You would be forgiven for having never heard of VX, with the sport only being officially launched in February 2006 by the Youth Sport Trust. Originally known as Rock-It-Ball, VX was re-launched in 2012 under its new guise. A fast-paced ball sport played either on a squash court or in a sports hall, VX is surprisingly straightforward. Played with a simple piece of equipment called a VstiX, the aim is to hit the opponent as many times as possible, using the VstiX to propel a ball at the opposition. One point is awarded for hitting the opponent between the shoulders and the feet, with two being awarded if a player is able to catch a ball that has been thrown at them. Players are able to use their VstiX to block and protect themselves.
At first glance a VstiX looks remarkably similar to a lacrosse stick, however instead of a net at one end, there are two scoops at either end, designed to catch and propel a special low-impact ball towards the opponent. The game can be played in several formats. The most common formats are V2 and V10. V2, a singles format, pits two players against each other on a squash court – this is the most intense and tactical format of the game. V10 sees two teams consisting of five players battle it out on a court roughly the size of a sports hall.
One of the great features of the sport is that VX is one of the very few in which male and female players compete equally. Fair play is heavily promoted, with much of the game being self-refereed. Players have to acknowledge a hit before being allowed to play on. Failure to acknowledge a hit, along with any other foul, results in the opposing team being awarded three points.
Originating locally in North Yorkshire, the sport has spread quickly around the country, being taken up by universities, colleges and schools. Being a Yorkshire based sport, most British VX clubs are based in the local area, presenting a great opportunity for those at the university looking to get involved. Globally, it is now played in 24 different countries, 14 of these having National Governing Bodies.
The UoYVXC was set up in January 2014 by current President Jack Brown, a second year Electronic Engineering student. Amazingly, Jack is currently the number one ranked player in the world, having won the V2 category at last year’s VX World Cup. He has also been appointed head coach of the Universities England squad. The team was ratified by YUSU at the beginning of this academic year and hosted their first Club V2 League on the 18th of February.
For those who are looking to get involved, the club train from 3-5pm on Saturdays at the York Sport Centre Squash Courts. The club is contactable via email at [email protected], on Facebook at UOYVXC, or on Twitter @UOYVX.