A couple of years back camera-man Laird Allan covered a sport similar to this with his Grandkids at the Langley Events Centre and was in awe of the talent of those playing.
So what is Bossaball about?
It is a team sport that originated in Spain and was conceptualized by Filip Eyckmans of Belgin in 2004 .
It very similar to volleyball, but includes other elements of football/soccer, gymnastics and capoeira.
The inflatable court with integrated trampolines on each side of the net, allowing players to bounce high enough to spike the ball getting great height.
Some other countries where Bossaball has been introduced include: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Turkey, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland and Portugal to name a few.
Each team consists of 4 or 5 players and the height of the net can be adjusted for professionals, men, women or children.
One player (the attacker) is positioned on the trampoline, the others around him/her on the inflatables.
A player from the serving team (the server) throws or kicks the ball into the air and attempts to hit the ball so it passes over the net on a course such that it will land in the opposing team’s court (the serve).
The opposing team must use a combination of no more than 5 contacts with the ball to return it to the other side of the net (6 touches for recreational games).
These contacts can be exercised using any body part: -a volley touch (with the hands) allows only 1 contact with the ball -a soccer touch (with other parts of the body) can consist of 2 successive contacts.
Players are not allowed to touch the net and always have to remain with at least one body part on their own side.
Points can be made either by scoring or by an opponent’s fault. When the ball contacts the floor (the bottom of the trampoline or the inflatables) within the court boundaries (the outer safety zone is out), the team on the opposite side of the net is awarded a score. The safety border around the trampolines is a free zone. On this “bossawall” the ball may bounce or roll. When the ball lays still on the bossawall, the point goes to the opponent’s team.
Scoring with volley touch:
1 point: when the ball hits the opponents playing area.
3 points: when the ball is played directly in the opponent’s trampoline area.
Scoring with soccer touch (any part of the body except hands):
3 points: when the ball hits the opponents playing area.
5 points: when the ball is played directly in the opponent’s trampoline area.
The team that scored serves for the next point. If the team that scored served in the previous point, the same player serves again.
If the team that scored did not serve the previous point, the players of the team rotate their position on the court in a clockwise manner.
The game continues, with the first team to score 25 points (and be two points ahead) awarded the set.
Three sets are played in one match.
After all that fun we all had, I was seriously considering getting the kids their own trampoline! I’ve heard that you can get trampolines on afterpay, we could set up our own mini game of this in the backgarden for the kids and their friends, even us grownups might have a game or two!
