“Serve!” The lead player throws the ball to the person in the “King” square. With brilliant saves, dramatic bounces, and spin techniques, the hits go back and forth. The heated round continues until a player strikes the ball out. After a triumphant cry of victory and some disappointed groans of defeat, the game moves on to the next round. Check out the DIS Four Square fanatics; a squad of spikers that forge friendships and create rivalries on the court. 

Four Square exploded in popularity after the Jet Stream covered the sport. Since then, students quickly turned into enthusiastic battlers who meet up every day during lunch recess. “It’s a simple game, a simple concept. [It’s] fun and easy. But I think you need some practice first because usually, you get out on the first turn if you’re newer,” ninth grader Maddox Jolly said. 

One by one, contestants joined the crew. “The Tennis Club started playing a game with a tennis ball on the four square [court], and ever since then, we started playing it during recess,” Jolly said. The “simple game” often becomes a refreshment for some DIS athletes. Lydia in eighth grade also described that she started to play Four Square as a fresh activity. 

Teachers with nostalgic childhood memories also recommend their students to the sport. Both Hughrie Hong and Jay Jang in fifth grade said that Mr. Rouse, a former fourth-grade teacher, introduced them to Four Square a year ago. Now, Hong and Jang both love the everyday experience of the sport.

What draws people into this simple game? For one, it helps kids build camaraderie. “I think just hanging out with your friends, laughing … that’s why it’s fun,” said Lydia. The laughter that echoes through the court shows the attraction of the game. 

Participants’ slick strategies make it even better, with playful betrayals left and right. “[My favorite parts are] deceiving people and taking them out of the game after they help you,” Jolly said.

The ageless aspect of the sport furthers its charm. “It’s so fun that you can make fun of people for losing against the sixth graders,” Sophia Sung in sixth grade said. The relentless action in the court fades the lines drawn on the brick floor. Four Square possesses a unique charm that brings players back every day. 

If you ever feel lost or bored at lunch, visit the court in front of the cafeteria. The competitive but fun exercise will surely draw you in. So dive right into practice during lunch recess and dominate the courtyard.

Gallery • 9 Photos

Jerome Kwon

Eddy Kim in sixth grade gets ready to spike and eliminate a player.