Word on the Street: Fresno soccer games in bubble balls

Do you want to take your soccer game to the next level?

Imagine a full contact game bumping and checking your opponent to score a goal while inside a large plastic bubble ball. Think of a hamster ball, only softer and your feet stick out the bottom so you can run and kick.

It’s Fresno Soccer Bubble Ball, a business that debuted with a free public game at Woodward Park a little more than a week ago. Fresno real estate broker Erick Motta and agent Alex Ramos are the owner and operator of the venture that was created days after a company picnic.

Motta, owner and broker of Home Star Real Estate, was looking for a fun picnic activity for his agents and employees. He heard of bubble soccer, but the closest company that provided the balls was in San Jose, he said. The cost to drive to Fresno and blow up the balls was too expensive, Motta said. So, he found a vendor and bought the balls himself.

“I figured I can use them over and over again,” Motta said. “I know Fresno is a soccer town. There are lots of people who would love to do this.”

The balls, which are about five-feet long from one end to another, are clear and made of soft plastic that bounce off the ground and off each other. There is a hole in the middle with shoulder straps that secure the user. Handles inside the ball allow the player to carry it around a field.

“You’re insulated by a big air bag,” Motta said.

Games can be played with as few as six players — three on three — or 12 players with six people on a team. Use the game as a birthday activity or for team building, Motta said.

Tired of running around? After about 15 minutes, most people are ready for a break, Motta said. Flip the balls to the side, squeeze inside and let a buddy roll you around.

This story was originally published May 21, 2015 at 4:23 PM with the headline "Word on the Street: Fresno soccer games in bubble balls."