We all love a good game of catch when we play outdoors. Sometimes with a classic football or sometimes with a flying frisbee. Here is a game that may include just a little bit more of a challenge if you’re looking to step things up a little.
Fricket is a game that first became well-known all the way back in the 1990’s, after its initial appearance in its own tournament which began in 1993. It’s name comes from a playful combination of the words Frisbee and Cricket. To keep things simple, the game can also go by the names Cups, Suzy Sticks or even Disc Cricket.
All you have to do is throw your frisbee to a bunch of cups and knock them off their poles. It’s that simple. But indeed, a lot harder than it looks. You will have probably encountered something similar with a carnival game or fun fair activity. The ones where you can land the hoops and win yourself a big cuddly teddy bear.
This guide will be giving you the rundown of how to bring this exciting game directly to your backyard. Teaching you the basic rules, how to setup, why we think it’s a fun game,why we think it’s a fun game and tips to become the number one Fricket Master.
Just What Exactly Is Fricket?
In its bare format, Fricket is where you compete against another player, up to two vs two, and aim to throw your frisbee in the hopes of knocking them off the poles they hang from. It can be made from homemade appliances or sold as a professional set for backyard activities.
Number of Players: 2 to 4 players, separated by a one vs one match, or two teams of two.
Ages: Anyone of all ages is suitable to play the game.
Difficulty: The concept of throwing is easy, but the difficulty will lie in accuracy.
How to win: Aim your cup or frisbee on the pole and knock the cups off till they fall on the ground. Points are rewarded for every cup knocked over. In team matches, bonus points are rewarded if the receiving team member catches the cup before it falls to the ground or if they catch the frisbee after flying past the poles without even touching the cups. The team with the most points by the end of a few rounds wins.
Why we love it: The game can be fun for both mental and physical reasons. It can improve your accuracy and co-ordination whilst also enjoying team-building and social time with friends and family. Since the game takes quite a bit of skill in the aiming part, it can also bring such a tremendous satisfaction of coming out victorious and reveling in your abilities.
What Equipment Do You Need to Start Playing Fricket?
Poles, wickets, bamboo stick, etc:
The first thing you need to play is the correct type of pole to use for balancing the objects you will be aiming to knock over. It’ss recommended that the poles should be no more than between 4 to 5 feet long, 0.5 inch in diameter. Examples of excellent wickets can be found in bamboo garden sticks, wooden dowels or steel/plastic rods. If you are playing with children, you can suggest using smaller wickets for the little ones to have a better chance.
Frisbee or flying disc:
When it comes to knocking off the cups, a frisbee is the best choice for the purpose of the game. Its diameter and aerodynamic shape allow it to sour through the sky at various distances and still have a strong enough presence to contact obstacles. Therefore, more points are rewarded if the other team member catches it without it making contact, because aiming a frisbee past a large barricade is an even harder thing to do.
Four 12- or 16-ounce plastic cups (extra cups can come in handy):
These are the cups that will be placed on the poles in the hopes of being knocked out of their place. The cups must be carefully placed on top so that they remain just that bit wobbly to be knocked over. We don’t want them sitting too tightly, otherwise the players will never pop them off. Since plastic can be fragile, be careful to not have the poles poke through them entirely.
Scoring table (optional):
Since points will be used in this game, why not keep hold of a scoring board or table and keep track of everyone’s scores. This can help if you are playing long matches or having lots of players taking part at once. Of if you simply just have a bad memory.
You can find a full Fricket set online for the whole package. Some with brand names that change a few objects but still keep the main premise, like Bottle Bash.
How To Set Up A Game Of Fricket
Here is the standard step-by-step guide to starting your very own game of Fricket.
- Grab two of your poles and stick them into the ground, facing up into the sky. The first two will be placed at least 15 inches apart from each other.
- Walk away approximately 40 feet from the first two poles to create space for the second wickets. Place the second pair into the ground in the same manner, 15 inches apart. (the trick is to make the wickets form something like a square).
- Place the four cups on top of the wickets, careful so that they don’t puncture through or fall off.
- Players will be faced away from the wickets, at least a few paces. If the players are playing teams of two, the two members will be placed on opposite sides of the wickets at the exact same distance.
Fricket Game Rules and Scoring
Once you have everything setup, here is what happens once the game finally kicks off. As mentioned before, the game is played with points. Whoever earns the max number of points first will be declared the winner. To control how long you want the game to last, the max number of points can be set between 11, 15 or 21. In two vs two matches, its tradition that the teams switch sides after half of these points have been earned. This will be 6, 8 or 10 points to be earned.
Here are how the points are gained:
1 point – Awarded when a player knocks off a cup and it lands on the ground.
2 points – Awarded to the opposing team if their opponent knocks over the cups, but the opposing team can catch it before it falls with one hand.
2 points – If the player can throw the frisbee between the two wickets, without knocking off the cups, and the other team member catches it. (only awarded in team matches).
Other points can also be awarded in rarer circumstances. This also helps clarify any situational occurrences.
Double points – Awarded if both cups are knocked off with a single frisbee throw. This also applies to if both cups are caught by the opposing team, meaning they will gain double points instead.
Cancelled or bonus points – If the catching player accidentally knocks over a cup whilst trying to catch a knocked over cup, points will be allocated if this second cup touches the ground. However, if the player catches the second cup as well, these allocated points will not be added.
If by chance you start bobbling the cup before you properly catch it, this will be allowed. As long as it is caught with only one hand, not both or pressed against the body, the points will be added accordingly.
Always Respect the Rules
A game of Fricket is as fun as those who respect the rules and learn how to play fair. As with any game that moves to the professional standard, here is a few bits of terminology to keep you mindful of these rules or violations.
“Foot Fault” – If the throwing team steps beyond the Wicket line and enters the opponent’s area, this is known as a Foot Fault. No points will be awarded if this happens during a throw, regardless if a cup is knocked over or caught.
“Goaltending” – The player must wait until the frisbee is over the Wicket line before they can attempt to catch it. If they are near the throwing team or pass the Wicket line, this is goaltending and can result in a re-throw.
“Two hand catch” – The receiving team must NOT catch the cup with two hands to earn points. It must be one. They can proceed to hold the cup with two hands once the catch is confirmed.
“Trapping” – The same rules apply to catching the cup with any part of the body other than a single hand. No chest or arm pressing.
“Grounding” – No points are rewarded if the cup falls to the ground prior to the frisbee being thrown.
Fricket Frequently Asked Questions
Has Fricket ever been played professionally?
The first Fricket Tournament was first held at the 1993 Ultimate World Championships in Madison, Wisconsin. “Ultimate Events” have said to still be played in Canada and has gained further popularity in the US in recent years.
Why is it called Fricket?
It originates from the sport Cricket, as it uses similar elements such as wickets and positions. It is also played with a frisbee, hence the combination of the two words creating the term “Fricket”. It goes by other names as well such as stickupski, drunken snatch, disc cricket, cups, Suzy sticks or other weird and wacky titles.
Where else have I heard the term Fricket?
Sometimes you will catch the title being used as a last name by some families. Other times it sounds similar to the word frigate, which is a type of ship.
