Bossaball- Epic Combo of Music and Sports
Do you like trampolines? How about playing volleyball and soccer at the same time? How about playing soccer and volleyball at the same time on a massive bouncy castle? Well, I am here now to tell you about bossaball. This sport combines the components of volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and martial arts. Two teams pass a ball over a net by kicking or hitting it, all while bouncing on a giant inflatable court with trampolines on each side. Professionals pull off flips and other tricks while kicking the ball over the net. Sounds fun, does it not? Just imagine playing this on a beach, sun beating down and the waves crashing on the coast, music playing over the speakers. It sounds amazing.
The concept of the game was invented by Filip Eyckmans between 2003 and 2005. He was a tennis player on the Belgian national team, assisted live soccer matches and DJ-ed for private parties. Later, he became manager of multiple bands and, while on a trip with one of them in Brazil, he was amazed by the Brazilian martial art of capoeira. He also took in how soccer, volleyball, dance and music fused together on the beaches of Brazil. He wanted to put together something that combined every aspect of these sports with music. By doing this, he created one huge event and a brand new sport.
The rules of the game are fairly simple. There are 4 areas of the court: trampoline area, playing area, safety zone, and bossawall.
The game is played between two teams of four players. Ground the ball on the opponents’ side to score points. Points are determined by where on the court the ball is grounded and what technique was used to ground it. The two techniques used to get the ball over the net are volleyball touches and soccer touches. If the ball hits the playing area, it is 1 point if a volley touch is used and 3 points if a soccer touch is used. If the ball hits the trampoline area, it is 3 points for a volley touch and 5 points for a soccer touch. If the ball hits the safety zone, it is out. If the ball hits the bossawall and bounces off of it, the ball continues to be in play. If it stops on it, the team scores a point.
This sport has taken on popularity all around the globe, with games being played everywhere from the 2017 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Vienna to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio (played in Rio, not actually a medal event). Bossaball’s aim is to combine the best of music and sports. The emphasis is put on music during every game, music being constantly played throughout the game. The different rhythms in the music affect the feeling the game gives off, making it even more exciting. This aspect is shared by many sports (football, baseball, basketball and others all play music during games), but bossaball gives it much more emphasis than these other sports.
