Part 9

For unfair blocking, a penalty--subtracting from one to five points from score of the offender--may be imposed by the referee.

In doubles, the sides alternate in service as well as receiving. No player shall serve or play the same defensive position all the time.

Irish Hand Ball Rules

I. A ball may be batted with either hand.

Foul--Never with both hands.

Penalty--For server, loss of hand; for receiver, ace for server.

II. The server may stand anywhere in space between ace line and front line.

Foul--She must not step over inner line twice in succession while serving.

Penalty--Server loses hand.

III. A served ball must hit the front wall _before_ it hits either side wall, roof or floor.

Foul--If served ball hits side wall, roof or floor before hitting front wall.

Penalty--Server loses hand.

IV. A served ball may be so played that after hitting front wall it rebounds from a side wall or the back wall, before touching the floor behind ace line.

V. Short ball.--If a served ball touches the floor inside the ace line (between that line and the front wall) it is called a short ball. Any number of short balls may be served with good balls in between.

Foul--To serve three short balls in succession.

Penalty--Server loses hand.

VI. If a short ball is served the receiver may or may not play according to her desire.

VII. A ball may never be batted or touched in any way twice by either server or receiver before it touches front wall.

Foul--To touch a ball twice in succession.

Penalty--Server loses hand; receiver, point to server.

VIII. If receiver fails to send back the ball to the front wall it counts ace for server. If server fails she is hand out.

IX. A server after retiring must be given time to get into position for receiving.

Foul--To use foot to strike ball.

Penalty--Server loses hand; receiver, point to server.

X. Hinder.--To stop a ball going to front wall, if unintentional, ball is dead and must be served again.

Foul--If intentional, hinder.

Penalty--Server loses hand; receiver, point to server.

XI. Ball to be fair must strike at least six inches above floor, that is, above the tell board.

Foul--Intentional.

Applying to doubles.

XII. Served ball strikes server’s partner; called a hinder.

Foul--Hit, hinder for serving side.

Penalty--Loss of hand.

XIII. Server’s partner interferes with the ball before it is played by either of the two opposing players.

Foul--Hit, hinder by server’s partner.

Penalty--Loss of hand.

XIV. If a receiver strikes ball so that it strikes partner it is a hinder.

Foul--Hit, point for receiver.

XV. If a receiver strikes either of opponents with ball, a hinder.

Foul--Hit, point for receiver, decided by referee.

Fencing

To some, the practice required to develop good form in fencing may at first seem tedious. This practice, however, not only rounds out the form of the fencer, but also is very beneficial in that it exercises the muscles of the entire body and in that it cultivates quick thinking and stimulates mental alertness. From the physical point of view fencing tends to develop symmetrically all the muscles of the body, to give a lightness and quickness of movement, gracefulness, and generally to strengthen the body. To fence well it is necessary to think quickly and act calmly. The fencer must judge what is best suited for her to do. She must divine her opponent’s attack. Thus she must be mentally alert all the time.

For the beginner and inexperienced fencer, it is necessary to have a good foil, one that is the proper weight for the strength of the fencer. Never use a foil that is too heavy; it is better to have a light than heavy one. A foil must also have the proper balance. To test the foil lay the blade across the finger about an inch below the hilt. If the weight is properly distributed it will balance. To avoid any accidents a fine-meshed mask and plastron or jacket should always be worn. If a glove is worn it should be loose enough to allow perfect freedom of action, but not so loose as to be cumbersome.

Rubber-soled shoes or a shoe that will not slip should be worn.

HOW TO HOLD THE FOIL.

The handle of the foil has two sides, the concave and the convex. The foil is held, generally in the right hand, so that the concave of the handle rests in the palm; the convex is then the upper side; the fingers are closed around the handle, the thumb rests on the upper or convex side, without touching the hilt; the fingers must not overlap the thumb. The foil is held correctly when, i. e., for the right-handed fencer, the thumb nail faces upward and the finger nails toward the left. This position of the foil is called supination.

Another position is pronation. For this the back of hand is turned up, the fingers are drawn closer together and the thumb is closer to the fingers.

Form and skill count for the most in fencing, hence strict attention is paid to the different positions until the form is perfect. Quickness and good judgment are acquired with practice and experience. It is of course desirable to procure the services of a competent instructor when a beginner.

The fencer should remember to use mainly the fingers and wrist; the part played by the arms is subordinate.

Think quickly. Thrust and parry coolly and make every movement count. If your movements become hurried and flustered, the result is slashing, which is not good fencing--good headwork counts. Try to fathom your opponent’s methods and take advantage of every opening she gives. Consistent practice and confidence will enable you to be ready for any situation which may come about.

ON GUARD.

This is the elementary position in fencing. Stand at attention, body turned facing opponent outwardly, feet at right angles, the left foot pointing forward, the right foot outward toward opponent.

