Alumni – NCDA

Northern Invasion- Dodgeball Outside the NCDA

On December 10th and 11th of 2022, NCDA alumni players Joeseph Walsh and Kris Haas hosted the Northern Invasion at Cleveland State University. Joe and Kris are currently part of the Spartans USA Dodgeball Team and this team participates competitively in the USA Dodgeball premier circuit league. For this tournament format, the USA Dodgeball ruleset was used. This is a different format on smaller courts that have other ball types besides 8.5 rubber (foam, no-sting, and cloth). It was an event put on to provide an opportunity to play some more dodgeball before the end of the year and for NCDA players to experience a different format and meet former NCDA players and players outside the league.

The weekend consisted of four divisions: No-sting, 8.5 open, cloth, and 8.5 pinch. No-sting and 8.5 open were played on Saturday and cloth and 8.5 pinch were played on Sunday. There were 12 teams for the no-sting, 10 teams for cloth, 8 teams for open 8.5, and 7 teams for pinch. On the weekend, there were roughly 95 participants: a total of 38 current NCDA players, 31 NCDA alumni players, and 26 Non-NCDA players (a total of 13 NCDA teams were represented). 29 out of the 38 current NCDA players played in all 4 divisions, and 16 of the 31 NCDA alumni players played in all 4 divisions. The winners of each division are as follows: open 8.5 and cloth DMV Grizzles, no-sting Windy City Corruption, and 8.5 pinch the Spartans. Let’s hear some of the thoughts on the event below.

Checking In with the Voice of College Dodgeball: Tony Stumpo

Stumpo (right) commentating at 2022 College Dodgeball Nationals.

I recently sat down with NCDA alum, and frequent stream commentator Tony Stumpo. We had a quick chat about last year, what he expects this season, and the impact of playing USA Dodgeball events during the NCDA offseason. Check out our interview below:

Kevin Bailey: Tony, thank you for sitting down to chat as we get back into the groove of another season of college dodgeball.

Tony Stumpo: Happy to be back talking dodgeball, feels like we have a lot going on with the sport right now.

First off, let’s recap last year and Nationals specifically. You were on hand for that event. What were your main takeaways from the first NCDA Nationals in years?

NCDA Alumni Podcast East Coast Edition: Colin Sporer and Shadeed Drakeford

Towson Head Coach Colin Sporer and Director of Internal Affairs Shadeed Drakeford discuss the recent tournaments that has occurred thus year and the rest of the tournament in Fall 2021. To watch the podcast, click on the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d9itSTbWgA

My Dodgeball Story: Nathan Council (SVSU)

I approached Kevin a while ago (he probably stopped believing I’d actually write this) about telling my Dodgeball Story. I read some of the others that have been submitted this summer and it made me want to tell mine. I know there is a story inside of me but I have been struggling with how to tell it. How do I tell my story which is personal but also make it meaningful, insightful, and at least somewhat entertaining to the people reading it that do not know me? I decided to simply go for it and not worry about it. Selfishly, I’m telling this story in hopes that I can move on. I’m hoping that once I am finished I will feel a sense of closure. Closure that I have been missing since I left SVSU in 2014. Continue reading “My Dodgeball Story: Nathan Council (SVSU)”

My Dodgeball Story: Sean Smith (Towson)

It seems all too common for dodgeball stories to begin with an obscure story about how an individual discovered the sport on their college campus. This story will be no different.

Before moving in to campus as a freshman in Fall 2011, I knew I wanted to play a club sport, but I wasn’t sure which one or how to even get involved. The smart kids went on Towson’s website and researched this type of thing, meanwhile my lazy behind decided to just show up and hope I could figure it out. Little did I know my laziness would actually turn out to be the best thing of my first year at Towson.

Continue reading “My Dodgeball Story: Sean Smith (Towson)”

My Dodgeball Story: Jason Hallman (Kent State)

Continuing the My Dodgeball Story for our 3rd story of the summer, and 1st of July comes from Kent State University’s very own Jason Hallman, who played at Kent State from 2009-12, is in his 1st season with the Cleveland Has-Beens, and is a prominent referee in the NCDA. Take it away Jason… Continue reading “My Dodgeball Story: Jason Hallman (Kent State)”