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Jugger - a new trending sport

Even if Jugger looks dangerous at first glance, this modern sport is considered an ideal method for social learning and the reduction of aggression. The reason: On the one hand, the supreme rule in the Jugger is that the security. On the other hand, this sport also combines elements of team and individual sports such as wrestling or. The player as well as the game is called Jugger. The aim of the game is to carry the Jugg, the ball of the game, as often as possible into the opponent's goal. While the player of a team leads the ball, the other team members try to prevent the opposing team to score with the help of padded sports equipment. Incidentally, Jugger differs from other team sports in a significant point: mixed-gender teams are quite common and allowed under the official rules.

How did Jugger come about?

This game was modelled by the 1989 movie "Jugger - Fighting the Best."

The plot: modern gladiators in the post-apocalyptic world of the 23rd century move from village to village to challenge the local Juggers, to make their living. The game was invented by the scriptwriter and director for this film. While Jugger is played brutally harsh in the film, in reality this sport completely harmless.

A Heidelberg live role-playing group called "The Dilettantes" played Jugger for the first time in 1993. An early form of the modern Jugger was held in the summer of 1993 at the DracCon VII. From this point on, Jugger enjoyed growing popularity throughout Germany. The current rules set by the Dragon Blood Forum 2008 evolved over time through trial and error.

Already in 1995, the first official Jugger tournament took place in Hamburg; three years later the first German youth championship was held in Berlin. Finally, in 2003, a German youth league was introduced. Also, in Hamburg in 2007 a tournament with international participation was held.

Important principles and rules in Jugger

Jugger is played on an even levelled ground. There must be no bumps on the terrain and the ground should not be too hard. Meadows and lawns are the best playgrounds for this game. All players must wear protective gear for the knees and elbows. The playing ground has an octagonal shape and a total length of 40 meters, with the sideline being only 30 meters long.

The width is 20 meters, but the baseline is only ten meters long. The actual playing field is marked with lines, with the referee deciding whether to stepping inside the lines call for an out!

The goal is a foam funnel, in which the game ball must be inserted in order to score a point. The shape of the funnel looks like a truncated cone with a base of about 50 centimetres. On the top of this truncated cone is a twelve-centimetre-diameter hole in which the ball must be placed. Based on the film, Jugger uses a dog skull made of plastic. During the game, this ball may not be kicked.

The teams

Each team is made of eight players. But only five at the time can be on the field. One of the players is a runner, all others are the so-called pomps. Because the runner does not wear pomps, he is unprotected. But he is the only player in a team who can take the Jugg and put it in the opponent's goal. The task of the pomps is to protect their respective runner and to clear the way for him. That is why they are equipped with pommels, i.e. with cushioning weapons.

That’s how the game is played

First, the teams must stand behind their respective baseline, while the Jugg is placed in the middle of the field. Once the referee has given the command to start, the teams enter the field. The task of the runners is now to take the Jugg and put it in the opponent's goal. If they succeed, it counts as one point and the turn ends. Now the teams must reposition themselves. Basically, there can be as many turns taken as there is time to play. While in the film stones are thrown to a gong to measure the time, in real life drumbeats are used in an interval of 1.5 seconds. This means half is after 2:30 minutes. During the game, teams are often re-set or tactical meetings are held. Therefore, a game can take up to 30 minutes.