Whirlyball

I've missed the past few days because of my work schedule. And I'll most likely miss the next few because I will have only occasional access to the internet. But tonight, you get something special. A three-in-one extravaganza about a topic I would have never imagined. The three-in-one? An 'It's Personal', a 'Video of the Week', and '3WW' all in one...

So, I'm in Dallas. And we're having strategic planning meetings this week with our owners. Hour after hour of PowerPoint presentations about all things technology. A rather fruitful experience for someone so inexperienced in all things regarding technology, i.e. me. Each day thus far, we have worked from approximately 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and then we have traveled to a dinner - one at Sullivan's and one at Cool River. Steakhouses, go figure.

Well, tonight we changed it up a bit and journeyed to play whirlyball.

When I saw the word, 'Whirlyball' on the agenda, I was completely clueless. Never heard of it. Couldn't imagine what it entailed. I did a little searching and found some information. But I still couldn't believe what I was reading. We'll get there.

We traveled from the office in Dallas along 75 to Plano. Lots of traffic. Lots of bumper stickers thanking George Bush. And lots of Longhorn symbols on the backs of cars. We finally arrived and stepped from the car into a heat that would cause any food to decay immediately. I would have jogged inside, but I don't think I could have made it. I slinked instead.

Much cooler inside. When I stepped in, I was immediately whacked with what looked to be an enlarged wiffleball. Not one of the real wiffleballs with slits on the top half - or bottom half if you like - of the ball. Instead it was one of those balls that has little holes in it at equal intervals. Anyway, I got whacked with one. Then another. And another. Those who had already arrived were holding what almost looked to be a cross between a lacrosse net and a jai alai basket called a scoop. They were 'scooping' these balls and flinging them - similarly to how jai alai players throw - at a target that was exceptionally well placed near the entrance. Of course, I joined in the fray. And I couldn't hit the target to save my life.

Easy enough, you might think. Scooping a ball. Throwing it at a target. Eh.

Then I looked into the plate glass enclosed court on which Whirlyball is played. The floor consisted of alternating conducting plates. The court itself seemed smaller than a basketball court, though not by much. And is set up similarly with backboards at either end of the court. Except those backboards are much lower and do not have baskets but holes only slightly larger than the balls by which I had been whacked. Those holes have heavy plastic behind them so the ball never actually goes through the hole but hits the plastic instead.

On the court? Bumper cars. Yes, bumper cars. Five yellow and five red.

Now combine everything I've told you thus far, and you have your game. People drive their bumper cars holding their scoops and try to hit the backboard - if beyond a certain point marked on the wall - for 1 point. Or you could hit the heavy plastic for 2 points if between the mark on the wall and the backboard and 3 points if behind that mark on the wall.

It was a riot. If you had been a fly on the wall, you would have seen a group of adults trying desperately to manage to control the bumper car - which has only a gas pedal and a steering mechanism - while also maneuvering their respective scoops and flinging the ball at the backboard. Suffice it to say, most of the games were low scoring affairs. The ball ended up hitting just about everything except the backboards. The funny part? Everyone who hadn't tried it before thought it would be so easy to do. But it just isn't the case. There's just so much going on and you're constantly on the move.

Well, our group played for approximately 3 hours during which time the majority of us were sweating profusely. Partially because it gets hot in the court. And partially because we were expending significant effort. At 8 p.m. we stepped from the court and talked amongst each other. Meanwhile, another group took the court. People with headbands. And gloves. And scoops with cotton covers.

Yes, whirlyball is a competitive sport. Really. And in the competitive sport, you get 2 points for hitting the heavy plastic up close and 3 points from afar. There's no backboard hitting for a point in competitive play. The people - consisting of everyone from a 20-something young guy to a rather large 30-something woman to a very tall 40-something guy - got into their cars and then started playing the game as gracefully as you would expect any other professional to play a sport. Passes were spot on. They maneuvered the cars as if the machines were an extension of their bodies. And they hit that heavy plastic. The first game had a score of 20-16! I couldn't believe it. I stood in awe.

Then I looked the competitive sport up on the web. There's a whirlyball court in Edmonds, WA. And one in South Windsor, CT. Not to mention all the other courts all over the country. Unreal...

Well, as promised, I will also give you a brief look into Whirlyball:

Here's how we played it...


And here's how the 'pros' do it...