Family is a word that can be thrown around without much thought. On Wednesdays and Fridays at the Kent State University’s Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center, family is something you can truly find while throwing dodgeballs instead.
Entering the season ranked fourth in the National Collegiate Dodgeball Association power rankings and third in the Ohio Region, Kent State Dodgeball has high expectations for this season. Entering its 25th season, the team is very aware of the road ahead.
“Last season was definitely the best Kent State Dodgeball Team of all time,” said team president Evan Harbison.
Harbison, a junior studying psychology, first heard about the team on his first day on campus and has been a member ever since.
“One of our graduated members took me out of a crowd and told me to join, so I went to the first practice and fell in love with it ever since, “ said Harbison.
The team’s vice president, Carlton Pittman a junior studying entrepreneurship, was also interviewed by Kent State Today.
“We’re definitely a fun and energetic group, but when it comes down to the game, we tend to get really serious," said Pittman.
Last year the team ended its season in the semifinals after falling to rival Ohio State, and the team plans to win its revenge match in their season opener in Columbus.
Kent State’s rivalry against Ohio State goes all the way back to their inagural season in 2002, with Kent State was the second team created with Ohio State being the first.
Nathalie Conn has been in the club on and off since 2018 due to health issues. She is a part of the Honors College with a double major in child psychology and criminology.
“Every year I come back and it’s family. This game is amazing. This team is truly family,” said Conn. “This team has been incredible for me, with me, with each other. Because of
health issues I’ve had to drop a lot of classes, re-do classes, and leave school temporarily on multiple occasions. Every time I come back to the team, I come back to hugs, to what's ups and just a big happy family.”
This club sport is more than just a student organization; it’s a community that has created family on campus. All three members talked about their open-arms approach to the team, and they are welcoming any and all students to attend practices on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Follow along with Club Hopping as we cover more student organizations on Kent State's social media channels and Kent State Today.
