curby
lately we have been playing a lot of curby in the street. it has been pretty amazing as some of the kids who we play with can normally be bother for the local residents but when they play footy or curby with us they always behave and seem to settle down. it's one of the reasons we chose to live in victoria park - i.e. it is not simply a student ghetto.
let me explain a little about curby also for those who are noti innitiated.this is from a website exclusively on the subject of street games (streetgames.co.uk if you're fussed)
"This game requires a ball. Various sized balls can be used but a football or basketball produces the best results.
A player stands at each edge of a kerb facing each other. Each player takes turns with to hit the kerb.
The first player takes aim at the kerb and throws the ball.
If they miss the kerb then the second player takes possession of the ball and procedes to take their go.
If the ball hits the kerb cleanly and bounes back to the player then they score a point.
Having scored they keep the ball and move to the middle of the road and attempt the same again.
Each bounce from the middle counts as one point as well and this continues until that player misses"
doesn't sound particularly riveting but it can be distracting for a while.anyhow the point is that it is a game DESIGNED for urban centres like manchester. with the scarcity of parks and the dangers of actually hanging out in parks for kids it seems that the hive mind of kids across britain invented this game as something to do in what can be otherwise dead end days and night. it's certainly better than hanging around with your hood up intimidating people as they walk past which is something the lads who we sometimes play with occasionally resort to doing.
the other thing to remember is that we are students. most students run a mile when confronted with a group of young kids who are from a part of manchester that is a bit rough in places. but we have never once refused to share our games with ricky and the lads.
in other words i do feel like we have contributed far more to the community than most students ever do.
however today we were acosted by a woman who lives over the road. ricky, icky and the lads weren't out today so it was just me and steve. we ended up getting a load of abuse and threatened with the police for what she said was basically making noise in the street. bear in mind this was 5pm on a sunday. we have never played out at what could be considered an anti social time. also we have never had a party, played music loudly, disrupted the street with cars or arguments. we have been the perfect tenants inso far as anyone in this street would know. but because we are two big-ish lads who are out playing with a ball in the street we are told to go to the park or deal with the police.
i really struggle to understand where this animosity comes from. to me playing curby in the street can hardly be described as subversive activity. we weren't exactly shouting and screaming. not once have we hit a car or window with our ball. but yet we were actually turfed out of our own street today because of a ball game.
i am tempted to write a letter to the woman telling her all of this but i have a feeling it would only aggregate things.
it's not a major issue but it has pissed me off.
in conclusion
theyre a bunch of shite hawks
let me explain a little about curby also for those who are noti innitiated.this is from a website exclusively on the subject of street games (streetgames.co.uk if you're fussed)
"This game requires a ball. Various sized balls can be used but a football or basketball produces the best results.
A player stands at each edge of a kerb facing each other. Each player takes turns with to hit the kerb.
The first player takes aim at the kerb and throws the ball.
If they miss the kerb then the second player takes possession of the ball and procedes to take their go.
If the ball hits the kerb cleanly and bounes back to the player then they score a point.
Having scored they keep the ball and move to the middle of the road and attempt the same again.
Each bounce from the middle counts as one point as well and this continues until that player misses"
doesn't sound particularly riveting but it can be distracting for a while.anyhow the point is that it is a game DESIGNED for urban centres like manchester. with the scarcity of parks and the dangers of actually hanging out in parks for kids it seems that the hive mind of kids across britain invented this game as something to do in what can be otherwise dead end days and night. it's certainly better than hanging around with your hood up intimidating people as they walk past which is something the lads who we sometimes play with occasionally resort to doing.
the other thing to remember is that we are students. most students run a mile when confronted with a group of young kids who are from a part of manchester that is a bit rough in places. but we have never once refused to share our games with ricky and the lads.
in other words i do feel like we have contributed far more to the community than most students ever do.
however today we were acosted by a woman who lives over the road. ricky, icky and the lads weren't out today so it was just me and steve. we ended up getting a load of abuse and threatened with the police for what she said was basically making noise in the street. bear in mind this was 5pm on a sunday. we have never played out at what could be considered an anti social time. also we have never had a party, played music loudly, disrupted the street with cars or arguments. we have been the perfect tenants inso far as anyone in this street would know. but because we are two big-ish lads who are out playing with a ball in the street we are told to go to the park or deal with the police.
i really struggle to understand where this animosity comes from. to me playing curby in the street can hardly be described as subversive activity. we weren't exactly shouting and screaming. not once have we hit a car or window with our ball. but yet we were actually turfed out of our own street today because of a ball game.
i am tempted to write a letter to the woman telling her all of this but i have a feeling it would only aggregate things.
it's not a major issue but it has pissed me off.
in conclusion
theyre a bunch of shite hawks