#A-Star Sports Jumps To It As It Signs Up With UK Dodgeball Association

You have to be pretty fast on your feet in the world of sports coaching, but dynamic young company, A-Star Sports, has taken it to a new level by entering into an alliance with the UK Dodgeball Association (UKDBA).

The affiliation with UKDBA puts A-Star Sports at the heart of one of the most popular and fastest-growing sports in the UK. Founded in 2005, the UKDBA is responsible for the development, delivery and promotion of the sports of Dodgeball throughout the UK and has set ambitious targets for the future that will see the widespread growth of Dodgeball within all age groups.

A-Star Sports, which has invigorated sports coaching in the UK`s year of Olympic glory, already includes Dodgeball in its programmes as one of its 10 core sports on the grounds that it is particularly suitable for children of all ages.

Sharon Bassett, co-founder of A-Star Sports, said: Dodgeball is a simple, accessible and dynamic team sport and it is little wonder that it is becoming so popular, with new clubs opening up all the time. It is played in schools, the community, organised leagues and clubs like A-Star Sports nationwide.

The UKDBA has played a vital role in raising awareness of the sport and directing it towards a global future.

Ben Hoyle, UKDBA, said: “Dodgeball has many advantages over other sports, but none more than its absolute accessibility. It is played right across the world by people of all ages, sexes and sporting abilities. It is very simple to learn, and ‘everyone’ has the ability get involved as part of a team. The UKDBA’s goal is to grow the sport through ‘Home Countries’ events to ‘Internationals’ and eventually the Olympics and we’re delighted to have A-Star Sports affiliated with us and to work together on widening participation to support these goals.”

The game is typically played with three dodgeballs and six players on each team. In the junior game, players are out if they get hit directly by a dodgeball below the head, if they enter the dead zone, if a dodgeball they throw is caught by an opposing player or if the ball they are in possession of is knocked out of their hands by an opponent’s throw. Catching an opposing player’s dodgeball allows the team who caught the ball to bring a player back into play (should they have any players out).

The UKDBA liaises with the United Kingdom Sports Council, Sport England, the Sports Council for Wales, the Sports Council for Northern Ireland and Sport Scotland to ensure it exceeds their expectations of Dodgeball and maintains its status as a recognised National Governing Body for sport.

With a vision for children and families to ‘enjoy sport for life’, A-Star Sports offers multi-sports coaching for children from two years old to 10, teaching them to play individually, in games with a partner or in teams. It already has 11 territories throughout the UK and the bfa Provisional Member franchise is projecting the establishment of 40 territories in the UK within the next three to four years and has identified an ultimate potential of 240 centres. It has recently been included in the 2012 Startups 100.

Click here to read more about the A-Star Sports franchise opportunity.