Wally (game)
From Roach Busters
Wally (pronounced Wall - ey ) is a game played predominantly in secondary schools in the north of England. The game is generally played during breaks and requires a wall and tennis ball. Numbers involved in games range from four to 30-ish; however, numbers become unmanageable beyond 15.
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[edit] How to play
The game is played against a stretch of wall with a smooth flat surface underneath. The wall should preferably be above two meters (although skilled players never use more than meter). The ball is 'served' by throwing the ball hard at the ground and making it bounce on to the wall; this is normally done from two to three meters away from the wall. Players then have to hit the ball in the cupped palm of their hand towards the wall ensuring that it bounces on the ground before it hits the wall. A player is out if they fail to hit the ball, fail to make the ball bounce before hitting the wall, or miss the wall. The winner is the last person left in.
[edit] Detailed Rules
- The length of wall is changeable depending on the number of players but generally stays under eight meters.
- Players can call for a re-serve if they feel there was a bad serve; this can only be done before the ball is hit.
- The person who is nearest to the ball is the one that has to hit it. Failure to do so results in them being out. Players can step out of the way of the ball if there is someone behind them, thus making the person behind them responsible for hitting the ball. If two players begin to claim the other person was nearer to the ball then both players are out.
- The ball is sometimes aimed at other players because they are out if the ball hits them.
- If the ball hits the joining of the wall and floor (a '50/50') players can call for the round to start again.
[edit] Playing Style
The game is played differently to the way the rules would suggest. The playing style is fast and furious and when well-played the ball is hit very hard and low to the ground three or four meters away from the wall. Playing occasionally changes to the ball being hit very softy close to the wall requiring players to be very close to the wall; this is generally used tactically as players can then hit the ball hard so that it shoots off almost parallel to the wall catching out people who had not been playing close to the wall. This tactic generally only last a round or part of one as it is considered unsporting.
[edit] Variations
There are a few variations of the game although they are played with less frequency than the main game. 'Stings' is played exactly the same as the normal game except at the end of a game the first person has to stand against the wall while the winner gets one shoot against them with the ball. '3D' wally is generally played in corridors or classrooms, in this variant of the game 2 or 3 walls are used as well as the roof.
