TUTORIAL

The purpose of this Pokatok ballgame is to practice the set of skills that will be needed to play Tlachbol, a modern competitive version of the ancient Mesoamerican ballsport first played in Mexico over 3,600 years ago.

As the backboard is double-sided, with a vertical ring on each side, four teams may play head-to-head with 16 balls and up to 15 players per team.  The four color-coded field markers; red, white, blue and green, are 30 feet from the apparatus and all shooting must be done from behind the markers.  I will randomly assign you a team by color rotation. 

The rules are:  You may kick the ball off a bounce, a pass, a punt, a toe-lift; or strike it by hand, arm, head or hip, in any manner.  You may never throw it or kick it off the ground.  You should alternate kicking and striking.  After you shoot, call out the result if you score, then retrieve any ball, quickly get it to the next player in your team queue, then go to the back.  Always stay alert for multiple flying balls in the air.  All shooting must be done from the behind the markers.  There is no personal contact or competition for the ball.  Leaders count and SHOUT out their team’s running score as follows:

• One point for just bouncing it off the backboard

• Three points for bouncing it off the ring

• Five points for a rebound that goes through the ring

• Seven points for a clean through shot.

The quicker you shoot and rotate through, the more points your team may score.  We will play continuously until time is called.  If you want to stop playing come back to the registration table and ask for a replacement.

 
Home Depot Center Practice Day Schedule

Pokatok Ball-Handling Drills

Spread out across the field/floor to begin:

1. Lofting (dribbling): Keep the ball in the air while moving in place for at least 5 hits by striking with any part of the body in combination Footbag, (Hackey Sack,) soccer, hot potato or volleyball moves.  Try to loft the ball no higher than twice your height.

2. Passing: Using the above rules, team-up in a circle and start controlled passing at 10 feet apart, moving to 15 feet, and then 20 feet.  Practice each distance for 5 minutes.   Practice for at least 5 passes.

3. Shooting: Start at 30 feet from the 2-sided vertical ring training apparatus off-centered left and right by 45 degrees.   Group-off evenly at the 4 markers and spike ball volleyball-style with palm or fist, or kick a side-punt.  Retrieve any ball and shift goal position moving clockwise spending 10 minutes on each.

4. Putting it all together:  Pair-up 15 to 25 feet apart at the field markers, pass at least 3 times and alternate shooting on the fly at each practice ring.