I first got introduced to Spikeball (officially called Roundnet) a couple of years ago, and I have been hooked ever since. The games are exciting and tense, and they offer an amazing opportunity to stay fit while displaying your amazing agility and athleticism (or lack thereof).

If you have never played Spikeball or do not understand the rules, it is fairly simple to play. The game involves two teams of two players standing next to one another around a net that is on the ground, and the goal is to keep the ball in play either by slamming it on the net or hitting it to your partner (the ball can be passed between teammates a total of three times before it must be slammed onto the net).

There are some other rules related to serving, scoring, and hitting the ball it in the pocket of the net, but these become second nature after playing a couple of games and getting the hang of it.

Now getting to the reasons why I love Spikeball so much—the first is because of the speed of the game. Games usually go to 15 or 21 points, which may seem like a lot if you are unfamiliar with the pace of the game, but each sequence goes pretty quickly and serves occur right away.

This makes playing with a bunch of people very easy if you have a large group, and it is a blast to go on a long win streak with a friend to see how far you can keep it going. Additionally, this speed means that the game is very easy to pick up, but very difficult to master—a quality I appreciate in any sport or game that I play.

Secondly, there are always a couple crazy highlight plays in each match that keeps playing the game fresh and fun. A lot of possessions are only going to only last for a couple of seconds, especially if you are playing with inexperienced players.

However, there are moments where someone will get a crazy diving play or will get a ball to his teammate that seemed impossible to get to, and very long sequences occur where the ball is kept in play for a minute or longer. So if you are planning on going all out (which I definitely recommend you do), I would recommend playing somewhere like the beach where you should not be too worried about breaking an arm or something.

Finally, my favorite part about Spikeball is the intensity. I do not know why, but almost every single game of Spikeball I play ends up being a very close game down to wire. There are few moments exciting as a Spikeball game that comes down to the very end, knowing that one small mistake will cost you and your partner the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get to that point (and I know that might not sound too exciting to you, but my life is pretty boring so let me have this one).

These are the moments when Spikeball legends are made, but it is important to work with your partner instead of trying to steal all the glory for yourself as Spikeball is ultimately a team game, and teams that work well together win together.

So what are you doing this summer? Go get a group of friends, some good music, and play some SpikeBall. You probably won’t regret it!