Are you looking to get into Spikeball but don’t know how to go about it? If yes, the first thing you need to do is understand how the game works. Spikeball is a type of sport that combines the elements of Volleyball and Foursquare.
Normally, Spikeball is a game that requires 2 different teams with two players each. However, the game can also be played as 1v1. Instead of two players on each team, 1v1 Spikeball involves only two people in total; one from each team. The game is played the same way as the 2v2 standard Spikeball.
In the rest of this article, I’ll further share everything you need to know about the 1v1 Spikeball game, including what it is, the best way to play it, and how the game compares to the normal 2v2 Spikeball game. So, without wasting any time, let’s get straight down to business.
Can you play Spikeball 1v1?
When it comes to playing the Spikeball game, one of the many questions that people ask is; can I play Spikeball 1v1?
Of course, you can always play Spikeball 1v1. No doubt, a standard Spikeball game requires two teams with two players each to play against each other. However, the Spikeball 1v1 is designed to allow only two persons to play against each other.
Here’s how the Spikeball 1v1 game works
In this type of game, four players are expected to be on the field of play; that is – two teams with two players. However, the 1v1 game is a little bit different from how this regular Spikeball game works. It only involves 2 teams with one player each.
The Spikeball 1v1 game is slightly more challenging than the regular game in the sense that it requires the players to cover more space.
What is the best way to play Spikeball 1v1?
You need to understand that the 1v1 game can be played in several different ways. Let’s have a quick look at some of them below:
- Pepper
Pepper is one of the few types of Spikeball 1v1 game. No doubt, it’s not the standard Spikeball 1v1. However, since it only involves two players, it’s categorized under Spikeball 1v1. So, how is this game played?
The “Pepper” type of Spikeball 1v1 starts with you serving the ball to the other player. After that, both of you will alternate touching the ball, at most three times, and then hitting it off the net. However, you are only allowed to hit the ball in a way that allows your opponent to play defense on the hit. After that, the game will keep going until one of the two of you fails to defend the game.
- Standard 1v1
Like pepper, the standard Spikeball 1v1 game involves two teams with one player each. For this type of Spikeball, you need to start a point by serving the ball across the net to the other player. Your opponent or the receiver only has up to 3 touches to hit the ball down into the net.
The game will continue until one of the two of you misses the chance to defend and get the ball back into the Spikeball round net. This type of Spikeball 1v1 is called “Standard” because it’s played the same way as the regular Spikeball 2v2.
Furthermore, for the standard Spikeball 1v1, you and your opponents can always make some adjustments to the game.
- The first modification to the game is called “Single Hand Only” – this involves using just one hand or alternating hands to play the game.
- The second adjustment you can make to the game is called “Short Game” – this involves designing an inner circle around the net that hits can’t go out of. This approach will force you and your opponent to work on your short, finesse game.
- The last modification to the standard Spikeball 1v1 is called “Halves.” It involves having the court split into two different sides. With that, you’ll only be required to hit the ball toward your opponent’s side.
You can check here to see how the standard Spikeball 1v1 game can be played.
- Jail
Another type of Spikeball 1v1 is called jail. This requires you to stand anywhere relative to the net while your opponent stands at about 6 feet to ten feet away from the net and vice versa. Furthermore, if you’re the one standing next to the round net, your opponent will have to stand behind a line, which he mustn’t cross. He’s only allowed to move laterally along the line.
Jail begins with your opponent setting the ball to you, who in turn hits the ball the opponent. Furthermore, your opponent will proceed in the came by trying to aim the first touch as a setback across the net. The purpose of this move is to allow you to hit the ball back on the net and also at the opposing player.
For a poor first touch on the ball, you’ll have to set the ball back to the opposing player, who in turn tries to hit the ball off the net from behind the line. After successfully doing that, you’ll have to pass the ball back and allow the Jail 1v1 game resume.
This type of one on one Spikeball game is a lot challenging to get. To get a clearer picture of how the game works, you can check here.
What is the difference compared to playing 2v2?
The difference between Spikeball 2v2 and 1v1 depends on the type of one on one game you’re trying to play.
For the standard Spikeball 1v1 and the regular 2v2 game, you need to understand that they have a lot of things in common. The pattern of play is almost the same, except for the fact that the former only involves two players in all while the latter involves 4 players in all.
The difference in the number of players for the standard Spikeball 1v1 and 2v2 makes the one-on-one game a little bit more challenging to play than the regular game. Yes, with Spikeball 1v1, players have a lot of work to do, as they need to cover a lot of areas on the playing court.
