WATERLOO — Picture a field full of soccer players, each side passing and kicking their way to the opposing net.

Now imagine each player encased in a giant, transparent bubble from above their heads to just above their knees, running full tilt into one another as they vie for the ball.

Sound a bit more challenging, and a lot more fun?

Welcome to the world of bubble sports.

About a year ago, university students Mandy Gu and Edward Qian purchased six of the inflatable bubbles (or zorbs), having seen videos of them in use overseas.

"We thought this would be a blast to try," Gu says.

They had the zorbs shipped here from China, with an idea in mind.

At the very least, they'd have some fun with friends. But maybe there was a business opportunity here, too.

When people started coming up to them in a park, curious about the strange objects, they had their answer.

"That's the moment we knew there was a market for this sport," Gu says.

By mid-June, they'd incorporated their zorb rental business, GeeseRabbit.

"We hopped on the idea right away," says Qian.

With help from their parents, they stocked up on zorbs, ordering 50 more and ensuring they were made from a type of plastic called thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU.

Zorbs made out of this material are more expensive than those made from PVC, but TPU is odourless, more durable and gives more of a bounce, says Qian and Gu.

"You can use them outdoors just as well as in a gym," Qian says.

There's an added bonus that TPU can be recycled.

There are two sizes of zorbs available for rent from GeeseRabbit's Waterloo and Mississauga locations, one for children and one for adults.

Using an electric pump, they take just a minute or so to inflate or deflate. Users slip them over their heads, tighten the internal straps and hold onto grips within the bubbles as they run.

Bubble soccer is one of the most popular games that can be played with the zorbs, but there's really no limit when you use your imagination.

Gu and Qian have posted some other ideas on their website, including King of Bubbles, a fresh take on King of the Hill.

While full contact is expected while wearing the zorbs, Gu and Qian say it's perfectly safe provided the suits are properly worn.

"We haven't had any injuries," Gu says. "The zorbs are very well designed."

Qian says when you first slip one of the suits on, it's instinctive to try not to fall. But that's pretty much impossible.

"And once you fall a few times, you learn it's actually a lot of fun to fall and roll," he says. "There's almost no risk of injury through falling."

In its first year of operation, GeeseRabbit has rented the suits for everything from birthday parties to charitable events.

The children's suits cost $30 to rent for the day; the adult versions are $40.

Renters typically pick up the bubbles and are shown how to use them.

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"It's meant to be pretty self-explanatory," Gu says.

If people live further afield, they're usually allowed a free overnight extension if availability permits.

Gu and Qian are also trying out a delivery system in Kitchener and Waterloo for the summer.

The couple is balancing their business with the demands of their university program, a math and business double degree that's jointly offered through both the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University.

A friend is handling the Mississauga operation.

"It looks like a busy season," Gu says.

Gu and Qian are looking into the possibility of expanding their offerings with a larger zorb that allows people to get inside and roll down a hill. It's essentially a human-sized hamster ball.

"We'll test it first," Gu says with a laugh.

They're also working on setting up a bubble soccer league for University of Waterloo students this summer.

The zorbs themselves are curious enough — but what about the GeeseRabbit name?

A number of local university students have rebranded Grand River Transit, or GRT, as Geese Rapid Transit, a nod to the legions of Canada geese around campus.

Rapid sounds like rabbit, so Gu and Qian adopted the two animal names for their company.

"It's sort of an inside joke within an inside joke," Qian says.

While it's definitely been a busy year for the pair, Gu and Qian say they're very pleased with how things are going.

And there's a sense of pride in launching a decidedly low-tech company in an environment that caters to high-tech startups.

"UW has a lot of great things that have come out of it, and most are high tech," Gu says.

"Having the resources for everyone to pursue and to make their visions a reality would be really good for the students."