Saturday Night Spike
The Sun may be setting, but spikeball season is just beginning for a close group of South seniors.
Most students would prefer not to return to school on a weekend, but for the spikeball guys, it’s a prime tournament destination.
Equipped with a round trampoline-like net supported by five plastic beams, along with a small yellow ball, the guys take the field for a night of entertainment. Spikeball is a partner game, where players can set up a spike for their partners or slam it before the opponent even knows what happened.
It’s competitive, but seniors like Ben Knittig, Brendan Schutter, and Kellen Danielsen enjoy the easy-going spirit of it. Removed from all the stresses of academics and sports, the guys immerse themselves in the many nuances of the game.
“You have to be very quick on your feet. You have to be very strategic, too,” said Knittig.
As the lead organizer of spikeball events and tournaments and someone who has been playing spikeball regularly since receiving it as a Christmas gift two years ago, Knittig is a standout player.
Other members of the group pointed to Knittig as the best player, citing his creative serves and quick thinking.
“I’m just not at that pro-level yet,” he said, referencing the organized league that plays televised high-stakes games.
Danielsen, senior, explained the ins and outs of competitive spikeball.
“The people that play on the beaches in Florida are crazy. There’s a spikeball league that goes to different universities,” said Danielsen.
He hopes to join the league when college life begins.
Schutter, senior, traced his spikeball beginnings to the discovery of the spikeball Instagram page. Allured by what he called “the possibilities that can happen from it,” Schutter began attending tournaments with his friends.
Schutter enjoys it even more than organized competitive sports. “It’s less stressful. You’re playing for yourself and your partner,” he said, contrasting it with team sports like baseball and football.
Reflective of their laid back approach, they constantly switch partnerships. This ensures more parity and close matchups. Many games exceed the 21-point threshold and enter an exhilarating overtime period.
All this fun isn’t relegated to a certain time of year, thanks to senior Ian Enyeart’s indoor baseball facility. With green turf and bright lighting from corner to corner, the guys have taken full advantage of this training facility.
The collection of spikeball players ranging from cross-country runners to band musicians are constantly planning upcoming events. Members like to send out a message to the group chat, “SNS” (Saturday Night Spike), to gather a group of at least four. As long as one of the members remembers to bring a net, they are ready to compete.
At press time, Knittig is planning a spike night on Halloween. Knittig hopes to get the group together at a family friend’s martial arts school to play and go to Pizza Shoppe for dinner.
Performing an active, athletic game while having fun in the process is why they play. For the energetic seniors guys at South, spikeball is a slam dunk success.