The origins of the
game of swing-ball are both complex and convoluted. Sadly, much of the
history of this great sport has been lost through the decay and ravages of time. Nevertheless, a rough sketch of the creation and development of the
game can, at least in part, be ascertained.
In the Autumn of 2001, a handful of
high school students from Hawthorne,
New Jersey met to discuss their plans for the upcoming season. The
game of soccer had grown in popularity in the small town over the last few decades, and several of these young men actively took part in the local school team. The group hoped to develop a training regimen that would assist in improving their own dribbling and passing skills, as well as general fitness and agility.
The result of this
brain-trust would be what we now know as swing-ball. Early pick-up games at Goffle Brook Park quickly became common-place, and a call for organization and structure for the sport soon became deafening. In response to this, the founders of the sport agreed upon the establishment of an official organization: the United Swing-Ball Association (
U.S.B.A.). This association now oversees all known amateur and professional leagues globally.
It is hoped that this website
will assist in uniting and mobilizing all future grassroots efforts for the advancement and establishment of swing-ball leagues.