05/11/2018
And thus DodgeMall Grand Finale in Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur concludes the DodgeMall Series 2018 - the 2nd Series we've run since the inception of Evemeisters in 2017.
Growing a sport can't be an easy task. As '95 babies, by the time we were born, "core" sports such as badminton, and football have already been established, monetized and structured all the way from the grassroots up to the professional level. We are blind to the struggles of these sports during the early years of formation. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), formed in 1933 had had 60 years to iron out the system into what it is today. The Malaysian Assocation of Dodgeball (MAD), in contrast, has only had 9 years to compete, but yet are held up to the same expectations and standards; to deliver the same results and fundings which other sports receive.
As avid dodgeball players ourselves, (in fact, Wee Sheng and Low Heng Wei from the Evemeisters team are currently from the national team), there is definitely no problem with expecting such standards. After all, we are a 21st century generation. We are a cohort which wants for excellence in all that we do; we strive to make our mark in this world where the last century's Industrial Revolution had already formed uncountable marks. We are the Millenials, and the Generation Z, and the world is there for our taking.
However, what we need to realize is that instant gratification does not benefit us in the long run. As passionate dodgeball players, we demand the quality of the game, the facilities, the venue, the prestige, and we take, but what have we given? We take, and we demand, and we take, but simple maths dictate that maybe it is time to finally give. Realise this - Dodgeball Malaysia is not Ramona and not Coach Albert Tan, but actually a community that comprises of all of us, you, me, and the kid throwing next door.
That is our goal, to give back with DodgeMall as Evemeisters. It has been a successful platform for our amateurs to grow, and an eventful stage for our sport to be regarded by the Malaysian public. It is an immensely tiring event to hold, and with it being largely a non-profit, of course there are times where we feel to let go and axe the project would save us (and our wallets! 😭) a great deal. But! - "What is this sport? How can I register my son to play?", says the next-door auntie, and thus our spirit renews and our objective remains clear.
We haven't been perfect, but running DodgeMall, we owe immense gratitude to some of these players who have helped us along the way. Dodgeball Team Malaysia, who show up to do exhibition roadshows. Alex Ong, who did an amazing impromptu rendition (seriously, hit him up if you need a singer). People like Wai Lynn Kok, Siti Nur Alia Azmi, Adam Simoneit who willingly help us with hard manual labour without expecting any reimbursement, and countless other dodgeballers who showed up, who may not even be participating. Your presence counts. Thank you.
As players, I think it is high time to ask yourselves honestly, what have you given to the sport you love?
This is ours. See you in 2019! 😎
Signing off,
Low Heng Wei
Evemeisters.
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