Intense Competitions, Athleticism and Entertainment

Why Spikeball is Clearly a Sport

Photo by Ethan Woodring / Maclay Andalusian

A sport is defined as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Roundnet, more commonly known as spikeball, is a 2-on-2 sport based on concepts from volleyball, played with a lacrosse-sized ball and a circular net. Spikeball is a highly competitive sport with intense professional games and tournaments, requiring extreme athleticism, physical exertion and skill that can only be attained through years of repetitive practice. Major competitions are nationally televised on ESPN for fans to watch, with individual players and tournaments receiving sponsorships from various advertising agencies.

“Spikeball is definitely a sport,” sophomore Cormac McCabe said. “It’s a physical activity done in competitions with rules and regulations, and that’s the definition of a sport. Spikeball is similar to volleyball but instead of hitting the ball over a net, you hit it onto a net.”

Spikeball is continuing to grow, with professional tournaments involving ranked, competitive leaderboards and intense gameplay showcasing physical exertion and skill. Structured leagues like the International Roundnet Federation and national federations sponsor professional games and tournaments. Last year at the Roundnet World Championships, 20 different countries qualified to compete. Spikeball athletes are expected to have the highest quality gear, including cleats for grass and artificial turf. There are no “lucky bounces” that determine spikeball points because on plays where the ball bounces in a direction that it isn’t supposed to, referees or players can call a “pocket.”

“The 2018 Spikeball Roundnet Association Tournament Series includes events in several major cities across the United States, from Boston to San Diego,” ESPN staff writer Kieran Darcy said.

Spikeball is also a sport because it requires extreme athleticism and skill at the highest level. Like volleyball players, spikeball athletes must master hand eye coordination with their sets, spikes and drops. Athletes must also dive for the ball throughout the match to save the point, and there are various serving techniques that players must master and be able to respond to. To develop necessary skills, perfect their technique and play in intense tournaments, players practice drills for hours every day. Buddy Hammon, a spikeball player who won the 2022 Spikeball Roundnet World Championship, used the gym frequently to train his body for intense games. It isn't just about athleticism though - to win points, players must also have a high sports IQ, like knowing special positioning and play tactics.

"During the season, I'd say we probably play three times a week,” spikeball athlete Becca Graham said. "And then we would each practice individually, or train with each other, one to two times a week in addition to that.”

Spikeball tournaments are televised sporting events featured on various sports networks, including on ESPN’s channels. If ESPN didn’t generate money and viewership from spikeball entertainment, they wouldn’t air games; however, they do. As the sport continues to grow, monetary aspects do as well; more money is being invested into professional spikeball through companies sponsoring players, prizes and television ads.

“With tournaments held all over the country, we have a wide range of sponsorship opportunities across a number of exciting channels,” Spikeball Tour Series said.

Many think that spikeball is just a simple backyard game. A poll was recently issued to a select portion of Maclay students, asking whether they thought spikeball was a sport, and 21% said that it was. However, it is understandable that some Maclay students may think that it is not a sport because spikeball is not as popular in Tallahassee. Many have never heard of the sport or have just seen it played as a casual backyard activity, so students do not know of the intense professional tournaments and athletes that display extreme athleticism from years of spikeball training. Spikeball is an easy sport to learn, but a hard one to master. Roundnet professionals dedicate hours of their time and energy to the sport by improving their fitness and skills for intense games. Like most sports, including soccer and basketball, spikeball can be played recreationally in a backyard, as well as competitively in national championships. Former USA men’s national champion Peter Showalter skipped his college’s graduation ceremony to compete in a tournament in Lancaster.

"It was also my fiancée's graduation, but she played collegiate volleyball at a really high level, so she understands sacrificing some things to go play a sport you really like and you're good at," Showalter said.

Some may think that because spikeball is not in the Olympics, it cannot be a sport. However, they are forgetting that other sports like American football, bowling and polo are also not included in the Olympics. The main reason these sports aren’t in the Olympics is that they aren’t widespread in all countries. Obviously, this does not disqualify sports like football and spikeball from being a sport. But, spikeball companies are continuing to release new competitive gear that standardizes equipment and training, like Premier Spike’s net tension device, and national federations are continuing to grow in many different countries through the International Roundnet Federation, so it may be added to the Olympics in the near future.

“With the way this sport is growing, [olympics is] not out of the question,” Darcy said.

Clearly, with how hard spikeball athletes work to perfect their skills and athleticism, it's absolutely ridiculous to call this competitive sport a relaxed backyard game.

Watch spikeball on sports channels or play it yourself and experience firsthand the physical exertion and skill required to play this sport against professionals. If you put in the time and dedication, you could have a chance of competing at the USA nationals!