OLDS — About 65 people attended a dodgeball tournament Dec. 9 at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology.
The event, held in the Frank Grisdale Hall gym, was the first of what organizers hope will be an annual tradition.
The purpose of the tournament, organized by the college’s newly-formed Sports Management Club and the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) was to raise money for the club as well as highlight LGBTQ+ issues as well as link LGBTQ+ people and sport.
It also served as a perfect project for a Sports Management class taught by instructor Desmond Bouteiller.
Twelve teams signed up to participate.
Some of the team names were Barnyard, the 2014 Dodge Caravan, Construction Boys, Precise Ball Handlers, Denim Danger, the OC Brewries Beer Ballers, the Ed Sheeran Fan Club, The Avengers, Dirty Dodgers, and the Moose Knuckles.
The Ed Sheeran Fan Club, which was made up of members of the Olds College Broncos men's volleyball team, defeated the Dirty Dodgers three games to one in the final.
As of late Friday, organizers anticipated clearing about $1,500 from the event for the Sports Management Club. Bouteiller described that as “a great start” for the organization.
Several dignitaries and college staff members spoke before the tournament got underway.
Pam Lashmore, a Metis woman who hosts gatherings and discussions at the college, alluded to the fact that event was focused on inclusiveness as well as fun.
She noted that one of the aspects of Indigenous teachings and culture is a circle with four quadrants.
“The reason why we have four different quadrants is because we’re honouring and recognizing all people.
It's not just one or another, it’s all of us together,” she said. “Everything is in a circle. The earth is in a circle, the moon is in a circle.”
“Be good to one another. It doesn’t matter where you come from, what walk of life you come from, Lashmore said, adding that anyone is welcome in her office to talk about things.
“I‘ve got tea, I’ve got snacks and I have two ears to listen. So you’re welcome in my office any time,” she said.
GSA rep Keith Friedlander thanked the Sports Management faculty and students for inviting them to partner in the tournament.
“We started the GSA a few years ago and I think this is the first year that it’s really had a strong presence on campus and we’ve had a lot of people participating in it,” Friedlander said.
“We started it just before COVID began so it didn’t get much of a chance.”
Friedlander said the GSA was started because it was believed that several students on campus with diverse sexuality and gender identities didn’t feel safe being themselves in public.
He said just by holding the tournament, organizers are showing them that they have allies and that that “they’re not alone on campus that there are people that they can trust and people who have their back.”
Friedlander said people often ask him what they can do to support people of diverse genders and sexuality.
He said they should always be looking for opportunities to learn more about those people and how they can create an inclusive space for them.
“The other thing is don’t be afraid to speak out if you see something happening on campus that you know is hateful and wrong,” Friedlander said.
He said doing so doesn’t mean being confrontational. It could be as simple as not laughing when others say something derogatory about LGBTQ+ people.
Life Sciences and Business dean Dalin Bullock also addressed the crowd.
Bullock said organization and staging of the tournament by the Sports Management students and members of the GSA is a great example of hands-on learning, a strong focus of the college.
“I wanted to recognize them for their leadership and innovation. This is their idea. They organized it. They were able to execute it,” he said.
Bullock made one other point a bit facetiously.
“Now I was told that there’s a faculty team that entered today. And I just wanted to send out a message to the students: they’re getting older,” he said.
"They have a special gift for you next week, it’s final exam week. So be kind to them.”
Sports Management Club president Chase Molitor was the final speaker.
He said some people think of Sports Management as just a course that athletes on campus take.
“But as the president, my hope is to bring together a program for providing events that are tailored for our group, helping the sports management program more prominent,” he said.
Molitor thanked all those who made the tournament a reality.
“Without you guys, this probably wouldn’t be happening right now,” he said.
In an email, Bouteiller said the tournament was a great success.
“The tournament exceeded expectations, as this was our first attempt to run one of these class events post-COVID,” he wrote. “The college and community really came through to make this a memorable experience.”
He said organizers are already thinking of ways to improve the tournament for next year.
They include getting feedback from those who participated in this year’s edition as well as perhaps utilizing a new marketing club on campus to promote the tournament more effectively.
