By Dylan McDonough
You know that everyone’s going gaga over Gaga Ball. But what is it? I personally love Gaga Ball. I have played it at every camp I ever went to and at my co-op.
Gaga Ball, also known as Octoball, is like dodgeball in which players in a large Gaga “pit” try to eliminate opponents by striking them in the legs with the ball. Gaga, in Hebrew means “touch-touch”. It was invented over 30 years ago.
The game is played with a soft foam ball, and combines the skills of dodging, striking, running, and jumping. The games move quickly, usually only a few short minutes.
Once the game ends, everyone is back in for the next round.
Gaga Ball is super simple. Basically, it is several players and a ball in a pit. If the ball touches you below the knee, you’re out. The last one in the pit wins. Then, everyone hops back in for the next round. Games last a few minutes each depending on how many players. It’s fast, it’s fun and easy to learn. As soon as you get out, you can’t wait to get back in.
Here are the official game rules from The Gaga Center in New York City:
* All players start with one hand touching a wall of the pit.
* The game begins with a referee throwing the ball into the center of the pit.
* When the ball enters the pit, the players yell ‘GA’ for the first two bounces, and ‘GO’ on the third bounce, after which the ball is in action.
* Once the ball is in play, any player can hit the ball with an open or closed hand.
* If a ball touches a player below the knee (even if the player hits himself or herself) he or she is out and leaves the pit. If a player is hit above the knees, the play continues.
* If a ball is caught on a fly, the player who hit the ball is out.
* Using the walls of the octagon to aid in jumping is legal as long as the player does not permanently sit on the ledge of the octagon.
* Players cannot hold the ball.
* If the ball is knocked out of the pit the person who last touched it is out.
* If needed, a second ball can be thrown in the pit to speed up the end of the game. The last player standing is the winner of that round.
