Headis is a mix of table tennis and the heading of association football. It is played at a regular table tennis table so it combines tactical elements of table tennis and the legwork of tennis. In mid-2016, the 11th Headis World Championship was held with players from 12 countries.[1][2]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/59/Headis_tournament.jpg/290px-Headis_tournament.jpg)
History
[edit]Headis (head + the ending of tennis) was invented in 2006 by the at that time sport student René Wegner. A football pitch in Kaiserslautern, Germany was occupied but the table tennis table was available so they started playing a rubber ball only with their heads.[3][4]
Initial spreading
[edit]Headis started spreading throughout German students. The Universität des Saarlandes was the first institution with regular Headis training. More and more universities added the sport to their schedule.[5][6]
Besides universities there are also other possibilities to play Headis. The 1. FC Kaiserslautern[7] and the SV Darmstadt 98[8] offer regular training.[9]
Beginning of the tournament series
[edit]In 2008, the first Headis World Cup Tournaments were hosted.[10]
In 2010 and 2011 in Kaiserslautern, there was the adh-Trophy Headis (Allgemeiner Deutscher Hochschulsportverband), which is the German University Headis Championship.[11][12]
In 2016, there were eleven World Cup Tournaments with more than 1,000 competitors.[13]
Recent history
[edit]Several TV appearances and viral videos online increased the popularity within the last years.[14][15] Currently, 18 German universities offer regular Headis courses.[16]
By 2016, there were international tournaments, World and European Championships[17][18] and an estimated number of players of 100,000.[19] Starting at Universität des Saarlandes the sport spread all over Germany.
The sport is popular in other countries than Germany as well. There are official partners in Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, China, Australia and Japan.[20][21][22]
Every year there are 10 to 12 tournaments[23] that are the base for the Headis World Championship.[24]
Rules and gameplay
[edit]Two players play at a regular table tennis table and the ball must only make contact with the head. The table, however, can be touched by any part of your body. Playing a volley is allowed as well. After every ball played, you have to touch the ground before heading the next ball.
Sets are played to eleven (11) points, with the exception that players must win by two (2) points. Games are decided by best-of-three (3) sets.[25]
Equipment
[edit]- Table tennis table: Headis is played at a regular table tennis table. The measurements are the same. As the Headis ball is heavier than a table tennis ball, the net is made of metal so it is more stable.
- Headis ball: Headis is played with a special ball. It consists of rubber, weighs about 100 grams (3.5 oz), and has a circumference of 50 centimetres (20 in).[26]
Tournament Series
[edit]Setup of the Tournament Series
[edit]Every year there are 10 to 12 Headis World Cup Tournaments held.[27] The results of these tournaments is the basis for the Headis World Ranking.[28]
Player names
[edit]The players do not use their regular names at the tournaments. They instead choose joke names like "Headi Potter" or "Rolli der Schlächter".[29]
World ranking
[edit]The Headis World Ranking is compiled by the results of the Headis World Cup Tournaments. The players receive World Ranking points according to their ranking at the tournaments. The bigger the tournament, the more points the players get. The last 15 tournaments build the ranking.[30] As of May 2017, the two top players in the world are Cornelius "Headsinfarkt" Döll (1,624 points) and Margarita "Klausi" Marmol Fernandez (890 points).[31]
Most important tournaments
[edit]World Championship
[edit]The annual Headis World Championship is the most important tournament all year. It is the only tournament with unlimited players and it affects the World Ranking more than every other tournament.[32][33] At the World Championship 2016 there were players from 12 nations.[34]
Year | World Champion (Men) | World Champion (Women) |
---|---|---|
2006[35] | Ronnie aus dem Osten | - |
2007[36] | Fefe the Gripper | Das pulsierend pokernde Party Pony |
2008[37] | Marvelous 96 | Shorey |
2009[38] | Marvelous 96 | Hoshi |
2010[39] | Lord Voldehead | Hoshi |
2011[40] | Marvelous 96 | Hoshi |
2012[41] | Heineken | Hoshi |
2013[42] | Headsinfarkt | Headi Bobics junger Tatapan |
2014[43] | Heineken | Red Hot Chili Headers Missing Pepper |
2015[44] | Headsinfarkt | Red Hot Chili Headers Missing Pepper |
2016[45] | Headsinfarkt | Klausi |
2017[46] | Sebastian Headdel | Klausi |
2018[47] | Headsinfarkt | Jana Kournikova |
European Championship
[edit]Since 2015, a European Championship (EC) is hosted. The EC is the only tournament where men and women play the same competition. In 2015, four countries competed: Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland and Belgium. In 2016, the Dominican Republic joined the tournament as well. The EC does not affect the World Ranking.[48]
Year | European Champion |
---|---|
2015[49] | Sniper Schorsch |
2016[50] | Headsinfarkt |
2017[51] | Headsinfarkt |
Headis Masters
[edit]Since 2011, the annual Headis Masters is hosted. The 18 best men and the eight best women of the last calendar year qualify for it. The starting field is completed by two wildcards each.[52]
Year | Masters Winner (Men) | Masters Winner (Women) |
---|---|---|
2011 | Heineken[53] | - |
2012 | Promilla[54] | - |
2013 | Headbrötchen mit Zwiebeln[55] | Hoshi[56] |
2014[57] | Lauchgesicht | Red Hot Chili Headers missing Pepper |
2015[58] | Sniper Schorsch | Headi Bobics junger Tatapan |
2016[59] | Headsinfarkt | Headi Bobics junger Tatapan |
2017[60] | Headsinfarkt | Klausi |
2018[61] | Pressure Pete | Red Hot Chili Headers missing Pepper |
References
