Baller of the Year – Tomas Zander

This is an award that is given to the best player on the court. This individual throws outs, makes catches, provides pressure, and allows the team to compete. The winner is voted on by their teammates and this year’s winner was Tomas Zander. Let’s take a look at the interview below on his thoughts of winning the award.

Q. How do you feel about winning this award?

A. This award means a lot to me because of how much work I put into getting my teammates and myself better this year. I am glad that my teammates were able to see that I was pushing not only myself but also them every game. Knowing that I made an impact on the team even when not at practice is important to me. I never want to be known as the person who didn’t give it their all for their team. I want to give a shout-out to the other nominations for this award: Jalen, Nick, and Caleb. Those three getting better every game made me want to push myself so I wouldn’t get left behind.

Q. What was your favorite moment or moments from this past season?

A. I was only able to come to a handful of practices this year because I moved to Madison. One of my favorites was the first practice I attended. The reason was that for a long time, Coach Erik and I have been trying to create a culture of people wanting to come to play dodgeball, compete, have fun, get better for themselves, and get better for their teammates. I showed up to that first practice, and everybody was early to practice, running team drills without complaining and having fun. That moment really stuck with me because it felt like we finally achieved that culture Coach Erik and I have been looking for at Platteville. I give a lot of credit to the veterans for having a good mindset and taking the time to teach the rookies. I am sure it will be even better next season.

Q. What does your future in Dodgeball look like?

A. I don’t know how yet, but my plan is to get UW- Madison to start a Dodgeball Club in the fall and I plan to be their Coach. I want to help the Central Region of the NCDA grow. As for playing dodgeball, you better believe I will be at every home tournament playing for the Alumni. I also plan to play in the NDA league for the Platteville Pickaxers.

Q. What will you miss the most from this club?

A. Tournament weekend was something that I always looked forward to. From having a six-plus hour jam session in the car heading to a tournament, to hanging out with the team at the hotel and staying up really late, to playing dodgeball all day the next day, to finally ending the day back in Platteville hanging out until we passed out from exhaustion. Most people would say that sounds awful, but I have had some awesome teammates over the years to share in all those memories and I would not trade them away for anything.

Q. What advice can you give to any young or rookie players for next season?

A. Find a way to make an impact! Don’t give excuses, give solutions. This sport is not all about you. You have 11 other teammates on the court that are relying on you to fulfill your role. If you can’t throw, find something else to do to help your team win! Also, on or off the court, show that you care to be there. Some of your teammates put a lot of work into the club. Be present, on time, and come with a good attitude. You do that and you will find success in this club.