way to avoid the ball is to stand as far back from the wall as possible, behind all the other players if possible. Not only is this technically the safest place to be but it also allows them to be the furthest player back, who may peg anyone they wish to if the ball trickles back far enough. Cunning players may rely on "striking," which is deliberately pegging another player with the ball even when they aren't open. Although the player who strikes is putting themselves in the open, the goal is to catch another player unawares and, in the confusion, touch the wall before the victim can. The victim hopefully will be the target of whoever catches the ball. Some players choose to stand as close as possible to the wall without actually being penalized for wall-hugging. The goal for them is to try to grab the ball whenever convenient and quickly send it back into play. If they are open, they rely on their close proximity to the wall to become safe immediately. A method which is usually employed by these players is to "sky" the ball, meaning they throw the ball very hard against the wall in an upward direction so that it will balloon in the air over the other players. Though this makes it easier for other players to catch the ball, it allows adequate time for the thrower to race to the wall to become safe; usually they reach the wall before the ball is even caught. The downside to this strategy is that it is less effective if the no-pegging rule is in effect. Also, these players may have a greater tendency to double-touch or be "struck" by strikers. In general, players should avoid throwing the ball so that it comes off the wall either as a roller or a line drive. The harder the ball is to catch, the better the throw. Balls that fly high in the air are dangerous for they may be caught on the fly. Calling Out There are various elaborations on the base game concept which involve the use of "calling out" phrases in specific situations to enact special rules. If the game is played with a fence behind the court used and a "lives" system is being utilized, "watermelon" rules may be applied. If the ball seems as if it is about to go over the