Hopscotch Tournament

The Back-to-School Hopscotch Tournament is back!

After a year hiatus, the annual hopscotch tournament will begin in the middle of September and continue as a single-elimination tournament in the weeks following, until there is a champion. The competition is open to Saklan students in 1^st– 8^th grades and faculty. Those interested in joining the tournament should tell Mr. Crabtree they want to participate.

The game of hopscotch dates back to at least the 17th century, and different variations are played worldwide. For our tournament, we will use a nine-square layout and players are encouraged to make their own markers. Two players will “duel.” Both markers are placed on the first square, and the players rock, paper, scissors to determine who goes first. A player must hop over the marked square and complete the pattern without touching a line. When they return they must retrieve their marker without losing balance and clear the opponents marker. Once back to the beginning, the player tosses the marker to the next square and repeats the sequence. If a player makes a mistake or misses the toss, they lose the turn and it is the opponent’s turn to complete the layout. The first player to complete nine tosses and retrievals wins.

Hopscotch is a fun game that all ages can play against each other. The skills come down to an accurate toss of the marker, agility hopping on the squares, and balance and flexibility in retrieving a marker. The activity seems simple, but is deceptively hard.

Get your markers ready and start hopping!