A small yellow ball and a net stretched over a collapsible setup carry more meaning to the Whitman community than we tend to assume. Taking on an easy-to play, portable form, spike ball is the perfect sport that lays the groundwork for impromptu connections and casual hang-outs. On September 27th through the 29th, competitors from all backgrounds took their spike ball talents to Ankeny to put them to the test.

First-year Bram Barnes is not a member of the spike ball club or team but has still found herself playing pick-up games here and there when the weather permits. To her, spike ball is more than just a sport because it was the central reason she met some of her closest friends in an unfamiliar environment.

“[Spike ball] is a sport you can do and still do other things,” Barnes said.

Barnes explained that spike ball is a sport where you can find people and engage without feeling trapped into a full-time commitment. Barnes said that her old school didn’t have many sport programs, and to come to a school like Whitman where the teams can be casual and committed in the same space is a complete flip. Barnes was also amazed by players’ commitment to the sport and the adaptability of the sport itself. Something about the small setup and portable aspect allows players to take spike ball anywhere and play virtually any time they want.

“It was pouring down rain and [people] were still playing spike ball [on Ankeny],” Barnes said.

This weekend was the first formal spike ball tournament hosted by Whitman, happening in a round-robin playing style with self-appointed teams. In contrast with the typically sparse spike ball set-ups on Ankeny and Stanton fields, the weekend tournament’s overlap with alumni weekend brought more than four active games at once. Each game had their own movements, with teams cheering and jumping with excitement and students, faculty, and alumni stopping to watch.

First-year Scott Hayes reflected on the communal nature of spike ball.

“I’ve brought [a spike ball game] out a couple of times and people have been like ‘[hey] can I play?,’” Hayes said.

The connections brought from spike ball are a central part of Hayes’s experience on campus. Many students meet organically, and spike ball seems to be one of those interactions that bridge the community together while inviting collaboration.

First year Ben Albrecht, who is a member of the spike ball club, noted the importance of spike ball to Whitman College because of its low barrier to entry.

“[Spike ball] is less intimidating, so people feel like they can learn faster,” Albrecht said.

He told me how he often plays on the field and, similarly to Hayes, people will come up and ask to join rallies. While Albrecht did play in high school and over his gap year, he explained that Whitman is unique in the way we build a community around the sport. He felt almost at home being able to play on campus in such a casual and exciting manner.

Albrecht also explained how the more laid-back structure of spike ball itself means that players can easily opt for a break after difficult rallies.

“If someone wants to hop in when you’re done with a round, you can swap out and that makes it a less intense gameplay,” Albrecht said.

Despite the competitive atmosphere of last weekend’s tournament, spike ball is less of a competition and more of an occasion to bond. Not only have students found friends, formed teams, engaged in new connections, and branched out, but the game itself encourages newcomers. With our sprawling campus fields and sunny weather, Whitman is a college where spike ball is central to the connections made and kept.