Malayali players shine in Rocketball; await recognition amid international success

Thiruvalla: Few people may have heard of Rocket Ball, an indigenous sport born in Tamil Nadu. Yet, on October 31, this homegrown game scripted a historic chapter in Thailand as India’s men’s and women’s teams struck double gold at the inaugural International Rocket Ball Championship.

Malayali players were instrumental in the historic campaign: the 10-member men’s squad had a Malayali captain KA Akhil Kumar and vice-captain Sonu Susheelan, while the women’s had a Malayali as vice-captain. In the finals, the Indian men outclassed the United States, while the women edged out host nation Thailand to seal the titles.

A brother’s gift
The sport owes its creation to Gopalakrishnan, a native of Nagercoil, who invented it for his younger brother, Sathish. Living with physical disabilities, Sathish was unable to take part in conventional outdoor sports. Determined to ensure his brother was not left on the sidelines, Gopalakrishnan designed a simple, inclusive game. Developed locally in 2003 under the name 'Power Ball', it eventually evolved into what is now known as Rocket Ball.

What is Rocket Ball?
The game features 10-member squads, with five players per side on the court at a time. Played on a 40x20 metre court divided into two halves, the focal point at each end is a 7-foot-tall post placed in the centre of the baseline, encircled by a 3-foot radius zone.

Throws must be taken from outside this circle without lifting or moving one's feet. The post is painted in two sections: yellow at the base and white across the top 1.5 feet. To score, players must strike the white portion of the post from beyond the ring.

Scoring and penalties
If the ball ricochets off the post and is cleanly gathered by a teammate, the team is awarded 4 points. If the rebound flies out of bounds, the team earns 5 points. However, if an opponent intercepts the rebound, the thrower is disqualified from making any further throws for the rest of the game.

Defenders must maintain a three-foot distance from the ball-carrier; encroaching results in a foul. Disciplinary action is progressive: referees issue a blue card first, followed by a yellow, and finally an orange card, which results in the player’s ejection from the match.

A match consists of two 15-minute halves. If the scores remain level at regulation time, the tie is broken through extra time or a penalty-style shootout. In terms of mechanics and tempo, the sport shares several traits with basketball and handball.

Hoping for recognition
Despite bringing laurels to the country, the Malayali players are still awaiting official recognition from the sports authorities and the state government. Each athlete had to shell out nearly ₹1.5 lakh from their own pockets to travel and compete in the tournament. The next edition of the International Rocket Ball Championship is scheduled to take place in Singapore in 2027.