104days
00hrs
00min
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to Coed No-Sting, Sat Jan 16, 11:00 AM

Bullpen

Battlefield

Signed as a catcher, converted to a pitcher. Now, a new court. Built for Matt Kramer, with Andrew Ketchum in his corner.

The mission

You are literally in the movie.

The 2004 film ends at the Las Vegas International Dodgeball Open. Your finale is the Sin City Classic in Vegas. Same city, same underdog, better beer sponsor.

Event
Sin City Classic dodgeball, at the world's largest LGBTQ+ multi-sport festival
Dates
Mixed-gender (Coed) No-Sting plays Sat Jan 16, 2027 at 11:00 AM, with double elimination Sun Jan 17 at 12:30 PM. Sin City Classic
Venue
UNLV Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Las Vegas.
Run by
WeHo Dodgeball (coordinator Jake Mason) under the GLASA festival
Divisions
As listed in July: Women's, Coed No-Sting (max 4 straight players a team), and Queer Remix (random teams, the beginner on-ramp).
Register
Registration opened Oct 1, 2026.
The ball
No Sting. Gordon confirmed it: that's the ball at Sin City. Soft, low sting, and very catchable, which changes the whole strategy.
The translation

You already know this game.

Matt Kramer in a Bulldogs jersey, both hands up
Catcher, then a pitcher. Same competitor, new court.

Dodgeball is pitching with a live target that throws back. Pick a pitch and watch it land on the court.

the mound: paint the black X the court: hips and legs

On the mound: locating a fastball on the blackHit hips and legs.

Never aim at a head. The low corners you already live in are exactly where the outs are.

heat, sprayed: caught command: an out

On the mound: the velocity vs. command trade-offAccuracy beats heat.

A caught heater revives their bench. Throw to miss the catch, not to break a rib.

shoulderhips their load GOdodge now

On the mound: reading the batter's timingMove on their load.

Read the thrower's shoulder and hips. Dodge on their load, not their release.

grab your right-side ball, retreat past the attack line

On the mound: holding a runner, pickoff timingWin the opening rush.

Grab only your right-side ball, then retreat behind the attack line. Rushed balls are dead until they clear it. Cheap outs live here.

pre-hab 3x a weektournament volume spikes fast

On the mound: bullpen routine and long-tossProtect the arm.

Shoulder pre-hab is non-negotiable. Tournament volume spikes fast. Protect the arm that got you here.

K clean catchthrower outteammate back

Behind the plate: you were signed as a catcherCatching is your superpower.

A controlled catch with both feet in bounds gets the thrower out AND brings a teammate back. The best 2-for-1 in the sport, and the skill you started with.

The protocol

The 5 D's, plus one.

Patches O'Houlihan gave us the curriculum. We added a sixth for the guy with a cannon. Pick a number and step through it on the court. Keep it comfortable, and stop when something hurts.

  1. 1 Dodge

    Drill: Reaction shuffles. A partner throws at 60% from 20 feet, and you dodge without crossing the sideline (stepping out is an out). 3 sets of 10.

    Pitcher cue: Same hips you used to field a comebacker. Side-on, low, light feet.

    Watch the technique

  2. 2 Duck

    Drill: A partner makes a gentle toss at chest height. Move below the path without inviting head contact. If you are unsure about the event's head-contact rules, ask your captain.

    Pitcher cue: It is the pitch out of the zone. Let it go by.

    Watch the technique

  3. 3 Dip

    Drill: Block and hold. Two-hand firm grip, deflect an incoming ball downward, and do NOT let it jar loose (if it hits the ground, you're out; you or a teammate can save it first). 3 sets of 12.

    Pitcher cue: Frame it like you are catching a bunt you will not drop.

    Watch the technique

  4. 4 Dive

    Drill: Learn it with Andrew in person before live speed. Controlled movement only, then return to an athletic stance.

    Pitcher cue: Same footwork you used covering first, under control.

    Watch the technique

  5. 5 Dodge, again

    Drill: Last-man-standing sim. You against 3, one ball each. Bait a throw, dodge, then punish. You WILL be the last one in. Rehearse it.

