THE CHI BALL REVOLUTION
Play Chi Ball is more than just a game; it is a movement. We're Mike & Bradley, two buddies from the Pacific Northwest that believe that friends, fun and play in the great outdoors are recipes for living a good life.
Play Chi Ball started as a fun way to pass the time with friends or make friends with strangers, but has grown into a local movement of Chi Ballers who are passionate about moving, playing and creating community — anywhere we are!
Chi Ball is a vehicle for finding the flow state and getting lost in the moment. This little handwoven ball is also a symbol for friendship, connection, collaboration and enjoying the heck out of life with friends; new and old.
Need a reason to play everyday? Welcome to the Chi Ball Revolution!
What's up with the ball?
What's up with the ball?
Chi Balls are lightweight, durable, and minimalist at heart—no plastic, bulky accessories, or breakable parts here.
Each Chi Ball is hand woven out of natural materials.
And when you're done with your Chi Ball, pass it along to your friends or place it in the compost bin where it will return to the soil from which it came.
Chi Ball can be played anytime, anywhere and all you need is this handwoven ball and one other person!
Chi Ball traces its roots back to the late 1970s in Maui, where it was conceived by a magical wizard and Tai Chi master, Phill Merkel. Originally played with a tennis ball, the game, then known as ‘frapping,’ evolved to use the hand-woven wicker balls familiar today.
The sport gradually spread from Chi Baller to the next. Bradley discovered it in 2012, taught by two artists at a hot spring retreat in the Arizona desert. He instantly fell in love with the game and then serendipitously found a Chi Ball under his house five years later. Since there are no accidents, Bradley then began taking his Chi Ball with him everywhere he went, passionately sharing the game and then developing the official “Chi Ballers Code” and “Competitive Rules of Play”.
Mike, equally enchanted by the game, joined Bradley to help expand its reach. Together, they aim to introduce Chi Ball to global audiences, creating new friendships one game at a time. They often play in public spaces like beaches, parks and in the streets where intrigued onlookers frequently join in and quickly become fans.
Following Phill's passing on August 12, 2024, we are honored to carry forward his legacy, as Chi Ambassadors, spreading the joy of Chi Ball one league and game at a time!
Chi Ball’s Origins Story?
Even though Chi Ball is a collaborative game played with two or more people, there is a competitive version. Teams race to 100 or 500 hits; if the ball hits the ground, you lose 10 points. If the ball bounces once but you keep the rally going, you only lose 5 points.
This style of Chi Ball is very fast and very fun! We call this “Going into the Chi Zone!”
The official world record stands at 100 hits in 49.03 seconds by Bradley T. Morris & Isun Skelhorn.
Think you can beat the record? Play Chi Ball today!
How to play competitive
Chi Ball
