Aberdeen dodgeball team Granite City Guerrillas go in search of national glory this weekend when they compete in the British Championship in Liverpool.
The men’s team was crowned Scottish champions after winning the nine-team national division this season with the junior team also winning their respective league championship.
Anthony Aldred, lead coach of the Guerrillas, says excitement is building at the club ahead of their big weekend in England.
He said: “The British Championship is the highest dodgeball accolade you can win in the UK.
“This weekend’s event has both men’s and women’s competitions running on Saturday with the juniors competing on Sunday.”
John Duncan, adult coach, said “We are excited to be involved in this event. It’s always a tough day but we are confident we can hold our own.
“We have played some the clubs before over the last decade and know it will be very difficult opening fixtures in the championship.”
Guerrillas are a club on the rise
For the Guerrillas, formed more than 10 years ago, the national finals is a reward for their efforts in growing the game in the city.
The club continues to grow in stature since its formation and the adult sections are beginning to reap the benefits of its burgeoning junior set-up.
Aldred said: “The club has men and women players from around the north-east in both city and shire playing competitively with ages ranging from 18 up to mid 30s.
“We have players who have joined through word of mouth, have come along with their partners, wanted to exercise or enjoyed it at school.
“Our casual mixed adult sessions run on a Monday evening and juniors on a Wednesday evening.
“We currently have more than 30 active competitive adult players with a large group enjoying playing the sport casually with us at our mixed training sessions.
“We also have a junior set up which our trained coaches run which encompasses of 35 competitive juniors across age categories of seven and upwards to under-16s.”
Dodgeball a game for all ages
It is a similar story at junior level with the club developing a burgeoning youth section.
Robyn Smith, head junior coach, said: “The future of the junior team is very bright with great young players coming through from the younger teams.
“But also new players are beginning to ascend up to the adult teams.
“There has also been increased demand for places in our junior section with children wanting to come along from a number of age categories.”
Dodgeball growing in popularity
Granite City Guerrillas are flying the flag for the game in the north-east with men’s, women’s, mixed and junior teams all running but Aldred insists the sport is growing in popularity across the country.
He said: “Dodgeball as a sport is certainly growing. More than 100 adult and junior community clubs operate throughout the UK now.
“In Scotland over the last couple of years, new clubs have been founded in Glasgow and Edinburgh through demand to play the sport.
“In Scotland, the national league structure has been improved for September 2023 to include more leagues to support more diverse teams and players of all abilities.”
Conversation