    Pitcher cue: 2 outs, bases loaded, your game. You have been here.

    Watch the technique

  6. 6 And throw a strike

    Drill: Location ladder. Hit a hips-height target 8 of 10 from midcourt before you add heat. Then coordinated double-throws with a teammate (two balls beat any dodger).

    Pitcher cue: This is the one you already own. Command first, then rip the heater.

    Watch the technique

The film room, ESPN 8 "The Ocho"

Watch these, in this order.

Catching first (it wins this ruleset), then throwing, then footwork, then strategy. Each one opens on YouTube.

  1. How To Catch A Dodgeball: 21 Pro TipsCatching zones, absorbing pace, when to catch vs. dodge. The Dodgeball DudesCatch first
  2. How To Throw A Dodgeball: 30 Pro TipsGrip, hips, release, accuracy. The Dodgeball DudesThrowing
  3. 7 Pro Dodging TipsElite evasion and footwork fundamentals. The Dodgeball DudesFootwork
  4. 5 Do's and Don'ts of DodgingThe beginner mistakes to stop making now. The Dodgeball DudesFootwork
  5. Dodgeball Blocking: 8 Pro TipsGrip, angles, and not dropping the block ball. The Dodgeball DudesBlocking
  6. 7 Basic Dodgeball StrategiesBall counting, coordinated throws, positioning. The Dodgeball DudesStrategy
  7. 10 Strategies To Elevate InstantlyNext-level team tactics after the basics. The Dodgeball DudesStrategy
  8. How to Clutch in Dodgeball: 10 TipsPlaying 1 vs. many. You will end up here. The Dodgeball DudesEndgame
  9. Coaching Dodgeball: Throwing SkillsCoach-facing throwing progressions. British DodgeballFor the coach
  10. Basic Dodgeball Drills: FootworkSolo and pair footwork plus conditioning. AKDodgeballDrills
The rulebook

Eight calls. Know them cold.

It runs on the honor system: call yourself out even when no ref sees it. These follow the WeHo league rules. Tournament rules can differ, so confirm the event's rules with your captain.

The opening rush

At the whistle, grab ONLY the balls on your right. No feet-first slides. Rushed balls are dead until you carry them back behind the attack line.

Catches are gold

A live catch needs control and both feet in bounds (the full rule covers airborne exceptions). It gets the thrower OUT and brings back the teammate at the front of your line.

The head rule

Never aim at a head, and never use yours as a blocker. In WeHo league play, a headshot on a standing player has its own rule; your tournament captain confirms how the event calls it.

Block, don't drop

Ball-to-ball blocking is legal. If your block ball gets knocked loose, you or a teammate can still catch it before it hits the ground; if it lands, you're out. A hand or finger hit while blocking is an out.

Cross the line, you're out

Touch the floor over the center line, or step out of bounds while dodging, and you're done.

No stalling

The published 15-second count is about the team holding the majority of balls, not each player. Use them or lose them.

No pinch, no 360s

No pinching the rubber, and no spin-around throws (winding your body a full 360). Normal fastball spin off your fingers is legal. Rip it.

The honor system

Call yourself out when hit, even if no ref sees it. Only captains talk to refs. Integrity over a point.

Your coaching circle

Four people in your corner.

Two arms and two pairs of hands. Andrew is your mentor; Gordon introduced you on January 31, 2026. Nina and Flo are catchers to study. Casey is the teammate you'll take the court with in Vegas. Each comes with a move to try, so you learn the skill, not the bio. Keep it comfortable.

They all started in No Sting.Andrew, Nina, Flo and Casey all began with the same ball you're about to play, Gordon says. You're starting exactly where they did.

targetK
  1. Pick a large target below head height, at a distance you can hit.
  2. Step and throw at a comfortable pace. Count hits and attempts.
  3. Next time, change one thing only: distance or target size.

