Spikeball is fast gaining a lot of popularity across the world. The game, which was invented about 3 decades ago as Roundnet, now has millions of players worldwide. Spikeball is a type of sport that’s originally designed for two teams with two players each.
Spikeball usually starts with the server (team 1) hitting/serving the ball against the round net to the receiver (team 2). During a serve, a “pocket” is only counted as a fault if the trajectory of the ball changes. That’s not all; violations of some of the rules of the game are also counted as a fault.
Is it possible to lose a point on a serve during a Spikeball game? What exactly is considered a fault during a serve in the Spikeball game? Can a Spikeball game end on a bad serve? As you read through the rest of this post, you’ll find answers to these frequently asked questions.
What is considered a fault during a serve in the Spikeball game?
Yes, a point serve can always be faulted depending on a couple of factors, including how the player tosses the ball and where the ball is hitting on the net.
For a better understanding of what is considered a fault in the Spikeball game, let me start by talking about some of the rules of the game. As you already know, Spikeball is a game that is often played by two teams with two players each.
- The game starts with the two teams lining up across from each other. A round net is placed in between the two teams.
- To commence the game, all players are expected to stand 6 feet away from the net until the ball is served by the player. The only exception, however, is that the receiver (a player from the defending team) is the only player allowed to stand at any point relative to the net.
That said, let’s now talk about what is “considered a fault” during a Spikeball game below:
- How a player (server) serves the ball during a roundnet game matters a lot. According to the official website, the server is expected to toss the ball upward at least 4 inches when trying to serve or spike the ball against the net. If he/she violates this rule, it’s counted as a fault.
- After tossing the ball upward at least 4 inches, the server is expected to hit it right against the round net. Dropping, catching, or swinging the ball means the server has violated a rule of the game. Irrespective of whether or not a player tosses the ball the right way, failure to hit after the toss is a fault.
- A pocket is a space between the net and the rim. In Spikeball, there are three different types of pockets – front pocket, back pocket, and side pocket. When a player serves the ball only for it to hit the front section of the net and cause the ball’s vertical trajectory to get lower, it’s called a front pocket or a “near net.” As for a back pocket, it occurs when the ball hits the back or side section of the net and its vertical trajectory turns steeper.
During a point serve, a side pocket occurs when the ball hits a side section of the net, causing its horizontal trajectory to change towards the opposite direction. The bottom line is that “side pocket,” “front pocket,” or “back pocket” can be counted as a fault only if the ball’s trajectory changes.
Can you lose a point on a serve in the Spikeball game?
It’s very possible to lose a point on a serve during the game. However, this only happens after two serve attempts.
As previously mentioned, faults during a “serve” in a spikeball game can occur due to a couple of situations. But what exactly happens after a fault is made?
It’s pretty simple; when a point is made during a point serve, the server is allowed to serve the ball again. This time, however, he/she needs to get the service right or the team will lose a point.
Here’s a better explanation; as earlier mentioned, a fault can occur when the server fails to toss the ball upward at least 4 inches when trying to serve. If this happens, the server will get another attempt to retry the service. If he/she retries and fails again, the team will automatically lose a point.
The bottom line is that a team can always lose a point on a serve in a Spikeball game. However, this doesn’t always happen as it’s rare for a team server to be faulted twice during a point service. That said, a player will automatically lose the point after making two successive faults during a point serve.
Can a Spikeball game end on a bad serve?
Sure, a Spikeball game can always end on a bad serve. However, that’s only true when the player makes two successive bad serves in a game.
Here’s the thing; according to the tournament rules of Spikeball, when you make a bad serve the first time, it’s called a fault and it means you need to take the service again. However, if you end up repeating the same mistake after the retrial, instead of getting another chance, you’ll automatically lose a point. With that, it means the game has ended and you need to start another one – this time, the opposing team will be the one to start the serve.