Bossaball: A whole other ball game

Thursday, 5 June 2008
As you might have already known, Singapore’s largest ever sports festival, the Community Sports Festival, was held this past weekend at Toa Payoh Stadium/Sports Hall. Having been reliably informed that I’d get a chance to see for myself a whole other ball game I had never seen before, I decided to pop on down at take a look at the horrible hour of 9 am on a Sunday.

This new ball game? Bossaball, which can trace its origins to Belgium earlier this decade, has arrived in Singapore and Bossaball Singapore decided to be a part of the festival to try to spread the word. Not a surprise, seeing as the event attracted 7,000 participants as well as the Mayor of the Central Singapore District, Mr Zainudin Nordin, and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim.

I suppose the game is best described as rojak. It’s a real mix. The playing “field”, or perhaps the right term here is “court”, makes use of a net, trampolines and inflatable cushions. In fact, a Bossaball Singapore brochure says it “combines many sports”, with beach volleyball, soccer, sepak takraw and acrobatics the main influences.

Perhaps one of the more important points is that there is no age limit as to who can play the game – the net height can be adjusted to suit the players, so children and even those getting on with their years can still take part in Bossaball games. One’s fitness level is not a concern either, nor the level of previous training, as demonstrated by a member of the VIP team when he himself took to the court for a short while to try the game out.

Bossaball Singapore’s general manager, Mohamad Saifudin, said they were targeting mainly tertiary schools, having already conducted events with Republic Polytechnic (RP) and the Singapore Management University (SMU) among others. “We hope to one day have a league or tournament,” he added.

He also said that there were two different aspects to bossaball. One of them was the ‘fun’ side of things, which is more common and which everyone who plays the game will experience, but there also is a competitive side to it which showcases the more extreme acrobatic moves.

Not dissimilar to beach volleyball, there is a points-and-set system in bossaball. There are three to five players on each team; the aim of the game is to make the ball touch the opposition’s end of the court. With a maximum of only eight times a team can come into contact with the ball – using any body part (with certain restrictions) – bossaball is also partially, to me at least, a strategic game.

I doubt that I’ve been able to paint a full picture just by describing the game from what I saw and what I know from brochures, so you can always go online to www.bossaball.com and www.bossaball.com.sg to learn more and possibly have a look at some of the events and programmes they are conducting – until you see it first hand, just reading about it doesn’t do it justice.

source : youth.sg

Brazil tromps to victory in Zain Int'l Bossaball Tournament

October 12, 2008 - By Eman Goma, Staff Writer
KUWAIT: The Brazilian Bossaball team is flying back to Rio de Janeiro jubilant, after winning the Cup at the first Zain International Bossaball Tournament. Brazil, Spain, AUK and GUST were the four teams competing in the one-day tournament which was held on Friday at the Marina Crescent. The first ever international tournament of Bossaball to be held in Kuwait kicked off at 5 pm with the first game played between Spain and AUK with Spain winning 25-9/25-12 followed by a game between Brazil and GUST where Brazil won 25-13/ 25-15. In the final match Brazil beat its fierce competitor Spain 25-15/25-21.

The teams were able to prove, to the 300-plus crowd who attended the event, that Bossaball is a game that is not only enjoyable for the players but also for the spectators. The crowd which started flocking to the Marina Crescent an hour before the start of the tournament was entertained by the tremendous performance of the Bossaball teams. Watching the players' nimble agility on the inflatable bouncers and trampolines while showing off their volleyball, football and gymnastics skills was by far the most entertaining scene for the spectators.

The players were able to get the spectators hooked on to the game right from the very first serve of the first game. Instead of just hitting the ball with their hands, some of the players showed off their creative serves and playing techniques which included flipping around with the ball between their legs before tossing it over to the other side.

Bossaball is considered one of the newest games in the world's sports arena. The game which is a combination of football, volleyball and gymnastics was invented three years ago. The popularity of the game gained instant recognition in some countries of Asia, Europe and South America, with brazil and Spain evolving as the top contenders in the game.

It was first played in Kuwait in the beginning of July 2008 through an exhibition match between GUST and the Spanish Bossaball teams. Besides GUST., AUK also formed its own Bossaball team giving Kuwait a chance to sparkle as the first Middle Eastern and Arab country to show interest and participate in Bossaball.

