Mark Donaldson serves w partner Mark Bird in Spikeball. They came from SoCal for this tourney. Oldest team playing. Hear & read more
— John Domen (@JDDsays)
Another example of Spikeball. Hear about it today
— John Domen (@JDDsays)
What the heck is Spikeball?! Find out today...
— John Domen (@JDDsays)
WASHINGTON 鈥� The biggest Spikeball tournament ever took place Saturday at West Potomac Park, drawing hundreds of players from all across the country.
But first, just what is Spikeball?
鈥淚f volleyball and four square had a baby, it would be called Spikeball,鈥� said Chris Ruder, the CEO of Spikeball.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got聽[…]聽what looks like a mini trampoline, but you don鈥檛 jump on it,鈥� Ruder said. 鈥淵ou spike a rubber ball off it. You play two-on-two. Rules are almost identical to two-on-two volleyball.鈥�
Most of the serious Spikeball players have a background in tennis or ultimate Frisbee, Ruder said. The motions used in tennis are the key to scoring in this game.
鈥淎 lot of people think that you hit overhead and straight down,鈥� said Ruder. 鈥淎nd while, yes, you can do that, that鈥檚 going to result in the ball going straight back up in the air, and that gives your opponent that much more time to get to the ball.鈥�
Ruder demonstrated a tennis swing.
鈥淵ou want a low angle that鈥檚 going to go far from the net,鈥� he said.
Playing as part of a team called 鈥淕olden Set,鈥� Harding Brumby flew to D.C. from Atlanta to play with his friend Eric Zishka, who lives in D.C. 聽They both played tennis before picking up this sport.
In addition to likening the game of Spikeball to volleyball and four square, Brumby said he would also add聽鈥渁 dose of randomness and fun” to the game’s description.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e diving all over,鈥� Zishka said, 鈥渁nd you鈥檙e just trying to make plays. Trying to get the ball in the air and keep it alive. The bump, set, spike sort of thing.鈥�
The self-proclaimed oldest team in Spikeball is made up of Mark Donaldson and Mike Bird. They flew in from southern California to play against teams decades younger than they are.
鈥淲e started as volleyball guys,鈥� said Bird. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been playing doubles volleyball together for 30 years, and been best friends for 30 years. We kind of picked up this game about five or six years ago and just fell in love with it. There鈥檚 so many great things about anticipation and competition and working with your partner. We just love the competition of it.鈥�
鈥淎nd the people out here are phenomenal,鈥� he added.
Donaldson echoed that sentiment: 鈥淭he community here is amazing,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he truth is,鈥� said Donaldson, 鈥渁nybody we鈥檝e played today hasn鈥檛 even added up to one of our ages.鈥�
Whoever wins the top prize will go home with $5,000. Of the 500 or so players competing, Ruder said about half arrived in D.C. on an airplane.
