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By Laura Studley

It’s difficult to imagine fun outdoor games when there are piles of snow outside, but keep these recreational games in mind for when the weather gets warm.

HOW TO PLAY CORNHOLE

Nothing says ‘summer’ like cornhole. A game of strategic throwing, cornhole is fun for everyone. It’s basically a bean bag toss competition… actually, that’s exactly what it is.

To play, you need a total of eight bags and two cornhole boards. Traditionally, cornhole is played to 21 points. You are awarded three points if the bag goes through the hole and one point for bags that hit and remain on the board.

Points are kept according to cancellation scoring. Here is an example scenario:

During the first round, the Green Team gets one bag through the hole and two bags on the board, for a total of five points.

The Purple Team gets two bags through the hole and one bag on the board, for a total of seven points.

Instead of the score being Purple Team 7, Green Team 5, the Purple Team must subtract the Green Team’s five points from their score, giving them a total of two points. Therefore, the score would be Purple Team 2, Green Team 0 after that round.

It should be noted that bags that hit the ground first and then slide onto the board do not count for any points. An optional rule is that you must get exactly 21 points in order to win, and if you go over your score is reduced to 11 points.

A GUIDE TO SPIKE BALL

Spike ball is a game for people who enjoy friendly competition and being outdoors.

To start, make sure there is good tension for the net. Without this, the ball will not bounce as high.

Determine a serving order that alternates between players from the two teams. Each team has up to three touches per possession. Roundnet is played using rally scoring. Points can be won by the serving or receiving team. Games are typically played to 11, 15 or 21.

The rally ends and a point is awarded when:

• The ball contacts the ground or otherwise isn’t returned onto the net within 3 touches.
• The ball is hit directly into the rim at any time, including on a serve.
• The ball bounces and falls back onto the net or rim.
• The ball clearly rolls across the net.

If the receiving team wins the point, the next designated player serves according to the sequence decided upon at the beginning of the round. Otherwise, the server switches places with their partner and serves to the other receiving team member. The receiving team sets their position first. The server stands 180 degrees across the designated receiver. Serves may be struck with any amount of force. Short serves are allowed.