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Rocball preseason games heats up
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Posted on Sep 18 2005
Six teams are currently competing in the preseason of the 2005 World Organized Rocball High School League.
The cast of hard-nosed Rocball teams includes Black Magic, Lagooners, Malat, Caropino, Ochubo, and Mwaliyas.
In preseason games played so far, Black Magic edged out the Lagooners, 28-27; the veterans of the Ochubo easily defeated the rookies of Caropino, 66-15; and last year’s champion team Mwaliyas pounded Malat, 35-8.
Rocball is an indigenous sport with multiple-point scoring system. It is the first team net sport of its kind to include goals as vertical areas of scoring. In the sport, every serve does not earn one or the other team a point, but the receiving team can score off the serve and during volley.
Rocball has competitive features that include the “Rule of Differentiation,” the service team is the offensive team, and it has the scoring advantage and set/game closure. The receiving team is under defensive circumstances of play and competitively scores for the advantages of the serve.
In Rocball, the defensive team has two hits to return a served ball back over the net. The service team has five hits during volley and the receiving team is under a standard rule of three hits during volley.
There is no two-point margin in set or game as in volleyball, because both teams have opportunities of multiple-point scoring, both teams are subjected to penalty points off the serve, and the service team has closure and scoring advantage.
Rocball games are presently being played at Marianas High School during the lunch hour. Rocball is also played as a pick-up game in the MHS Gym as part of the Drug and Violent Free Safe Haven Program Monday through Thursdays from 6pm to 9pm, and for the first time, Rocball teams will be able to compete in the MHS Gym on Saturdays during the Safe Haven Program hours of 5pm to 8 pm.
The Rocball regular season will begin in the first week of October. Anyone interested in joining Saipan’s own sport, contact Rocball founder Jim Feger at 664-3800/3810. (PR)
