A new game has taken over the school; one that involves only four competitors, a net, and unwavering passion.

With it moving up in the ranks of tailgate games, the new pastime has turned into a religion here. No longer will badminton or ping pong reign, no longer will dodgeball carry the highest lunchtime honors.

It’s spikeball time.

“It’ll be bragging rights, big time. You can kind of form an identity, you know who the spikers are at the school,” junior Gabe Leary said. Leary, among others, has been attributed with bringing the game to the school, and spurred immediate interest amongst the students.

This game acts as a two-on-two adrenaline rush, it is easily portable and can be played anywhere it won’t hurt to dive. The four players form a ring around a net that is suspended a half foot into the air.

The goal is to hit the ball onto the net, where the other team can’t return it as the ball springs back up. Should a team fail to return the ball, the other side gains a point.

“Though it looks like a simple game, at the same time it’s very complex,” said senior Charlie Gallagher, another spikeball enthusiast.

While spikeball requires high rates of agility and hand eye coordination, it is a well rounded game that doesn’t necessarily cater to the tallest or strongest.

“Spikeball isn’t a game that requires strength or height. I’m not very tall, but I can still play,” said Benny Dal Porto, a junior who enjoyed countless hours of spikeball this summer.

Not all athletes are the tallest or the strongest, but this game does require a lot of athletic ability.

“It’s a game that incorporates all parts of the athlete. You can’t win by being good at one part of the game,” Leary said.

This dynamic game is also easily transportable.

“Spikeball is just like pickup basketball, and it’s even easier to play anywhere you want,” senior Emmerson Sullivan said. As long as four people have a net and a ball, then anywhere from the beach to the third corridor grass areas will work.

For most here, the attraction of spikeball is the ability to let loose their aggression.

“I’m a very competitive guy, so I saw spikeball as another way to unleash my competitiveness,” said junior Max Arquilevich.

While the competitive nature of the game may not appeal to everyone, for many on campus it is the perfect escape from a tough school year that otherwise would lack in heated rivalries.

“It gives me an environment where I can go hard,” Gallagher said.

A better stage could not be set for ultimate bragging rights. The short summer months were filled with countless matches between bloodthirsty competitors in a search for the best spikers. More than enough hours have been spent dwelling on this crucial issue.  

“I hope the popularity of spikeball continues here even as the current players move on. We will hope it won’t take a step back,” said Darius Sadaatnezhadi.

The many spikeball rivalries here will help propel the game in years to come.

“It is here to stay,” said Leary, “Spikeball will continue its legend for at least another quarter century.”