Going off-sides will result in the offending player getting a penalty.
A popular house rule, sometimes called “beach tetherball,” allows for the use of any part of the body during play.
A common house rule allows players to hold the rope where it meets the ball only when serving.
All contact between you and the ball should result in it bouncing off your hands right away, otherwise it is considered a rule violation. Unless a house rule says otherwise, serves must also be hit and not thrown or “carried. "
Each time the ball passes the boundary line or bounces off the pole, the hit counter is reset to zero. Hitting more the once will result in a penalty.
Possession of the ball goes to the player who did not break the rules. This player should then serve the ball. Three rule violations results in an immediate loss for the rule breaking player. Some house rules allow an extra wrap in favor of the player who did not break the rules. [4] X Research source
The direction of the first serve is always the decided by the player returning the serve.
Pop slower balls over the head of your opponent by lightly punching the ball upwards with your knuckles. Hit the ball lightly when your opponent expects a harder return.
In some versions of the game, the ball must strike the pole with the final wrap above a height goal marked on the pole, generally a five-foot (1½ m) high mark. A height goal lower than five feet (1½ m) can be used for younger players. If you want to mark a height goal for your tetherball set, consider using some colored electrical tape. [8] X Research source Bancroft, Jessie H. (1922). Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium. Macmillan Company, New York. pp. 409–411.
