WILLISTON, N.D. - Bubble Ball Soccer, one of the most entertaining and safest sports someone can play, has been taking America by storm. Now, thanks to Ken Quamme, Business Technology Chair at WSC, whose grant application was accepted by Williston Economic Development's STAR Fund, a Bubble Ball Soccer league is starting January 27 for both WSC students and community members.
Similar to the real game of soccer, participants will be set loose on the Williston ARC turf to pass, shoot and score- except players are all enclosed in their own bubbles. What results is a free-for-all game similar to bumper cars as players try to get past their opponents.
The WSC Bubble Ball Soccer League will be made up of fourteen teams with each team having four co-ed participants. League play will be Wednesday evenings, starting January 27 and running through March 2. Participation is open to the public for $10 per player, or $40 per team. Prices for teams depend upon how many students are involved. WSC students play for free. Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 22.
The idea came to Quamme while meeting with his Computer Club on campus.
"Most of my ideas start with seeing something that fascinates me, then I share that with people- in this case students in the computer club," Quamme stated. "If they get excited, I start looking up costs and dream of how this might promote both campus and our community, how it might enhance quality of life in our area. I wrote a proposal to the Williston STAR Fund for roughly the dollar amount to get Bubble Ball 'rolling'."
Once the grant was approved by the STAR Fund, Quamme knew getting more students involved was the next step. Meeting with Tara Peterson, Student Life Coordinator at WSC about implementing the league at WSC ensured student participation.
"The implementation of this league was a huge collaboration of several different departments at WSC," Peterson explained. "Once Ken heard we received the funding, he put the league in my hands. I ordered the Bubble Balls and some supplies, and contacted the ARC, who very generously gave us a Wednesday evening slot in the turf area."
Peterson involved Tiffany Buckmaster's Rec Management class in scheduling, refereeing, setting up and tearing down the activity and the Marketing Department collaborated with Peterson to design the bubble ball and market the league.
"Without everyone helping, this league would not have been possible. I am excited to see how well it does," Peterson concluded.
To register please visit www.willistonstate.edu and sign up before January 22.
To see what Bubble Ball is all about, check out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_OIbZshvn0.