Skyball

During the evening of Saturday, April 28th 2007, at a restaurant in Epping, New Hampshire, humankind came to know the pastime of the air, for it was on this occasion that lifelong duck enthusiast Hazel Carolynn Dellario, age five years, described for the first time the rules of Skyball, or "The Sport of Birds." How she came to know these details of the competition of the winged remains open to conjecture, though scholars of birdfolk point to her connection with ducks as the most likely avenue.

Though the rules below remain incomplete, this author plans further conversations with Ms. Dellario to solidify our understanding of this amazing avian diversion.

Skyball
The Sport of Birds

Rules and Regulations of Play

Objective:
Skyball consists of two teams of five birds each, with the winning team being the first to achieve ten points.

Field of Play:
The game is naturally played in the air, typically among the cover of tall trees. The arboreal setting not only provides interesting obstacles for play, but also seating for spectators, a break against the wind which might otherwise interfere with the ball, not to mention a protection from the prying eyes of other species.

The Ball:
A skyball is a collection of underfeathers adhered to each other with bird saliva, roughly two inches in diameter. Ms. Dellario did confirm after some probing that the feathers are collected from recently deceased birds, an apparently uncomfortable detail rarely discussed amongst the community, though Skyball scholars have speculated that the feather collection may prove a posthumous honor for the deceased, presumably chosen because of her love for or prowess at the sport.

Scoring:
Points are scored for each team by kicking the ball through each of the ten labeled goals. While each of the ten goals scores one point for the possessing team, the goals must be scored in ascending order. Any scoring out of order will result in a reminder from the officiating authority followed by a return of the ball to play.

It's important to highlight the fact that, unlike most popular human sports, Skyball goals are not possessed by one team for the duration, or even a portion, of the game. The goals are shared by both teams, and as such the allocation of a valid point is determined by which team held possession of the ball when the point was scored.