The Story Of Dodgeball UK
June 2009 (probably a Tuesday)
Having seen an ad on Facebook for a dodgeball event, budding entrepreneur Andy 'Stedders' Stedman rustled up a group of interested mates in record time to go and throw balls at complete strangers. After getting no reply from the organisers, he took matters into his own hands and bought some balls and cones and hired a sports hall for an hour. The rest is dodgeball history...
2010 (league, first corporate and getting dad to help ref!)
Having found a dodgeball home in a pop-up venue under the London Bridge rail arches, Andy formed the inaugural Dodgeball UK League comprising of 8 ridiculously named teams with even worse kits. With no formal dodgeball rules in existence Andy started developing a code of dodgeball that suited mixed, social games as well as competitive matches. While other companies have sprung up and run leagues in dingy soul-less school halls smelling of Year 8 sweat, we run our leagues in cool venues with a bar. We all need a reward for our exertions...
With word spreading around the offices and bars of London, Andy was soon approached by Standard Chartered to run a team-building event for them with enough teams for two pitches. Great news, except Andy was the only ref he knew and he needed another. There was only one person to turn to - his dad - a local sporting legend from Surrey who was taught the rules on the train up to the venue without having ever even seen dodgeball in his life. Not even the film! Luckily he knew slightly more than the players themselves and the night was a big success.
2011-2024 (spreading the dodgeball gospel)
As dodgeball grew steadily around the UK we trained up more hosts/refs and spread around the country to get as many people playing this marvellous game as possible. Stag and hen do's, birthday parties, seasonal tournaments, more corporates and a thriving league meant Dodgeball UK was actually justifying its name. We even had a portable inflatable arena (Average Joe's Arena) designed and made for events. The Wembley of dodgeball. Makes the O2 Arena look rubbish!
What Next...?
Dodgeball UK is proud to be a family-run business, and in conjunction with our fantastic refs and hosts around the UK we look forward to facilitating even more throwing and catching of balls in 2018 and onwards. Many a lasting friendship has been made and we're proud that a couple of marriages first blossomed at our events. Awwww :) Who needs Love Island.
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A big thank you to those of you who have played dodgeball with us already, we hope to see you a lot more. If we've not yet had the pleasure of your company and throwing skills yet we look forward to meeting you and seeing you put the five D's of dodgeball in to action...
t: 07562 733 467