The main person behind Kuwait's foray into the Bossaball field is Mohammad Al-Taqi, the Head of Bossaball Kuwait and the Coach of GUST's Bossaball team. "Bossaball was only introduced to Kuwait in 2008 after I invited Bossaball officials from abroad to start setting up the game in Kuwait and we succeeded in putting together two teams here (GUST and AUK)," Al-Taqi told Kuwait Times. Al-Taqi has been coaching GUST's team since June 2008 and believes that their performance has improved remarkably since then. He added, "The only problem with the game, here in Kuwait, is the fact that gymnastics is not really popular here (Kuwait), so the players need more training in that area." However, Al-Taqi affirmed that the GUST and AUK teams are capable of competing in international tournaments and the Zain International Bossaball Tournament was just the start. "In November the GUST team will part icipate in an international Bossaball tournament that will be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE and we are expecting a good ranking there," he said.

Sharifa Al-Adwani, the Coach of AUK's Bossaball team also believes that Kuwait can excel in this sport. "In Kuwait, we are always interested in new things and we tend to invest ourselves in them and I truly believe that such new ideas can grow here," she stated. Al-Adwani was originally the volleyball coach at AUK for the past three years and has only been coaching her team for a couple of days. She explained, "I'm their volleyball coach and I don't know much about the rules of Bossaball but because of the similarity between the two games, I found it possible to coach them." According to Al-Adwani, AUK put up a good performance in the tournament. She said "AUK's players started practicing three weeks ago and I think they did a great job today (Friday).

The tournament was sponsored by Zain and was attended by Abdul Wahab Boodai, an official from the department of Communications and Relations at Zain. Boodai explained that Zain evinced a keen interest in sponsoring the event due to the growing popularity of Bossaball in Kuwait. "At Zain, we've been observing the popularity of this new game here and we found out that a lot of the Kuwaiti youth are interested in participating and watching this sport and we (Zain) are just catering to their needs," Boodai sta ted.

The first Zain International Bossaball Tournament is considered a success not just for the teams and the spectators that enjoyed their performance but is also a success for Kuwait as a host in promoting new sports tournaments in the Middle East.

source : kuwaittimes.net

Bossaball: the latest sporting rage

September 12, 2008 - By Nawara Fattahova, Staff writer
KUWAIT: Sporting activities are very popular in Kuwait. Kuwaitis are always eager to try out everything new. The bossaball is a an exciting new game, which is a combination of two games. Kuwait is the first country in the Middle East to experiment with the bossaball. The other Arab countries haven't caught up with the game yet. Only a few in Kuwait are aware of this new game. Anyone who has played it once likes to repeat the experience.

Bossaball is a team sport. It's based on the volleyball. So, the feet or any other parts of the body can be used to hit the ball. It is played team-wise; each team comprising eight to 10 players. The aim of the Bossaball is for each team to hit the ball into the opponent's field. Each team is entitled to a maximum of eight contacts with the ball. The trampoline jumper jumps to a height to prepare for a smash. Players can only touch the ball once with their hands, or touch it with their feet and/or head. Once a team grounds the ball, it gains a point. Scoring on the trampolines is worth three points. Hitting the ball against the bossawall (red inflatable rings around the trampolines) doesn't count as a score. Mostly six matches are played. Each match ends when any of the teams score 24 points each.

The inflatable trampolines has been placed at one of the public sports clubs. It can be rented on an hourly basis from 8:00am to midnight, and sometimes till 2:00 am. The facilities are fully booked till closing hours. A judge is also available at the hall. Music is a compulsory accompaniment while the Bossaball is played. The players can bring their own CDs, or can simply enjoy the available music. A few minutes break was given to the players so that they can rest for a short while.

The first experience was very exciting for the players. "This was the first time I played this game, and I really enjoyed it a lot. I saw short video clips on the You Tube and it attracted me. Then my friends told me about it, and I decided to try it. It's a team game, and it depends on players playing well. Simply I had fun," Abdullah, a 22 -year- old Kuwaiti told the Kuwait Times. Both men and women play the Bossaball. Even girls in Kuwait enjoy playing it. "I enjoyed it very much. It is useful for my body, as all the muscles are exercised. I felt it after the game. I also broke the daily routine by venturing into something new. I love jumping on the trampolines. All this while, trampolines were available in Kuwait for kids. So I couldn't play on it at public places and if I did, people would laugh at me. So this was a great opportunity to experiment with this exciting sport," noted Fatma, a 24 -year- old Kuwaiti.

