A fun addition to activities available this year are our Octa-Ball Courts. One is located in the camping area adjacent to the Hart-Topliff Pavilion (608 Outer Dr.). A second Octa-Ball pit is located adjacent to the Youth Dorms (1700 Epworth Dr.) for our youth to use during recreation and free times. If you have never played before, it is a BLAST! Anyone of any age can join in any game. The rules of the game are as follows:
Octaball (“Ga-Ga” Ball)
Ga-Ga Ball is a game of honor. Players are responsible for officiating themselves and playing with honesty, integrity, and respect. It is believed that the game’s roots originated in Israel. The word “Ga” means “Hit”, so Ga-Ga means Hit-Hit.
Game Play Rules:
1. All players start with one hand touching a wall of the pit.
2. The game begins with a player throwing the ball into the center of the pit.
3. When the ball enters the pit, the players all scream “Ga” for the first two bounces, and “Go” after the third bounce (Ga-Ga-Go), after which the ball is in action.
4. Once the ball is in play, any player can hit the ball with an open or closed hand. Players may not carry, throw, or kick the ball – it must be punched with an open hand fist.
5. If a ball touches a player below the knee (even if a player hits himself/herself), he or she is out, and leaves the pit. If a player is hit above the knees, the player continues.
6. Any time the ball goes out of the pit, the last person that the ball touched is out. Using the walls of the octagon to aid in jumping is legal as long as the player does not permanently sit on the ledge of the octagon.
7. Players cannot hold the ball.
8. Once the player hits the ball, he or she must wait until the ball touches someone else before hitting it again (no double-touches).
9. The last player standing is the winner of the round.
Game Variations:
Game variations need to be decided prior to the game beginning. Players can add variations to the game – such as using more than one ball, playing in teams, expanding the hit area to be above the knee, catching the ball eliminates the player who hit it, and any other variation the participants can come up with. Another variation is to play rotation instead of elimination. This is done by allowing a certain number of players in the pit, and forming a line for the rest that want to play. Then, as one person gets out, the next person in line goes into the game.
