After visiting places such as Las Vegas, Boston, New Orleans and other cities, the USA Dodgeball Premier Tour National Championships are headed to Bedford Park this year.
The Wintrust Sports Complex hosts the event from Sept. 4-6 with championships to be determined in No-Sting, Foam and Cloth divisions.
The Bedford Park facility hosted a USA Premier Tournament in 2023 and officials liked the experience.
“We’ve had a tournament at Wintrust before,” said Brett Kauble, an executive board member of USA Dodgeball. “Since the national tournament is our biggest one, we need big gyms to house the whole tournament.
“It’s been successful there before, so if it ain’t broke…”
Kauble feels that the location of being close to Chicago is also a plus, even if it causes a pizza argument.
“People like going to Chicago,” Kauble said. “As soon as it was announced, everyone was involved in the Lou Malnotti’s-Giordano’s debate.”
Chicago is not quite a hotbed for dodgeball, but it is gaining some steam. Matt Dela Cruz, the founder and president of Chicago Dodgeball, thinks that having the nationals in town will help the area dodgeball scene.
“It’s amazing to have it here,” Dela Cruz said. “I feel very lucky and honored that it’s here.”
Both Kauble and Dela Cruz realize that much of the outside world views dodgeball as more of a kids game. But Dela Cruz points out that national competition is no joke.
“When you are on the court, sometimes you will have former Division I baseball athletes whipping a dodgeball at you at 60 or 70 mph,” he said. “And that’s fun in its own way.”
Off the court, Dela Cruz says that the dodgeball community is welcoming.
“Everyone is so uplifting and supportive,” he said. “If you want to get better at something, people are willing to help. It’s fairly inclusive as well. My organization is very LGBTQ-plus friendly.
“It’s a sport where people can be themselves.”
On all three days of the nationals, doors open at 7 a.m. and the tournament runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Sept. 4 action will feature No-Sting Open, Women’s and Mixed divisions.
On Sept. 5, the Foam Open, Women’s and Mixed divisions play.
On Sept. 6, it wraps up with Cloth Open, Women’s and Mixed divisions.
Tickets information is at usadodgeball.com.