This game is fun for those who practice the sport as well as those who don't. "It is the best sport that I have ever played. It combines my favorite sports. So I have really enjoyed this experience," Eman, a 25 -year- old Egyptian said. The Bossaball has become a rage and more people are catching up with it, especially among university students. So recently a tournament was held, On October 10, 2008 a bossaball championship will be held in Kuwait. Four teams will be participating. Two teams from Kuwait: the GUST and the AUK teams will be facing the two visiting teams; the Brazil team and the Spain team.

source : kuwaittimes.net

A new sport - bossaball

It's a little bit volley ball, a little bit football and a lot of trampoline. Introducing Bossaball, the newest sport that has bounced into the arena from Belgium The idea behind Bossaball is to practice a combination of different sports at once on a pitch that is entirely constructed of trampolines. It's not just the sport that will get you moving, Bossball has a Salsa flare to it, even the refs whistle will get your hips moving. The sport is often played to Latin American music to pick up the pace. Possibly one of the safest contact sports thanks to the padded field, Bossaball has to be seen, and played to be believed.

source : thecoolhunter.net

bossaball - volleyball on inflatables and trampolines.

Bernie DeKoven - Bossaball - volleyball on inflatables and trampolines. And a beautiful site it is. As is the game (sight-wise). As you can see on every impressively animated page.

Bossaball is 'a ball game between 2 teams. It's a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines, divided by a net. And it takes less than 45 minutes to set it all up and get ready to play.'

It is always exciting to see a new sport - it means new opportunities to play, new expertise to develop, and a new invitation to fun. Because the sport is new, there's no need to take it 'seriously.' There's no world cup, no national teams. The only reason to play is because it looks like something you might actually enjoy. Well, it looks like volleyball, actually. Except for the trampolines, which makes it look like Trampoline Basketball, except it's volleyball.

It's the spectacle of seeing bodies flying, tumbling in an ecstasy of aerial acrobatics. It's the bounce: The bouncing, tumbling players on the trampolines and surrounding inflatable mat. The bouncing music.

Bossaball. It looks like fun.

source : deepfun.com / junkyardsports.com

Volley Nova

What looks like a jumping castle, plays like volleyball, and sounds like samba? The musical sport of bossaball.

A brand new sport born in Belgium early in the 21st century, bossaball is like a combination of beach volleyball and competitive trampolining, with a live South American soundtrack thrown in.

It's played on a specially designed inflatable court that features a round trampoline on each side of an adjustable volleyball-style net. The entire court and surrounding area are heavily padded for safety and the trampolines are circled by a big red barrier called the bossawall.

Bossaball has quickly become popular in Europe and South America and the portable court has allowed it to be played on beaches, in schools and at music festivals.

With Gusto!

Music plays an important part in bossaball. Bossa nova and samba are different styles of Brazilian music and bossaball officials are known as samba referees.

'Com bossa' means 'with gusto' in Brazil and bossaball referees expend almost as much energy as the players. As well as blowing the whistle, groups of samba refs provide the backing track for each game with a combination of musical instruments that can include microphones, drums and turntables.

This emphasis on music and movement has drawn comparisons between bossaball and the Brazilian martial art of capoeira.

Who's the Boss?

Bossaball is played between two teams of either three, four or five people. Each team is allowed up to eight touches before returning the ball. And players are allowed to use their hands, feet or head.

Really bossaball is all about timing. The high number of touches is used to try and set up a spiker bouncing high on the trampoline for a big smash.

If a team allows the ball to be grounded on the trampoline they give up three points. Anywhere else on the court is worth one point. But if the ball bounces off the bossawall it is still in play and the rally goes on. The first team to 30 points wins the set.

