Rock-It-Ball

A whole new ball game for a Ryedale company.

A new ball game invented and designed in North Yorkshire is taking gymnasiums and playgrounds by storm as it offers kids all over the country a chance to get fit while having great fun. It’s also won the support of TV personality, Keith Chegwin.

Rock-It-Ball (www.rock-it-ball.com) is based in Malton, North Yorkshire and in just one year since the company set up, the sport is being introduced into 1000 schools across the country after the company was recently adopted as a partner for the Youth Sports Trust.

Rock-It-Ball is a catch and throw game which can be a fast and furious competitive combat sport or can be played at a gentler pace with just one to two players. The Rock-It is a hi-tech piece of sports equipment featuring moulded thrower/catcher scoops at each end of a control bar.  Lightweight and finely balanced the Rock-It enhances the player’s capabilities, can be used by left and right handed players of all abilities, and the long handle and scoop make for easy ball retrieval.

The former teachers behind the invention felt they wanted to design a game that would be fully inclusive and fun for all children whatever their level of fitness. With recent Government statistics on the problem of child obesity taking the headlines, the game is particularly topical. 

As the Rock-It-Ball ‘virus’ sweeps through schools and colleges, TV personality, Keith Chegwin is publicly backing the sport with its health and fitness benefits for children and adults.

Keith said:

“The kids get an amazing workout without even knowing it because they’re having so much fun. I had to be part of this!”

Now with Keith’s endorsement the “Cheggers Rock-It-Ball” is a special signed introductory starter package of two Rock-Its and a foam ball to learn playing the game at home, in the park, or on the beach.

Now Rock-It-Ball is getting ready to go global as US manufacturers have shown interest in producing the equipment under licence.  The game is also getting noticed as far afield as China, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

Paul Law, Sales and Marketing Manager added:

“ Earlier this year we got involved in UK Trade & Investment’s Passport to Export programme which gave us a lot of useful information about trading overseas. We now know what we have to do to get the overseas business properly.”

Steve Richardson, one of UKTI’s International Trade Advisors at Business Link North and North Yorkshire, said:

“We worked with the company to put together a strategy for their target markets, and also helped them to apply for a Passport to Export Business Development grant to fund a fact finding trip to North America, as well as providing advice and assistance on an international look for their website.”

Meanwhile it looks like the overseas business is going to be finding them. The Rock-It-Ball team went to New York in 2005 and played their game in Central Park with teams from Japan, China, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. While in the US they also explored the possibilities for a manufacturer and a distributor there.

Paul added:

“Now that we know that UK Trade & Investment have the resources both locally and overseas to support us in our international activity we will definitely be making the most of it when the time comes. We feel sure that Rock-It-Ball will become an international sport and from what we learned on the Passport programme, there are a lot of services that could benefit us in launching Rock-It-Ball overseas.”

Rock-It-Ball contact: Paul Law on 07904 951870 or paul@rock-it-ball.com

UKTI contact: Steve Richardson, BLYNY