The sound of the rubber ball snapped off the net and echoed through the gym – blur of motion, a serve too fast to track. OU senior Lance Markowitz stood stunned at a Livonia pickup game, realizing he’d just been schooled by one of the top five roundnet players in the world. It was only his second time playing, but that humbling afternoon three years ago sparked an intense passion for the sport.
That passion has since earned Markowitz premier division status, a title reserved for the top 1% of competitive roundnet players worldwide. He is the second OU player ever to earn premier status, and the only current student to hold it.
Roundnet, known casually as Spikeball, is a fast-paced game involving four players hitting a small rubber ball onto a trampoline-like net. For many, it’s a fun, casual pastime. For Markowitz, it’s a discipline demanding sharp focus and wide knowledge of strategy.
“Once I was introduced to how good people could get, it made me a little hungry,” he said.
That hunger led to long hours of practice, countrywide tournament travel and a growing leadership role in the sport’s local promotion. As treasurer, organizer and de facto head of the OU Roundnet Club, Markowitz manages nearly every aspect of the sport’s presence on campus – from hosting pickup games, rallies and tournaments to securing equipment and operating the club’s Instagram.
Markowitz seeks to improve the marketability of the sport, even hoping one day to bring it to the Olympics.
“I love growing the sport, and college campuses are a great way to fuel that growth,” he said. “I really want to build up a team again so we can start by competing against other schools.”
Since taking over in June, he has secured sponsorships, purchased new equipment, and worked with the Recreation Center and the Athletic Dome, as well as external facilities, to improve club meet timeslots and availability. He’s even in talks with vendors to design custom jerseys and shorts for future competitive play.
“I’ve spent so many hours trying to build the club into what I know it can be,” he said. “Most of my efforts have been focused on recruiting, which I didn’t anticipate being a challenge.”
Markowitz explained that while a formal, tournament-ready roundnet team only needs six players, he would like to have several OU teams, each ready to compete.
“At the level that we will be playing at, we can bring two or three teams, and I think it’s better for the longevity of the club if we have people that go to tournaments,” he said.
Markowitz finds the promotional challenge lies in public perception. He contrasts roundnet’s limited competitive recognition with that of more established sports he participates in on campus, such as the OU hockey team.
“I think a lot of people just look at it as kind of a backyard game, one that you don’t really get better at,” he said. “But what I’ve realized is that it’s just so much more fun once you get good at it, so I’ve really been trying to establish that culture at OU.”
Markowitz’s efforts over recent months are already making an impact. Since he took over, four OU players have competed in external tournaments.
“Once people go to tournaments, they say, ‘Oh, dang, this is so sick, I want to do more,’” he said. “It’s made a huge difference in how much they care.”
His own highlight came this August in Boston, where he and a teammate from Chicago took first place in the contender division – the performance that elevated him to premier status.
“It was my last chance to make premier for the season,” he said. “That was definitely the highlight.”
Despite his interests in other sports, roundnet has become the sport he hopes to carry beyond college.
“This is my last year playing competitive hockey,” he said. “The fact that I can still compete at the highest level of another sport after my hockey career is over – that’s very, very appealing.”
Between classes, hockey games, and roundnet contributions, Markowitz still remains driven by the sport’s potential.
“It’s fun to goof around,” he said, “but it’s also really fun to work a little more at it and get creative with the way in which you play the game.”
The club welcomes both new and experienced players and hosts weekly pickup games across campus. Meet times, locations, and more information can be found on its Instagram page.
