British Dodgeball Awards 2025 – Shortlist

We are delighted to announce our shortlist for the British Dodgeball Awards 2025.

Voting for Play of the Season deadline: Monday 9th July @ 9pm!

Club of the Year

• Awarded to a club which has made significant contributions to the dodgeball community or their local community. This may be for delivering a successful or innovative project, recruiting new players through the year or improving their own organisation to become more sustainable for the future.
• Winner decided by panel after shortlisting nominations.
• Shortlist:
  • Twickenham Thunderbolts: Twickenham Thunderbolts runs year-round across two sites, with a strong emphasis on creating an inclusive environment that supports a wide range of needs. The club welcomes players from Year 1 through to Year 10, offering a clear progression from primary to secondary levels. In recent months, there’s been a significant drive to expand girls’ participation in dodgeball. Girls now represent a third of the club’s 45 regular players. Notably, the club recently claimed victory at the British Open.
  • South West Leicestershire Dodgeball Academy: South West Leicestershire Dodgeball Academy incorporates Enderby Junior Dodgeball, which started in 2014. Due to the kids playing for the club out-growing it, they became an academy so their players could progress into adult dodgeball. They have a full pathway, competing in U11, U13, U15 & U17 age groups plus White Tigers Women’s teams, Mustangs Men’s teams and mixed leagues teams too.
  • Nottingham Trent University: Throughout this year at Nottingham Trent, the club decided to make it inclusive for both players that want to take the game competitively and for those just starting out and wanting to have fun. By being competitive the club have been able to win BUCS finals, the Men’s northern tournament and win the mixed league amongst other achievements. By having the facility to have fun and competitive sessions, all member have been satisfied and been able to grow at their own pace. In terms of inclusivity, the club have had a rise in LGBTQIA+ members this year, due to the ‘everyone welcome’ sticker on both social media and freshers fair posters, to really push that dodgeball is everyone’s game. Despite the variation of ability across the club, it’s inclusive nature allows its members to forget about the ability of others when on club socials and celebrate the achievements and development of the group.
  • Altrincham Dodgers: Altrincham harnesses the massive passion their adult coaches & parents have for the sport, developed as their young players are moving through the community dodgeball junior & adult pathway. The club offers dodgeball to over 50 young people per week and compete in national leagues. The team also travelled to Canada to compete in the WDBF Junior Club Open, with success at multiple levels.
  • Bath University: Bath University Dodgeball club have had an incredible season, membership numbers have risen, they have achieved success in BUCS events and British Dodgeball events. The mens team topped the BUCs first division in their second season in the league. The women’s team won the university championships, despite not having a BUCs league team and only being able to compete a handful of times this season – a true underdog story.
  • Wessex Wolves Dodgeball Club: Wessex Wolves have had an outstanding season across all areas of the club. In the adult section, they topped the Mixed Super League South and capped it off by claiming first place at the Mixed Finals. Their Women’s team had a solid Super League campaign, while the Men’s 1st team earned promotion to the Super League after finishing 2nd in National League 1. The success continued with the Men’s 2nd team winning Men’s League 3 South. Away from the adult side of the club, their junior programme has seen rapid growth, now welcoming over 40 regular participants.

Referee of the Year

• Awarded to a referee who constantly officiates to an extremely high standard in line with the Referee’s Standards and Referee’s Manual.
• Winner decided by panel after shortlisting nominations.
• Shortlist:
  • Caitlin Zealley: Caitlin has refereed a huge number of events this season, including a variety of leagues, BUCS matches and junior events. She has developed her knowledge, confidence and communication as a referee by throwing herself in at the deep end and learning through experience, and is a great example to other women in the sport.
  • James Wagstaff: The most consistent and reliable referee in Northern BUCS. Always made the right calls, even with a crowd of people against him he stayed true to his observations. Always explained rules clearly to those confused, and officiated to the highest standard.
  • James Miall: James has refereed a huge number of events this season, including a variety of leagues, BUCS matches and junior events. James officiates to a high standard, cares how he comes across and is accountable, learning from every match. Many teams appreciate James’ fantastic refereeing and communication.
  • Lewis Murrell: Lewis is a key referee for dodgeball in the area. He has encouraged many people in his club to get their Introduction to Officiating award, to help improve their confidence and knowledge or reffing, and this has led to more people from the club feeling comfortable reffing across meets. Lewis has also taken over the head reffing role of his club and is also there to help with asking peoples questions and pushing them to centre ref more. Even when he could not play for a while he would come to training to help with reffing. Throughout the season he has reffed across multiple league levels, and has coordinated an event. Lewis is consistent with his reffing and is always happy to explain a call to fellow refs and players, and he is always willing to learn from other refs to keep improving his reffing. Overall he has an excellent attitude, is approachable, and is happy to help anyone, which has definitely led to more people inside and outside the club being more confident with their reffing.

