Loofball is a team sport played with a hairy ball over a high net. The objective is to cause the ball to land on the opponent's court. A match consists of best-of-three sets, with the first two sets played to 25 points and the third to 20 points. A team scores a point when the opponent fails to return the ball or it lands in the correct area of their court. Loofball began as a children's pastime in Nigeria in 2017 and has grown in popularity due to its exciting nature and ability to promote physical fitness and community.

1. BY
WINNER VIDIYENO MATAHULA

2. OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY
GAME DETAILS
THE BALL
THE NET AND POSTS
GAME RULES
FAULTS
GAMEPLAY
DEFINITIONS
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL
THE FIELD
COURT DESIGN

3. INTRODUCTION
Loofball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of
five players each, the object being to catch and throw a lightweight
hairy ball (also called Loofball) over a high net, with intent to cause
the ball to reach the ground on the appropriate section of the
opponent’s court.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL
A match is won by the first team to win two sets. The first two sets
are played for 25 points whereas the third set is played for 20 points.
Each set must be won with a 2 point advantage.
A play (or combat) begins with a serve by launching the ball over the
net and into the opposition’s home zone. A team scores a point
when the ball lands on the appropriate section of the opponent’s
court, or when the opposition fails to return the ball by committing a
fault.

4. Loofball began as a pastime for kids in 2017 in
Adamawa State, North East Nigeria. Thanks to
its exciting nature, loofball has since been
enjoying steady rise in popularity through
competitions and outdoor events. The sport
was created based on the principles of
teamwork, fair play, discipline and respect to
engage youth in physical activity as well as
promoting peace and growth via sport and
related activities.
Loofball is suitable for both young and old,
good for physical fitness, body strength and
overall wellness.
HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

5. GAME DETAILS
CHARACTERISTICS
Team Members: Five
Contact: Non-contact
Type: Team Sport, Ball Sport
Mixed Gender: Single
Equipment: Loofball, Net
Venue: Indoor or Outdoor Court
FIRST PLAYED
19th October, 2017 in Numan, Adamawa State,
Nigeria.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

6. THE BALL
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL
Size 1 Loofball
Surface: hairy surface Weight: 150 – 190 g
Diameter: 16 – 17 cm Circumference: 50.3 – 53.4 cm
Inflation pressure: To required hardness & circumference
Size 2 loofball
Surface: hairy surface Weight: 190 – 240 g
Diameter: 19 – 20cm Circumference: 59.7 – 62.8 cm
Inflation pressure: To required hardness & circumference
A single strand on the surface does not exceed 2.5 cm in length.

7. THE FIELD
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL
The playing court is 17 m long and 8 m wide. The scoring area
comprises two zones namely; the Home Zone and the Fore
Zone. The Home Zone and Fore Zone have dimensions of 5.9
m x 8 m and 5.2 m x 8 m respectively. The playing court and
the free zone make up the playing field.

8. THE NET AND POSTS
The net should be at least 1 m in width and 8.5 m long.
The net should be black or white in color.
The net height measured at the upper edge of the net
above the olive shall be:
2.28 m…………….for boys and girls (U-20)
2.28 m…………….for women
2.30 m…………….for men (senior)
2.32 m…………….for men (Masters)
The posts must be 2.15 to 2.45 m tall and 3 to 6 inches in
diameter (or square); and should be fixed with a side edge
at least 80cm from the side lines.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

9. GAME RULES
Team Members
Five players per team on court
Positioning
Before service, players align themselves (within the home zone) in rows:
three players in the front and two at the back. Players may change or
switch positions during alignment.
It’s illegal to switch positions during combat.
Ball Contact
 Contact with the ball is by the hand or forearm. In other words, the ball
must not touch a part of the body other than the hand and forearm before
it is held.
 A player makes no more than two steps with the ball.
 A player does not hold or throw the ball more than once within a game
turn.
 Minimum of one and maximum of two passes in a turn. A pass may be a
‘hand pass’, a ‘forearm pass’ or a ‘fist pass’.
 ‘Double-touching’ is allowed whereas ‘multi-touching’ is not allowed.
 A player does not hold the ball for more than 3 seconds.
 Only one player is allowed to catch or hold the ball at a time.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

10. GAME RULES CONTD.
Service
 A left back row player throws the ball (from the serving area) into the opposition’s home
zone. A serve that fails to pass over the net, or results in a ‘net ball’, or is deemed a ‘high
ball’ by the referee constitutes a foul serve, and must be retaken by the same player.
Serving from inside the home zone, or not within 3 seconds of the referee’s whistle also
constitutes a foul serve. A succession of two foul serves is a scoring by the opposite team.
 In a set, the winner of a combat gets served for the next combat.
In Ball
When a serve, ‘home shot’ (a shot launched from the home zone) or ‘fore shot’
(a shot launched from the fore zone) lands on the opposition’s home zone, it said
to be an ‘in ball’. A ‘fore shot’ is also ‘in’ when it lands on the diagonally opposite
section of the fore zone. An ‘in ball’ is a scoring by the sending team.
A ‘line ball’ is an ‘in ball’ (not applicable to the olive).
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL
Launching the Ball
A shot or serve is launched strictly by throwing the ball over the net.
A shot or serve is launched with one hand.
A shot must be launched from inside the home zone or fore zone.
A player does not touch or overreach the net when launching a shot.
A ‘high ball’ constitutes an error during attack and a foul serve during service.
A ‘net ball’ is allowed during combat whereas blocking is not allowed.

