Who doesn’t love showing off their athletic abilities in front of their friends and families? I know I do, and I’m sure I’m not alone. A new sport called Teqball, a tabletop game that is a mix of Ping-Pong and soccer, allows you to do just that, find out who is the best of the best in terms of pure athletic technique.
Teqball was founded by Hungarian natives, Gábor Borsányi and Viktor Huszár. Borsányi and Huszár lived in the same apartment complex, and, soon after becoming friends, found that they also shared a common interest of playing soccer. Borsányi, a former semi-professional soccer player, is the creative mind behind the game while Huszár combined his love of science to develop the “techie” side of Teqball. The two came together to reinvent the game of soccer, providing a safer non-contact sport, based solely on skill.
“The main idea was to develop a new way to play soccer with friends,” said Huszár, who is also a computer scientist and president of the football club at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. “Teqball can be played by people of all abilities and ages, although there is a short learning curve.”
Borsányi and Huszár went public with Teqball about nine months ago and have already gained worldwide recognition in 87 countries. So far they have seen the greatest interest in Teqball from the United States and Germany.
“We initially launched on the Internet and then attended international festivals to showcase our product to test out the rules of the game and gain feedback,” said Huszár. “The United States is very accepting and open-minded to the new sport.”
The rules of the game are simple. Teqball can be played with two or more players. Each player must touch the ball a minimum of one time or a maximum of three times. If you play with a partner, there must be one pass between the two players before passing the ball over to the opponent’s side. No matter if you play alone or on a team, a total of three touches cannot be exceeded and the same body part cannot be used twice in a row. Players are not allowed to touch an opponent or the equipment and because this is soccer, the use of hands is strictly forbidden!
Teqball, which Borsányi originally played on a Ping-Pong table, now has its own dynamic table called the Teqboard. The board enables the ball to always bounce out toward the players due to its curved physique. The Teqboard is split by a plexiglass divider, which can withstand the force of a soccer ball during play. As of now, there are multiple versions of the Teqboard that will soon be available for purchase. There is a standard competition table, a foldable version with wheels, and a UV ray and weatherproof table for outdoor usage.
“The outdoor table can be fixed to the ground so it can be utilized in parks, schools and other public places,” said Huszár. “All tables will range between $1300 to $2500 (USD) depending on the type of table and customizations.”
Even if you are not a fan of soccer, the Teqboard is not limited to Teqball. Teqtennis can also be played as a result of the durable surface and the founders developed a new game entitled, “Qatch,” which is similar to dodge ball.
“Are You Teq?” is a question developed by Teqball’s founders that is often posed by players of the game to their opponents. The sport is not won by chance. The player who encompasses the better techniques will ultimately win. In order to determine which player has the best skillset, Huszár invented the Teqbox, a technological addition to the Teqball experience. The Teqbox is composed of four motion sensor cameras that surround the indoor Teqball table. It is able to record the score of the game, calculate the number of touches, and tells you which body parts a given player uses most and least frequently.
“The cameras recognize your body and tracks the ball. It gives each player personal statistics about their skills,” said Huszár. “Players can monitor their improvements and compare their skills to their friends by downloading the smartphone application.”
The combination of playing Teqball to enhance soccer skills and tracking personal statistics via Teqbox will help determine the best of the best.
“Everyone knows Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world, but why?” said Huszár. “By playing Teqball and using the Teqbox, I can show you, for example, Messi’s personal statistics, the percentages outlining the bending of his knee and how he shifts his ankle.”
And here’s the best part, if users want to learn Messi’s ‘teqniques’ or the skill sets of other professional soccer players, they will be able to download their favorite player’s personal training applications for a minimal price through the Teqball mobile app.
Although the entire Teqball system has not officially launched yet, it has plans to enter the market within the coming months. On June 10th and 11th, Teqball is participating in the Elite Sports Performance Expo, which will be held in London. The Expo showcases the newest sports equipment, technology, facilities and services from around the world. Here, Teqball’s executives will get the chance to collect professional feedback from Premier League football clubs, universities, and recreation and rehabilitation associations.
“Showcasing Teqball in the Elite Sports Performance Expo will allow us to see if our target audiences need any adjustments before mass production takes place and we launch into the market,” said Huszár. “We want Teqball to be used for youth activities, recreation, rehabilitation and for professional warm-ups and cool-downs. So this will allow us to obtain vital feedback from potential users.”
Teqball has already gained recognition from prominent soccer and celebrity figures around the world. Ronald Koeman, manager of Southampton FC, Henk Ten Cate, former manager of Ajax and prior assistant manager of FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC, and Shane Black, notable writer and director of Iron Man 3 and Lethal Weapon, are some of the many celebrities who are showcased in a Teqtalk video series on Teqball’s website. The featured stars state how Teqball is the future to keeping kids active and helping them develop their coordination skills without even realizing it.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. The invention of Teqball allows users to develop the proper fundamentals to strengthen their soccer skills in order to become the standout star in their own family, community or professional league.
Borsányi and Huszár hope that soon everyone will be able to answer the question, “Are You Teq?”