U of A smashes world dodge-ball record

The University of Alberta has reclaimed its title as the world’s dodge-ball record holder.

In front of official witnesses and a representative from Guinness World Records, 2,012 staff, students and alumni gathered in the Butterdome Feb. 4 and reclaimed the world record for the largest dodge-ball game.

The U of A initially broke the record in 2010 when 1,198 players took to the court, only to watch as the University of California, Irvine, successfully challenge the record seven months later with 1,745 players.

“This is a story you’ll be able to tell all your lives. If somebody asks you about your university experience, you can talk about all the great professors you had and about all the great classes you had. But you can also tell them about the Guinness World Record you share with 2,000 of your closest friends,” said Sean Price, associate vice-president (alumni affairs). “[The participants] created a tradition here that I know is going to stand the test of time.”

U of A provost and vice-president (academic) Carl Amrhein thanked the Students’ Union for putting on the event for the second time, and Campus Recreation and the U of A Alumni Association for their continued support.

“I hope it’s an annual event,” he said. “This would be a great thing to look forward to every year.”
When the buzzer rang, 1,006 soft, red balls flew through the air and, in the end, Team Gold claimed the win in the world-record game.