1. Raise the arm holding foil lightly, extend toward opponent, hand at height of and opposite the eye.

2. Drop the arm and foil, point outward, until it is a few inches from the floor.

3. Sweep the foil across the body so that the foil is horizontal. Grasp the blade close to the guard with fingers of the left hand, palm up. The right hand is reversed.

4. Bend arms over head in a circle, carrying foil upward so it is kept horizontal.

5. Lower right hand to height of the right breast, with foil directed outward toward opponent at the height of her eyes. Drop the left elbow, curving the hand over the left shoulder.

6. Bend the legs, separating them at the knees.

7. Advance the right foot in a direct line from the left heel to opponent. The right knee should be bent over the right foot, both feet should be flat on the floor.

After these seven movements have been practised and the position on guard reached quickly and accurately, the fencer may take up more advanced work. The natural instinct is to defend oneself, so a scientific means of defense is taught. Any movement that turns away an opponent’s foil is called a parry. As the fencing jacket is divided into different lines of engagement, there is a set parry for each. In all parries, it is important to turn the point of the opponent’s foil away from your body. Parries are divided into two main classes, simple and counter. The following are the simple parries:

THE PARRY OF QUARTE.

Using the fingers and wrist, the foil is carried across body from right to left, turning the point of opponent’s foil away from the attack; the right forearm protects the left side, the elbow is close at side and in a line with the hip bone; the tip of foil points up; the foil is held in supination.

THE PARRY OF SIXTE.

The foil moves from left to right, protecting the right side. The hand is held in supination.

THE PARRY OF SEPTIME.

The hand is moved as in quarte; the hand is held in supination; the point is dropped to the waistline by a semi-circular movement outward.

THE PARRY OF OCTAVE.

With the hand similar to that of septime the foil is moved outward in a semi-circle and the point is dropped.

PARRY OF QUINTE.

For this, the hand from quarte is lowered toward the hip, point upward.

PARRY OF TIERCE.

The foil is held in pronation. The parry of Sixte covers the same line of engagement except in the difference in holding the foil.

PARRY OF PRIME.

From quarte, the hand is moved toward the left shoulder, the point dropped, the back of hand is turned upward and outward.

PARRY OF SECONDE.

The hand is in pronation; it covers the same ground as octave.

Besides these simple parries are counter parries, which are circles described with the tip of the foil around the opponent’s foil, holding the foil as close as possible to hers.

In all the parries it is practice, so that the movements are smooth and the recovery from the parry to the on-guard position is instantaneous. The fingers and wrist should be used mainly in the parries, the arm movement should be as slight as possible.

THE ATTACK.

A fundamental of the attack first to be learned is the thrust. The tip of the foil is aimed at the point to be hit, the arm is straightened. Added to the thrust in the attack is the lunge. The right foot is carried forward (about twice its length), the left leg is straightened, the weight of the body is on the right leg, which is bent at the knee. The left arm is carried straight down at the side, palm of the hand turned outward. The thrust and the advance with the foot are simultaneous. The lunge requires much practice to develop a quick attack and recovery. One important factor to be remembered in the lunge is never to get the balance too far over the right knee. Also never let any part of the left foot leave the floor. Immediately after the lunge and the thrust, the fencer should quickly resume the original position, i. e., the on guard position.

There are many different methods of attack, divided into two main classes, primary and secondary. Primary attack is one that is begun by yourself; secondary attack is one when you attack in an opening your opponent gives in her attack. Besides these are false attacks to decoy the opponent’s attack.

_The Direct Lunge._--This is one form of attack, though the straight attack is generally preceded by disengages. A riposte is a thrust unaccompanied by a lunge; this is important in secondary attack.

_The Disengage._--In order to attack in a center line, it may be necessary to raise the point of your foil over or drop it under the point of your adversary’s.

_The Counter Disengage._--This is a disengage (or more than one) followed by a circling of the tip of your foil around your opponent’s foil, followed by an attack on your part.

_The Coupe_ (cut over).--The point of the foil is raised by the fingers and carried down on the opposite side of your opponent’s foil, accompanied by the lunge.

In the attack the fencer should remember to keep the right arm straight, to aim at the line carefully, to always be in a position to guard closely.

In a match or competitive bout, the umpire decides the hits, but it is courtesy to acknowledge a hit yourself.

Swimming

A graceful swimmer is as fascinating to watch as a graceful dancer. Anyone with a thorough knowledge of the strokes and with sufficient confidence in her own ability may develop into a graceful and competent swimmer. Everyone should learn to swim well, because it is not only one of the best physical exercises, but also is a useful accomplishment in case of emergency. Swimming is an all-around exercise, since it brings into play all the muscles of the body. Not only is swimming good from the above points of view, but also as a rule it stimulates and refreshes, and combined withal there is generally an element of fun which lends zest to the sport.

