the sport of Whirlyball has is the height of the players. In order to be eligible to play Whirlyball you must stand at the height of four feet, six inches or taller. Players shorter than this height are prohibited from playing this sport. According to Flo-tron Enterprises, Inc., the sole company that makes WhirlyBall products and the Whirlybug, the game is meant to be a competitive team sport that can be played at any level. The highest level played in WhirlyBall is the international level. Whirlybug A Whirlybug is similar to an electric bumper car. It is round, with a bumper going all the way around. Unlike most bumper cars, however, power is not provided by an overhead grid, but rather by alternating conducting plates that make up the floor of the court. This means that Whirlybugs are more complex than traditional bumper cars, but this is necessary, as an overhead grid would obstruct play. A Whirlybug is steered by a handle that looks like a crank. This handle allows steering not just side to side, but also backwards. In this aspect, it is very different from a traditional bumper car. One of the downsides to a Whirlybug's controls, however, is the difficulty beginners will almost certainly have with them. One reason is that there is technically no reverse. This can make for an extremely difficult situation for a beginner who has run into a wall. A player must apply the throttle as they are twisting the handle in either direction. After a single rotation, the drive train reverses, and the car moves away from the wall. More experienced players may simply twist the crank a single time and then apply the throttle. The other problem with steering is that Whirlybugs often do not center the crank automatically, making it difficult for beginners to recover from a very tight turn or from "reverse". Once the particulars of the steering are learned—usually in one or two games—the controls tend to be easy to use. Terminology Whirlic: A score in Whirlyball, two points. Power Shot: Comparable to a lay-up in basketball. Slashing: Hitting an opponent scoop while going for the ball. In league play, a two-point penalty. Pillow Block: Driving the Whirlybug into an opponent's bumper and attempting to slow them down by remaining there. Roll-Off: While contacting an opponent's bumper, player does a 360-degree roll-off turn and continues momentum. Wall Bouncing: