History of Speedball

The game of speedball was developed by E.D. Mitchell at the University of Michigan in the early 1920's because of the need for a vigorous team game that could be played outdoors in the fall and that combined many of the elements found in other rather well-known sports.  Many of the students in the mid-west had been introduced to basketball in public schools and they did not like soccer because of the restrictions regarding the use of hands on the ball.  Touch football, while a popular game, had certain limitations in that many players on the team did not get to handle the ball regularly.  Speedball eliminated many of these objections by providing a game that permitted all the players to participate in all aspects of the game.  The game has developed rapidly and is now a widely played sport in physical education and intramural programs throughout the country.

Basic Rules

Fields vary in size from 80 to 100 yards in length.  In front of each goal post and extending across the field is a penalty area.  Fouls committed in this area by the defense are penalized more severely than fouls committed outside the area.
The ball is put into play by a free kick at the center of the field and all members of the kicking team must be behind the ball when it is kicked.  The ball must travel forward the length of its circumference before it may be recovered by the offense.  Defensive players must remain behind the restraining line, ten yards back, until the ball is kicked. 
When a team causes the ball to go out of bounds on the sidelines, the opponents may put the ball into play by a pass.  If the ball goes over the end lines without a score resulting, the opponents may put the ball in play by a pass or a kick.


Scoring

There are 3 ways of scoring in speedball:

• Field Goal:  Ground ball kicked under the cross bar and between the uprights.        Scores 3 points.
  
• Drop Kick:  Over the cross bar from outside the penalty area.                                    Scores 2 points.
  
• Touchdown:  Ball passed from the field of play to a teammate behind the goal line.  Scores 1 point.
  

• Ground Ball.  A ground ball is one that is stationary, rolling or bouncing.  While a ground ball, it cannot be played with the hands or any part of the arms, but must be kicked or bounced off the body.
  
• Aerial or fly ball.  The ball may be caught, or otherwise played with the hands, whenever it is clearly a "fly ball", or one that has been raised into the air directly from a kick by one or both feet.  A fly ball that has been caught may be held, passed, punted, drop-kicked or played as an overhead dribble. 
  
• Dribbling the ball.  A player may dribble the ball with his/her feet at will.  A player may use one overhead dribble in advancing the ball without the aid of his/her teammates ~ he/she may throw the ball in any direction and run and catch it before it strikes the ground. 
  
• Goaltender.  The same rules of ground, aerial/fly and dribbling the ball apply to the goaltender as the other players.  There is no limit to the number of goaltenders a team has.