Introduction:
Chakker is one of the most wildly popular sports on Chakona, well known for its wild fans and awesome matches. Not surprisingly then, Chakker is the national sport of Chakona, although it is by no means the only sport played on Chakona. This document serves to introduce the basics of the game, so that all might enjoy it.
History:
The conclusion of the Gene Wars presented several problems to the war-ravaged peoples of Earth in 2090. The most complex of these problems was the issue of anthropomorphic people, ranging from the reasonably intelligent to those near total mental retardation. What was even more troubling was the presence of various warbeasts – people engineered to be both violent, strong, and almost horrifyingly cunning. The human population, which although it had been devastated by the wars, or perhaps because of this, was petrified of the war morphs, and at a loss to help those that weren’t violent.
The first order of the day was to correct the genetic problems within the non-human community – a sex drive salted here, impractical number of breasts removed there. Of course, for many morphs, these effects would only be felt in the next generation. Furthermore, nothing could be done about the lingering fears that the population had of another war breaking out, which many believed would be the only result of so many warbeasts, and such technology being in the hands of so many that could not be trusted.
Charles and Katherine Turner noticed this, and sought to assure people there was no danger from the technology. To do so, they proposed a project that would eventually lead to the creation of Chakats. By 2111, the genome was already being built, and by 2129, the first kittens were born.
In the years following, Chakker was developed. Chakker was originally developed by Melissa Zinc, a coach at the Australian National University. Zinc, having attended University with Katherine, approached the couple after the first cub had been born, and proposed the development of a sport for chakats. Chakats, Zinc pointed out, exceeded most other morph’s abilities in various dimensions and scopes; if the chakats were to be fit as they grew up, they’d need a sport that could test their bodies in every sort of way.
From this discussion grew Chakker, a sport designed for chakats.
Description:
Like many football games, the premise of chakker is to get the ball into the goal of the opposing team. Teams are composed of seven players each, with 14 players in reserve, should they be needed. Chakker is a contact sport, although tackling is uncommon in general.
Gameplay
Equipment and Team structure:
Chakker is played with a single 30cm diameter ball, colored brown and dark red. Although most can’t see it, the ball is also covered in UV and IR reflecting pigment, which allows chakats to see it better. The ball itself is covered in a series of rough stitches not unlike the sort of stitches one finds on an American Football ball.
Internally, the ball has a small computer and several sensors.
All players of chakker are required to wear regulation body pads as well as head gear during official matches, although smaller leagues might forgo such protection, as it can often be too expensive to buy. In addition to this, players wear protective cups around their sheaths, as well as padded brassieres. Although not mandated, an increasing number of players are opting for tail guards as well, although it can at times lower their effectiveness.
As noted, teams are composed of seven players each, with the seventh player usually fulfilling the position of goalkeeper. However, it is not unusual for the goalkeeper to leave hir post and play the game alongside hir teammates. Other than the Goalkeeper, few positions are well defined. Often however, certain players will emerge into certain offensive or defensive positions.
The Field
The field of Chakker (referred to by some as The Grass) is unique in two ways. Firstly, the field is not a pure rectangle as with other football sports, but rather a rounded rectangle 136m wide by 346 meters long. Secondly, the walls around the field are heavily padded ever since the Greycloud incident of 2272 World Cup.
The scoring areas are 6 meters in diameter by 5 meters tall. Unlike some soccer or other football games, the scoring area of chakker is not a net but rather an "area" Any ball that crosses into the circle is a score. As such, it can be significantly more difficult to defend, providing a full workout for the goalkeeper. Because of the sensors in the ball and on the field, miscalled scores are rarely an issue. However, the top of the scoring area is marked off by a suspended ring. In the biggest leagues, the ring is holographic, but in many smaller low tech leagues, the ring is a physical, if heavily padded, object.
Only the goalkeeper may move through the scoring area; should any other player do so, a penalty is awarded.
The outer center circle is 24 meters in diameter, while the inner center circle is 12 meters in diameter. Six of the players gather in the ring, evenly spaced, for the kickoff, while the seventh enters the inner circle to face off against hir counterpart. The ball is dropped and the two center circle players attempt to knock the ball towards hir own team.
Handling
Unlike most football style sports, players are free to manipulate the ball in any manner they wish to do so. Most players do kick the sphere around, however it is not unheard of for a player to grab the ball with hir tail and throw it to another player (indeed some of the most interesting plays and spectacular scores involve the use of the tail). Some players have been known to use their handpaws as well, but this is reasonably rare due to the difficulty of such actions.
Outside of professional leagues however, the ball is mostly kicked around.
Professional Play
Official length
An official Chakker match has three periods of 45 minutes each, referred to as thirds. Between each third is a 20 minute break, which players can use to cool down and discuss strategy. The clock is stopped if the ball should go out of bounds or if a player s injured.
Scoring
Scoring is done in one of two ways, the first is via normal game play, and the other is via penalty shots.
The first case is very simple, to score, the ball has to pass into the goal circle. Each score is worth five points. Points gained from penalties is a different matter. First, points can be awarded to the other team without any sort of penalty shot taking place. This is for certain types of penalties. Other penalties require a penalty shot to talk place, which involves the penalty-shot-taker to use hir tail to get the ball into the goal area from the quarter line (the vertical lines that divide the rectangular part of the field with the circle).
Automatic penalties are worth one to two points each. Penalty shots are worth five points each.
