Headlines: Four Square Rules at BMS

by: Ben K.

If you think that four square is just a little game that kids like, you’re wrong. It’s huge! Their headquarters is in a YMCA in Boston, MA; but they hold sessions all over. They also have pro tournaments all around. In early November, around November 15th they had a youth tournament in Portland, ME. If you want to see some of the good efforts and action, go to http://breakwaterschool.org/news-a-events/four-square-tournament.html.

Now some of you may know the rules that we play by here at BMS, but in case you don’t, I’m going to give you some of the official rules of foursquare. Even if you do know the rules, you might learn something new. Foursquare is played in a 16’ square which is divided up into four smaller squares which the players stand in. (One person each square), that meet in the center; Hence the name foursquare. The players can walk, run, or stand anywhere in the court, as long as they start in their own when the ball isn’t near them.

The object of the game is when the ball (traditional playground ball) gets hit to you, try to hit it into someone else’s square without hitting the ball twice or hitting it into your own square. Although many people use any kind of playground ball that they can find, “the official league ball is a textured 8.5" rubber playground ball inflated to 2 lbs. This league prefers solid colors without markings or logos when possible.” The ball is always served from the fourth square, which is the square directly horizontally parallel from the square you enter in, or the one square. The one square is also the square that the server serves the ball to. The server or person who is in the foursquare also always has to serve the ball from the back corner of the square, sometimes called the mailbox.

Before actually serving the ball, the person in the foursquare has to call any custom rules that they might want. These include no spikes, spins, or set ups. A spike, for those of you who may not know, is when a player hits the ball with the palm of their hand down hard. This usually results in the ball flying over someone’s head and them not being able to hit the ball, and being out. A spin is self explanatory, and a set up is when a player hits the ball gently to the corner of another person’s square so the second person can spike or spin the person’s square that is parallel to theirs.

Other Custom rules, and their official names include
 “Double Taps: This means any player may hit the ball two times in the air after it has bounced once in her square. Similar to a one person volleyball team, this is an effective technique for setting yourself up for a spike.
 Body Language: This rule allows players to use any part of their body to hit the ball. Some players like this because of the added use of feet for emergency recoveries.
 Black Jack: If a player catches the ball cleanly before it lands in her square, the player who hit the ball is out. It usually forces the game to be played low and fast and creates a different dynamic. If this is played with Double Taps, you must still catch the ball on the first hit.
 Underhand: The means that all hits are with an open hand, palm(s) up. This brings the game down low to the ground and makes your quads ache the next day. "Underhand" is stereotypically associated with beginners, but in four square even the best players sometimes can't survive a round of underhand.

*Special, silly, and ridiculous rules are encouraged during all non-league play, especially during the 1/2 hour warm up period at the start of each game.”

Now onto faults: a fault can be called when the server serves the ball to high, to low, to fast, or otherwise un-returnable by the receiver. Both the server and the receiver are allowed only one fault known as one bad. You can remember this by two bad= too bad for you.

Instead of trying to explain to you how inside line is out, and outside line is in, you can simply visit http://squarefour.org/rules to see for yourself.

Good luck on the 4-square courts!