Gaga Ball

If you have driven past Sundance Elementary lately, you may have noticed a large ring on the playground. It’s actually called a Gaga Ball Pit, used for the game Gaga Ball. The game is similar to dodgeball, except there is no line or teams, It’s every man for themselves.

To start the game, everyone must be inside the pit and touching the walls. The ball is thrown into the pit and everyone chants “Ga-ga-ball” as the ball bounces three times.

A player is allowed to hit the ball one time before a different player touches the ball (no double touches), and when it’s down to two people, you are allowed to hit up to three times in a row. If you get hit from your waist down (or knees), you’re out (you step outside of the ring).

If you get hit from your waist up (or knees), you and the person who hit the ball at you are still in. But if you get hit on your head, the person who served it is out. If the ball goes over the barrier, whoever last touched the ball is out.

If the ball ricochets off the wall and hits you, you are out. If you fall down (if a body part other than your hands or feet touch the ground), you are out.

If someone catches the ball, the person who hit it last is out, and the game has to restart throwing the ball in (not restarting the whole game). If you win (last person in the ring), you get to toss the ball in for the next round.

The money for the Gaga ball pit was raised by the “Spellathon”, a fundraiser held by the school where students can raise money from how many words kids spell right on a test. The idea of the game came from one of the SES students, Jude Crago, who proposed it as one of the options for the money raised.

I also interviewed Jude on her experiences:

Q: Where did you learn about the game?

A: The first time I played it was at Heart Ranch when I was seven.

Q: Do you have any advice for kids who want to play?

A: You can hit the ball as many times as you want if you hit the ball against the wall. Then you would get more momentum and more space from the wall for a better hit.

Q: If there was a teacher version, who would win?

A: I’m going with… coach (Williamson) or Mr. Olson and Mrs. Cartwright.

It started just as a game in PE, but after about a week of it, they moved it outside (for recess). Now the whole school can play together, all at once. Even though it’s still winter, and it’s cold and icy, Gaga ball is easily the most popular game to all of the kids. Just wait and see when spring rolls around.

Gaga ball is easily one of the school’s favorite games, even though we have had it for less than a month. The rules of Gaga ball vary from person to person, but the object is always be the last one standing.