worlds first footballpool league kicks off in prague
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

as she fails to sink it in the corner pocket for a win

World's first 'footballpool' league kicks off in Prague

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today World's first 'footballpool' league kicks off in Prague

Footballpool is a combination of football and pool
Prague - Arab Today

A dark-haired girl kicks a white football gently towards a black eight ball, then wrings her hands in despair as she fails to sink it in the corner pocket for a win.

Katerina Ziegelova, a 26-year-old clerk, is one of the pioneers of footballpool, the latest addition to the hybrid sports family.

The Czech footballpool league has just kicked off in Prague, after the sport made its debut world championships in the Czech capital in February.

A combination of football and pool, the sport uses inflatable footballs -- white, solids and stripes like in pool -- and a playground with six corner and side pockets, proportionately larger than the regular pool table.

No cues are needed as the players kick the white ball, walking on the pitch.

"I'm not much of a football fan but I like pool, and this combination is very interesting," says Ziegelova, who has teamed up with her boyfriend Lukas.

Novotny is no stranger to ball games, having scored 20 goals in 89 matches for the Czech Republic national futsal team, according to the Czech Football Association website.Clad in black-and-yellow shirts complete with numbers and names, they lost their opening league tie against a team led by Jiri Novotny, who has organised the competition together with a friend.

"I saw a video on Youtube where two Americans played the game in a garden, drinking beer and doing a barbecue," the wiry 28-year-old futsal defender told AFP.

"So we designed the table, set up a footballpool association and started calling it a sport," he said, adding this was the first such competition in the world.

Footballpool pits two teams with two players against each other, with each player taking on each opponent in two matches.

- Malls, bowling alleys -

"We had 70 teams from countries including Algeria, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, Afghanistan, Germany, Slovakia," says Novotny, adding that a Czech-Slovak team won.This was the formula used at the first world championships at a shopping mall in Prague.

Prague is also scheduled to host the next worlds in February 2018.

Shopping malls are a typical venue for the sport as Novotny said he leased the legless footballpool "tables" to companies like bowling alleys which then charge clients a fee to play.

"This is really a game for anyone -- at the tournaments we have organised, we had children, pensioners, women, men," said Novotny.

The footballpool association currently has 15 playgrounds across the Czech Republic. In May, it expects to install another twenty.

- Big names -

Novotny has managed to lure some big football names, including former Hearts and West Brom striker Roman Bednar and ex-Dortmund and Liverpool midfielder Patrik Berger to the sport.

"It's not just kicking the ball, I like sports that require some thinking and precision, like this one," Bednar told AFP.

"I must say I fell in love. It's not a bad sport at all, and it's for everyone who likes new things."

Among active players, Czech striker Jan Chramosta, a former under-21 international currently plying trade with the top-flight side Mlada Boleslav, is equally excited.

"It's fun. You can make various bets and spice up the experience a bit," he said, adding he had already taken on a few of his teammates.

"It's a lot about technique, about the way you kick the ball, about tricks and rotation. Not that I'm an expert there," he chuckled.

Living testimony for the benefits of footballpool, Novotny went on to play at the futsal league play-offs right after the tie, grabbing three assists as his Slavia Prague beat Pilsen 6-4 to advance to the top-flight semi-finals.

source: AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

worlds first footballpool league kicks off in prague worlds first footballpool league kicks off in prague



GMT 09:39 2019 Monday ,19 August

Live an important atmosphere in your career

GMT 09:58 2019 Monday ,19 August

You find yourself facing new professional

GMT 06:34 2017 Sunday ,27 August

3rd generator operated at Gaza power plant

GMT 12:26 2017 Monday ,06 November

Shaji's brainchild T10 could open

GMT 11:09 2012 Sunday ,21 October

The Three faces of Wissam al-Hassan

GMT 04:54 2012 Friday ,09 March

DermoPURIFYER from Eucerin

GMT 14:29 2016 Thursday ,01 December

The SR100 styling challenge: Are you game for it

GMT 15:39 2017 Thursday ,09 November

Redefine On-Water Lifestyle Experience

GMT 17:01 2017 Monday ,06 November

Flanagan, Kamworor win New York Marathon

GMT 00:34 2017 Tuesday ,21 February

Massive typhoon triggers warnings of landslide

GMT 16:04 2017 Friday ,11 August

Duraz Open Day announced

GMT 14:03 2017 Thursday ,16 March

Morning tips to prepare for the day

GMT 09:56 2017 Saturday ,09 December

George Wasoof will launch new song soon

GMT 11:28 2017 Friday ,24 November

Human form of 'mad cow' disease

GMT 11:13 2017 Wednesday ,25 October

Katy Perry makes surprise appearance

GMT 18:14 2017 Wednesday ,08 November

Russia locks up six for Moon flight simulation

GMT 20:18 2011 Saturday ,23 April

The apps race has just begun

GMT 10:47 2017 Tuesday ,05 December

Gulf Air launches Bahrain Tourist
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday