By Mary O’KEEFE

On Friday, Girl Scout Julia Marriott of Troop 111 officially opened her Gold Award project with a ribbon cutting. Her project: installing a Gaga Ball pit at Monte Vista Elementary School, her alma mater. 

Gaga Ball is a popular sport, especially among young school-aged kids. 

“Gaga is a fast paced, high-energy sport played in an octagonal pit. The more players the better,” according to the Gaga Center.

The game has been described as a “kinder dodgeball.” Players step into the Gaga Ball pit and wait until players scream “Ga” or “Gaga” putting the ball in play.

“Once the ball is in play, any player can hit the ball with an open or closed hand. If a ball touches a player below the knee, even if the player hits him/herself, he or she is out and leaves the pit. If a player is hit above the knees, the play continues,” according to the Gaga Center. 

The game is fast-paced; on Friday there was a lot of laughter and screams of excitement from the Monte Vista players. 

Marriott said she was inspired to do this project as her Gold Award after she discovered how much fun Gaga Ball is. 

“So this is a very special moment that you are taking part in,” said Principal Hury Babayan to the second graders who were part of the ribbon cutting event. 

Though the Gaga Ball pit had been in place for some time at the school Friday was the official opening. 

“We’ve had the Gaga Ball [pit] for a few weeks now; how many of you have played in the pit?” Babayan asked. 

The majority of the hands of the second graders went up and they cheered when she asked them how many loved playing the game. 

“So today we are doing the ribbon cutting for our Gaga Ball pit because it is something new on our campus, and you only saw the end result – you saw the final product of the Gaga Ball pit – but I have to tell you it took a lot of work,” she said. 

Marriott was introduced amid more cheers from the students who shared her enthusiasm for bringing the game to her alma mater. She said during the restrictions of the COVID pandemic she, along with everyone, was either inside or, later, was allowed to only go outside. 

“I went to CV Park and played Gaga Ball,” she said of what she did once some of the pandemic restrictions were lifted. “And that’s when I learned how fun Gaga Ball was and how it was a good way to get some exercise and go outside, screen-free, and make new friends.”

She said she wanted to bring that feeling to Monte Vista Elementary. 

Marriott started in Girl Scouts as a Daisy Scout, the first level of scouts that includes those in kindergarten and first grade. She said she likes Girl Scouts because it gives her opportunities to help others and help her community. 

The Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. It requires completing several facets including thinking of a project that will support her community and utilize organizational skills, financial and budgeting skills and working with others. 

Marriott thanked the many volunteers who helped with the project, including her parents who were on hand to document the ribbon cutting. She also thanked companies that donated building items including Lowe’s and Ganahl Lumber. She also thanked those individuals from the Monte Vista Elementary PTA who made a financial donation. 

“I could not have done this without [all of you],” she said. 

She said the volunteers spent a lot of “hot” Saturdays during the summer working hard to finish the project. 

“I am especially grateful to our principal Mrs. Babayan,” Marriott said. “She communicated with me and helped me figure out this process of building the Gaga Ball at the school, and communicated [with me] even over the summer break.”

Then it was time to play. Second graders jumped at the chance to get into the  Gaga Ball pit to begin a game.