11. Movement
 A player may jump when catching the ball.
 A player within the home zone may jump when launching a shot. However,
both feet must have contact with the ground when launching from the fore
zone.
 A player may land in the fore zone or olive after releasing a ‘home shot’.
 A player may move to the olive or free zone when defending or catching a
pass.
 A player stepping on the sideline or baseline is in the free zone. In the same
vein, a player stepping on the frontline is in the fore zone.
 A player stepping on the crossline or both sections of the fore zone is in
neither of the sections.
 A player stepping on the olive or its edge is outside the fore zone.
GAME RULES CONTD.
Out Ball
When a serve or ‘home shot’ lands on a part of the court other than the
opposition’s home zone, it is said to be an ‘out ball’. A ‘fore shot’ is also ‘out’
when it lands on a part of the court other than the opposition’s home zone and
the diagonally opposite section of the fore zone. An ‘out ball’ is a scoring by the
receiving team.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

12.  The ball touches a part of the body other than the hand and forearm before it is held.
 A serve or ‘home shot’ lands on a part of the court other than the opposition’s home
zone
 A ‘fore shot’ lands on a part of the court other than the opposition’s home zone and the
diagonally opposite section of the fore zone
 A player holds or throws the ball more than once within a turn
 A player holds the ball for up to 4 seconds (or more)
 A player hits the ball when serving or launching a shot
 Less than 2 or more than 3 throws within a turn
 A player makes more than two steps with the ball (termed ‘traveling’)
 A player launches a shot from the olive or free zone
 A player plays a ‘high ball’ when attacking
 A player makes 2 consecutive foul serves
 A player touches or overreaches the net when attacking
 A player serves or attacks with two hands
 Two or more players hold the ball simultaneously
 A player mishandles the ball
 A player blocks the ball
 A player jumps when launching from the fore zone
 Players switch positions during combat
FAULTS
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

13. GAMEPLAY
Officiating
A referee (also called the umpire), two or four line judges, a scorer and an
assistant scorer constitute the officiating crew.
Coin Toss
At the start of a match, the teams represented by their captains take part in
a coin toss. The winner of the toss chooses either a side of the court or the
first serve. If the winner chooses a side, the other team makes the first
serve. And if the winner chooses to make the first serve, the other team
chooses a side.
Scoring System
A point is awarded to a team after winning a combat. A match may be
played in 2 or 3 sets. The first two sets are played for 25 points, while the
third set is played for 20 points. At 24 all, the team that gains a 2 point lead
first, wins the set. The same applies in the third set when the score line is 19
all. The first team to win 2 sets wins the match.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

14. GAMEPLAY CONTD.
Change of Sides
Teams change sides after completing the first set. The first team to
be served in the first set makes the first serve in the second set. A
new coin toss is conducted when a match enters the third set, just
like in the beginning of the match.
Substitution
Up to a maximum of four substitutes (per team) may be used in a
match. Substitution is conducted at the sideline near the fore zone.
Break
Each team is entitled to one time-out of 1 minute in a set. A 5 minute
interval is also allowed between sets. A time-out is authorized by the
referee, after he or she must have been notified of the request by the
team coach, usually at the end of a combat.
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

15.  DOUBLE-TOUCH: To handle or touch the ball twice in quick succession, or the result of
such.
 DOVE: A shot which results in a scoring.
 FIST PASS: A pass made by hitting the ball with the fist.
 FORE SHOT: A shot launched from the fore zone.
 FOREARM PASS: A pass made by hitting the ball with the forearm.
 FOUL SERVE: A serve not properly launched.
 HAND PASS: A pass made by throwing or hitting the ball with the hand.
 HIGH BALL: A serve or shot that is more than 5 meters above the net.
 HOME SHOT: A shot launched from the home zone.
 LINE BALL: A shot or serve that lands on the boundary line of a targeted zone or section.
 LOOFBALLER: A person who plays loofball.
 MISHANDLE: To commit a fault while catching or holding the ball.
 MULTI-TOUCH: To handle or touch the ball more than twice in quick succession, or the
result of such.
 NET BALL: A serve or shot results in a ‘net ball’ when it touches or hits the net.
 OVERREACH: A player overreaches the net when his or her hand touches, crosses or goes
beyond the net when launching the ball; a forbidden act in loofball.
 TRAVELING: A player does ‘traveling’ when he or she makes more than 2 steps with the ball.
 WITHHOLD: To hold the ball for more than 3 seconds during combat, or after the referee’s
whistle during service.
DEFINITIONS
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

16. COURT DESIGN
AN OVERVIEW OF LOOFBALL

17. THANK
YOU!