So, let’s say you’ve been playing gaga ball with your friends, family members, or neighbors for a while now. You REALLY love this game, and you love the way it makes the kids look when they see how easy and fun it can be!
Sometimes, in your free time, you’ve been researching the origins of gaga ball and dreaming about entering your little team of rock stars in a gaga ball tournament. We totally understand! As the makers of Octopit, the only custom-designed gaga ball pit made right here in the USA, we’re pretty goo-goo for gaga ball ourselves! We think this game provides kids of all ages with the perfect opportunity to build athletic skills without the risk that comes along with other organized sports, like football or soccer.
If there are lots of people in your community who enjoy gaga ball (or whom you think would enjoy it if they only had a chance to play), we’d like to encourage you to consider hosting a gaga ball tournament of your own! We can walk you through all the steps and help you find everything you need to make it a success. Ready? Let’s go!
Who Should Host A Gaga Ball Tournament?
Perhaps you’re wondering if you’re truly qualified enough to plan and host your own gaga games. After all, you’re not a professional sports coach or community leader. That’s okay! Part of the beauty of gaga ball is that it attracts fans of all ages, from all walks of life. We think the following are especially good candidates for planning a tournament:
- Church Groups
- Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts
- Public/Private Schools
- Neighborhood Groups
- Summer Camps
- Exercise Clubs
Plan Your Gaga Ball Tournament In 9 Easy Steps!
- Select A Planning Committee – We know it’s tempting to rush right into the execution stage of your gaga ball tournament, but it’s important to lay down a solid foundation that will allow the wheels to keep turning even if you come down with a cold.
- Decide How Many Teams & Style Of Play – How many teams will be invited to compete in your gaga ball tournament? Six? 10? 24? It’s up to you, but keep in mind that more teams mean more spectators, which changes the type of venue and quantity of supplies you’ll need. More on that later. Make sure your committee also decides the style of tournament play you’ll utilize, most gaga ball tournaments use single elimination, bracket-style play, but you could choose double elimination if you only have a small number of teams.
- Reserve A Venue – Now that you know more about the size and scope of your tournament, it’s time to select and reserve a venue. Luckily for you, gaga ball can be played just about anywhere that you can set up an Octopit, so you can choose from both indoor and outdoor venues.
- Select A Date – Now that you have a venue, your gaga ball tournament is officially official! Select a date so that you can make sure that no other events are taking place at your venue during the chosen time.
- Gather Your Supplies – If you were planning a kickball or baseball tournament, you’d have to worry about supplying bases, bats, balls, cones, and more, but with gaga ball, this part is easy! All you need to play the game is an actual gaga ball (although a kickball can suffice if necessary) and an Octopit.
- Plan Food & Beverages – These can be supplied by the parents of your contestants or you could ask a food truck to stop by so that attendees always have snacks on hands.
- Raise Money – This probably won’t be necessary for a neighborhood level gaga ball tournament, but if you’re going big, you may need to get people to pitch in to cover costs. In some cases, entry fees can cover everything you need, so definitely consider them.
- Obtain Prizes/Souvenirs – What are you going to give the winners? T-shirts? A trophy? Ribbons? You’ll need these ahead of time.
- Publicize The Event! – This is the best part of planning a gaga ball tournament…telling the world that it’s happening! Consider printing posters and flyers that can be placed in high-traffic areas (church lobby, school office/hallways, in the windows of sports equipment stores, at parks, and more!), and create a Facebook page from which you can invite people on social media.
Contact us today for a FREE consultation about the type of Octopit you’ll need for your tournament.