Andrew Ketchum the arm, and your mentor

2015Team USA gold
"The most feared arm in dodgeball, even in foam."
  • Team USA gold in 2015. Represented Cactus Dodgeball (Phoenix) on Team USA at the 2019 WDBF World Championships in Cancun.
  • Started at trampoline parks, got recruited into tournaments, then earned a Team USA tryout. In his words: "Team USA is the ultimate honor for me. It's what I work for all year long." Cronkite News, 2019
  • Hear him: The Dodgeball Podcast, "Team USA Chat"

Andrew's notes for Matt

The one throwing cue he should own first: waiting on Andrew

The drill to do before our first live session: waiting on Andrew

What a Sin City ready arm looks like: waiting on Andrew

Andrew, this space is yours. Text Gordon what belongs here and it goes up as written.

partnerK
  1. Agree on gentle throws and a comfortable catching zone.
  2. Track the ball the whole way in. Receive it into your chest.
  3. Bring it under control, then return to ready for the next one.

Nina Fiore the clutch catch, and the head

  • Played on the US Women's National Team, winning gold and bronze, and now coaches the US National Women's team. Boise State
  • Rated one of the best catchers in the sport and known for her mental toughness. A USA Dodgeball scout in Los Angeles. The Dodgeball Tribune
  • At the first Ultimate Dodgeball Championship women's division in 2018, a No Sting event, she was named among "the tournament's best clutch catchers." The Dodgeball Tribune, 2018
  • Her day job: TV writer and producer, including The Handmaid's Tale. Boise State

Why she's here: a catch is the best play in the game, and you were a catcher first.

partnerK
  1. Partner tosses gently.
  2. Catch it clean and under control.
  3. Answer right away: a quick, comfortable throw at the target.

Flo Zabokritsky the catch, then the answer

"A big catcher, but has an arm when she needs it."
  • Ranked among the top women in the East Region. Her specialty is foam, "but she can play other ball styles giving her more versatility as a player." The Dodgeball Tribune, 2018
  • Nina's US Women's teammate, as Gordon knows it.

Why she's here: the catch is half the play. The throw right after it is the other half.

KC"Three!"
  1. Agree on a short call that names the action and the target.
  2. On the call, release together at the same target.
  3. Reset together, then switch who makes the call.

Casey Reed the arm beside you in Vegas

"Strong arms... combined with the smarts and experience."
  • Played the first Ultimate Dodgeball Championship women's division in 2018, a No Sting event. The Dodgeball Tribune, 2018
  • Joined the sport in 2016 through LA's women's league, captained LFG, and chairs the USA Dodgeball Gender Diversity Committee. USA Dodgeball, 2023
  • Gordon's Sin City teammate, and on the January 2027 crew with you.

Why she's here: two balls beat any dodger, and she's the teammate who'll be calling it with you.

The drill sheet

Tick a box. Cross the court.

Every box you tick carries the ball from your baseline toward Vegas. It's a record of the work you've done, not a score. It saves on this device only.

Practice sheet, printable

Average Matt's Gym. We're not too proud to beg. Let's go.

FoundationCatch up now, through October

Court craftOctober to November

Ringer modeDecember to January 16

The gym wall

Morale is a skill.

Four originals from Darby, plus the canon you're allowed to quote in the huddle.

Wanted poster: one ringer, KRAMER 31, former pro catcher and pitcher, now throws strikes at people. Reward: Sin City glory. Las Vegas, January 2027, FINAL BOSS
A baseball turning into a red dodgeball mid-flight: if you can rip a heater, you can rip a dodgeball
The 5 D's of dodgeball, pitcher remix: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and paint the corners
Vintage winter travel poster: Minneapolis is your Lake Placid, Vegas 2027 is your miracle
  • "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."Patches O'Houlihan, your patron saint
  • "It's a bold strategy, Cotton."for every risky rush you call
  • "Bringing you the finest in seldom-seen sports."The Ocho, now broadcasting your bullpen

Vegas is your Lake Placid.

Minneapolis is the Herb Brooks practice rink. Vegas 2027, you're the ringer. First call when the roster's set, obviously.

Back to the floor