The thud of the familiar blue ball against the court echoes off the walls of the gym. Both frustrated and triumphant yells resound the court. No, this isn’t a scene from your middle school.
The Western Dodgeball Club was breathed into being about two years ago by Bowling Green junior Josh Raymer.
“I really was interested in getting dodgeball started at Western because we didn’t have anything like that up into this point,” he said.
After poking around the intramural department, he found starting a sport club was more user-friendly than beginning an intramural team. Raymer recruited some of his friends and others who were interested in playing on a college dodgeball team.
“It was not anything like it is today. It was actually made up of seven different teams of six to 10 people. We would get together every Sunday and play games,” he said.
Later, someone contacted Raymer on Facebook and suggested he check out the National College Dodgeball Association. The NCDA would give guidelines, rules and opportunities to schedule games. So, Western joined the NCDA.
The team is funded by Student Government Association and the Intramural-Recreational Sports department.
Western played its first game last year at the First Annual Kentucky Classic and lost to Marshall University, 3-5.
While successfully starting the team, it still had its problems. Because of commitment issues, it finished its season 0-7. It was time for a transition.
Using the MASTER Plan fair this past fall in the Preston Center as a recruitment tool, the team received names of potential new players.
One was Henderson freshman Felix Perrone.
He had planned to start a similar dodgeball team until he learned that Western already had a team. When Raymer graduates, Perrone will succeed him as captain.
Perrone said the game is one that requires endurance – it’s a 50-minute game.
“It takes a lot of concentration when there’s 15 guys chucking balls at one another,” he said.
Perrone knew the dodgeball club had struggled the previous season. After its first victory on Oct. 26 against the University of Louisville, he was excited.
“It was a good feeling, winning,” he said. “Personally, I felt our team worked together really well. The other team was arguing back and forth.”
Co-captain Matt Parsons, a Spencer County sophomore, found out about the club through his resident assistant.
“I really like it because I’m really competitive; I like anything that’s really competitive,” he said. “It’s a fun sport. I’ve always played it.”
The dodgeball team plays Sunday at the Seaton Center on University of Kentucky’s campus for the Second Annual Kentucky Classic. Saginaw Valley State University, Michigan State, Kent State, Western, University of Louisville and UK are participating.
“Ultimately, our goal is to be like college basketball or college football, be an actual intercollegiate sport,” Raymer said. “That’s probably 20 years down the road or so, but it all started somewhere.”
Reach Tabitha Waggoner at diversions@chherald.com.
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