diff --git a/classes/level/level.gd b/classes/level/level.gd
index faa26db..57141eb 100644
--- a/classes/level/level.gd
+++ b/classes/level/level.gd
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class_name Level extends Node2D
 #@export var goal_layer: GoalTileLayer
 
 @onready var player_scene: PackedScene = preload("res://scenes/player/player.tscn")
+@onready var ball_scene: PackedScene = preload("res://scenes/ball/ball.tscn")
 
 var player_1: Player
 var player_2: Player
diff --git a/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd
index 65fed9b..0c46304 100644
--- a/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd
+++ b/scenes/levels/states/level_starting.gd
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ extends LevelState
 
 
 func _enter(_previous_state_path: String, _data: Dictionary = {"round": 0, "restart": false}) -> void:
+	get_tree().paused = true
 	assert((_data["round"] as int) in range(3), "round number is invalid")
 	assert(
 		(_data["restart"] as bool) == true or
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ func _enter(_previous_state_path: String, _data: Dictionary = {"round": 0, "rest
 	)
 	level.current_round = _data["round"]
 	level.restarted = _data["restart"]
+	
 	if level.restarted:
 		level.current_round = 0
 		level.scoreboard = Vector2i(0,0)
@@ -32,12 +34,13 @@ func _enter(_previous_state_path: String, _data: Dictionary = {"round": 0, "rest
 	
 	level.player_1 = _instantiate_player(1)
 	level.player_2 = _instantiate_player(2)
+	level.ball = _instantiate_ball()
+
 
 func _instantiate_player(id: int) -> Player:
-	var p: Player = level.player_1 if id == 1 else level.player_2
 	var s: PlayerSpawnPoint = level.player_1_spawn if id == 1 else level.player_2_spawn
+	var p: Player = level.player_scene.instantiate()
 	
-	p = level.player_scene.instantiate()
 	p.id = id
 	p.name = "Player"+str(id)
 	
@@ -47,3 +50,13 @@ func _instantiate_player(id: int) -> Player:
 	p.global_position = s.global_position
 	
 	return p
+
+
+func _instantiate_ball() -> Ball:
+	var b: Ball = level.ball_scene.instantiate()
+	
+	level.add_child(b)
+	
+	b.global_position = level.ball_spawn.global_position
+	
+	return b