Carpetball vs. Broomball

Becki Henderson-Administrative Assistant

If you have spent any time at all at HoneyRock during the
cold and snowy winter months, then you know that Broomball is pretty much the
most popular thing that happens here. 
Many HoneyRock staff and guests are thrilled by the game, almost to the
point of obsession.

So today I wanted to focus on a different game, and one that
I feel is better than broomball in every way. 
This game, this “unsung hero of games,” if you will, is called
carpetball.  We have two carpetball
tables set up near the Village in the Carpetball Shelter.  The game is played on a long narrow table
with pool balls and is played by two people. 
Each person sets out five pool balls on their end of the table, and the
players take turns rolling the white pool ball down the table to knock the
other players’ pool balls into the pit at the end. 

I believe this game is better than broomball for the
following five reasons:

1. You
   can play carpetball in all four seasons. 
   I can play carpetball in August while wearing a sundress or in
   February in Carhartt Coveralls. 
   Now, how many other activities can you say that about?  Soccer? 
   Ultimate Frisbee? 
   Swimming?  Participating in
   the Ropes Course?  Broomball?  I think not.


2. There
   is no danger of being hit by a stick while playing carpetball.  No one is wielding sticks in
   carpetball—therefore you are unlikely to be hit by one while playing.


3. If you
   fall down (which you probably won’t, since you’re standing on even ground
   inside a happy Carpetball Shelter) you will not get a bruise the size of a
   sandwich.  During the winter at
   HoneyRock, the staff are constantly showing off their Broomball bruises
   as marks of honor (at least the bruises that are in appropriate places
   that one can show off, such as knees and elbows.)  Falling down is a regular part of
   Broomball, and for absurdly self-conscious people (like myself) that is
   very embarrassing.  I would much
   rather play a game where I don’t fall down as soon as I step on the court. 


4. No one
   trash talks about carpetball.  I
   have never overheard anyone at lunch saying, “Hey, do you want to come
   down to the Carpetball Shelter later and get totally OWNED?”  or “We would have won that game if we
   were playing the best out of five” or anything else like that.  No one cares enough about carpetball to
   trash talk about it.  This is part
   of its appeal.


5. You
   need virtually no skills to play carpetball.  If you can roll a ball you can play
   carpetball.  You don’t have to
   balance on ice, or balance on ice while holding a stick, or try to walk on
   ice while holding a stick and avoiding the person who is running straight
   at you.  Nothing like that.  Just you, a white pool ball and a
   pleasant table.  How fantastic is
   that?

So, these are my thoughts, but I’ll leave it up to you to
make an informed decision.  You can come
to HoneyRock to try out (and possibly enjoy) either game.  What do you think?

Becki is pictured below playing carpetball in the 15 degree weather today.  For the record, she won the game.

Comments

[Kari Vandervelde]

Great article, Becki! Another great pro for carpetball: it's a great game for pregnant staff wives. I am NOT announcing anything by saying that, other than it would have been a great option when I WAS pregnant! :) Again, great writing, Becki.

[www.facebook.com/profile.php?i]

I love it! Wonderful writing, Becki! All very valid points. I'm glad you are raising awareness of activities for people interested in spending time building up the community, injury-free ;) Sadly, I never got to play carpetball when I was there. After reading this article, it's a must the next time I'm at HoneyRock!

[Rob Ribbe]

Another great benefit to carpetball is that it is age-neutral....5 yrs olds beat 40 year olds all the time. It is great for the kid to win and good for the ego of the adult to loose. Broomball, on the other hand....

One risk of carpetball that has not been mentioned however is getting pool ball in the gut or chops. Again...not likely if you're playing with a 5 year old.

[Denise]

Thank you, Becki, for giving carpetball its due respect. I'm with you, all the way! Very fun piece--you should write more often!