Parrises squares

Parrises squares, or parisses squares, was a vigorous and rather violent athletic game played by people from many worlds and ages during the 24th century. Its popularity among youth was a concern for parents.

The game involved two teams of four players. Substitutions were possible, which allowed teams to rotate active and resting teammates. Some players, such as Commander William T. Riker, disliked the practice, feeling that doing so created a disruptive loss of a team's "rhythm". 

When playing parrises squares, players wore padded uniforms and used a piece of equipment called an ion mallet. The game also involved a ramp, and if players were not careful, they could fall off and injure themselves. 

Raymond Marr, a colonist on Omicron Theta, played parrises squares with a group of his schoolmates. He started when he was very young but was gifted and even won a championship emblem in the game. 

The Starfleet Academy team faced the Minsk team in the parrises squares Championship Finals of 2324. It came as a big surprise when Starfleet Academy won, as the Minsk team was favored. Starfleet cadets threw a celebratory party that wreaked havoc on the academy grounds and took Boothby three weeks to repair. 

M'Kota R'Cho was the only Klingon national that played parrises squares professionally, when he participated in the controversial Championship Finals of 2342. 

Starbase 74 had a parrises squares team, which the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) team played against during its stay there in 2364. 

While healing a deep cut on William Riker's face, which he acquired from Data's cat, Spot, Doctor Crusher admonished him, giving an order to "Stop playing parrises squares as if you're 21!" She continued dispensing advice: "One day, you'll break your neck, and I won't be able to heal that as easily."

In 2373, The Doctor created a holographic family to help him better understand and empathize with his patients,, and his "daughter", Belle, was on her school's parrises squares team. This worried her "parents", especially The Doctor, for parrises squares was a potentially dangerous game – even more so for Belle, who played in a league of children older than she. Their concern proved prescient and justified: She later "died" from injuries sustained during a competition. 

Ensign Harry Kim played during his time as a cadet, mentioning that he knows what it feels like to take an Ion Mallet to the ribs, and that he was Academy champion three times. 

In the fictional future created by Barash for William Riker, Barash's avatar Jean-Luc Riker broke his wrist playing Parrises Squares. The elder Riker was displeased that Jean-Luc was playing Parrises Squares at his age, saying he could have broken his neck, but Dr. Crusher politely pointed out to him that Will was even younger than Jean-Luc when he started. 

Known players

 * See: List of athletes

External link


Parrises squares