OXYSpike co-presidents Karis Yim (sophomore) and Elise Coffey (sophomore) met during their freshmen orientation week while playing a game of spikeball together. One year later, the two of them — along with their friend, Cal Kreuter (sophomore) — decided to start up a club dedicated to the game.
“Personally, I feel like Oxy doesn’t have too many intramurals here on campus,” Coffey said. “So we wanted to create an opportunity for students to play and have that same experience that we did — meet others and become friends with them.”
According to Coffey, spikeball is a simple game with low stakes that anyone can play. It is typically played with four people around one net, two versus two, and the first team to reach 11 points wins.
“Spikeball is nice because a lot of the intramurals that we have [on campus] are club sports, so sometimes the commitment can seem a little daunting for some people,” Coffey said. “Our club is pretty laid-back and open to anyone to come and stop by.”
Coffey and Yim said the club’s main goal is to help students meet new people and create a space where they feel comfortable looking for new friends.
“Our mission is to foster community on campus through spikeball,” Yim said. “I think Oxy can be a bit lonely at times […] so our club is really hoping to establish a place on campus for people to come and just have fun, because I think that’s what we’re missing.”
Kreuter said the club is open to people of all skill levels and that he is hoping to get as many people involved as possible.
“It’s honestly a really social sport. A lot of the time, you find yourselves talking and bonding between rounds,” Kreuter said. “That’s really what we aim to do with the club — get people to know each other.”
According to Yim, OXYSpike had a turnout of about 40 people at its first event Sept. 20. She said that the club brought snacks and drinks for attendees and had volleyball games for those waiting their turn to play at one of the four nets.
“Due to resources and funding we don’t have a ton of Spikeball nets, so it was really nice that some of our members were able to bring more nets so more people could play,” Kreuter said. “It was super chill, with good music and good vibes.”
Coffey said they do not have a specific location for their events yet, as they are still trying to gauge what areas work best for them.
“We’re hoping to [eventually] be able to go on the field because then we’d be able to [play] at night with the lights and everything,” Coffey said.
The event times and locations have advertised on the club’s email list and Instagram account. According to Yim, social media is the best way to attract new members because many people use it.
“I think the biggest thing that people shy away from is not knowing where the location is or who is going to be there, so when we post our photos, it helps them see that someone they know is there and inspires them to come next time,” Yim said.
As for the future of the club, Coffey said they are planning to host a few tournaments, and even go on a beach trip in the spring semester.
“We’ve gone to the beach and played spikeball with our friends, and it’s really fun and a great way to get off campus,” Coffey said.
Kreuter said the club is also hoping to branch out more in the future, like getting involved in the greater Eagle Rock community.
“[We’re thinking of going to] some after school programs where we can teach kids how to play spikeball, building that connection between Oxy and the community around us,” Kreuter said. “A simple game like spikeball, it really does go a long way.”
According to Yim, OXYSpike is planning to start hosting weekly open sessions for anyone to come to when they are free and that those who are interested should keep an eye on the club’s Instagram account.
“I can’t emphasize enough that you don’t need any prior experience,” Kreuter said. “Honestly, I think it’s more fun when you don’t have any experience. If you’re interested, just come out.”
Contact Izzy Shotwell at shotwell@oxy.edu
