If you are new to the Spikeball scene then you may have heard people speak about passing the 25-foot test. What is the 25 foot test in Spikeball you may wonder, it is one of the tests or challenges to acquire your ranking within the Spikeball leagues and can grant access to the premier and upper echelon leagues.

What is the 25 Foot Test in Spikeball? To Achieve a Roundnet Player Rating of 3.5 you need to be able to spike the ball at least 25 feet with your dominant hand. Then while using all 3 touches with your partner, you need to successfully return a shot that traveled 25+ feet from the net.

When you look into how the Spikeball game is played, they evaluate players with a rating system developed by overall skill and expertise. This ranking isn’t around physical impressiveness, Spikeball relies heavily on spacial awareness and never leaving too much of the play area uncovered or defenseless.

What Is The Purpose of the 25 Foot Test

At its base, the 25-foot test is about coordination and spacial awareness and being able to cover a 360-degree playfield with large plays that can bounce far from the play circle. You will only have 2 players per team working together to cover the entire play area, while this may sound straight forward, and possibly easy, it is anything but simple.

The 25-foot test when passed will grant you a ranking of 3.5 within the RoundNet Player Rating system which is used to seed players within leagues. Considering that this game has become very large at college campuses it means that this is being taken very seriously and that people, as with all sports, will want to make it to the top ranking possible.

What Does The 25 Foot Test Prove About Overall Skill and Talent?

It proves your adaptability to react and respond to the opposing team plays. While at the same time it shows that you are a team player who is able to support your team in delivering the ball back to them in a position where they can play it for the next spike.

Reaction Speed

This is really around your ability to react to the opposing team movement and shots since the game is a 360-degree circle you need to be able to cover a lot of ground very fast and efficiently. Your ability to make those initial moves at a speed faster than your opponent puts you in a big advantageous situation to be able to win.

Explosiveness

Your reaction speed is part one of dealing with a 25 foot hit, the other very large part of recovering is the explosiveness to start moving at 100% effort without a long, slow start. This is typically much easier for lighter, smaller players as the range of motion to get moving is more compact helping get to maximum speed very fast.

Teamwork

Building a team that compliments each others weaknesses and strengths can be seen greatly in a 25 foot hit as one will need to cover the hit distance while the other is preparing to set up the spike shot back at the other team. This 25-foot test helps you to evaluate your team’s weaknesses and strengths and adapt your training and preparations.

Spatial Awareness

Being aware of what is occurring all around you and not only what is in front of your eyes is a valuable skill, when you are chasing a 25 foot hit you will be running with your back facing the ring which limits your ability to see what is happening.

The second you start the hit back towards the ring though your teammate will be working to set you up for the spike and you need to know where they will be setting up for you without the time to evaluate, you need to be aware of the space and be ready to find the gap in the other team on attack.

Final Thoughts

Spikeball is unlike most other team games available which are targetted specifically at adults and not kids. The reliance on skill and adaptability, as opposed to sheer physical presence, can help anyone become a star player within the context of Spikeball and Spikeball leagues.

While you may not become a RoundNet Ranked player you can work hard and develop the skills which would give you the ability to become ranked by just a small investment in purchasing the game itself and some good old elbow grease.