The University of Wisconsin-Platteville Dodgeball Club has become popular with students across the campus since it started six years ago.
Dodgeball is much more than a sport club where students get together and compete; it is also used as a stress reliever, Alycia Riehl, president of the Dodgeball Club, said.
The club meets twice a week from 10:30-midnight for practices. During these practices, the group splits into two teams and scrimmage as they work on their throwing, catching and dodging skills. Long-term members have skilled throwing technique that they have developed over time. Players leave with stinging bruises, a good attitude and sense of camaraderie.
The club attended a tournament in Chicago on March 2, defeating Chicago schools DePaul University and Moody Bible Institute. They beat DePaul University 4-1 and Moody Bible Institute 4-2. According to the National Collegiate Dodgeball Association, UW-Platteville is ranked No. 9 out of the 19 ranked teams.
The next tournament the UW-Platteville Dodgeball Club is attending is the national tournament held April 12-14 in Lexington, Ky. Members are no strangers to competing on the big stage. They have been there in recent years, placing number 17 in 2011 and number 13 in 2012. Some of the ranked schools that they could potentially play are Miami University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Michigan State, Nebraska, Kent State, Western Kentucky and Ohio State.
“We hope to place better than last year,” Riehl said. “UW-Platteville is known to be a team to go and have fun, but if we happen to do well, that will make the weekend even better.”
For more information about the Dodgeball Club and their activities, visit them on Pioneer Link or on Facebook at facebook.com/UWPDodgeball.