* A bossaball court can be assembled and inflated in around 45 minutes.
* The height of a bossaball net can be adjusted to make it suitable for children, adults or professionals.

source : abc.net.au

Nice balls

Bossaball looks like a sport made for TV. At least it's more interesting than watching snooker or poker. It's a made-up European sport that's sort of a cross between soccer and volleyball except it's played on trampolines and an inflatable surface. Oh, yes - the referrees play drums and look and act like they belong in a carnival parade in Rio.

source : canada.com

Trend: Zero gravity Sports

With the help of some new tools, technologies, and clever physical concepts, the new extreme sports are defying the force of gravity.

Trend Description:
Fusing the most fun sports with modern technology, the new extreme sports besiege the physics of gravity. While some concepts seem to be rather simple, like incorporating trampolines into a game of beach volleyball, they enable whole new concepts of play and artistic movement. Other, more techy sport gadgets, propel sports enthusiasts into a totally new experience of gravity and, of course, way up into the air.

Bossaball is an 'all-in-the-air' 2-team ballgame, mixing elements of volleyball, football, gymnastics and caporeia. It is played on an inflatable court equipped with two big trampolines and divided by a net. The change of gravity allows a whole new range of techniques, team tactics and strategies to play and score. As players and the ball fly high over the court, the audience cheers and dances around the arena. Bossaball is one of the extreme sports drawing a huge crowd wherever it is set up.

source : cscout.com

BELGA-BALL

It's a bit like volleyball, a little bit like football and a lot like trampolining. Introducing Bossaball, the newest team sport that has bounced into the arena from Belgium. The basic idea is to practice a combination of different sports at once on a court made up of trampolines and inflatables, divided by a net. Think beach volleyball on a giant inflatable and you're allowed to kick the ball. It's not just the sport that will get you moving though; Bossaball is often played to Latin American music to pick up the pace. With the music flowing and the dynamic court encouraging ever more adventurous moves, it's not long until players are flinging themselves into overhead bicycle kicks and diving digs. www.bossaball.com

source : vlmmagazine.com

Bossaball : The game with bounce

Team sports don’t hold much appeal for me, with the notable exception of volleyball. I don’t know exactly why that is, but it may have something to do with the lack of violence in the way the game is played. There’s no tackling, tripping, checking, or jostling between players on opposing teams, just the graceful lobbing or purposeful spiking of the ball over the net. Other sports, such as tennis and badminton, have the same appeal, but I like the aspect of team cooperation that is so essential to a good volley.

I once played on a volleyball team and enjoyed it greatly; that is, except for the bruises on my forearms caused by excessive bumping, the aches in my jammed fingers from setting the ball, and the scrapes on my knees from my unsuccessful attempts to keep the ball off the floor. I’ve always thought I’d like to try beach volleyball for that reason, since sand seems much more forgiving than concrete, and the mood is often more casual than serious.

However, I’ve recently found yet another option that could fulfill my need for fun, safety, and team cooperation. The new sport of bossaball is played on a court consisting of inflatable panels, trampolines, and a net, and combines aspects of volleyball, soccer (or football, as it’s known outside North America), gymnastics, and the Brazilian martial art of capoeira.

Blame it on the Bossaball-a
Contrary to what its name might suggest, bossaball was developed in Spain and Belgium, although it takes inspiration from Brazilian music, beach culture, and sport. The word bossa, which is sometimes translated as gusto, style, flair, or attitude in Portuguese, is commonly associated with Bossa Nova, a samba-influenced type of music first pioneered by Brazilian musicians Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, and João Gilberto in the late 1950s.

The name bossaball, therefore, is fitting since music is a major component of how the game is played. In fact, the person overseeing the game is called the “samba referee,” and not only makes calls, but serves as the Master of Ceremonies and provides musical accompaniment to the action going on with the help of a whistle, microphone, percussion instruments, and a DJ set.

The Girl from Trampolina
The basic goal in bossaball is to get the ball to touch the ground on your opponent’s side of the net, as in volleyball, and to win points based on where the ball lands. The most coveted target is the round trampoline directly in front of the net, which earns a team three points, and if the ball hits the inflatable panels around the trampoline, one point is scored. No points are scored if the ball lands on the rings around the trampoline, and the game continues after that.

Teams consist of three to five players, with one player stationed on the trampoline in the middle, and the other players flanking him or her. Eight touches are allowed on each side before the ball must go over the net; only one touch with the hands per player, and two if the player uses his head or feet instead. Teammates not on the trampoline work to position the ball so that the middle player can spike it over the net, either by hand or by executing a flip and kicking the ball to the other side.

