore the start of a match, the opposing captains are required to take part in acoin toss. The captain who wins the toss may choose either a side of the court orto make the first serve. If the winner chooses a side, the other team makes thefirst serve. And if the winner chooses to make the first serve, the other teamchooses a side.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual8

IntervalsLoofball allows a break of two minutes between sets. A break begins with thereferee’s whistle at the end of a set and ends with same whistle just beforeplayers reposition for the next set.Change of SidesIn loofball, teams change ends at the end of the first set. A new coin toss is doneto determine sides when a match reaches third set.Change of Player PositionsPlayers may change or switch positions when the ball is out of play. This isusually done at the discretion of the coach, and as quickly as possible in ordernot to interrupt the game. Players must, however, maintain the 3-2 formationwhen changing or switching positions.TimeoutsOfficial loofball rules allow only one timeout of 30 seconds per team in a set.Only the referee is authorized to grant a timeout request. A timeout begins withthe referee’s whistle at the end of a combat and ends with same whistle justbefore players reposition for the next combat.Net BallIn loofball, a ‘net ball’ occurs when a serve or shot contacts the net such that itchanges speed or direction afterwards. A net ball is forbidden when serving(constitutes a foul serve). However, a shot or lob is allowed to contact the netprovided other rules are observed.In Ball and Out BallA ball is said to be ‘in’ when it lands on the appropriate region of the opponent’scourt, and ‘out’ when otherwise. An ‘in ball’ is a scoring by the sending teamwhereas an ‘out ball’ is a scoring by the receiving team.SubstitutionLoofball allows up to four substitutions per team in a match. A player of thestarting line-up may leave the court and re-enter only once in a match. Asubstitute player may enter the court only once in a match.UniformsDuring a match, a team is required to use uniforms or jerseys which are distinctin color from those of the opponent. Official loofball rules stipulate that uniformsmust be numbered between 11 and 25. Numbers should be written on both theBasic Loofball Coaching Manual9

front and back. The design and size of uniforms may vary according to therequirements of the event, league or tournament.Misconduct and SanctionsMisconduct or unsportsmanlike behavior may constitute a fault. In other words, ateam could lose a combat when their player or players do not keep discipline.Use of offensive or immoral words and gestures is strongly forbidden in a match.Moreover, the referee is authorized to stop a combat in order to make a rulingwhen he or she deems fit.A first misconduct attracts a verbal warning, which carries no penalty. Asubsequent misconduct attracts a yellow card, which carries a point penalty. Athird misconduct attracts a red card, which carries both a point penalty anddisqualification. A player disqualified must leave the court without replacement. Insummary, sanctioning in loofball is done in the following order:Verbal Warning Yellow card a point to the opponent Red card a point tothe opponent Disqualification(To learn the comprehensive rules of the game, Please refer to the official rulebook of loofball)Teaching Loofball SkillsBasic Skills in LoofballLoofball is a technical sport that is mastered through consistent practice of itsskills. Athletes should be encouraged to get acquainted with all the skills, as theyare the essentials that enable athletes to execute the physical requirements ofthe sport. The most basic of these skills ngServingChest-passingSettingDiggingDodgingBasic Loofball Coaching Manual10

Jump-shootingJump-shooting has to do with height andagility. Although shooting without jumpingisn’t a fault, but as the loofball slogangoes: “beauty is in the jump”, playersshould be encouraged to always jumpshoot, unless when lobbing or attackingfrom the fore zone.How to Jump-shootGrip the ball with the dominant hand,take two quick steps starting with theopposite foot. Then leap on the other footand shoot the ball over the net.CatchingCatching either a pass or a shot is animportant skill in loofball, as it prevents theopponents from scoring. Encourage playersto keep their eyes on the ball at all times.How to CatchWhilst anticipating the ball, keep both armsoutstretched towards it with fingers spread.When receiving a shot, the arms shouldbend at the elbows so as to absorb theforce of the ball. Players may also jump tocatch the ball if need be. Teach players toland safely (should they jump) by bendingtheir knees and hips as they make contactwith the ground.For lobs and light throws, a player shouldsimply follow the ball with the eyes whilereaching with the hands. For shots deemedtoo strong or quick to catch, a player maydig or punch the ball calmly towards ateammate.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual11

Chest-passingTeach players to always chest-pass whenpassing the ball to a teammate.How to chest-passThis is done by gripping the ball on the sideswith the thumbs behind the ball and broughttogether at the centre, fingers comfortablyspread out and elbows bent and tucked in.The ball is then sent forward by straighteningthe elbows, fingers and thumbs, so as to giveit a push.It is important to keep eyes focused on theteammate receiving the pass. Given the shortdistance between teammates, a chest-passshould not go high in order not to slow thegame.ServingThis is simply the act of putting the ball inplay. A serving player must learn the basictechniques and rules of serving. For instance,taking at least two steps before jumping toshoot is recommended when serving.Throwing the ball (from the serving area) hardand high enough to reach the opponents’home zone without touching net, but notenough to cause a high ball or an out-ballshould be the aim. Furthermore, a server mustlearn to wait for the referee’s whistle beforeserving.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual12

LobbingLobbing is an important offensive weaponused to catch the opponents unawares. Thisis mostly used when executing a fore zoneattack.The aim is to calmly throw the ball; hardenough to enable it go over the net andbeyond the directly opposite half ofopponents’ fore zone, but not hard enoughto go beyond the diagonally opposite half ofthe opponents’ fore zone.Lobbing can also be useful when jumpshooting. For example, the front row playerstend to drift backwards when expecting ashot from their attacking counterparts. Insuch a situation, the jump-shooter maychose to lob the ball in a bid to takeadvantage of the little space created in frontof the players.SettingThis is also an offensive strategy. Settingbasically implies a quick motion thatpositions the ball in air for a teammate,preferably a back row player to launch anattack. Setting often precedes a jump-shootfrom a back row player.Teach players how to accurately place theball where it needs to be. A perfect settingis achieved by correctly judging thedistance from and/or speed of the attackingplayer. Communication between players isvery important while setting.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual13

