User:Linobailey/sandbox

Overview
Tote (Töte) is a game of sport invented during the Vietnam War by U.S. Army Captain Dennis "Skip" Bailey (Special Forces Green Beret/Airborne Ranger). The game was played 'out-in-the-field' between missions to defuse and relieve stress, frustrations, and aggressions, while developing many advanced skills. Post-combat, the game evolved into a unique sport for the 'civilian world' with the inclusion of safety features such as cushioning and padded tips along it's transition. In context, the name 'Tote' means 'death by slaying' in German, as the players acquire simulated injuries if the Tote touches vulnerable parts of the body. The game often carries an air of honor and chivalry among it's players.

Tote helps develop numerous advanced mental and physical skills including rapid hand-eye coordination, balance, timing, offensive and defensive strategies, ambidextrous muscle usage, and much more, all while having fun. Players inadvertently exercise unique muscle groups thereby toning and conditioning the body in an all-encompassing manner. In addition to it's combat history, Tote has been regularly used in police academy training with trainees reporting outstanding results in such physical and mental skill developments, including elevated levels of alertness of projectile threats and confidence in neutralizing such threats. While Tote also has a long history of use in scholastic and youth environments, it is most often enjoyed in any general environment such as at parks, on beaches, and in backyards.

Although it is a physical game, Tote uniquely and distinctly equalizes, and often reverses, the traditional physical roles normally dominated by strength and size. Women, youths, and handicapped players each have unique advantages in playing Tote - woman are often more flexible, balanced, and strategic - youths are often more flexible, balanced, and present a smaller target-profile - and handicapped players often have overdeveloped useable limbs and elevated senses of balance and motion without the use of other limbs. Furthermore, each gain skills and confidence in offensively immobilizing larger opponents, unlike in other physical sports.

Tote involves bare-minimal equipment, real estate, and personnel - one Tote is tossed between two players positioned about 30 feet (9 meters) apart. Therefore, equipment expenditures and opportunities are also highly favorable for smaller organizations and schools, especially when compared to other sports such as baseball with gloves, bats, ball, and large field with bases.

U.S. Patent Number 4,253,673

How To Play
(See complete rules below)

The players face-off approximately 30 feet apart. In the traditional of a duel of honor, this distance is normally measured off by the players initially standing back-to-back and then stepping-off 5 paces each in opposite directions. This is also helpful in proportionally equalizing, or normalizing, the playing distance for taller and shorter players. Once the playing distance is established, the players assume a stable position and their feet are to remain fixed. The Tote is thrown to the other player in an underhanded motion similar to a swinging pendulum. Various styles of throwing are employed to place the Tote in a position which might exploit the catcher's weaknesses. The Tote somewhat simulates a sword and if it touches the torso, head, or legs, or is caught by the blade, then the catcher is virtually killed or continues playing with simulated injuries (on one leg or with one arm, or both). Penalty points are also acquired from bad throws or catches (too short, out-of-reach, etc.). Once a player is mortally stricken (torso or head), incapacitated (no arms, no legs), or has acquired 5 penalty points, then 'Tote' - the game is over.

Throwing tips: Each player develops their own style of throwing; however, these tips describe the ideal throwing technique which offers the most efficient and effective use of body kinematics: 1. Hold the Tote at 90 degrees from the arm during the backswing (winding up) and keep the wrist rigid as the swing begins. 2. Once the arm reaches the bottom of it's swinging motion (hand closest to the ground), continuously bend the wrist to keep the Tote parallel to the ground throughout the remainder of the throw until it is released. 3. During the throw, the unused arm should be swung in the opposite motion (starting in front of the body and ending in the back), thereby transferring the momentum of the mass of unused arm, through the twisting shoulders, and into the throwing arm. 4. Lean slightly over the throwing arm and bend the knee on the throwing side inward to allow a straight pendulum motion (planar) beneath the head versus the curved path that a swing would require in moving the Tote around a rigid body. 5. Hold the Tote with the thumb on the same side of the handle as the fingers and progressively spin the Tote throughout the swing, ultimately releasing it off the fingertips. Spiraling the Tote this way will allow the Tote's intended orientation upon release to be maintained by angular momentum throughout it's flight - it will be 'spin-stabilized' just as a football, bullet, or spacecraft is. 6. A precisely thrown Tote is more effective than a fast thrown Tote - in fact, there is a certain high-arching lob that is nearly impossible to catch without being 'Toted'. For maximum effectiveness, practice proper throwing technique long enough to ensure the most precisely thrown Tote until enough control is developed to combine that precision with speed.

Catching tips: 1. Avoid snatching or slapping at the Tote handle when trying to catch it as this requires several perfectly synchronized events to be successful and most often just results in slapping the Tote away (and a Bad Catch penalty point). Instead, be reaching out toward the Tote handle as it is approaching, letting it arrive into your hand; or, for directly pointed throws, let the Tote slide along your hand, slowly closing your fingers around it as the handle nears your hand. 2. The other arm should habitually be held out in a position to block the Tote's blade from touching the body, ALWAYS. The vast majority of Tote strikes actually occur as light grazes or slight touches as the Tote flexes from the impact of a catch, whereas, the other arm could have effortlessly blocked such strikes just by being defensively positioned.

