What you need for a dodgeball tournament

A dodgeball tournament needs more than balls and a sports hall. You’ll need enough equipment to run several matches, clear scorekeeping materials, registration supplies, refreshments and serving items. Plan around your number of teams and playing fields: one referee kit per active court and enough bibs to identify every team quickly. This list also covers the items people often remember too late, such as extension cords, chargers, clipboards and medals.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 6
Chairsqty 60

Sports equipment

Dodgeballsqty 12
Training bibsqty 60
Conesqty 24
Field marking tapeqty 4
Whistlesqty 6
Scoreboardsqty 4
Stopwatchesqty 4
Skipping ropesqty 8
Medalsqty 60
Cupsqty 3

Equipment

Speakersqty 2
Microphone
Extension cordsqty 3
Power stripsqty 3
Laptop
Chargersqty 3

Catering

Coolersqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 4
Groceries
- Still water - 48 bottles
- Sparkling water - 24 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 6 packs
- Orange juice - 6 cartons
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Mints - 1 box
- Sandwiches - 100 pieces
- Wholemeal bread - 6 loaves
- Mild cheese - 3 kilograms
- Ham - 2 kilograms
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilograms
- Hummus - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Cucumbers - 12 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Lettuce - 6 heads
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Tortilla chips - 8 bags
- Salsa - 8 jars
- Apples - 8 kilograms
- Bananas - 6 kilograms
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Muesli bars - 80 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 bottles
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 100
Platesqty 100
Cutlery setsqty 100
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving spoonsqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 3
Bread knivesqty 3
Pliersqty 4
Coffee makerqty 2

Registration

Clipboardsqty 8
Ballpoint pensqty 20
Name stickersqty 80
Printer paperqty 100

Decorations

Team flagsqty 8
Tableclothsqty 6

Cleaning

Broomqty 2
Floor squeegeeqty 2
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 3
Cleaning glovesqty 6

Safety

First aid kit
Ice packqty 8

Tips

Plan for at least one dodgeball per active court, plus two or three spare balls. Spares save time when a ball rolls away, loses air or needs cleaning during a match.
Give each player a training bib and keep a few extras available for late registrations or damaged bibs. Use cones and field marking tape to make court boundaries visible before the first game.
Prepare one clipboard, printed participant list, team assignments and competition forms for registration and match control. Bring extra pens and keep the documents together at the registration desk.
For each active court, provide a whistle, scoreboard and stopwatch, with one referee assigned to that set. Test the microphone, speakers, laptop, chargers and extension cords before teams arrive.
Buy refreshments according to confirmed attendance, then add a small buffer for volunteers and referees. Set out coolers, thermos flasks, reusable cups, plates, cutlery and serving utensils before the catering arrives.

Frequently asked questions

How many dodgeballs do I need for a tournament?: Plan on at least 1 dodgeball per active court, plus 2–3 spare balls for the whole tournament. For three courts, that means a minimum of 5–6 balls, depending on your rules and match format.
How many referee kits are needed for dodgeball?: Prepare 1 whistle, scoreboard and stopwatch for every active court. Add 1 spare whistle and stopwatch for a full-day tournament or when several referees rotate.
How many team bibs should I buy?: Provide 1 bib per registered player, sorted by team, and add 2–4 spare bibs. Confirm the final player count before ordering so late registrations do not leave a team short.
What should I buy for dodgeball tournament registration?: Have 1 clipboard per registration volunteer, printed participant and team lists, competition forms and pens ready. Set up the registration desk at least 30 minutes before the first match.

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