Gaga Ball official Rules
1. Designate a referee (non-player) like a teacher, supervisor or councilor is best. The referee is the sole authority during play and is responsible for ensuring fair play and settling disputes.
2. The referee begins play only after all players are standing in the gaga court and have indicated that they are ready to start the game. Many require the players to be touching the GaGa Pit prior to starting a game.
3. One player tosses the ball up in the air. Players yell "Ga" on the first bounce and "Ga" again on the second bounce, and the ball is then in play.
4. Players hit the ball with their hands only, and may not carry or throw the ball – it must be punched or hit with an hand or fist. Only one successive hit is allowed by each player.
5. Any player who is touched by the ball below the knees (or waist), either directly or by a rebound off the wall, is “out” and then must exit the gaga pit.
6. If the ball contacts a player or a player's clothing below the knees (or waist), that player is “out” and needs to exit the playing area. If the ball contacts the player above the waist, the player is still in.
7. If the ball goes out of the Ga-Ga pit, the last player to touch the ball is eliminated.
8. If a player catches the ball before it bounces, the player who had the last contact with the ball is eliminated.
9. Once the player hits the ball, he or she must wait until the ball touches someone else before hitting it again (no double touches). Only one successive hit is allowed by each player, until there are only two players left, then up to three successive touches are allowed by a player.
10. If there are only two players remaining, a player may hit the ball up to 3 times in a row. The ball is "rejuvenated" by contact with the wall, and the hit count resets.
11. Some Ga-Ga games are designed to be a team efforts, although the sport is traditionally a one-against-all competition. Teaming, or intentional passing of the ball to other players, is allowed only at the discretion of the referee and must be specified in advance of play.
There are plenty of variations to these rules, and like many other playground games, you can certainly make your own house rules to make the game more interesting and fun.
1. Designate a referee (non-player) like a teacher, supervisor or councilor is best. The referee is the sole authority during play and is responsible for ensuring fair play and settling disputes.
2. The referee begins play only after all players are standing in the gaga court and have indicated that they are ready to start the game. Many require the players to be touching the GaGa Pit prior to starting a game.
3. One player tosses the ball up in the air. Players yell "Ga" on the first bounce and "Ga" again on the second bounce, and the ball is then in play.
4. Players hit the ball with their hands only, and may not carry or throw the ball – it must be punched or hit with an hand or fist. Only one successive hit is allowed by each player.
5. Any player who is touched by the ball below the knees (or waist), either directly or by a rebound off the wall, is “out” and then must exit the gaga pit.
6. If the ball contacts a player or a player's clothing below the knees (or waist), that player is “out” and needs to exit the playing area. If the ball contacts the player above the waist, the player is still in.
7. If the ball goes out of the Ga-Ga pit, the last player to touch the ball is eliminated.
8. If a player catches the ball before it bounces, the player who had the last contact with the ball is eliminated.
9. Once the player hits the ball, he or she must wait until the ball touches someone else before hitting it again (no double touches). Only one successive hit is allowed by each player, until there are only two players left, then up to three successive touches are allowed by a player.
10. If there are only two players remaining, a player may hit the ball up to 3 times in a row. The ball is "rejuvenated" by contact with the wall, and the hit count resets.
11. Some Ga-Ga games are designed to be a team efforts, although the sport is traditionally a one-against-all competition. Teaming, or intentional passing of the ball to other players, is allowed only at the discretion of the referee and must be specified in advance of play.
There are plenty of variations to these rules, and like many other playground games, you can certainly make your own house rules to make the game more interesting and fun.