From Harry Potter’s favorite game to UFO launches. 5 unusual niche sports

Physical activity in our country is gaining popularity every year. New sports are appearing, and some have even grown to the point of establishing federations. Collected a selection of the most fun games that not only allow you to keep fit, but also become a great hobby.

Quidditch

The game became popular after the release of the series of books about Harry Potter. True, only the rules were borrowed from the favorite entertainment of wizards. There are no flying brooms, and other tools are used – tennis or badminton rackets. The snitch here is a tennis ball. In Russia, Quidditch is similar to handball. The task of the players is to score as many points as possible. The match lasts 45 minutes. The number of players is 14 (seven on each team).

Now in the community more and more often there are thoughts to rename this sport, because it has little in common with what the British writer Joanne Rowling came up with.

Squash

The sports game originating from England was invented by prisoners, they beat the ball with rackets from the wall. The first mention of squash dates back to 1807. In our country it became popular quite late – in the 1990s.

This sport requires a special field with certain markings on the walls. The game takes place indoors. The rubber ball is hit with a racket, which should be less than 160 g. There can be either two or four people in each team. The ancestor of this game is racketball. The only difference is the hardness of the ball.

The rules are simple: first a throw is made to determine who will be the first pitcher. Then a player chooses the serving area, the second player’s task is to hit the ball to the front wall with a flight.

Chessbox

Another game from the book. Enki Bilal in his comic book “Cold Equator” describes a sport where you need not only physical data, but also mental abilities. The author combined chess and boxing. This idea inspired Dutch artist Jeepe Rubing, who decided to promote the hybrid sport. He was supported by the public, who wanted to prove that fighters have intelligence. The fight consists of 11 rounds: the odd round is a game of chess, and the even round is boxing. The action takes place in the ring.

Officially, the meetings began to be held in 2003. To date, even established the World Chess Boxing Organization (WCBO).

Roller derby

Contact sport on roller skates, which have wheels arranged in two rows. The essence is to move quickly along a track in a counterclockwise direction. The player needs to come to the finish line first, overcoming the opponent’s defense. It is worth noting that roller derby is popular mostly among women. There are 10 participants in total, five in each team. The duel lasts 60 minutes, they are divided into two periods of half an hour each. A unique feature is that teams give themselves formidable nicknames, such as Baltic Witches and Raptors of Moscow.

It originated in the United States in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. Then entrepreneur Leo Seltzer noticed that the clashes of people cause a violent reaction in the audience. That’s how he came up with the idea of giving people a spectacle. This sport has so conquered the world that it is being considered for inclusion in the Olympic program.

Flaing disk

Translated from English, it means “flying disk”, but in the register of sports in Russia, it is entered as flying disk. However, most people call it “Frisbee”. If earlier it was regarded solely as a fun activity for the beach, now it is considered a full-fledged sports game. The essence is simple: two teams try to deliver a disk to a certain area.

This sport has an interesting history. In the 1940s, the topic of UFOs was actively discussed in society. Inventor Walter Friederich Morrison invented a “flying saucer” for the game. But failed: the disk did not fly well. It wasn’t until 1955 – after a series of improvements – that it stopped falling after launch. When the “flying saucer” went on sale, it had a resonant demand. Even the main character in the movie Back to the Future 3 launches an iron saucer that says “Frisbee” on it.

Flyin’ disk

Lacrosse

The oldest sport of the American Indians, with the French giving it its name. Translated, it means “stick game.” Why? Externally, the equipment resembles a staff. Previously, it involved several hundred warriors, and they “fought” on a site of several kilometers. Therefore, the duel lasted a couple of days. Although the goal was the same as now – to score a ball to the opposing team.

Today, the number of players ranges from 6 to 10 people. As in soccer and hockey, they are divided into forwards, defenders, midfielders and goalkeeper. A cross (a stick with a net) and a ball are involved.