Looking for a summer sport — try spike ball
If you see a group of people hitting a ball back and forth onto what looks like a mini trampoline – chances are they are playing spike ball. The game, originally from the States, is perfect for busy beaches and crowded parks and is starting to capture Kiwis’ imaginations too.
Four players in teams of two take turns spiking a ball onto a sprung net roughly a metre in diameter. A combination of volleyball and schoolyard handball, the aim is to hit the ball off the net in such a way that one’s opponents cannot return your play, and with no out of bounds things can get tricky – quickly.
Highly dynamic with lots of jumping, lunging and blocking, games are played to 11, 15, or 21 points depending on the format and players can use any part of their bodies to make contact with the ball.
Invented by American cartoonist and designer Jeff Knurek in the late 80s, the game has a certain childish charm to it and director of Spike Ball New Zealand James Docking says that it’s this charm that makes it so appealing to players.
Still in its infancy here, Docking says that through Spike Ball New Zealand ‘‘thousands’’ of sets have been sold to Kiwis, each one repenting four players of the game.
He says the unique thing about the fledgling sport is its lack of boundaries.
‘‘It’s a 360-degree game without boundaries, sides or territories,’’ he explains. ‘‘In a short version you’ve got your three hits similar to volleyball, but instead of hitting the ball over the net you’re hitting it onto the net.’’
While gaining in popularity now, the sport was once derided as nothing more than a ‘‘toy or a game, certainly not a sport.’’
‘‘It was first released in; I think it was the 80s, and was one of those releases that didn’t really go to plan. The product landed on some shelves, but it really didn’t take off,’’ says Docking.
Millionaire apparel entrepreneur Daymond John, had an instrumental role in resurrecting the game. John, an investor on American investment pitching show Shark Tank, bankrolled the game to the tune of $500,000 after an appearance by Chris Ruder, the game’s current CEO.
Docking says he’s unsure how many players there are in New Zealand, but that ‘‘tournaments are hosted on an ad-hoc basis around the place’’ and that there are at least ‘‘hundreds and hundreds of players around the motu.’’
The ability of the game to be ‘‘adaptable and flexible and that you can play in so many different environments,’’ makes it the perfect candidate for a new summer pastime.
Be it on soft beach sand, in a packed park or even just a humble backyard, the game manages to make itself small while leaving a big impression – which means it is ripe for summer fun, thinks Docking.
‘‘The fact that the game can be played in its entirety, it doesn’t have to be modified for different spaces really, you’re in your backyard, on the beach – you’re still playing the same game that is played at a highly competitive level.’’
This makes a welcome change from sports which Docking says are often modified to allow for their playing at a social level.
The game, which has ‘‘everybody engaged on every point’’ could also prove a remedy for Kiwis’ increasingly sedentary lifestyles he suggests.
Although the learning curve is steep, Docking says that after only a short time ‘‘you can see there are some skills you can start to master after only 30 or 40 minutes, you’re getting a really good handle on some of those elements.’’
Now you know: if you see a group of people that look like they’re performing a caper around a mini-trampoline, chances are they’re just playing spike ball.