Those girls who fail to enjoy their swimming do so because they have no confidence in their ability. It is foolhardy to venture into deep water when one cannot swim well, but if there are good swimmers in the proximity and a float or some other object close by which can be reached by merely stretching out the arm, then is the time to gain confidence and corresponding ability and endurance.

Never swim in dangerous water alone. Never swim when tired. Over-exertion in swimming, much more so than in other sports, should be watched for, especially in racing and long distance swims, and if any of the contestants tire, they should leave the water.

There are two faults the mediocre swimmer--even the average swimmer--is apt to have, namely, poor breathing and hurried strokes. It is important to learn to breathe well. The breathing should be regular and is varied according to the different strokes. The common tendency is to hold the breath until it is a physical impossibility to hold it any longer, then let it out through the mouth with a gasp, hold the breath again, etc.

In haste to reach the objective point, the swimmer is sometimes apt to hurry her stroke. Thereby she fails to execute her strokes in good form, usually floundering and splashing without deriving any force or impetus from her efforts. This is not only ineffectual, but it is exceedingly exhausting and tiring. The strokes should always be completed in perfect form and rhythm.

There are varied types of strokes; often one stroke is more suited to an individual than another. Swimming is just as individual as walking, for it is rarely that two people swim in identically the same manner. Often bad habits become fixed, unconsciously, even in the strokes of the best swimmers, so it is well to watch one’s form carefully.

_The Breast Stroke._--In the breast stroke, the swimmer is lying in the water flat upon the breast. The feet should be but a few inches below the water; the head is carried so that the mouth is just under the water; the legs are together and straight, toes pointing back; the arms are stretched straight in front, hands just touching each other, palms down, fingers together; with elbow stiff, the arms are circled back close under and parallel to the surface until they are at right angles to the body; the hands are turned in the beginning of the stroke so that the palms are outward; then the elbows are bent so that they are drawn back and close to the body, and the hands, palms down, are brought together at the chest, ready to shoot forward to the starting position; when the arms are drawn back the mouth is carried above the water, then the swimmer should inhale through the mouth; when the arms shoot forward then exhale, preferably through the nostrils; the beginning of the kick is made as the arms are drawn up to the chest; the legs are drawn up, heels together, knees bent out; simultaneously as the hands are shot forward, legs are kicked outward, then the heels are brought quickly together.

In this stroke the body gets its impetus from the reach of the arms and the kick. Thus the body should glide through the water until the momentum is used up, then the arms are circled back, etc. Always try to utilize the momentum. All the parts of the stroke quickly follow one another, so that the entire stroke is smooth.

_The Side Stroke._--In this stroke the kick is very important. The scissors kick is used. The body lies with shoulder and side flat in the water, usually the right side; the upper leg is kept straight, almost stiff, and is kicked forward; the under leg is bent backward from the knee; then the legs are brought together and closed with a snap; the arms are stretched overhead, palms out; the upper arm, kept rigid, with the hand slightly cupped, circles just under the surface to the thigh, then the elbow is bent and the arm carried above the water to the first position; the under arm starts as the upper finishes and is carried to lower thigh; then, the elbow bent, it is shot forward _under_ the surface of the water, palm of hand down.

The whole stroke is: Upper arm starts the pull, the legs are opened, and breath is inhaled; then as the upper arm finishes the under arm starts, the legs are snapped together; breath is exhaled as the under arm goes forward.

_The Trudgeon._--The scissors kick as described in the side stroke is used also in the trudgeon. This kick is very important and should be practised carefully until the swimmer is perfect.

It is always better to swim on the right side if it is possible, as it relieves the pressure the heart is apt to be subjected to if the swimmer prefers the left side. The body rests in the water, arm stretched at full length, the palms are turned down; the upper arm catches the water and is brought down, the elbow is fairly stiff, palms turned slightly outward, fingers together; when arm is straight alongside the body, then the elbow is bent and the arm carried forward above the water to the first position; as the upper arm finishes, the under arm executes the same stroke as the upper arm; the body is rolled.

The whole stroke should be practised together, so that it is smoothly and accurately done. First, the upper arm catches the water, the body is slightly rolled, head twisted so that breath may be inhaled during the pull, the legs are opened at start of pull and closed at the end of pull. Then under arm catches the water, the body is rolled so that the face is in the water, and during the pull the breath is exhaled slowly under the water. Then, as under arm finishes the pull, the upper arm enters the water, etc.

_The Crawl._--The crawl is the racing stroke. The best-way to begin is first to perfect the movement of the arms. The body is flat in the water, face down, arms slightly bent at the elbow, stretched over head so that wrists are a little beyond the head; the hands cut and are driven through the water, elbows still bent, until the hands reach the hip, then they are carried out the water and forward, elbows in air. The arms alternate, so that while one arm is traveling back under the water, the other is traveling forward in the air to resume the stroke.

