Sports apparatus

Abstract

Sports practising apparatus 1 for practising close ball control, includes a plurality of generally planar elements 2 arranged in a generally circular array, each planar element 2 having thereon an impact face 3 having at least one target area 8 facing in a generally inward direction. The apparatus 1 includes means to selectively activate individual target areas 8 sequentially in a predetermined or random manner, the target areas 8 being responsive to being hit by a ball impacting on the target to de-activate the target area 8 and to activate the next individual target area 8 in the sequence.

1 . A sports practicing apparatus for practicing close ball control, including a plurality of generally planar elements arranged in a generally circular array, each planar element having thereon an impact face having at least one target area facing in a generally inward direction, the apparatus including means to selectively activate individual target areas sequentially in a predetermined or random manner, the target areas being responsive to being hit by a ball impacting on the target area to de-activate the impacted target area and to activate the next individual target area in the sequence. 
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a predetermined delay is generated in the time between a target area being deactivated and the next individual target area in the sequence being activated. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said predetermined delay is adjustable. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said predetermined delay is variable at each step in the sequence. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each planar element includes indicia indicative of the or each target area being activated, the planar element being impacted by a ball but the target area missed, a predetermined time delay being exceeded, and/or the sequence being completed. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar elements are generally rectangular and adapted to be releasably secured together linearly by coupling means which includes an electrical connection. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the electrical connections on each planar element include on one end of the element a male electrical connection with a female electrical connection on the other end, adapted to engage with a male electrical connection on an adjacent element. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each target area comprises a rebound board whose coefficient of restitution between a ball impacting the board and the impact surface of the board is comparatively high. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the means to selectively activate individual target areas is an acoustic and/or visual signal. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein means is provided to record ball impact(s) as a score. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar elements are provided as a kit which is portable. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises one or more floor sensors. 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises visual display means. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises a canopy. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is controlled using a control unit such as a computer in the form of a hand-held computer or PDA 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a control unit is adapted to be connected to the internet via a suitable computer link, such as PC, and software, whereby players worldwide can be networked together to play against each other and have their scores recorded and displayed to other players. 
   
   
       17 . A sports apparatus comprising a plurality of targets arranged in an array in a generally vertical plane, ball delivery means arranged to deliver balls to a player spaced in front of the target array, and ball returning means arranged to collect used balls and return them to the ball delivery means, wherein the targets have zero or at least substantially zero coefficients of restitution, so that after impacting a target, a ball will not rebound to any great extent, if at all, and merely fall under gravity to the ball collecting and returning means. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein sensors may be provided in a ball and in shoes of a player. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the shoes of a player include an electronic chip or tag. 
   
   
       20 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the planar elements are provided with wireless network capability such as Bluetooth, zigbee or WiFi.