Kan-jam
Encyclopedia
KanJam is a flying disc game, played with a flying disc and two cans in which you deflect the disc into the can. The KanJam company is based in western New York.
. The developers sought a patent for the concept but ran into problems distinguishing it from other pre-existing games—most notably the game of Tiddlywinks
-- although this obstacle was overcome through the introduction of the "instant win" feature. After several years of development, a patent was granted and KanJam went on sale in 2005.
Sales started after the developers were able to sell the game to schools in North Tonawanda, the district in which Swisher works as a science teacher, as part of their physical education
program. In 2006, Swisher sold his share to Mitchel Rubin. Sciandra and Rubin reorganized the company, made the game more retail- and user-friendly, and began selling games from their basement. By 2007, approximately 14,000 units were sold. They moved their operation to a larger facility.
In late 2007, the company began work with Cenergy Communications to improve marketing for the game. With Cenergy the packaging was redesigned and new marketing campaign was developed, resulting in a marked increase in sales. Kan Jam is now played in all 50 states, six provinces in Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries around the world.
No points are awarded if a) the thrower goes over the line, or b) the disc hits the ground before reaching the goal. Three points are awarded to the attacking team if the opposition interferes with the shot; if the attacking team has 19 or 20 points, they receive 2 or 1 points, respectively.
In addition, when a player throws the disc into the middle of the kan through the front slot or the top without help from the deflector, he scores a "chog" for an instant win.
The game is over when a team scores exactly 21 points – if a team scores more than 21 after a turn, the extra points are deducted from their score. In the event of a tie, tiebreakers are played to determine the winner, with the highest scoring team winning the game.
Origin
KanJam is a flying disc game invented by Charles Sciandra and Paul Swisher in the mid-1990s in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. The developers sought a patent for the concept but ran into problems distinguishing it from other pre-existing games—most notably the game of Tiddlywinks
Tiddlywinks
Tiddlywinks is an indoor game played on a flat mat with sets of small discs called "winks", a pot and a collection of squidgers. Players use a "squidger", a disk usually made from plastic to move a wink into flight by pressing down on one side of the wink...
-- although this obstacle was overcome through the introduction of the "instant win" feature. After several years of development, a patent was granted and KanJam went on sale in 2005.
Sales started after the developers were able to sell the game to schools in North Tonawanda, the district in which Swisher works as a science teacher, as part of their physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
program. In 2006, Swisher sold his share to Mitchel Rubin. Sciandra and Rubin reorganized the company, made the game more retail- and user-friendly, and began selling games from their basement. By 2007, approximately 14,000 units were sold. They moved their operation to a larger facility.
In late 2007, the company began work with Cenergy Communications to improve marketing for the game. With Cenergy the packaging was redesigned and new marketing campaign was developed, resulting in a marked increase in sales. Kan Jam is now played in all 50 states, six provinces in Canada, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, and many other countries around the world.
Rules
The object of the game is to score points by throwing and deflecting the flying disc and hitting or entering the goal. The game ends when a team scores exactly 21 points or "chogs" the disc for an instant win (see "Scoring" below).Rules
A coin toss or similar procedure is used to determine which team goes first. The game is broken up into turns, with an equal number of turns for each team. However, this does not apply in the case of an instant win. The goals ("kans") are spaced approximately 50 feet apart. A team consists of two people each standing at opposing ends of the playing field. One player throws the disk, while the other acts as the "deflector," who is free to move anywhere, unlike the thrower, but the deflector may not catch, carry, or double hit the disc. The original deflector then throws the disc back to the original thrower from his end in order to score, and then the next team takes their turn.No points are awarded if a) the thrower goes over the line, or b) the disc hits the ground before reaching the goal. Three points are awarded to the attacking team if the opposition interferes with the shot; if the attacking team has 19 or 20 points, they receive 2 or 1 points, respectively.
Scoring
Points are awarded for:- Dinger, when the flying disc is deflected into the side of the kan (1 point).
- Deuce (a.k.a. "direct hit" or "direct"), when the flying disc hits the side of the kan without help from the deflector (2 points).
- Bucket, when the flying disc is deflected into the middle of the kan through the top or the front slot (3 points).
In addition, when a player throws the disc into the middle of the kan through the front slot or the top without help from the deflector, he scores a "chog" for an instant win.
The game is over when a team scores exactly 21 points – if a team scores more than 21 after a turn, the extra points are deducted from their score. In the event of a tie, tiebreakers are played to determine the winner, with the highest scoring team winning the game.