When a former Cardiff University student came across a new sport during a walk in a park in the Welsh capital, little did he know that within a few years, he’d be bringing the world’s best to Britain.
But that’s what happened to urban planner Jack Collard, who was walking through Roath Park in 2018 when he saw someone playing Roundnet. Jack asked if he could join in and was bitten by the bug.
Fast-forward to 2024, and away from his Bristol-based day-job, Jack is CEO of British Roundnet, the governing body of the sport in England, Wales and Scotland, which was awarded charitable status in February this year.
It also saw its bid for Britain to host the second ever Roundnet World Championships be successful.
As a result, some 700 competitors from 37 countries will descend on Surrey Sports Park in Guildford between 28 August and 1 September for what is being billed as the biggest single event in Roundnet’s history so far.
It’s all the more remarkable because Jack and his small team to all their Roundnet work on a voluntary basis, in their spare time.
But the 24-year-old, who won a ’30 under 30 Award” from Cardiff University a few years ago because of his work with British Roundnet, hopes that the World Championships will provide the springboard for the sport to really take off in this country.
Roundnet was created by an American toymaker and cartoonist, Jeff Knurek, in 1989.
It involves two teams of two players around a circular trampoline-like net; an inflatable rubber/canvas ball is served onto the net, and team mates handle it alternately, as in volleyball, a maximum of three times before it has to hit the net again.
Where the real challenge comes in is that once the ball is served, players do not have to stay on opposite sides of the net – they can move 360-degrees around it.
After undergoing a revival in the USA, partly fuelled by being aired on Shark Tank, the US-version of Dragons Den, in May 2015, Roundnet arrived in the UK the following year.
Jack said: “Roundnet is not yet formally registered as a sport in Great Britain but we hope that the legacy of the world cup will be that it does get registered and can grow from there.
“British Roundnet was delighted to have been chosen and trusted to host the second World Championships by the International Roundnet Federation, whose ultimate goal is to see the sport included in the Olympic Games.
“We are truly excited to showcase our fantastic, fast and frantic sport to the people of Great Britain and showcase our country to the rest of the world.
“Hosting an event of this scale will give us a fantastic opportunity to kick-start the growth of Roundnet throughout the home nations and create a legacy for the sport the build upon in the years to come.”
Roundnet has already attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea Football Club, the Red Roses England Women’ Rugby team, and tennis star Emma Raducanu, who are all known to enjoy playing.
There will be men’s, women’s and mixed competitions during the World Championships, with nations competing against each other as well as ‘individual’ competitions, where duos could find themselves competing against their national team-mates in a bid for glory.
Jack added: “It’s estimated that it could have a local economic impact worth more than £650,000, which will further strength our efforts to see the sport grow.
“Roundnet features dizzying, frantic, action which never fails to draw the eye of nearby bystanders, when it’s played in a park or on a beach, who often want to have a go themselves within minutes of watching it – which is exactly what happened to me.
“It’s certainly a great spectator sport, and we hope people of all ages will want to come and see it for themselves at the World Championships.”
Tickets cost just £3 per adult for a day, £5 for the ‘weekend finals’ and £10 for the full event. Tickets are free for spectators aged under 18.
In the aftermath of the tournament, free Roundnet equipment and coaching will be provided to several schools in Guildford, establishing a model that Jack and his British Roundnet team hope will be repeated in cities and towns throughout the country.