Inflated Expectations
Watching the game in action on YouTube reminded me of how much fun I had as a kid jumping and doing flips on trampolines and bouncing around inside those inflatable play houses often found at amusement parks. The players dove, flipped, and jumped in cushioned comfort, and seemed to be having a great time. I felt an immediate urge to join in.

Unfortunately, the key component of the game, the inflatable court and trampolines, does not seem to be widely available outside Europe and possibly Brazil. I don’t know if there are any plans to bring bossaball to North America, but until that happens, I’ll have to settle for volleyball—and make sure I have a good supply of bandages and iodine before I head out on the court.
—Morgen Jahnke

source : itotd.com

Bossaball: Coming soon to a resort near you...

April 17, 2007
Holidaymakers have always been keen on crazy new activities, from banana boats to ocean trampolines.

Bossaball could be the most elaborate yet. Played on an inflatable court with trampolines on either side of the net, it's 'a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira'.

Like all such new-minted, equipment-heavy activities, it's also as much a business as it is a sport. According to an interview with Bossaball's creator on the BBC radio show Culture Shock, the bulk of the courts have been sold in Dubai, with other clients in Spain, Brazil, Holland, Belgium and Poland.

It's not hard to imagine the funkier, younger all-inclusives investing in a court or two, and the emphasis on music means Bossaball would probably go down well in e.g. Ibiza or Miami during party season. Have any readers tried it?

source : travelweekly.co.uk

Bossaball: A zero-g version of volleyball

Clive Thompson
Behold Bossaball: A version of volleyball that takes place on an enormous bouncy inflatable cushion -- and includes two trampolines that propel players a dozen feet in the air, giving them insane hangtime and allowing them to deliver spikes with Scud-missile velocity. You're also allowed to use your feet. Oh, and there's a DJ whose job it is to synch music up with the plays.

See those three pictures above? They're stills from a bossball clip, in which the player holds the ball between his feet, does a backflip six feet in the air, and uses his legs to hurl the ball across the net. Heh. Check out other clips here; as the official website describes the game ...

It's a mix between volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira.

To say the least. Obviously, bossball is apiece with other nouveau sports created in recent years -- such as the Slamball that Spike TV has been broadcasting, which also uses trampolines. In one sense, they're pretty silly stuff; part of their appeal is not so much that they're good sports, but that it's fun watching people boinging around in the air.

But it reminds me of a question that often occurs to me: Why are there so few new sports created?

All the main ones -- soccer, football, baseball, basketball -- were codified and mass-marketified decades ago. Why not engineer some new ones? It's hardly likely that we've exhausted all forms of play possible in the physical world, right? In the video-game world, designers have been on a tear for 20 years, pioneering new rulesets that create brilliant, fiendishly tricky play systems. Why haven't we been equally as inventive in the 'real' world?

Bossaball and slamball may be rather marginal, but they've at least attempted to engineer a new play mechanic: The use of springboards to expand the vertical range of the athletes. Granted, the springboards are precisely why the games seem so goofy. But at least the designers are trying! And one could imagine that in our age of high-tech materials, a smart game designer could craft gameplay that offered new human abilities without being quite so daffy.

I think part of the problem is that we've forgotten that our major sports were, at some point in the past, designed. Baseball and football and soccer and basketball haven't been with us since the beginning of time. They used to, y'know, not exist, and they only exist now because some dogged game designers had an interesting idea and kept tweaking and tweaking the rules until what emerged was the sports we now know and love. In that sense, baseball's like an iPod: It's the product of a bunch of gorgeously organic design decisions that make the whole thing just feel right. (Imagine if there were five bases: That one design change would create quite a different -- and probably much worse -- game, eh?)

I think there's something about our physical sports that makes their design process seem invisible. They don't seem like designed objects; they just are. That makes designers unlikely to want to create new sports, and more importantly, audiences unlikely to want to learn and appreciate a new one. It's probably significant that video games -- which have ushered in a renaissance of new forms of play -- inititally appealed to geeks who generally weren't interested in physical sports. They were the only people who craved new forms of play.

source : collisiondetection.net

BRANDED SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT

Something I've been thinking about for quite some time is the potential to assist brands create innovative branded entertainment at live events. For example, at hockey or arena football games etc., they have the dance cam, a half-time show etc., and I think there's a lot of untapped potential here.

