April 2021 THE IDEA first came to me after a dream in which I was with one of my daughters looking up at a tennis net and wondering if we could come up with a new game. Upon waking, I asked myself if I could. So began the genesis of Stango® − a game initially envisioned with a single vertical goalpost having two vertical hoops, sitting in the center of a circular play area, and players able to use any part of their body to move the ball and score with. A combo of soccer and basketball – two of the world’s most favorite sports.
8.18.21 THE FIRST TRIAL RUN was played on an empty field next to Pittsburgh’s Schenley Oval. It rained a lot beforehand, so the field was uneven and soggy. Nonetheless, four players (Derek and Alex Davis, Matt Juergens, and Alex Brillman) gave it their all despite the fact that four players were clearly too few given the rules as they were written. At the end, they gave four thumbs-up and a bunch of great feedback including that the ball I had them play with was too small. Overall, it was great, and I knew then that Stango could actually turn into a real sport − one that was both fun and challenging! New rules soon followed.
10.6.21 FIRST TEST BY A TEAM Thanks go to coach Ernest Mitchell who allowed his Montclair (NJ) United Soccer Club boys team (2006-7 birth year) to play, 8 on a side. Much to my surprise, they hardly soccer-dribbled! And only one tried a drop-kick. But they absolutely loved the game and wanted to play again. They too suggested some good rule changes, and once again the rules changed.
10.13.21 FIRST FULL VERSION PLAYED Big day today. Thanks to coach Douglas Nevins, the West Orange, NJ boys’ varsity soccer team ) played. (They finished first among public school in Essex County’s tournament, and 2nd overall; the girl’s team won the county title!) I had them try out different sets of rules and two different balls. Their playing really helped solidify which way to go forward, and they even suggested a change to the stango – adding a middle hoop! Best of all, they were the first group to play the full version with two stangos, which as can be seen by the video(s), they really enjoyed. I was enthralled watching them; it was fabulous. The only negative was that my plastic prototype hoops kept breaking apart. Ugh!
4.2.22 A REAL STANGO! It’s now been almost a year since the “dream”, and today I was able to test the first officially manufactured stango. I went up to four friends (graduates of NJIT and Stevens Institute of Tech) kicking a soccer ball to ask if they’d be willing to test the equipment and rules. (I love the fact that EVERYONE has been so open and helpful!) The stango held up solidly, the guys really enjoyed playing (a bit surprising given there were only the four of them), and their playing drew ice cream-eating spectators asking what was going on and excitedly taking videos!
11.3.22 STANGO PLAYED BY MIDDLE SCHOOLERS! Today, two P.E. classes each of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders played Single Stango at the Grover Cleveland Middle School (Caldwell, NJ). With 50+ kids per class, the teachers divided the students into six teams, rotating them between two simultaneous games. It didn’t take long at all for the kids to learn the rules and have lots of healthy fun. And it didn’t hurt that the day warmed up to 70° F! The most unexpected fun thing for me was their calling the “No-Zone” the “No-Go Zone”. Should I switch to this new name? 🙂
Terminology || General Rules || Goal Point Values
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