Rules

My cousin Shon and I invented ZION BALL in the summer of 2004 while we were coaching youth sports camps for a gym in Mesa, Arizona. One evening, as Shon and I discussed various matters, it occurred to me that the time had arrived for a transformation in sports.

It seemed to me that the world of sports was drifting from the most essential elements of wholesome recreational activities, namely, camaraderie, teamwork, character building, athletic development, exercise and enjoyment. As a player, spectator, and life-long sports fan, I considered that a reformation would only bring change to peripheral aspects of the sports already in existence. Perhaps it was time for a revolution.

I began to ask questions. “What if we designed a new sport?” In his small  bedroom, Shon began to draw. I dictated some ideas for this new sport, and before long, Shon had made a beautiful sketch of a triangular field, divided into three sections. We thought of a game that included three teams of three players each, hoping that a new format might diffuse the head to head competition that is characteristic of most traditional sports. We continued to draft the field layout and the rules with the simple goal of enhancing teamwork, wholesome recreation, and versatility. Gradually the sport evolved from a rough sketch into a physical reality. Shon and I bought PVC pipe, netting, rope, spray paint, a ball, and various other components to convert the dream into a reality.

After painting a field in a park nearby, and assembling the pyramidal goals, we developed the rules of play and scoring. We gave names to every particular aspect of the game, and then prepared it for a trial run. One Saturday, my Uncle Mike mowed a triangular section into a park lawn, and we set up the field and the goals. We invited the youth from the sports camps and several friends to test out the new sport. We hardly noticed the sweat as we played under the sweltering rays of the Arizona sun. Thus, ZION BALL was born.

ZION BALL is played on a equilateral triangle-shaped field. There is a center circle, called the navel, and there is a crease, or home, around each corner of the triangle. The goals, or berths, are divided into three sections, like the field, with a center section similar to the center circle of the field. Around the triangular field, there is a larger circle, the buffer zone, to keep play closer to the goals and to increase the need for shooting accuracy.
At the beginning of the game, the referee blows the whistle shouts: “ZION BALL!” At least one of the three players from each of the three teams sprints from the crease, or home, toward the center circle, or navel, where the ball is placed. To begin, the players attempt to gain possession of the ball with their feet. Once the ball has been kicked, players may retrieve the ball with their hands inside of the center circle. If the ball exits the center circle on the ground, then play resumes with the feet.
The object of the game is to score on any portion of either of the two opposing goals, or berths. All play within any of the sections of the triangular field, or triads, is with the feet as soon as the ball touches the ground. Players may score with their feet, as long as the shot comes from anywhere inside the triangular playing field, and outside of the creases, or homes.
Players may also pass with their hands, as long as the pass is caught in the air, from within the center circle or over any line, whether it be the outline of the entire field or between triads. Once the ball touches the ground, play resumes with the feet. Players may not run with the ball in their hands, unless they are in the center circle, or navel. The center circle is the free zone.
When the ball crosses any sideline of the playing field, the first person to retrieve the ball may pick it up and throw it in to one of his teammates, unless the ball exits the buffer zone. In this case, the team in whose triad the ball exits the buffer zone starts with the ball from inside the crease, or home. When any team scores, in any portion of the goal, the team that was scored upon begins play from the crease. A game may include three periods, at the end of which time, the team with the most points wins. Otherwise, the first team to score nine points wins.
After each third goal, the teams rotate clockwise so as to defend the goal of the team to the left.

There are no goalies in ZION BALL. Rough slide-tackling or tackling is not allowed. It is usually helpful to play with one player as a defender, to protect the goal from outside of the crease, and one player as a midfielder, and one player on attack. If play becomes too crowded near one goal, it is advisable to play the ball to the opposite field, to the center circle, or outside of the playing field (but still within the buffer zone). This opens up the field and creates more options.
Depending on skills, hands or feet may be most effective for shooting. A player may shoot from anywhere within any of the triads or within the center circle, but not from outside the triangular playing field. When a goal is scored, and play resumes from the crease of the team that was scored upon, all players must begin play from within their own triad. As soon as the team that was scored upon puts the ball into play within their triad, the other players may advance.
Defenders may bat the ball down with their hands if a player from one of the other teams shoots toward the goal. Defenders may catch the ball if it is thrown over a line, any line (including the center circle line). Although there are no goalies, all three players from a team may defend their own goal, or berth.

In case of a hand ball, after the ball touches the ground in the triad, the team in whose triad the ball was touched begins. If that team touches the ball after it has touched the ground in their own triad, the team of the closest player begins with the ball from their crease. The same penalty applies to running with the ball in areas other than the center circle.

The ZION BALL is small enough to throw and catch, but big enough to dribble with the feet. There should be enough grip to the ball to allow for catching, but the right texture for dribbling with the feet as well.  The panels on the ball match the shape of the goals and the field in a fractal pattern.

The Versefield is divided into three equal triads, and each team defends the goal, or berth, of their triad. The field size ranges from 99’ on each side, or larger. The center circle is in proportion to the size of the sides, usually the same as the crease areas, or homes, around the goals, or berths. The center circle of the field of dimensions 99’ is 6’ in radius.

The goals, or berths, are equilateral pyramids with sides of 6’ each. The face of the goal is divided, like the field, into a center hoop, and three sections. The center hoop is worth 3 points, the top is worth 2 points, and the bottom two sections are worth 1 point each. The goals should be staked to the ground (for outdoor play), and the netting strong enough to hold the ball once it has been shot into the goal.

ZION BALL players come from every age and skill level. Young children, young men and women, and adults all enjoy the sport of ZION BALL. ZION BALL is an excellent way to improve health and fitness, develop skills and coordination, and to form and strengthen friendships through wholesome recreation.

ZION BALL equipment consists of the goals and netting, field outlines and paint, the ball, and explanatory notes and guidelines.

A ZION BALL tournament may consist of up to 9 fields, 27 teams, and 81 ZION BALL players. The fields are grouped in three areas, area 1, area 2, and area 3. In each area there are three fields, versefield 1, versefield 2, and versefield 3.

The games are played simultaneously, and the top 9 teams advance to area 1, versefields 1, 2, and 3. The second place teams move to area 2, versefields 1, 2, and 3, and the third place teams move to area 3, versefields 1, 2, and 3.

Play resumes in each area. This time, the top 3 teams from each area move upward. That is to say, the 1st place teams from the area 1 play in area 1, versefield 1. The 2nd place teams from area 1 play in area 1, versefield 2, and the 3rd place teams play in area 1, versefield 3. The same pattern follows in area 2 and area 3.

Then, it is time for the pre-championship games. The top three teams from area 1 play for the pre-championship game in area 1, versefield 1. The top three teams from area 2 play for the second place in area 1, versefield 2, and the 3rd place teams play for the 3rd place championship in area 1, versefield 3. The winners from area 1,versefield 1 are arranged in order of score. This is the same for each of the remaining areas, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in their respective areas.

Since each team will play at least three games, the second and third place teams will simply play consolation games in areas 2, and 3, according to their performance. This means that even second place teams from the 1st, 2nd and 3 rd areas will play in area 2, and the 3rd place teams from each area will play in area 3. The winners from each consolation area in the 3rd game win the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place consolation games.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams from the consolation games will play each other to determine a consolation pre-champion. The consolation pre-champion may then play the regular tournament pre-champion, along with a third pre-championship team, to be determined by merit, according to the judges of the game.

The final game will take place between these three teams, of which the team with the highest score after three periods, or the first obtain nine points, is declared the winner. The winning team receives prizes, such as the coveted ZION BALL t-shirt and ZION BALL equipment to play their own games.