SWSCD Highlights from the 2017 World Dodgeball Championships
Remember the excitement of turning and twisting to avoid being hit by that speedy ball in the schoolyard? Now, imagine that thrill amp’ed up as international level athletes from the world’s top dodgeball teams competed at the 2017 World Dodgeball Championships from Oct 18-21, 2017 at the Markham Pan Am Centre.
We were thrilled to experience the fierce competition, intense battles, and unrelenting teamwork at the Championships. This was the sixth time this event and has been held annually since its inception in 2012. Teams from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States of America were represented. Since there was an odd number of participating countries, host country Canada was given the chance to add a second team (aptly called 'Maple Leaf'), to play in the Championships.
While the wins for and against Team Maple Leaf did not add to the win/loss columns of the participating seven countries and did not impact playoffs, it did provide Canada with an excellent opportunity to give this second team the chance to compete at the international level. These opportunities help increase the depth of the talent field from which to pick future Team Canada players.
The Teams
Each country that fielded a team in the 2017 World Dodgeball Championships has its own particular national organization that oversees the game of dodgeball in that particular country. In a general sense, these organizations help to facilitate the promotion, national organization, and growth of the sport itself and the communities supporting the sport. They are as follows:
Australia - Australian Dodgeball Federation
Canada - Dodgeball Canada
Hong Kong - Hong Kong Dodgeball Association & Dodgeball Association of Hong Kong, China
Italy - Dodgeball Italy
Malaysia - Malaysian Association of Dodgeball (MAD)
Mexico - Mexican Dodgeball Federation (FMDB)
United States of America - United States Dodgeball Organization
The Tournament Organizers
Dodgeball Canada - the Official Host of the 2017 World Dodgeball Championships
World Dodgeball Federation - Established in 2011, it is the official international governing body of Dodgeball and is "responsible for overseeing rule standardization at the international level and promoting elite play". It's mandate is "to drive progress and growth of the sport globally". All of the national associations are members of the World Dodgeball Federation and together created the World Dodgeball Championships as well as international tournaments.
The Results
Team Malaysia beat Team Australia in the Gold Medal Final of the Women's Division by a score of 7-5. This was the first time that Team Malaysia had won the Gold Medal in the World Dodgeball Championships. The Women's Bronze Medal Final finished with the USA victorious over Team Canada by a score of 8-7.
Athlete Photo Gallery
With the support of Dodgeball Canada, SWSCD had the opportunity to capture great play action which showcases the teamwork, focus, strategy, strength, and determination required of these teams to earn the right to be called world champions.
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