What is Wicketball?
Wicketball is a fast growing outdoor activity that can be enjoyed by all ages. Wicketball combines soccer skills and croquet strategy in a golf course layout. The object of Wicketball is to kick your ball completely through each wicket in as few kicks as possible, playing directly against the other players. Wicketball players typically use a #5 soccer ball (the official ball), but any type of ball can be used. From a starting point, with each player having their own ball, the first player makes the first kick, then each additional player kicks their own ball. The player that goes completely through the wicket in the lowest number of kicks gets one point (players may also tie the wicket and receive the point). Then each next wicket is played from the previous wicket. Wicket number signs have red numbers on one side and black numbers on the other side... the red side is played first (red 1-8), then the black side is played in reverse (black 8-1). Courses can be played on grass areas, lawns, pasture, woods, snow, or sand beaches. Whether you make a short kick to win the wicket, or a long "wicket-in-one", it is a fun and challenging time for all the players. Wicketball is a game full of joys and frustrations, and keeps calling you back to play again and again... you will be hooked!
Who Plays Wicketball?
Wicketball is a sport that can be played by most everyone, ages 5-95. It can be played from school age to golden age, making it one of the greatest lifetime sports around. Wicketball is also very easy to learn when compared to other sports, thus making it very addictive. It is not uncommon to hear that someone has been bitten by the Wicketball sport bug. Additionally, Wicketball is a very affordable sport in which to get started. A complete Wicketball set costs around $200, and the steel wickets will last forever. Soccer balls can be purchased for around $10-$15 each, and with the ability to set up your own course virtually anywhere, Wicketball is accessible to everyone.
Why Should I Play Wicketball?
The ongoing fitness boom finds more and more people taking up recreational activities in an effort to improve health and quality of life. Wicketball provides fitness conditioning, aerobic exercise, and allows you a sports outing outside with very little risk of physical injury. Concentration skills increase by mastering shots and negotiating obstacles. Players of limited fitness levels can start slowly and gradually increase their level of play as fitness improves. Ages 5-95 can play together! To play a full round of 8 wickets front and back, takes about one hour, and may be played alone or with others. And as in traditional games of this type, Wicketball players find themselves "hooked" increasing the likelihood of frequent participation. Wicketball offers year-round fitness, even in rain or snow.
Where Can I Play Wicketball?
Wicketball can be played where ever there is outdoor space to put in the wickets. The most common areas to play are: backyards, acreage properties, pastures, parks, beaches, sand beaches, office greenspace areas, etc.. The world is your Wicketball field! Be creative! The wickets push in to play... and pull out to reset in a different area, or to bring them in when you're done. You have total flexibility in setting up the course depending on your skill level, number of players, ages, terrain difficulty, etc. Wicketball can be played for the sheer fun of the game - or very competitively - no matter what your age or skill level! Just have fun... it's Wicketball... it's all good!
The Sport of Wicketball - How it All Started:
As I sat recovering from shoulder surgery in April of 2000, I stumbled upon some metal "wickets" that my father-in-law had buried (many years ago) up behind the barn. They looked like large wickets to me, so I thought I'd stick one up in the yard for the kids to kick a ball through. It was fun, and more challenging than I thought (this comes up a lot in testimonials), so we set up some more around the yard and made a game of it... and just like that... Wicketball was born!
We played a lot those first few years... changing and tweaking the rules to make it fun and even more challenging for everyone. Here was a game that I could enjoy with my kids (all under 10 years old at the time), get outdoors and get some exercise, and also be competitive. It was a blast!
I'll admit... I had to beg most people to play at first... but, with a few
exceptions, they usually come to love it... it's a very addicting game! We have people that play Wicketball from all different types of sports backgrounds including: basketball, football, soccer, tennis and golf... but it's especially good for people that do not have an athletic background at all... they CAN be competitive in Wicketball!
We have had more fun (and stories to tell) playing in intense rain downpours, ice & snow courses, getting beat by an 8 year old, playing at night under solar "wicket" lights, and almost getting hit by lightning! You can play this game on many different courses or combinations of outdoor surfaces: lawn, sand, dirt, fields, or snow. The more hills, trees, creeks, and hazards... the better!... especially for competitive courses.
Many, many thanks to all of you who have given me suggestions, ideas, participation, and creative ways to make the sport of Wicketball what it is today! THANK YOU!
You can contact me at: 913.422.8765 or, [email protected]
Thanks for playing and supporting!
Bob Zoller
We played a lot those first few years... changing and tweaking the rules to make it fun and even more challenging for everyone. Here was a game that I could enjoy with my kids (all under 10 years old at the time), get outdoors and get some exercise, and also be competitive. It was a blast!
I'll admit... I had to beg most people to play at first... but, with a few
exceptions, they usually come to love it... it's a very addicting game! We have people that play Wicketball from all different types of sports backgrounds including: basketball, football, soccer, tennis and golf... but it's especially good for people that do not have an athletic background at all... they CAN be competitive in Wicketball!
We have had more fun (and stories to tell) playing in intense rain downpours, ice & snow courses, getting beat by an 8 year old, playing at night under solar "wicket" lights, and almost getting hit by lightning! You can play this game on many different courses or combinations of outdoor surfaces: lawn, sand, dirt, fields, or snow. The more hills, trees, creeks, and hazards... the better!... especially for competitive courses.
Many, many thanks to all of you who have given me suggestions, ideas, participation, and creative ways to make the sport of Wicketball what it is today! THANK YOU!
You can contact me at: 913.422.8765 or, [email protected]
Thanks for playing and supporting!
Bob Zoller
