Footballtennis
Encyclopedia
Footballtennis is a hybrid sport originating in Central Europe; in English
it is called Football Tennis. In German
it is called Fußballtennis, in French
it is Tennis-Ballon, in Hungarian
it is "lábtenisz", in Serbian
it is nožni tenis and in Czech
and Slovak
it is called nohejbal.
club Slavia Prague started playing a game which they called football over the rope, because it was initially played over a horizontally suspended rope, which was later replaced by a net. This new game had similar rules to volleyball
, except that an arbitrary number of players - usually 2 or 3 on each side - played with their feet instead of their hands.
In 1936 the first official rules were written. The first football tennis cup was played in 1940, although up to 1963 footballtennis was essentially considered a purely recreational sport. However, in this year the Czech football tennis league was founded, though it was centered largely in Prague
. In 1971 the "Český nohejbalový svaz" (Czech footballtennis association) was founded.
Up until the 1990s, the sport gained little international recognition; however, in 1998, the International Footballtennis Association (IFTA, now the FIFTA, the Federation International Footballtennis Association) was founded. European championships have been held since 2001, and world championships since 2006. Footballtennis remains popular in the Czech Republic
and Slovakia
, but also has a following in France
, Hungary
, Brazil
, Switzerland
, Austria
, Romania
, Croatia
, Macedonia
and North Cyprus as can be seen from the list of FIFTA members.
Although popular on the European continent, Football Tennis has struggled to maintain widespread recognition in the UK. A small group of Cambridge students introduced the game to the outdoor tennis courts of Girton College, Cambridge
(University of Cambridge) during the summer months of 2007, after being inspired by a student from Manchester University with close ties to the College - known locally as "The Best Manchester". In 2008, 6 teams competed in the first Girton College Footballtennis cup and the first games of Girton strip-footballtennis were played. Despite an offer from FIFTA President Alberto Pastor to join as UK representatives, the game left Cambridge in 2009 following the graduation of most of the players.
However during 2010, many students from Collingwood College Durham reintroducted football tennis to the UK by holding a UK championship. FIFTA President Alberto Pastor claimed the event was "the pinnacle of Football Tennis in the UK" and that "The quality of players on show was unparalleled." The game grew so popular within the college that huge crowds began to watch the team train. A team mascot known as 'Ashman' was employed, although there is some debate as to what the legend is actually called. Variants on 'Ashman' have included 'Gash-man', 'the Stash-man' and 'Henry'.
The UK now has a national governing body who are recognised by IFTA and FIFTA. It is called the English NetSoccer Association the name is still in debate and may/not change by the end of 2010 ready for the 2011 European tournament in which an English team will be entered.
In Ireland there has recently been much media interest in a group known as Football Tennis Ireland, this group formed in late 2010 in preparation for the 2010 World Championships in istanbul.
The sport is gaining great recognition and exposure through the King of the Court Official Soccer Tennis Tournaments based in the United States.
In addition, Thomas Dolley has formed the American Soccer Tennis Association which oversees a number of national and international soccer tennis events.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
it is called Football Tennis. In German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
it is called Fußballtennis, in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
it is Tennis-Ballon, in Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
it is "lábtenisz", in Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
it is nožni tenis and in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
and Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
it is called nohejbal.
History
In 1922 the members of the footballFootball
Football may refer to one of a number of team sports which all involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball with the foot to score a goal. The most popular of these sports worldwide is association football, more commonly known as just "football" or "soccer"...
club Slavia Prague started playing a game which they called football over the rope, because it was initially played over a horizontally suspended rope, which was later replaced by a net. This new game had similar rules to volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, except that an arbitrary number of players - usually 2 or 3 on each side - played with their feet instead of their hands.
In 1936 the first official rules were written. The first football tennis cup was played in 1940, although up to 1963 footballtennis was essentially considered a purely recreational sport. However, in this year the Czech football tennis league was founded, though it was centered largely in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
. In 1971 the "Český nohejbalový svaz" (Czech footballtennis association) was founded.
Up until the 1990s, the sport gained little international recognition; however, in 1998, the International Footballtennis Association (IFTA, now the FIFTA, the Federation International Footballtennis Association) was founded. European championships have been held since 2001, and world championships since 2006. Footballtennis remains popular in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, but also has a following in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and North Cyprus as can be seen from the list of FIFTA members.
Although popular on the European continent, Football Tennis has struggled to maintain widespread recognition in the UK. A small group of Cambridge students introduced the game to the outdoor tennis courts of Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
(University of Cambridge) during the summer months of 2007, after being inspired by a student from Manchester University with close ties to the College - known locally as "The Best Manchester". In 2008, 6 teams competed in the first Girton College Footballtennis cup and the first games of Girton strip-footballtennis were played. Despite an offer from FIFTA President Alberto Pastor to join as UK representatives, the game left Cambridge in 2009 following the graduation of most of the players.
However during 2010, many students from Collingwood College Durham reintroducted football tennis to the UK by holding a UK championship. FIFTA President Alberto Pastor claimed the event was "the pinnacle of Football Tennis in the UK" and that "The quality of players on show was unparalleled." The game grew so popular within the college that huge crowds began to watch the team train. A team mascot known as 'Ashman' was employed, although there is some debate as to what the legend is actually called. Variants on 'Ashman' have included 'Gash-man', 'the Stash-man' and 'Henry'.
The UK now has a national governing body who are recognised by IFTA and FIFTA. It is called the English NetSoccer Association the name is still in debate and may/not change by the end of 2010 ready for the 2011 European tournament in which an English team will be entered.
In Ireland there has recently been much media interest in a group known as Football Tennis Ireland, this group formed in late 2010 in preparation for the 2010 World Championships in istanbul.
The sport is gaining great recognition and exposure through the King of the Court Official Soccer Tennis Tournaments based in the United States.
In addition, Thomas Dolley has formed the American Soccer Tennis Association which oversees a number of national and international soccer tennis events.