Spikeball group launches league in Kamloops

Photo: Tanner Robinson

If you haven't heard of spikeball, you're not alone.

The sport is small, but growing quickly, says Tanner Robinson, the organizer of Kamloops' new league and an ambassador for Spikeball Inc. A fitness trainer, Robinson learned about spikeball while playing in ultimate Frisbee tournaments outside of Kamloops. It was a game ultimate players played during breaks.

Now, four years later, he's brought it to Kamloops by hosting weekly league nights and impromptu games. He started up the league in July, though it's in early stages now as people are learning the sport and teams aren't set in stone.

"Essentially, there are a couple of people I knew in town already who I knew had played or were interested in playing," he tells Castanet.

From there he's spread the word about Wednesday evening games on social media. Ideally, he'd like to be able to host tournaments. Kelowna has an established league, and Vernon has a club; it's already popular on Vancouver Island, as well. In the U.S., where it started and headquarters for Spikeball Inc. are based, nationwide tournaments are held and high-profile games occasionally are televised.

Spikeball is similar to volleyball, except instead of a net used as a barrier, it's used as a playing surface. It pits two teams of two against each other, much like beach volleyball. Players then bounce a ball about the size of a softball off the net, trying to get it by their opponents.

Players receive, set and spike the ball, Robinson explains, with the game revolving around the net a full 360 degrees.

The structure of a game is also similar to volleyball, with three rounds where teams try to get a set point level (11, 15 or 21). Then it's a best two out of three. 

Robinson says that since the game is new to most people, league night is a free drop-in event right now, running from 6 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday night near the bandshell in Riverside Park.

If you're interested in joining, there's a Facebook page and Instagram account, both run by Robinson, with more information.