DiggingThis skill is sometimes used instead ofcatching to recover the ball from a steepdownward trajectory, precisely whenreceiving a shot.How to DigBend with feet beyond shoulder-widthapart, knees over the toes, shouldersforward and relaxed, and arms joined infront of body. A dig is then achieved bycalmly hitting the ball with the fleshy partsof the forearm.One-arm DigDepending on the speed and direction of orproximity to the ball, a player may apply theone-arm dig in a bid to ‘save’ the ball. Doinga pancake or fisting can help keep the ballin play provided a teammate is there tocatch it.DodgingPlaying as a back row player requires thatone easily predicts when a shot is outbound.Players must have a good sense of judgmenton the ball at all times. This underscores theimportance of always keeping eyesfocused on the ball.To properly dodge a shot, a player movessideways or bends in a quick fashion toavoidgetting hit. A player may also take anyposture in a bid to avoid the ball.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual14

Other SkillsOther skills such as One-hand Pass, Jump Pass, tricking and positioning are alsoimportant in the game.One-hand PassThe one-hand pass is usually used when passing over long distances or when achest pass is not feasible. For instance, a left back (position 4 player) may applythe one-hand pass when passing to the right wing (position 3 player) or to ateammate in the fore zone. The light weight of the ball makes this skill easy toperform especially when a player is on both feet.To perform a one-hand pass, the player grips the ball with one hand, with fingersspread across the ball and elbow bent. Applying momentum, the player thenpushes forward the forearm as he releases the ball straight to a teammate.Jump PassThis is a one-hand sort of pass made by an attacker during an attempt to jumpshoot. It is a deceptive pass meant to disrupt the opponents’ positioning and/orallow another player to attack. To perform a jump pass, a player simply jumps inan attempt to shoot, and then passes to a teammate. For successful execution,this skill requires prior communication between the passer and the playerreceiving the ball.TrickingTricking simply implies any move by players meant to deceive or trick theopponent with a view to scoring a point. This basically happens in a buildup to anattack, either from the home zone or fore zone, and could be in form of passingpattern, movement and/or positioning of players. This team skill requiresthorough training and understanding between players; and communication is alsoimportant whilst making such a move.PositioningThis is considered a team skill in that it has to do with a player’s position relativeto a teammate. The manner in which players position themselves during play orcombat, especially when defending will have a direct consequence on theirperformance. Players must learn to take appropriate positions whenever the ballis at the other side of the net.Formation and PositionsFor correct positioning, athletes are required to be familiar with the rightformation and player positions. An effective attack or defense has much to doBasic Loofball Coaching Manual15

with knowledge of player positions and movements, which forms the basis forany tactics or game concepts. The 3-2 formation is the recommended formationin loofball and must be maintained at all times. The default formation and playerpositions in loofball are depicted as shown below.Footwork RuleThe footwork rule is established to keep athletes informed on how to properlytake steps to avoid infringement or injury as well as ensuring the safety andgeneral wellness of participants. The rule applies when an attacker possessesthe ball and attempts to jump-shoot, or when a server jumps to serve.According to the rule;· A player must take two steps before jumping to shoot; starting with the rightfoot (for the right-hander) or left foot (for the left-hander).· A right-hander must lift with the left foot whereas a left-hander must lift withthe right foot.· Should a player jump to attack or serve, he must then release the ball beforelanding on either one or both feet.Players should learn to land gently when jump-shooting. This will help the jumpshooter to safely absorb his body weight when landing, thereby gaining balanceor poise to reposition.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual16

Systems of PlayIn a loofball game, both individual and team skills must be brought to bear whenplaying to achieve victory. This involves the use of creativity, strategies andtactics which, for the purpose of this manual, are based on two systems of playnamely; attacking and defending.AttackingAn attack simply implies any movement or action that sends or aims to send theball to the opponents’ court. It is basically the main mission for the team inpossession of the ball. Serving is considered to some extent as a form of attack,as failure of the opponent to catch or return the ball counts as a point againstthem.The nature of an attack often determines the skill used. For instance, executing afore zone attack requires one to lob the ball over the net, whereas attacking fromthe home zone requires other skills such as jump-shooting and setting. This iswhere game concepts and tactics come into play. Executing specific attackingskills and tricks can make a huge difference in the game. Below are illustrationsof basic attacking patterns.3-Touch Playa.b.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual17

c.d.e.f.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual18

2-Touch Playa.b.c.d.DefendingDefending is equally as important as attacking in loofball. It is the counteractivemove that prevents the opponent from scoring and resultantly creates the avenueto attack back. This phase of play often requires a combination of team skills andBasic Loofball Coaching Manual19

dodging ought to be mastered by the entire team, so as to minimize defensiveerrors. A good defending is usually characterized by correct positioning or playermovement, which is a function of the attacker’s position and strategy. Thedifferent defensive patterns or movements in loofball are illustrated as shownbelow.a.b.c.d.Basic Loofball Coaching Manual20

e.f.g.h.Point of focusPlayer pathPlayerA: AttackerS:T1:Primary ball

Basic Loofball Coaching Manual 1 Introduction Sport and physical activity is a fundamental aspect of human life. The benefits that come from it are multidimensional. Sport and physical activity is often seen as a medium through which valuable life skills such as teamwork, dedication, persever