For example, imagine seeing circus de soleil caliber performers at basketball game halftimes, as a show presented by [choose your brand]. Or, there could be a team of fans playing against a 'professional' team (of women in bikinis) in bouncy bounce volleyball, as a competition presented by [choose your beer]!

Remember closely following the Bud Bowl during Super Bowl game commercial breaks? Now imagine watching during halftime, instead of generic commercials, real live branded entertainment from the venue! It would be great for brands and fans and sports franchises.

source : sharkride.com

Bossaball, Golf and Football: Pathways toward innovation

Those engaged in innovation work understand so well the challenges inherent proposing to do things in a new or different way. It's as if our conventions are under the spell of some kind of supernatural force which causes us to believe that the way we currently do things is somehow the 'right way, ' the 'natural way', the way things are supposed to be done. In this, our sports seem to have been naturalized, as if all right thinking men and women at all places and times have forever understood the graceful beauty and skill required to bash a soccer ball with one's skull. And then there is golf. What could be more surreal than chasing a tiny ball around a vast, vast playing area with thin sticks, all the while trying to get the ball to fall into a tiny hole? Yet despite their absurd nature, we revere these activities as much as our religious or political institutions. So it is that when we propose new ways of doing (i.e. innovations), they are initially treated with scorn, ridicule or disdain by the masses. In this, our institutions display a remarkable amount of conservatism.

Enter Bossaball, a new sport which combines elements of volleyball, gymnastics, football and other sports, not to mention a DJ and a samba dancing referee!. Bossaball takes place on bouncy, inflatable cushions and also includes a couple of trampolines to allow players to generate all manner of heretofore insane moves. Both wacky and audacious, Bossaball will likely strike many as frivolous or absurd, yet it's growing popularity raises far more provocative questions. Namely, why must our sports be so darned conventional, and why are there so few new sports created?

Clive Thompson, writing on his blog Collision Detection, rightly speculates on these matters, pointing out that while sports enthusiasts have been fairly unproductive on these efforts (advocates of extreme sports excepted), video-game developers have enjoyed a heyday of creative activity in game design. Somehow, we're not sure that we'll ever live to see the day that weekend warriors begin tinkering with the rules of football or baseball with even half the creativity or gusto of game developers. But the real take away here, at least for those interested in innovation, is to realize that once we get past the artifice of seeming naturalness, the aura which compels us to view something like golf or baseball as a natural way of doing things, we are free to develop or design new ways of doing to our hearts content--and that's where the real innovation happens. The challenge, of course, is to forever resist the temptation to look outward to the world around you and assume that this is the way the world is supposed to be.

source : tinderboxthg.com

Bossaball Mixes Sport With Music

We have to admit that our adolescent desire for the inflatable 'Moon Walk' has never really left us. A friend of ours told us about a sport, Bossaball that seems to be embracing this desire for the birthday party apparatus of yesteryear and combining it with sports.

Originating somewhere between the rock of Gibraltar and the Port of Antwerp, Bossaball combines many sports : soccer, beach volleyball, capoeira, and gymnastics into one giant pitch that consists of trampolines and inflatable cushions. Bossaball has become somewhat of a 'phenomenon' in Spain with players using all parts of their bodies to pass the ball over a net volleyball style. Bossaball also embraces the crowd with the referees entertaining fans and bands playing live percussion combined with whistles and a DJ. It doesn't matter if you are looking to embrace that inner Ronaldhino or want to move like Le Cirque du Soliel, Bossaball welcomes it all and seems like one great party to boot!

source : joshspear.com / strange.commongate.com

New Futuristic Volleyball Called Bossaball

The aim of Bossaball is similar to Volleyball, but each team has 8 contacts on its own field and can play the ball with their feet as well.

The player on the trampoline is the joker and tries to slam the ball from high above. Bossaball is a 'phenomenon' in Spain.

