HOOVERBALL
BRIEF HISTORY
Hoover-ball was invented, developed and perfected by White House physician Admiral Joel T.
Boone to keep Hoover physically fit in 1928. It is a combination of tennis, volleyball and medicine
ball. Teams of up to five people play on a court 66 feet by 30 feet with an 8 foot volleyball net. A 4 or
6 pound medicine ball is used and scoring is exactly like tennis.
"It required less skill than tennis, was faster and more vigorous, and therefore gave more exercise in
a short time," Hoover wrote in his Memoirs.
Rules are usually determined "in house". However, the traditional rules are as follows:
1. Points are scored when a team: fails to catch the return, fails to return the ball across the net,
returns the ball out of bounds.
2. Scoring is exactly like tennis: love-15-30-40-(deuce, ad-in, ad-out)-game. Teams play bestof-five or best-of-seven games
3. The ball is served from the back line.
4. The serve is rotated among one team until the game is won. Teams alternate serving after
each game.
5. The ball must be caught on the fly and immediately returned from the point it was caught.
There is no running with the ball or passing to teammates.
6. Each team's court is divided in half. A ball returned from the front half of a team's court must
be returned to the back half of its opponent's court. If the ball doesn't reach the back court,
the opponent is awarded the point.
7. A ball that hits the out-of-bounds line is a good return.
8. A player who catches the ball out-of-bounds, or is carried out-of-bounds by the force of the
ball, may return in-bounds before the return.
9. A ball that hits the net on its way over is a live ball. (If it was thrown from the front court, it
must reach the opponent's back court to be good.)
10. Teams may substitute at dead ball situations.
11. Women serve from the mid-court line.
12. Women may pass once before a return.
13. Women may return the ball to any area of the opponent's court.
14. Good sportsmanship is required. Points in dispute are played over.
Types of throws
There are many different ways to get the ball over the net. Both power and control are important for
a good throw, and can be achieved simultaneously with proper technique. Proper technique requires
use of the whole body when throwing the medicine ball, not just the arms.
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Body twist: The player holds the ball with both hands a little below the waist. Next, the player bends
their knees slightly. To make the throw, the player twists a little more and at the same time pushes
with their legs and throws with their arms. This can be a quick, off the hip throw.
Over the head: The player faces away from the net and holds the ball in front of them about waist
high with both hands. The player then bends their knees slightly. To make the throw the player uses
their back as well as their arms and throws the ball over their head. This is the best way for a weaker
player or a female to serve the ball as it engages the whole body in the throw.
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Trebuchet: This is a more advanced throw that is very effective. The player holds the ball in one
hand, and fully extends their elbow off to the side of their body. To make the throw the player "cocks"
their arm back while keeping the elbow straight, then takes a step forward, twists and releases the
ball.
Spike: This throw can be used when the ball is caught in the front half of the court. Here the idea is
for the player to jump as high as they can and throw the ball toward the opponents' back half. To
make this throw the player holds the ball over their head, jumps up, and throw the ball over the net.
The key to a successful spike is throwing the ball toward the ground as fast and hard as possible.
The player does not want to lob the ball over the net in an arch; rather they want to throw it in a
direct line to the opponents' back half.