Coach of the Year

• Awarded to a coach who has shown the utmost of dedication in addition to effective approaches when improving their team or club. This could be through intensive work with one team to improve performance or by running successful and inclusive sessions in which the local community loves to take part.
• Winner decided by panel after shortlisting nominations.
• Shortlist:
  • Marc Gillingham – Wessex Wolves: Marc is a fantastic coach and ambassador for our sport and club. Not only does he coach two national mens league teams, super league women’s team, mixed league team but he also leads the Junior sessions with over 40+ members. This season has been a huge success for the club with a solid super league campaign for the ladies, promotion for both Mens National League teams and winning the Mixed Super League South and the Mixed Finals Day. Marc’s hard work and passion for dodgeball and Wessex Wolves dodgeball club has been rewarded.
  • Lottie Gudgeon – Coventry Silverbacks: During the 23/24 season Lottie approached a young player from another team who seemed upset and frustrated while playing in an adult league as a 14 year old. She talked to the girl, and coached her, eventually for the rest of the season, despite the girl playing for a different club entirely. Forward to now. The girl has become captain of Lotties second team at Coventry and has been picked for the England Junior Squad. Lottie has instilled confidence in the girls she takes under her wing. She ferries her junior players around, making sure they remain safe and protected. She watches them play closely, making time to help them develop their skills and to work on their weaknessess with them. Her kindness, understanding and gentle coaching style, combined with her approach to squad development, and her fantastic sense of humour demonstrated in the social media posts she produces, deserve to be celebrated.
  • Ollie Peel – East Midlands Dodgeball: Ollie has been an incredible inspiration to his peers in under 2 years, with England trials, coming 2nd in Men’s League 2 North, playing in the UK foam league, getting Bronze at the Worcester Open, Silver medal at last years U17’s British champs and being promoted to coach status at our sessions. Ollie does a fantastic job every week warming up our members, delivering drills, giving vital 1-1 support and helping others who are struggling. Parents often praise his gentle and supportive attitude when it comes to his coaching. He has many little fans at our club, including his brothers. His impact on the team has enabled them to beat last years UK champions twice & win the Midlands U11’s Junior league. Ollie has supported our coaches voluntarily at over 8 club and British dodgeball events, leading our U11’s to achieve 5 golds last year.
  • Danny Cain – Twickenham Thunderbolts: Mr Cain is a much loved PE teacher and an incredible coach! We were so pleased when he started the Twickenham Thunderbolts and children couldn’t wait to attend his clubs. He has fostered a love of dodgeball, not just in the children he coaches, but also in their parents. He cares for each child he works with, and works very hard to support their personal development. Parents trust him and the children respect and highly rate him. It’s been such a privilege having a coach like Mr Cain for the children he works with, as he is a coach that genuinely cares and one who has their interest at heart. He goes above and beyond, and does all he can to support the children he works with. The fact that children who would not necessarily participate in other sports outside school, come to his dodgeball club sessions, have fun, and thrive, is a testament to the incredible work he does.
  • Shannen Hill – Ballyhackamore Barbarians & NI Knights: Shannen Hill is a force of nature. The amount of time and passion she pours into dodgeball despite multiple injuries over the years and her demanding work as a doctor is inspirational. Her coaching style is always constructive and supportive, and she has created such a sense of community not just in her own club of Ballyhackamore and in the national team but among all women playing in NI. She took a national player pool of about 30 women and lead them to a World Championship Final – we are lucky to have so many incredible coaches in NI, but even in such accomplished company she stands out as a driving force for the integrity, positivity and dedication which should characterise dodgeball.

Play of the Season

• Awarded to a player who has made an outstanding play during a British Dodgeball event. A double catch? Triple hit? Nominate your favourite plays now.
• Winner decided by public vote after shortlisting nominations.
• Shortlist:

Dodgeball Code Award

• Awarded to a club whose respective adult, junior or university members consistently embody the Dodgeball Code, displaying honesty, fair play, integrity and respect in all that they do.
• Winner decided by panel.