The audience dances around the arena, cheering and it is one big crazy thing. The videos and photos look awesome. There is so much action that it should actually be interesting for Sports TV stations. More details, videos and photos on the Bossaball site.

source : i4u.com

Bossaball is like playing every sport all at once

Bossaball is a game for people who don't like playing just one game at a time, they want to play them all. It's played with two teams, and is a mix of volleyball, football (soccer), gymnastics and capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian form of martial arts). Bossaball is played on a court comprised of a combination of inflatables and trampolines (cause no new sport is complete without trampolines), divided by a net. The goal of the game is for each team to ground the ball on the opponent's field, much like volleyball. Each team is entitled to a maximum of 8 contacts with the ball on its own field, while a trampoline jumper gains height to prepare a (spectacular) smash (which sounds kind of like a Pokemon move). Any body part can be used, but players can touch the ball only once with their hands, or double touch it with their feet and/or head.

source : didntyouhear.com

Bossaball: Volleyball For Oompa Loompas

That's the only analogy I could think of. Picture Gener Wilder, or for you younger folk Johnny Depp, bouncing around this court with a phalanx of Oompa Loompas, kicking and hitting a volley ball around while Samba music plays in the background. Oompa, Loompa, doom-pa-dee-dee, I've got a game that's crazy for you. From the land that brought you fries and mayo, comes Boosaball, a cross between volleyball, football, gymnastics, hackeysack, and capoeira played on a court that resembles one of those inflatable castles you rent for kids parties. It's hard to do it justice with words. Especially mine at 2 in the morning. Watch the damn video. It's a good way to start your week off I promise.

source : getoutdoors.com

Bossaball - freeksports

A brand new sport born in Belgium early in the 21st century, bossaball is like a combination of beach volleyball and competitive trampolining, with a live South American soundtrack thrown in.

It's played on a specially designed inflatable court that features a round trampoline on each side of an adjustable volleyball-style net. The entire court and surrounding area are heavily padded for safety and the trampolines are circled by a big red barrier called the bossawall.

Bossaball has quickly become popular in Europe and South America and the portable court has allowed it to be played on beaches, in schools and at music festivals.

Music plays an important part in bossaball. Bossa nova and samba are different styles of Brazilian music and bossaball officials are known as samba referees.

"Com bossa" means "with gusto" in Brazil and bossaball referees expend almost as much energy as the players. As well as blowing the whistle, groups of samba refs provide the backing track for each game with a combination of musical instruments that can include microphones, drums and turntables.

This emphasis on music and movement has drawn comparisons between bossaball and the Brazilian martial art of capoeira. Bossaball is played between two teams of either three, four or five people. Each team is allowed up to eight touches before returning the ball. And players are allowed to use their hands, feet or head.

Really bossaball is all about timing. The high number of touches is used to try and set up a spiker bouncing high on the trampoline for a big smash.

If a team allows the ball to be grounded on the trampoline they give up three points. Anywhere else on the court is worth one point. But if the ball bounces off the bossawall it is still in play and the rally goes on. The first team to 30 points wins the set.

A bossaball court can be assembled and inflated in around 45 minutes.

The height of a bossaball net can be adjusted to make it suitable for children, adults or professionals.

source : freeksports.net

Goodbye baseball, hello bossaball

Jonathan Hines
Sayonara, Super Bowl. Farewell, Final Four. Au revoir, Opening Day. I'm off to see the world, and unfortunately you won't fit in my carry-on.

In less than a month, I will be one of about 2,000 IU students who has decided to study abroad for the spring semester. My exotic destination of choice: Sao Paulo, Brazil. While the idea of living on the other side of the equator sends shivers of excitement down my spine, I can't help but think about everything I'm leaving in Bloomington -- especially when it comes to sports.

I'll be missing D.J. White dunks and Little 500 drunks. "Big Red" chants and anti-Boiler rants. I'll be leaving without knowing whether women's basketball coach Felisha Legette-Jack's "11-headed monster" of a basketball team is a group worthy of epic Greek poems or merely the product of an overactive imagination. Do they belong "Where the Wild Things Are" or will their season go "Bump in the Night"? I'm afraid I will have to discover the answer lurking in the closet of the Internet.

My sports calendar will be all out of whack. How can it be January if I haven't seen Peyton Manning choke in the playoffs? How can March turn into April without NCAA basketball madness easing the transition? How can Major League Baseball hold spring training if it's autumn in my newly adopted corner of the world?

"Can I at least watch the Super Bowl?" I asked my Brazilian brother Paulo the other day.

