Kajako- The National sport of Bassumia

Kajako- Also known as Hand-Football is a team sport in which 2 teams of 11 players each (2 Goalkeepers, 1 Basket Goalie & 8 outcourt players) try to pass a Kaball (or handball) or Jaball (or Football) to teammates and score by throwing kaball to one of 2 goals, or kicking the Jaball to one of goals or through Korij (basketball basket). A standard match consists of one period of 85 minutes, and the team who scores more goals wins.

Modern Kajako is played on a court of 40 by 20 meters (131 by 66 ft), with 4 goals (very black lines at corners) at every corner of the court. There is basically no Goalkeeper zone, but the corner goalkeepers can't move further from the middle line to the opponent's side. Basket Goalie, who plays inside at the inner line at the middle of each end, where the Korij locates. The Basket keeper is only one who is allowed to play at his own zone (Korij-Zone). The game is fast and high-scoring: Professional teams scores typically 20-45 each, though lower scores are not common. Body contact is permitted only for goalkeepers.

The sport itself is very unknown in other nations. Kajako is the second most popular sport in Bassumia right after fencing. There are over 250 000 professional Kajako players and over 4 million others play it. There are only a few hundred players at foreign nations.

RULES
The rules are laid out in the BKJKF's set of rules

Summary
Two teams of eleven players (eight field players plus two goalkeepers & Basket Goalie) take the field and attempt to score points by putting the Kaball into the opposing team's goal or kicking the Jaball to the basket or kicking it to goal. In handling the ball, players are subject to the following restrictions:

Kaball restrictions:
-After receiving the ball, players can pass, keep possession, or shoot the ball.
-If possessing the ball, players must dribble (similar to a basketball dribble) or can take up to three steps for up to three seconds at a time without dribbling.
-Other players can't block the throw if the opponent is 5 meters away from the goals.
-Other players can't pass the ball to goalkeepers or basket goalie.
-Players with Kaball can't go or pass to players, who are at danger-Zone.

Jaball restrictions:
-After receiving the ball, players can pass, keep possession, or shoot the ball.
-If possessing the ball, the player can move freely with the ball without touching the ball with hands.
-Other players can't block the shot if the opponent is 10 meters away from the goals.
-Other players can't pass the ball to goalkeepers or basket goalie.
-Players with Jaball can hold the ball for 5 seconds and after that, they must pass to other players the ball.

Court:
Kajako is played on a court 40 by 20 meters (131 ft × 66 ft), with a goal on every corner. The Korij is surrounded by Korij-Zone at the middle of each end.
There has to be a middle line, where the players start the game.

Goals:

The goals size is 160 x 115cm. There must be always 1 goal at every corner. If the ball (kaball or Jaball) goes to behind the goal, only goalkeepers can take it from there. The goalies can move and try to take the balls almost everywhere, except Danger-Zone, Korij-Zone, and the opponent's side.

Danger-Zone
Danger zone surrounds the Korij-Zone, which surrounds the Korij itself. The opponent can't keep the ball for more than 5 seconds and he must pass the ball to others, or there comes free kick for Basket goalie. The players with Jaball cannot step in the Danger-Zone and can't pass the ball there.

Substitution
There are no substitutions in this sport.

Duration
A standard match is 85 minutes long with 2 two and a half minutes breaks (first comes after 25 minutes and second comes after 45 minutes). There is no overtime, and if the game ends to tie, then it's a draw. at tournaments, both teams face each other on next match and this continues until there are a winner and loser.

Referees:
There is 3 referees: 2 goal referees and 1 Korij Referee. The 2 goal referees keep their eye on goal areas (not Korij) and they attend to formal things such as keeping track of goals and suspensions. Korij Referee keeps his eye on Danger-Zone and Korij-Zone and if there will be scored to Korij, he will report for goal referees.

If there is needed to pause the game, the referees use whistle blows. same goes to if the game ends. The penalties will be given with a card. (Green= free kick, Blue card= Free movement for the opponent for 10 seconds, Yellow card= Warning and Red card= Penalty for 5 minutes.)

