Profile
The Vancouver Dodgeball League (VDL) is Vancouver’s first, largest, and only non-profit dodgeball organization. VDL’s mission is to advance Dodgeball in Vancouver and build a community that’s based on fun, fitness, service, and spirit. VDL is governed by a board of directors, and all revenues support this mission.
Founded in 2004 by Kevin Bao, VDL began by hosting miscellaneous drop-in nights and tournaments. Twelve players attended the first drop-in night, and a few months later, that number swelled up to 120 players playing in tournaments. Joined by a founding team including Amy Chin, Eddie Lee, Jason Chow, Keith Bao, and Truong Cao—affectionately known as the Original 6 or OG6 for short—VDL began offering league play in Spring 2006, which became Season 1 and a permanent home for avid dodgeball fans. The league has grown immensely in recent years, playing four nights a week, including subsidiary leagues in Coquitlam (CDL) and Chilliwack (The Wack).
The league is powered by its players. Run by a 50+ group of committed and hard-working executive volunteers, they are the organization’s backbone, and all admittedly share their love and addiction to the game. Each executive contributes countless hours of work and tremendous dedication to keep the league running smoothly while expanding it.
VDL has developed into a warm community that fosters team building, new friendships, recreational to high competition, and fun, fitness, service, and spirit. Each league night is filled with a unique and exciting experience shared by a multicultural group of players.
Today, VDL continues to stay true to its mission to advance the sport and build community by organizing various activities, including league play, tournaments, skills clinics, and pub nights! It gives back to the wider community by participating in and sponsoring various charitable and community endeavours. As of January 2023, we’ve helped donate a total of over $62,400 through dodgeball. Through VDL-organized tournaments and direct giving, we’ve raised over $42,000 for various charities and nonprofits. The local high schools that the founders attended and still rent gyms from hold a special place in our hearts, and since 2012 to the present day, VDL has sponsored high school bursaries to community-building graduating student leaders at David Thompson, Gladstone, and Vancouver Technical Secondary Schools, amounting to $20,400 total as of 2022.
By being a nonprofit organization, the league prides itself on giving back to its players and to the Metro Vancouver community. VDL looks forward to maintaining and expanding its service for years.
