Johnball is a fun and exciting sport in which players use plastic bats to hit rubber balls at each other. Described as “dodgeball with bats,” the game is largely defined by its dedication to simplicity, inclusivity, and downright good times.

One of the great things about Johnball is that it can be played under any condition. It is a game for:

Any number of participants

All seasons

Indoors & outdoors

Boys, girls, or both

Any age level (games are often a mix of many)

Any level of athletic ability (it’s almost always mixed)

The game is easy to pick up and play. You’ll use your bat to defend yourself and attack the other players by means of knocking a large, inflatable ball into them. If the ball hits you anywhere on your body (excluding your hand holding the bat), you lose a life. You’ll still lose a life even if you accidentally hit yourself or make contact with a meandering ball. In a game of Free-For-All, the standard and most common gametype of Johnball, you’re out of the game once all your lives are depleted and the last player standing wins.

But there are many different ways to play Johnball, both for individual and team play.

As long as you’re here, why don’t you take a quick look into what you’ll need for playing Johnball?