Become the Ball: New sport comes to Destin

What do you get when you mix a giant inflated spherical suit and the game of soccer? Well bubble soccer of course! Players don clear, inflatable spheres that cover the upper body, while attempting to play soccer-inspired games. This hilarious game will have you laughing the entire time you play, as throughout the game you may be rolling around just as much as the soccer ball.

“It’s a blast to play, and one of the most hilarious and fun things I’ve ever seen,” said Crystal Stewart, owner of Bubble Sports by the C, who will be hosting an upcoming event in Destin. “It’s hysterical. It’s just a blast for kids, it’s great exercise, and parents like it because it kind-of protects their kids if they fall.”

Bubble soccer will debut in Destin March 19, at the Destin Community Center, where people of all ages can check out the sport free of charge from 5 to 8 p.m.

“We are going to have a ‘What is bubble soccer?’ event,” said City Recreation Manager Lisa Firth. “I think it’s going to be pretty awesome.”

Firth said that the community center hopes to soon bring the sport on full time.

“We are planning on offering it at least once a week, but geared more towards children right now,” she said.

“In Destin we want to have a regular open play night,” added Stewart. “We are also planning to incorporate it into the upcoming kids summer camp and maybe in the future form a Destin league.”

The sport has already picked up steam in Panama City, where Bubble Sports by the C launched last year, and Stewart says she hopes to soon expand the bubble fun to cities all along the Emerald Coast.  

“We are hoping to grow the sport significantly all along the Panhandle,” she said. “I think it will really grow fast.”

Stewart explained that the game itself is set up like a miniature soccer match with a maximum of six people per team.

“It’s played a lot shorter than regular soccer because the bubbles get hot really fast,” she said. “The game is also played on a smaller, basketball sized court and the full length game is usually broken into seven-minute quarters.”

During next week’s expo, several different bubble games will be introduced for both children and adults.

“We are equipped for all ages,” said Stewart, noting that the bubbles come in two different sizes. “My three-year-old loves the bubbles. At that age they can’t actually play soccer in them, but they can bounce them and crawl through them.”

Everyone is welcome to the Bubble Sports by the C event and are encouraged to wear comfortable gym clothes and sneakers if planning to participate. Bubbles and knee pads will be available for players and concessions will be for sale in the community center gym. For more information on the event call the Destin Community Center at 654-5184.