Safety First:

While Tote is a unique sport, it is often generalized as 'two players throwing a sword at each other'. However, this description is generally discouraged due to the violent images it might invoke in prospective players, when in fact, the entire civilian history of Tote development has always held safety as it's highest priority. Impact absorbing materials such as foam and rubber for padding and tips, have always been tested and employed in the design of the Tote. Nonetheless, the safe use of the Tote, or any piece of sports equipment, is highly dependent on the players who utilize them. These 2 questions must always be in mind when playing Tote:

1.	How sustainable would the fun of playing be if your opponent couldn't play because of an injury? 2.	How successful would introducing new players to the sport be if they felt their safety was at risk?

Even more so when teaching new players as they will surely be less advanced in almost all of the many skills the game evokes. Historically, the skills of new players will rapidly develop proportional to their level of training and the skills of their teacher, however great care should be taken until their skills do develop. This point of safety is also extremely important toward children and mentally challenged players, with very special considerations given to evaluating the ability of these players to defend themselves. Introducing the sport to these special players must only be evaluated and performed by a professional, responsible, adult player, and NEVER by another child or another mentally challenged player. Tote is a sport which rapidly calls on many physical and mental abilities, therefore players without those abilities are generally discouraged from playing - no game of sport is worth risking injury to these special individuals.

Even after basic Tote training, players should be matched only with players of equal skills until their skills reach advanced enough levels for any general opponents.

Safety First!

Tote Rules
Tote will be played with sportsmanship and, above all, honor. As with any play, cheating is possible. Do not dishonor yourself by cheating - it is only a game of temporary outcome; your honor is yours to preserve forever.

Play It Safe: ▪	Never throw a Tote to an unaware person. ▪	Always be cautious and safety-mind with inexperienced players. ▪	Be aware of any hazards in the peripheral and background areas of the intended playing field. ▪	Safety goggles and any other safety equipment are always recommended. ▪	Never use a Tote for anything other than it's intended use as a game of sport. ▪	Totes have intentional safety features incorporated into their design. The abusive gaming environment of being continuously impacted will eventually cause wear and damage to the Tote. Never play with a damaged or un-tipped Tote - get the Tote repaired or get a new Tote. No game is worth jeopardizing the safety of, or risking injury to, yourself or your honorable opponent.

Winning the game of Tote means to not lose. Here are the 4 ways to lose:

1)	Tote - Tote touches the head or torso.	2)	Lose both arms - Tote is not caught by the handle. 3)	Lose both legs - Tote touches the legs or feet.	4)	Accumulate a total of 5 penalty points for: a)	Off Balance - Foot is improperly moved (1 pt.).	b)	Bad Throw - Tote is improperly thrown (1 pt.). c)	Bad Catch - Tote is improperly caught (1 pt.).	d)	Cowardice - Off Balance and Bad Catch (2 pts.).

Exceptions for disabled players:

A.	Functional limbs must be lost twice. ⁃	One-armed players must lose their functional arm twice. ⁃	One-legged players must lose their functional leg twice. B.	Those in wheelchairs are not subject to losing a leg.

(see below for rule details)

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Match: Traditionally, 5 games of Tote are played in a set. After each game, if either player believes their position may be disadvantageous, then the players must exchanges sides.

Multi-Player Tote: Tote can be played with multiple players; however, only 3 players positioned in a triangle offer a geometry where the distances between all players are equal.

Tote Master: An advanced Tote player has achieved the level of 'Master'. To become a Master, a player must win 3 games in a row against a Master and only after clearly informing the Master that they are playing for Mastery. Traditionally, only Tote Masters are allowed to posses a black Tote.

Olympic Tote: An olympic class of Tote has been developed. Players are allowed to move freely inside of hexagonal zones at each end of the Tote field where players generally run inside the zones while throwing to increase the Tote's momentum. Olympic Totes made of dense, solid wood and, appropriately, the players wear full-body protective gear.

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Rule Details:

Definitions: ▪	Handle - The area at one end of the Tote, including the tip at that end, where the Tote is to be caught. ▪	Blade - All of the Tote besides the handle. ▪	Catch - Catching a Tote is defined as stopping the relative motion between the hand and the Tote. ▪	Kinetic Return - Although extremely difficult, it is possible and acceptable to return the Tote to the thrower in a smooth motion without ever stopping the motion of the Tote by sliding the Tote through the hand to reverse it's momentum in flight, or also if the Tote was slapped or bounced back to the thrower. A successful kinetic return is extremely advanced and extremely rare ('one-in-a-million'), but it is considered an acceptable throw. ▪	Rest - Resting is only allowed by clearly signaling to the other player that the Tote is out of play. This occurs incidentally when the Tote is on the ground (the Tote is always considered out of play immediately upon ever touching the ground or any obstruction while in flight), or intentionally by holding the tip of the Tote to the ground. ▪	Extendable Attire - Anything worn (loose clothing, hat, shoe, ring, necklace, etc.) is considered an extension of the respective body part, including hair, and a strike to those items extends to their respective body part. ▪	Arm - The arm begins where an extended line along the side of the chest crosses the shoulder area. This is generally where a shirt sleeve would begin. ▪	Leg - The leg begins where the skin of the leg folds as the leg is bent upward. Roughly, along a line from below the hip bone to the groin, similar to the traditional 'bikini line'. The buttocks and groin area are consider part of the torso and not part of a leg. ▪	Torso - The torso is main trunk of the body; anything not considered the head, arm, or leg.

