free printable
Tetherball Rules Card
A one-page tetherball rules card: how to play, how to score, and how to set it up. Hit print, fold it, and keep it with your set. Want the full walkthrough? See the Tetherball rules.
LAWNLEAGUES.COM
rules card Tetherball
Players2 players, head to head
Ages6+
SetupMinutes (with a set pole)
SpaceA circle about 12 to 15 ft across around the pole
What you need
- A tetherball pole, standing about 10 feet tall above the ground
- A rope or cord attached near the top of the pole
- A tetherball clipped to the end of the rope, hanging about 2 feet off the ground
- An open circle of clear space around the pole with no obstacles
Scoring
- There is no score-to-a-number in tetherball. You win a game by fully winding the rope around the pole in your direction so the ball stops against it.
- If your opponent commits a foul, common house rules give you a free hit, or in some versions you win the point or game outright depending on what you agreed to.
- For a longer match, play best of three or first to five games and switch sides between games to keep it fair.
How to play
- Set up the pole and ball. Stand the pole so it rises about 10 feet above the ground with the rope fastened near the top. The ball should hang roughly 2 feet off the ground when it dangles straight down.
- Pick sides and directions. Each player stands on their own side, typically on opposite halves of an imaginary line through the pole. One player tries to wind the rope clockwise, the other counterclockwise.
- Serve to start. One player serves by tossing the ball up and hitting it in their winding direction. The other player tries to stop it and send it back the other way.
- Rally back and forth. Players keep striking the ball with hands or fists, each trying to wrap the rope their direction around the pole. Stay on your own side and do not cross the dividing line.
- Win by fully wrapping the rope. The first player to wind the rope completely around the pole in their direction, so the ball is snug against the pole, wins the game. No points to count, just the wrap.
Set it up
The pole stands about 10 feet tall above the ground, with the ball hanging roughly 2 feet off the grass on a rope. Players need a clear circle about 12 to 15 feet across around the pole.