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Spikeballers make Kelowna stop on B.C. Tour

It’s taking over the beaches and parks

Some of the best players in the province converge in Kelowna on Saturday for the latest stop on the BC Tour Series.

You’ll be able to see some amazing moves around the round net with a day of competition at Quigley Elementary School from 10:30 a.m. through to 6 p.m.

This is the third round of a seven stop series around BC.

Check out the video to see advanced players showing off their skills.


You’ve likely seen people around Kelowna diving and swatting at a small yellow ball, trying to bounce it off a net.

No, these people are not struggling to play volleyball - the net is supposed to be on the ground.

Spikeball is quickly becoming a top favourite summer pastime, with new players flocking to the game.

Riding the wave of that demand, a Summer Spike League started up in June 2022.

Co-runner of the league, Sean Haylow, told Kelowna10, Spikeball helps bring people together.

“It’s a very approachable and inclusive sport,” Haylow said.

The game allows athleticism to shine differently for everybody, he said, and is very welcoming to newcomers.

“Because the net is on the ground, it really doesn’t matter how tall you are, like [in] volleyball,” Haylow said.

The rules of the game are simple. One player starts by serving the ball onto the net so it ricochets up at their opponents.

The returning team has up to three hits between them to return the ball back onto the net. The rally continues until a team can't return the ball onto the net within three touches.

Points are scored when the ball hits the rim, the ground, or bounces more than once on the net

Spikeball is best played outdoors, which made it a COVID-friendly game during the pandemic, and likely contributing to it's rapid adoption.

For Haylow, the sense of community is his favourite part of the game.

“Having fun with friends. Every day is a little different, and playing different people, you get to do slightly more interesting things depending on who you play,” Haylow said.

Spikeballer, Nick Wideman, started playing the game two years ago.

“I didn’t really know much about it, just a few times on the beach with friends,” Wideman said.

He eventually discovered the competitiveness behind the sport, and has been playing ever since.

“[I’ve] been playing as much as I can with my partner, almost everyday, trying to get ready for this year's upcoming tournaments,” Wideman said.

His favorite part of the game is the epic dives to keep the play alive.

“If you have the chance to look up on YouTube just what a professional game of Spikeball looks like, it’s pretty cool. It’s a lot different than what you see on the beach.”

Published 2022-05-12 by Keelan Bourdon

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