Getting to know the Longball Game

PGCE and School Direct Physical Education trainee teachers learnt how to teach Danish Longball as part of their continued professional development and subject knowledge enhancement.

Danish Longball is a hybrid of baseball, dodgeball and cricket. It is a striking and fielding game that requires two teams of equal numbers to compete in a shared area in attacking and defending played over a set period of time.

The game involves the fundamental skills of striking, bowling, fielding (catching, throwing and stopping) and running – the purpose of the game is to have the highest possible score over a prescribed number of innings. Batters must strike the ball and move through a corridor to a safe zone and return without being struck below the waist by a fielder using a low compression ball.

PGCE and School Direct PE route Leader Dr Gary Stidder said: “Danish Longball is a great alternative to the standardised versions of striking and fielding games offered in most schools.

“It involves all the essential technical skills found in games such as cricket and rounders and there are specific tactical decisions that dictate the flow of the game.”