1)	Tote: If, at any time in play, the Tote touches the head or torso of thrower or catcher, then it is considered a 'Tote' and that player loses the game.	2)	Losing an arm: Arms are expected to be used for blocking the Tote from touching the head, torso, or legs. An arm is lost only by catching the Tote without at least one finger's-width on the handle. Whenever a catch might be considered questionable, the catch details should be shown to the thrower for concurrence before any repositioning of the hand occurs. The Tote is allowed to slide through the hand as long as the Tote's motion relative to the hand does not stop, even momentarily, while the hand is not on the handle (bouncing off the hand is not considered a lost arm). Once an arm is lost, it must be placed behind the back, touching the back, and not used for the remainder of the game. If the lost arm is touched by the Tote while behind the back, then that would be considered a 'Tote' by a strike to the torso - game over (no blocking with a lost arm). If both both hands catch the Tote off the handle during one exchange, then both arms are considered lost - game over. 3)	Losing a leg: A leg is lost if any part of the Tote touches a leg at any time while the tote is in play. Once a leg is lost, it must then be lifted up off the ground and not used for the remainder of the game. The player is allowed to hop around on the other leg in the general vicinity of the player's initial position. If the lost leg is touched by the Tote while being held off the ground, then the other leg is considered lost - game over (no blocking with a lost leg). If both legs are touched by the Tote during one exchange, then both legs are considered lost - game over.	4)	Penalty Points: Penalties are only acquired while the Tote is in play. Only one point is acquired for each penalty, with one exception - Cowardice. a)	Off Balance:	⁃	A player's foot (or feet) slides or comes off the ground, while catching or throwing the Tote. However, the players may temporally pivot or rock on only the balls or toes of the feet, including while falling down, as long as their feet never leave an imaginary outline of their initial footprints.	⁃	A player who has lost a leg hops closer to or further away from the opponent to gain an advantage while catching or throwing the Tote.	⁃	A player who has lost a leg touches the lost leg to the ground.	⁃	A player who has lost an arm moves the lost arm out of contact with the back side of the body.	b)	Bad Throw: ⁃	The Tote is thrown with the arm higher than parallel to the ground (no overhanded throws). This rule does not apply to kinetic returns - they are allowed regardless of any arm geometry. ⁃	The Tote is thrown so that it flips over 180 degrees relative to the ground (no 'tomahawk' throws). ⁃	The Tote is thrown with the hand off the handle (no underhanded spear throws). This rule does not apply to kinetic returns - they are allowed regardless of the hand's departing contact point. ⁃	The Tote is thrown short. After leaving the throwers's hand, the tip of the Tote must land behind the heel of the catcher or touch the foot before touching the ground (Lost Leg). However, if the catcher attempts to catch a short-thrown Tote by touching it before it touches the ground and does not catch it, then the catcher acquires a point (Bad Catch). ⁃	The Tote is thrown so that the handle is out-of-reach and not short-thrown. The catcher must extend the nearest arm to the Tote naturally (not over-stretching) to help the other player gauge that the handle is out-of-reach. If the handle was within one-fingers width of the catcher's hand and the catcher does not catch it, then a penalty point is acquired for Bad Catch (or lost leg or 'Tote' if hitting leg, torso or head, respectively). If the Tote was out-of-reach, then the Tote is immediately considered out of play and the thrower acquires a penalty point, regardless of subsequent Tote strikes. However, if any attempt to catch the Tote is made, out-of-reach or not, then the Tote is considered still in play and all other rules apply. ⁃	For disabled players, ALL throws are consider bad throws if they are out-of-reach of the hand of a player in a wheelchair, or out-of-reach of the functioning arm of one-armed players, unless those players attempt to catch the Tote, out-of-reach or not. c)	Bad Catch:	⁃	The Tote is thrown well but not caught.	d)	Cowardice: ⁃	The only time a player acquires two simultaneous penalty points during one exchange is when that player moves out of the way (Off Balance point) and does not catch the Tote (Bad Catch point). This is to encourage bravery - the player should at least slap the Tote away instead of cowering away from it.

Precedence: If a limb would be considered lost at the same time a penalty point would be considered acquired for a player, then only the limb is lost for that player - the penalty point is not counted. If the other player also acquired a penalty during that exchange, then the penalty for the other player would also be counted. Being 'Toted' (strike to the head or torso, see above) overrides all others - game over.

Linobailey (talk) 05:34, 25 August 2012 (UTC)