Story by: Kris Wright
Starting a new dodgeball club at your school may be the hardest part of dodgeball as a whole. Really. Because you have no club, then you have no team, and if you have no team, you can’t play, and that’s where the fun is.
Working on starting my second team, I have learned the do’s and don’ts of this process and how to keep a team running. Here are just a few things to remember when trying to start your club.
1. Advertise
By advertise I don’t mean go buy an ad in the school paper, I mean print out flyers and post them EVERYWHERE around your campus. Put them in every floor of every building and dorm, anywhere people will be so they can see that you’ve made a club.
2. Recruit
Not only do you need flyers, but you must also talk to anyone interested. Make announcements before or after class, in the student center and anywhere there is a large group. But make sure you’re professional about it or no one will take you seriously. Also, talk with athletes that play sports that aren’t in season, like basketball players in the fall or football players in the winter, and make the argument that dodgeball is a great way to stay active in their offseason.
3. Be Professional
When dealing with your school’s campus life and starting your club, don’t just “get around to it whenever.” Schedule meetings, check up on your club’s status and make sure you know everything there is to know to get your club started and off the ground. When going to meetings, don’t go in your hoodie and sweats. Instead, try a polo and jeans. Looking the part could make all the difference, and if your campus life director thinks that you don’t look or act the part, they may not approve your club, which means no dodgeball for you.
4. Fundraise
My final point is that you must fundraise in order to get anywhere with your team, especially if club fees and dues don’t cut it. If you need to fundraise, you have two good choices to raise money for your team. You can either really fundraise by going door to door selling candy or pizza kits or you can sell advertising space. Find any local businesses that regularly sponsor other college activities and start there by selling space on a science board or just plain poster board. This usually works better if you can get some home games, but brainstorm some other ideas that will entice businesses to advertise with you.
Starting your club is probably the hardest and most time consuming part of the dodgeball process, but stick with it and you’ll have a club that’s playing games in a matter of no time.