[edit]- ^ "Headis: Mit dem Kopf und mit Köpfchen", Sport.de (in German), retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "Geschichte • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ Bröker, Jürgen (10 September 2015). "Headis: Spieler springen kopfvoran auf die Platte – WELT". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ Saarbrücker Zeitung. "2006 im Saarbrücker Totobad erfunden: Trendsportart Headis wird deutschlandweit gespielt" (in German). Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Headis" (in German). Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Abteilungen: 1. FC Kaiserslautern" (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ SV Darmstadt 1898 e. V. "Headis: Darmstadt 98" (in German). Retrieved 8 March 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "HEADIS-Vereine • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Geschichte • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Ausschreibung der adh Headis Trophy 2010" (PDF) (in German). allgemeinder deutscher Hochschulsportverband. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ allgemeiner deutscher Hochschulsportverband. "Aussschreibung der adh Headis Trophy 2011" (PDF) (in German). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "Unser Headis-Tagebuch – Dezember • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 9 January 2017, retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ DWDL.de GmbH, "Stefan Raab macht Headis-Wettbewerb bei "TV total" – DWDL.de", DWDL.de (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Headis: Der beste Ballwechsel beim Tischtennis mit dem Kopf – WELT". Die Welt (in German). 27 January 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
- ^ "Spielplätze • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "die deutsche Qualifikation – Headis European Championship", Headis European Championship (in German), 29 March 2015, archived from the original on 5 August 2016, retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Trendsport 2019: Beim "Headis" braucht man Köpfchen". rnz.de (in German). Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ Saatmann, Timon (11 October 2016). "Headis: Dieser Sport ist in der "Höhle der Löwen" durchgefallen – WELT". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "Headis-Offensive in China", ispo.com (in German), retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Headis goes Japan • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 7 March 2017, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Geschichte • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Regeln • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ Bröker, Jürgen (10 September 2015). "Headis: Spieler springen kopfvoran auf die Platte – WELT". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ "Geschichte • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ RP ONLINE (5 June 2015). "Headis – Tischtennis mit dem Kopf: Wenn 'Headi Potter' und 'Rolli der Schlächter' um Titel kämpfen" (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 8 March 2017
- ^ "Einfach ALLES zur Headis WM 2016 • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 10 July 2016, retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 23 March 2017.
- ^ "Das war die Headis WM 2012! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 31 July 2012, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Headis WM – Ein ganz besonderes Turnier • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 23 July 2013, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "ES GAB WAS GROSSES! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 29 July 2014, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Das Jubiläum wurde gebührend gefeiert • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 19 August 2015, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Das Fest des Jahres! Die Headis Weltmeisterschaft 2016! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 28 July 2016, retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "Tipico Headis EM | Headis = Völkerverständigung – Headis European Championship", Headis European Championship (in German), 10 June 2015, archived from the original on 19 December 2016, retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "So geil war die EM – Headis European Championship", Headis European Championship (in German), 8 June 2016, archived from the original on 18 October 2016, retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "So geil war die EM – Headis European Championship", Headis European Championship (in German), 8 June 2016, archived from the original on 18 October 2016, retrieved 22 March 2017
- ^ "Rangliste • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), retrieved 23 March 2017
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Headis auf dem nächsten Level – Das Masters 2012! • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 9 May 2012, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "HEADIS". Facebook (in German). Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ "Hoshi holt auf dem Betzenberg den Heimsieg • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 22 May 2013, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Das Headis Masters – Ein Turnier hart wie Stein • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 16 September 2014, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Masters 2014/15 – Gänsehaut im Löfft • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 26 January 2015, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "HEADIS-Masters unter Sternen • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 20 January 2016, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Headis Masters 2017 • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 15 February 2017, retrieved 24 March 2017
- ^ "Headis Masters 2017 • HEADIS", HEADIS (in German), 15 February 2017, retrieved 24 March 2017
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Official rules (in English)