Moving forward, Ballistae's Protector of the Court seeks to interview and breakdown the Dodgeball Communities most memorable and impactful plays in hopes to provide an opportunity to understand what is taking place behind some of Dodgeball's most talented players, but also, provide entertainment and an opportunity for outsiders to better get know the great game of Dodgeball and understand or at the very least respect its complexities.
Wouldn't it be great if we could all be paid to play Dodgeball? Its something every competitive Dodgeball player dreams of. Yet, even with the increasing professionalism afforded to us by organizations like Elite Dodgeball, USADodgeball, and The Dodgeball Tribune (but to name a few), the day in which Dodgeball players will be compensated for their time on the court is a ways away and there are still a lot of expenses to cover as a Dodgeball player.
Despite the best efforts of organizations trying to keep the cost low, the fact of the matter is Dodgeball is a hobby at the end of the day and until it pays the bills, that is what it will remain.
It is because of this, that many savvy teams have resorted to fundraising efforts, from poker tournaments to dining events, to even hosting local tournaments of their own in order to curb the cost of entry fees, uniform costs, and of course, travel expenses.
While all of the above listed can provide great opportunities to fundraise, one new trend Ballistae has noticed has been seen within the influx of jerseys being made by newly formed or newly rebranded teams. Back in the day, one would have to purchase at minimum 10-12 jerseys for a 6 to 8 person roster, leaving the remaining excess orders to be filled via extra jerseys, or coming out of the pockets of the team itself.
Thankfully, this seems no longer the case, and teams are not only able to outfit their players, but can offer others outside of the team a chance to dawn their team's latest creation. While this is an awesome and most welcome change, one obstacle still remains, and that is the cost.
For many, purchasing a $40 to $50 jersey just for one's own use, can prove to be quite a financial burden in of itself. Being able to spend money on acquiring the jerseys of other teams, may prove even more difficult, especially since that jersey will not serve a purpose other than personal gratification.
It is in this realization, that Ballistae has come up with a potential solution to being able to support, and collect other team apparel, while raising funds for Dodgeball related expenses. Thus, introducing:
The Team Assist Program.
In working with team captains, or team representatives, Ballistae will offer its platform and resources to assist teams in the creation of affordable team-branded shirts and apparel. This will provide teams with an opportunity to sell their logos, designs, and or "brand" to fellow players, family members and supporters, while retaining a large portion of the proceeds, to go back into the team's coffers.
(Designs are simple, and can come close to replicating the jersey.)
While this in no way wishes to take the place of offering quality jerseys, or any other endeavors from companies faithful to Dodgeball, the Ballistae Team Assist Program is simply another resource making itself ever ready for those that may be interested in helping them stay on the court.
Have something else in mind? Let's talk. :)
If you're interested in finding out more, or would like to enter the program, please email us at admin@ballistaegear.com and we will be happy to discuss the details with you.
Evolution of the “B” Logo
As we’re nearing the one year mark from our initial (and somewhat quiet) debut on the #Dodgeballfamily, Facebook Group, it's pretty awesome to see how far we’ve come. From humbly selling knee pads out of the back of my car, to our full-blown vendor booth at Elite Nationals, Belles of the Ball, and this past year’s Sin City, it's been quite a ride with no end in sight.
So what is next for Ballistae? With the V1 Kneepads down, and V2’s and V3’s in the “concepting” phase, Ballistae would like to take a more active look into compression wear and venture past the oh so cool “Ballistae” wording.
While the font “Ballistae” does, in fact, look really good...there was still something missing when it came to being able to place it on other products...particularly arm sleeves and other wearable items. As pointed out by co-founder, Joe Fernandez during one of the many hours spent manning the booths together: “we need something that is simple but can go with any article of clothing. Something that can be recognized right away.”
He went on to say that Nike had the “swoosh,” Under Armour has the U and the A merged together, Puma has the actual Puma, and on and on.
So what would Ballistae have? What would its “stamp on the world” look like?
Utilizing the help of Crystal Briones, Kevin Frye, and Grace Ong-Burd, I took to the small group with some ideas:
First, we needed to isolate the "B."
After agreeing that we wanted the "B" to be retained, we started playing with the idea of crosshairs surrounding the "B", or some kind of targeting lock as if to capture the meaning of Ballistae (word for multiple ballista) in the first place. Locked, loaded, and fired upon.
Second (ish) concept (should have seen what Steve drew...while driving)
While we wanted to work more on the outer rings, or outer design of the logo, we felt like we were on the right track. So we began to elaborate.
Dug it...but seemed a bit much.
Not bad...save for some of the Nazi undertones...definitely not wanting that.
After a few more renditions, insight, and feedback from the group, we decided to go back to the 2nd draft and keep it simple. Remembering the wise words of Joe, we decided to go with the Ballistae "B" encapsulated in a ball, and to utilize the outside rings, to represent the four regions of Elite Dodgeball. North, South, East, and West (brilliant, Crystal Briones. Brilliant!)
With the 2nd version worked on by a good buddy of mine, it was refined to the following:
Ah...that's it.
Grace, ever quick to move, very efficiently solidified the "Ballistae B" and we had a winner.
Now, I want to slap that bad boy on everything!
Now, one can rep Ballistae outside of the Dodgeball Court.
Be sure to look for the new logo coming soon on compression wear, compression sleeves, and anywhere else the simple "B" will suffice in place of the entire word.
