A hardly noticeable gym activity for the past few years has amassed great attention. Communications High School (CHS) students, from freshmen to seniors, have recently become engrossed in the competitive game in just a couple of months. Only by requiring a boundary and a foam ball, gaga ball (gaga) allows students to escape their studies and partake in something lacking in their academically driven school: sports.
One appealing feature of the game is its simplicity. With no player cap, the sport encourages participation.
Gaga’s main objective is to be the last person standing in the pit. At the beginning of each round, players face away from the ball until they hear the words, “Ga Ga Go!”. Participants then attempt to hit their opponents from the knee down with the ball, all while deflecting the ball away from themselves. If the ball is hit out of the pit, the player it last hit is automatically out, even if they were not the one to touch it initially. To win, it is recommended that players stay low, move quickly and use the boundary walls to their advantage
Gaga is inclusive to the entirety of the student body, regardless of their skill level. Mathlete or athlete, anyone can succeed in the game. This is one of the many charms of gaga: allowing students from different athletic backgrounds to come together and engage in healthy competition.
Around CHS, the frequent “lunch players” are well known; a group of freshmen play the game almost every day. Freshman T.J Riehl of Wall NJ sees gaga as a way to connect with friends.
“I mainly [play] because it is fun for me and my friends, we get to mess around doing it,” Riehl said.
A common misconception of gaga is that it is an individual sport, however, the game can also be played in teams. This was the case in May when the sophomore class took a different approach to their annual fundraiser. Instead of a dodgeball tournament like they did the previous year, the council opted to make a switch to gaga. With help from advisor Jennifer Baldaccini, the class of 2026 fundraiser was a school-wide success.
“We switched the fundraiser because we wanted to capitalize on the gaga craze, a lot of people were playing it and the council thought more people would participate if it was gaga instead of dodgeball,” Baldicinni said.
The current craze surrounding Gaga is unlikely to dissipate in the near future. With daily participation and involvement from grades across the board, its popularity can only grow from here.