"No, I don't think so," he said. I covered the phone so he wouldn't hear the sound of my head smacking the table.

"Well, tell me about sports in Brazil," I said begrudgingly. His descriptions gave me hope.

Paulo spoke of soccer, of course. "It's one of the only things that Brazilians are proud of about their country," he said.

Sao Paulo, the third largest city in the world, boasts three professional soccer teams. Paulo told me about the raucous stadium crowds that set off fireworks during matches while singing and cheering their teams. Fireworks? I get stopped at stadium gates for trying to bring in open containers of bottled water.

He talked about the great Formula One racers of the country and the popularity of rodeo in the northern part of the state. He explained the difference between football (as in soccer) and futsal (think arena soccer). I obviously will need to brush up on my ball juggling skills before boarding my flight.

One sport Paulo mentioned that definitely piqued my interest was beach volleyball. Sure, we have it here in the states, but no country possesses the beaches or the passion for volleyball that Brazil does. I'll give the sport a chance despite the fact that volleyball was invented by a group of people that found basketball to be too physically demanding. I won't forget my roots.

A little research of my own uncovered what might possibly be the coolest sport ever created: bossaball (check out Bossaball.com). It's a new Brazilian sport that looks like volleyball meets slamball meets gymnastics. It's played on an inflatable court and the referees double as samba DJs. OK, so it's not exactly Big Ten basketball, but it sure looks like fun.

I might miss out on a few notable moments in American sports in the coming months, but a whole new sporting culture is awaiting me. When I get back, my sports calendar will surely have expanded.

source : indiana.edu / idsnews.com

Bossaball

Bossaball saw the light of day somewhere between the Rock of Gibraltar and the port of Antwerp. But what exactly does it entail? Well, actually it's a lot of different things at once. The idea is to practice a combination of different sports on one and the same pitch, a pitch that entirely consists of trampolines and inflatable cushions.

Do you like capoeira, or do you prefer beach volley? Are you a football fanatic or a double somersault champ? It doesn't matter, bossaball will definitely get you going, filling the void between Ronaldinho and Le Cirque du Soleil.

source : attu.blogspot.com

Bossaball

Bossaball is related to beachvolley, beachsoccer, footvolley, capoeira, gymnastics and football. Bossaball is a beach sport, but it can be played indoor too in a sports club or fitness center. It fits in categories like extreme sports, air sport, adventurous activities, ball sport, team sports, action sports.

Actually, Bossaball is a lot of different things at once. The idea is to practice a combination of different sports on one and the same pitch, a pitch that entirely consists of trampolines and inflatable cushions.

source : presurfer.meepzorp.com

It's a new sport called Bossaball.

And what is Bossaball? 'It's a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics, and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines, divided by a net.' Hmm. I'm finding it a bit hard to imagine that, to be honest. Let's see what Wikipedia has to say: 'Bossaball mixes sports with music. Bossaball referees have a whistle, a microphone, various percussion instruments and a dj set... Bossaball brings elements of capoeira, samba, breakdancing, football, volleyball, acrobacy and circus together on a single pitch.' Got it?

source : tamponteabag blog

Bossaball

extreme air beachvolley on inflatables and trampolines

Bossaball is a ball game between two teams. It's a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines divided by a net.

source : arbroath.blogspot.com

Weird Bossaball

Weird new European game... a cross between soccer and volleyball and it's played on trampolines and an inflatable surface.

source : madville.com

Bouncy Bossaball

This new bouncy sport was born somewhere between Gibraltar and Antwerp with the idea of combining several sports. The outcome is Bossaball, a cross between volleyball, trampoline, football and capoeira. For its creators, Bossaball 'fills the void between Ronaldinho and the Cirque du Soleil!' After no more than 8 contacts (one only with the hands) the idea is to have the ball hit the ground on your opponents' side of the net, with trampolines allowing players to smash from dizzying heights. 'This sport is beginning to spread internationally.'

source : solvingpvc.com

Bossaball - All In The Air

This is Bossaball - a mix of volleyball, football, gymnastics and capoeira. The court is a combination of inflatables and trampolines making it easy to get good hang time to spike the ball in ways normally impossible. This just looks like a whole lot of fun to me and I would love to try it.

source : tranism.com