Late in the school day I took a group of 12 PSCS students to an indoor gym a block from the school that we use for physical fitness activities. As expected, they started up a game of Mushroom Ball.

Mushroom Ball? Never heard of that, you say?

Neither had I until I was introduced to it by a group of PSCS students a couple of years ago. Basically, it’s a non-stop version of dodgeball in which it’s “every person for him/herself.” If you get hit, you take a seat until the person who hit you gets hit, whereupon you are immediately back in play. Since it’s virtually impossible for one person to get everyone else out, the game typically goes on and on.

And the students love it.

Today’s photo is from just after the end of the game. Two of the kids are quite good at Mushroom Ball, so much so that they repeatedly got the other kids out. I asked if they’d be willing to just stand still and let the other kids pelt them with the balls (believe me, the balls are quite soft). You know, let them get out any remaining aggression or frustration.

With big smiles on their faces they both said yes. Then they stood there and got bombarded with balls, smiles intact.