The breathing in this stroke is hard to master. As the face is in the water, the breath is taken only every two or three strokes by turning the head quickly as the upper arm is being brought down; the exhaling is done under water, while the under arm goes forward. This is for racing; a breath may be taken at each stroke when the stroke is slower.

In the kick, the legs are stiff from the hip, knees close together, then they are moved up and down alternately with the feet close together. It is difficult at first to maintain the leg drive, to make the whole stroke smooth, and to breathe easily, but these difficulties may be conquered by practice.

_Plain Back Stroke._--The body is flat on the back in the water, the arms are straight over the head, the palms of hands upward; the palms are turned outward, then the arms, stiff at the elbow, are circled down close to the surface and parallel to it; after the arms are straight by the body, they are carried to the first position, perfectly straight, and clear of the water; the legs are straight, then as the arms clear the water for the recovery, they are bent as in the breast stroke kick, kicked out straight, then the heels are brought together.

This stroke is almost the same as the breast stroke.

Another stroke is the same positions for the arms as the plain back stroke combined with the leg drive of the crawl.

Still another is the same, except that the arms move alternately as in trudgeon stroke.

_Floating._--In order to float on the back, the balance of the body must be determined; hence it is often necessary if the feet sink to throw the head back and raise the arms over the head. In some cases, if the legs are bent, it helps the balance. After practice, the swimmer soon learns to float. Short breaths, keeping the lungs as full of air as possible, are better than long ones.

_Plunge for Distance._--In reality this is floating with the face flat down in the water. The first part of the plunge is the dive, which gives the impetus. The dive taken is the shallow dive. As the breath is held from the minute the head enters the water until the plunge is finished, it is necessary that the lungs be well filled. After the body is in the water, the muscles should be relaxed, and the swimmer should keep the air in the lower part of the lungs. The plunge should be as straight as possible; the direction may be changed by moving the arms (which are stretched straight out in front) or the head in the direction desired. This motion should be slight, as the least friction impedes progress, and distance is the desired result.

Diving

As diving is a very large subject, it is impossible to give in detail all the varied dives. There are three important dives everyone should know--the front, back, and shallow or racing dive. The beauty of diving is in the form.

_The Front Dive._--The diver stands erect at the end of the spring board, falls forward, then as the body passes the balance point, the arms are raised straight over the head, knees bent; then spring out so that the body is parallel to water, arms above head; the body is curved downward and enters the water, arms, head, body, and legs forming a straight line.

In springing, jump out parallel to the water. The running dive is very similar.

_Back Dive._--The diver turns with back to the water, heels over the edge of board into space; the arms are over head, body is curved backward; as the balance point is reached, spring out, turning body as it enters the water.

The position of the head is important. Ducking the head or throwing it too far back, added to stiffness of the body, makes the dive awkward. The legs should never be apart, but together; toes pointed, so that feet are not flat; the fingers should be together.

The shallow dive, known as the racing dive, is important for those interested in speed swimming, as is the racing turn.

_The Racing Dive._--The swimmer stands with the body bent forward, arms back; then, as body falls forward, the knees are bent and the spring out is taken; the body strikes the water arms over head, the whole body in a straight line with the arms and legs. Do not dive so that you sink into the water, but try to strike it at the right angle, so that you will sink only a few inches. The arms start the stroke as soon as they reach the surface, then the legs commence as the arms are recovering.

_The Racing Turn._--The wall is touched by the arm that the turn is to be made on. The previous strokes must be timed so that the arm may touch the wall stretched straight out in front. The hand touches the wall (above the water line) palm against the wall, fingers pointing the way the body is to turn.

The body is swung along the wall so that bottoms of the feet touch the wall (a little below the water); then with a backward stroke of the arms, which have been brought to the hip, palms pointing in front, fingers down, the body is brought right against the wall, nearly touching; then the arms are forward, the legs straightened, thus gaining impetus; the arms start the stroke, then the legs commence as the arms start the recovery.

For racing, constant practice of the start, stroke and turn is necessary. First the swimmer should perfect her form of stroke, then the speed may be increased by practice swims of a short distance at first, which may be increased slowly. A swimmer should always be in good condition. Never swim so much as to get stale; never over-exert. It doesn’t pay in the end.

Choose the event you are the most proficient in and stick to that one until you are perfect in it.

TREADING WATER.

It is necessary for the water polo player to know how to tread water, that is, to remain stationary in the water with the least effort. The body is upright in the water, as in a standing position. The legs are moved up and down, the arms are spread out, bent at the elbow, and moved up and down gently. The whole movement should be as slight as possible, so that the greatest possible amount of rest may be obtained.

SWIMMING MEETS.