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If you’ve got a group of 4 friends, a Spikeball net and ball, and a lot of space, you’ve got the perfect setup for Spikeball. This fun, athletic game will have you running all over your yard to set, spike, and bump the ball back onto the net. Familiarize yourself with the rules and gameplay of Spikeball before you start for hours of endless enjoyment.

1

Explain the rules of Spikeball to all of the players.

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3

Put together the rim and the net.

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  1. Insert the black rim segments into the yellow legs to make a circle. Then, stretch the mesh net over the rim until it’s completely taut without any slack. When your Spikeball is set up, you’ll have a small net standing on 4 legs that’s about 6 in (15 cm) off the ground.[3]
    • You’ll also have a yellow Spikeball. In tournaments, the ball needs to be inflated to exactly 12 in (30 cm) in circumference, but it doesn’t matter as much if you’re just playing casually.
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7

Move around the net as the game continues.

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8

Return the ball to the net in 3 moves.

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  1. You have 3 moves to do it: you can bump, set, and spike the ball using any body part you’d like. If you don’t get the ball back onto the net in 3 moves, the other team scores a point.[8]
    • Each player can only touch the ball once before passing it over. For example, if Person 1 bumps the ball, Person 2 has to rush in and set the ball, then Person 1 can come back in and spike the ball.
    • You can only use 1 of your body parts to touch the ball at a time (yes, this includes your hands).
    • You can’t catch, lift, or throw the ball—no prolonged contact!
9

Focus on swatting the ball across the net.

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11

Score points when the other team can’t return the ball.

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  1. Your team also gets a point if the other team hits the ball onto the rim of the net, if the ball bounces back and hits the net or the rim, or the ball rolls across the net. It’s up to the players to score their own games, so keep a close eye on the other team.[11]
    • If you’re playing in a tournament, a ref will tell you when you’ve scored or not.
    • If it’s really sunny or windy out, you can rotate your teams’ starting positions every 5 points. That way, everyone gets a fair chance.
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  • Question
    Is Spikeball easy to learn?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Spikeball is fairly simple and easy to learn, but can be difficult to master. Serious Spikeball players may eventually develop more elaborate strategies and nuanced skills that allow them to take the game to the next level.
  • Question
    What age is Spikeball for?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Spikeball is suitable for all ages, but is most popular among people between the ages of 10 and 30.
  • Question
    Can you play Spikeball with 2 players?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Spikeball is typically played with 2 teams of 2 players, but you can play modified versions with just 2 players (such as Pepper, 1v1, or Jail).
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About This Article

Hannah Madden
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Hannah Madden is a writer, editor, and artist currently living in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, she graduated from Portland State University with a B.S. in Environmental Studies. Hannah enjoys writing articles about conservation, sustainability, and eco-friendly products. When she isn’t writing, you can find Hannah working on hand embroidery projects and listening to music. This article has been viewed 69,343 times.
10 votes - 68%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: August 7, 2024
Views: 69,343
Categories: Backyard Ball Games
Article SummaryX

Spikeball is a fun game to play with 4 friends where you hit a ball back and forth using the Spikeball net and try to score the most points for your team. To play, first break into 2 teams of 2 and stand in a loose circle around the net, with Team A on one side and Team B on the other. Choose one team to serve first. The serving team picks one player to serve, and the non-serving team picks one player to receive. The receiver is the only player who can field the serve, and they can stand as close to the net as they want. To serve the ball, the server throws it into the air and spikes it down onto the net so it bounces toward the other team. If the ball bounces back at the server, it’s a faulty serve. Servers have two chances to get it right before the serve passes to the other team. After the serve, the receiving team has up to 3 alternating touches to get the ball back to the net. Players can move and hit the ball in any direction around the net after the serve. If a team isn’t able to get the ball back to the net in 3 touches, the other team scores 1 point. If the ball hits the ground or rim of the net, or if it bounces on the net more than once, the other team gets 1 point. The serving team continues to serve until the receiving team scores a point, at which point the serve passes to the other team. Whichever team scores 21 points first wins!

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