Team Players, Substitutes and officials:
Each team consists of 8 field players, 2 goalkeepers and 1 basket goalie. Substitutes will be only made if there is an injury. There can be 5 substitutes in one match.

Field PLayers:

There are 4 positions for Field players: Left Defender, Right Defender, Left Attacker, and Right Attacker. There are 2 players for every position. There are the same rules for Kaball as Handball. same goes for Jaball and Football.

Goalkeepers:

Goalkeepers can move anywhere on their own side (except inside the Danger-Zone) and they can try to take the balls from attackers with their hands. The goalkeepers can't go to opponent's side anyway and they have to prepare for that, there is an empty goal on one of their corner. The goalkeepers wear really blue shirts (if they're home) or red shirts (if they're away).

Basket goalies:
Basket goalies have usually to jump on very high, so they can stop the ball from going through the Korij. Basket Goalies wears a red shirt (If they're home) and blue shirts (if they're away). Basket Goalies are not allowed to leave the Korij-Zone. The Basket goalies are the ones who make the free kicks and are the ones who start the game by kicking the ball (Kaball or Jaball) to as far they can.

Officials:
Each team is allowed to have a maximum of four team officials seated on the benches. An official is anybody who is neither player nor substitute. One official must be the designated representative who is usually the team manager.representatives can call up to 3 team timeouts, and may address the Goal Referees, timekeepers, and Korij referee; overtime and shootouts are considered extensions of the match. Other officials typically include physicians or managers. Neither official is allowed to enter the playing court without the permission of the referees.

Ball:
Kaball

The Kaball is mostly made from Foam. The Kaball is the ball, which works in the same way as Handball. In professional matches, the Kaball must be yellow colored. Kaball can be thrown only to both of goals, but not to Korij.

Jaball

Jaball is made from Foam too. The Jaball works in the same way as a Soccer ball. The Jaball must be white colored. Jaball can be kicked on both goals or Korij.

Gameplay

Formations:
There are basically hundreds of formations, that have been designed by the coaches of teams.

Offensive play:
The most common attack type is Half-to Half, where half of the players attacks to another corner with Kaball and rest of players to another corner with Jaball. There are of course other common ways like:

-The middle-corner attack, where 2-3 players go to Danger-Zone with football and try to kick the Jaball to Korij and rest of players goes to one corner goal and tries to throw the Kaball to goal.

-Corner attack, where all field players attack with Kaball and Jaball at the same time to one corner. A very similar attack is
-Corner-Fake Corner attack, where the players go with Half-to Half attack, but suddenly passes Kaball or Jaball to other corners, where is not that many defenders. In this case, the ball which is being passed to other corner must be passed through Danger- and Korij-Zone.

Defensive Play:
The defenders have many formations they can use. Here are a few examples:

-All in one, which is the riskiest formation, which will be used, when the attackers are using Corner attack.

-Half-to Half is the most common formation, where the players split on half on both corners, so there is the same amount of defenders at both corners.

-One-Versus-One is a formation, where all players go to the front of Danger-Zone and look for opponent movement. If the opponents goes to right corner, there goes same amount of defenders as there go opponents.

Organization
Kajako teams are mostly organized as clubs. On a national level, the clubs are associated in federations which organize matches in leagues and tournaments. There is over 3 500 Kajako teams signed to BKJKF (Bassumian Kajako Federation). The biggest leagues are:

Timanti Liga (Diamond League), which is one of 3 professional Kajako leagues in Bassumia. There are 35 Kajako teams in League.
1. Divisiona (1st division) is the second highest professional Kajako league in bassumia. There are 40 Kajako teams in League.
2. Divisiona (2nd division) is the third highest and the last professional league in Bassumia. There are 37 Kajako teams in League.
3. Divisiona (3rd division) is 4th highest kajako league in Bassumia. most of teams are the farm teams of Timanti Liga teams. There is 42 teams in League.
Uppenduppen us 5th highest kajako league in Bassumia. There is 23 teams in league.