PORTLAND, Ore. — Many people have held some history of playing dodgeball, a staple of physical education classes in elementary school. Who knew it would also be a game for some adults in Portland, and a game with a World Championship at stake.
Five Portland athletes are headed to the World Dodgeball Championships next month in Graz, Austria.
Jackie Cruz, Kayla Sison, Tiffani Padgett, Brandon Cook and Grace Rowan are all part of Team USA.
The gym at Friendly House in Northwest Portland hosts Dodgeball PDX, a recreational dodgeball league. All five have played in the recreationa league.
“I started seeing really good players and saw they're on Team USA,” said Rowan, a current Team USA member. "I thought I’d like to do that, then it took off."
There are two disciplines. The foam ball, where there are six players to a side and six balls in play. The second discipline, is the cloth ball, with six players and five balls in play. Games are timed for both types of balls. The court is roughly 60 feet long and 30 feet wide with attack lines and a neutral zone.
It’s a process to make Team USA. Playing national level tournaments, getting noticed by USA Dodgeball, being invited to a camp and finally the selection process.
“It was like making varsity in high school. You work so hard for something, then it pays off,” said Jackie Cruz, a Team USA member. "Takes a long time, some are naturals — I was not a natural."
Team USA doesn't provide funding, so the players are raising funds to help pay for travel costs.
Regarding future playing possibilities, there will be about 100 teams from 30 countries at the World Championships.
The players have strong feelings about dodgeball becoming an Olympic sport.
“I think dodgeball should be an Olympic sport. Break dancing is we should be too," Cruz said.