Teqball the sport of the future

If we combine three popular sports – soccer, tennis and table tennis – we get teqball, a rather unusual sport that is gradually becoming more and more recognized. Already now there are World Championships, during which male and female players confront their strengths in this spectacular game. Suffice it to say that it is statistically the fastest growing sport in the whole world! So what is the key to success?

Let’s go back six years to 2014, when an original idea was born in the minds of two soccer enthusiasts – Gábor Borsány and Viktor Huszár. The men were playing with an ordinary soccer in the park one day. Their game was so unusual that it took place on… concrete ping-pong table. At one point, they noticed that the exchange of balls would be much more efficient if the ends of the table were curved slightly, creating a bulge in the middle. As they thought, so they did. The Hungarians designed a table top that was 1.5 meters wide and 3 meters long for the newly emerging sport. Soon, interest in teqball became so great that it is practiced by both professionals and amateurs, who relish the opportunity to test their technical skills.

Rules of the game

The rules of teqball seem simple at first glance, although…. not really. Although it is not the most complicated sport in the world, there are issues that players must keep in mind in order not to make a schoolboy mistake during a game.

As in tennis or table tennis, the goal is to get the ball into the opponent’s half – preferably in such a way that the opponent is unable to repeat the feat in the other direction. The ball can only bounce once. A player has a maximum of three rebounds to get the ball to the opposite side of the table. The game starts with a serve directly into the opponent’s half from behind a line marked two meters from the table top. As in tennis, a player is allowed two service attempts. During the match, the same body parts that are used in soccer can be used (therefore, playing with the hands is prohibited). However, there is a small catch – you cannot touch the ball with the same body part twice in a row. The first player to score 20 points wins the competition. Usually the game is played until one or two sets are won.

Teqball – fun for everyone?

Teqball can be a great and partly crazy game for people of all ages. However, you should be aware of a very important issue, namely your own ball skills. It is necessary to have at least a basic technical training in order to enjoy the game. It is definitely the best in this discipline not only professional footballers, but also futsal players, or even people playing football every week at the orlikki with friends. Another issue is the cost of the teqball table, or so-called teqboard. If we want to buy the necessary equipment, we have to reckon with the expense of at least 1000 PLN. Before making the final decision, it is worth to get familiar with the topic and play a few games to be sure that teqball is something more than just a passing fancy.

If you have already verified your skills and acquired a teqboard, there is nothing else to do but start playing and have fun. This sport will work as a great alternative to soccer on rainy days, although playing outdoors can be even more fun. Teqball can also be played one-on-one or in pairs. This way, several people will get involved in the game, and after all, nothing brings people together like spending time together in a team competition.

Successes of Poles

Despite the fact that teqball with its six years of experience is one of the youngest sports in the world and until recently held the name of anonymous discipline in Poland, its popularity in our country is constantly growing and it is difficult to suppose that this will change in the near future. After all, why not participate in a competition that goes so well? The development of teqball in Poland has been supported by successes on the international stage. In December 2019, it was Adrian Duszak, who comes from Dylewo (Ostrołęka County), who reached for the second place during the World Championships. In the next tournament, the 24-year-old will undoubtedly aim for the gold medal.

Featured photo: Wikipedia