Photos by Phoeun You, SQNews
Wall Ball
A
mong prisoners, one rare sport is often used to find euphoric relief: a good ol' game of handball. On the handball court, skilled players test out their hand-eye coordination, beating a little blue ball up against the prison’s batter-yellow painted wall. The game calls for agility, intensity, and the rhythm of an orchestral musician. One has to be in sync with their partner; a good player must develop a sense of timing — the instinct to slide out of the way when the small blue ball speeds back after their partner slaps it back towards the wall. It is a continual dance — one must be light on their feet to avoid bumping into their partner or competitors. Jeff Williams earned the nickname “Spiderman” for his active form of play. “He’s a good partner to have,” B. McClelland says 12
WALL CITY
SUMMER 2022
of his handball partner. The two sometimes compete in tournaments together. Williams’ dedication to the game drives him to dive onto the concrete ground to make a play — like Spiderman, he puts his body wherever it needs to be to beat the competition. “It’s full dedication, like a dog after a bone,” Williams’ says. He learned how to play handball in prison 26 years ago, and soon realized it was something that he was good at. American handball, also referred to as “wall ball,” is played by two to four players who use their hands to hit a small rubber ball against a wall. The objective is to keep opponents from returning or striking the ball as it comes off the wall, which helps to generate points. If the ball touches the ground twice or is hit out of bounds, that team loses a point to the opposing team. “In order to be successful here, you have to know how to play