Talents
Although all professional players of chakker are talented, the use of Talents other then empathy is strictly banned, and the offensive use of empathy is considered an offense worthy of automatic forfeiting for the offending player’s team.
Because all chakats are to a degree empathic, empathy can play a powerful role in the game. Like all sports, passions can run hot during the course of a game. For the players of chakker, such passion tends to open their minds just as other sorts of passions might, such as sexual passion. As such, it is not abnormal for a whole team to become Companions or even Denmates together. Not surprisingly, this leads to a fair amount of pregnancies and "chakker kittens" among players, and the turnover rate can be fairly high. However, because of this bonding, team transfers are extremely rare and always big news.
Further, even though no chakat is allowed to play while pregnant, and many players leave the team due to pregnancy, the empathic bonds the players share together creates a tendency for old players to return, as to say that one is once a player of team x, always a player of team x, is for chakker players an intimate truth.
In minor leagues however, and more importantly, junior leagues, empathic dampers are used to prevent those sorts of bonds forming between players. In recent years, the same has been suggested for professional chakker leagues, but the move is generally resisted.
Penalties
There are two sorts of penalties in chakker, those awarded automatically , and those requiring a penalty shot. The different penalties are generally described below:
Carrying the ball; using one’s hands/arms to hold the ball while moving for more the three seconds; automatic one point.
Unlawful contact; the use of force to the degree that it deemed unnecessary. Typically only called if the contact results in a serious injury; requires a penalty shot.
Unlawful Use of Sex; rarely seen outside of adult leagues. It involves the intentional use of heat or rut pheromones to distract the other players. Automatic two points.
Harassing the Referees; involves arguing needlessly with a referee over a call that has been made. Disagreement is allowed, but there is a limit. Automatic one point.
Goaling; non-goalkeeper running through the goal circle. Requires a penalty shot.
Use of Claws; any injury caused by another player’s claws is reviewed, and if necessary, a penalty is called that requires a penalty shot.
Leagues
There are four major leagues of chakker. They are listed here in alphabetical order.
Continental Chakker Association (CCA)
The CCA as actually a series of smaller leagues, based around competition between teams from cities on the same continent. The general mission of the CCA is to support these smaller leagues and provide them with assisence and organizational skills when necessary. Unlike most of the other leagues, the CCA also helps organize a continental competition on Australia, which has one of the largest population of chakats outside of Chakona.
Juniors League
The Juniors league is a semi-professional league for chakats under 18. They play worldwide and many major players have gotten their professional careers started after being scouted out during games of this league. The Juniors Cup is played every one and a half years.
Stellar League (Turner Cup)
The Stellar League, often referred to as the World cup, or more often as the Turner Cup, is the final level of competition for Chakker. Unlike the other three major leagues, the Turner Cup is an interstellar competition, which includes teams from major nations and planets within the Stellar Federation. The World Cup match was played once every two years until the founding of Chakona and the introduction of extraterran teams. It is now played every four years.
Needless to say, winning the cup is a major event, and the highlight of any chakker player’s career.
University League (Zinc Cup)
The Zinc Cup is a major competition between universities throughout the Stellar Federation. The only requirements for entering are to be attached to a university and to have chakats to play! The Cup match is held yearly.
The final game is shifted from host university to host university.
Teams
Not surprisingly, there are hundreds of teams that play Chakker. For convenience, only those teams that play in the Stellar League are listed, and are organized by planet. Nation, if needed, is listed in brackets.
Chakona
Amistad Aphrodites
Berdoovia Barbarians
Riverina Serpents
Eyre Flashes
Haliaeetus Hammers
Eucla City Bonifacio Warriors
Curtisport Paws
New New York Rangers
Knightsport Ladies-in-Waiting
Silver Lake Longtails
New Auckland Witches
Earth
Australian Outbackers
Rough Horses (GNA)
Angels (HCKNA) [Dissolved in 2321]
New Zealand Rainforest
Gaia (Earth)
Quebecois Fleurs
Mars
Olympus mons’ Horae (settlement)
Martians (Mars)
Luna
Craters
Caitians
High Plains Striders
Rasksha
Guardians
Voxxa
Vixens
Nova Terra
Colonial ‘Kats
Hades
Hellcats
Important Events from Chakker history
Greycloud incident.
The Greycloud incident dramatically altered the way in which chakker was played.
During the World Cup of 2272, Greycloud, a player for the Australian Outbackers, was chasing after the ball alongside Redline, a player for the Quebecois Fleurs, In the heat of the moment, Redline checked Greycloud violently, causing hir to slam into the field’s wall, breaking hir neck. Redline was horrfied at what shi had done, and was by the dying chakat’s side almost immediately. However, despite hir efforts, and the efforts of paramedics, Greycloud died.
It is speculated that Redline formed an empathic connection with Greycloud before shi died, as nine days after the incident, the much distraught chakat committed suicide.
The two deaths rocked the chakker world, and the 2272 World Cup and the 2274 World Cup were cancelled as the governing body altered the rules of the game, adding more protective measures and counselling chakats on the need for moderation, before the World Cup resumed in 2276.
Founding of Chakona
The founding of Chakona was a major event in Chakker history, firstly because it saw the relocation of the focus of the game shifted from Australia to Chakona, and secondly because it saw the introduction of extraterran teams. Almost immediately, several colony worlds with modest chakat populations entered the World Cup league, dramatically changing the game’s dynamics. Over the next five world cups, the Turner’s Cup was won by ‘dark horse’ teams.
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