Rick Moody’s career revolves around dodgeball.
But it was a game he didn’t like as a child.
“I know when I was a kid, dodgeball was scary,” the Lutz resident said. “You’d line up at the back of the wall and hope you don’t get hit, because it would knock your teeth out or break your nose.”
(Courtesy of Rick Moody)
Moody’s bad memories were shared by other teachers when he taught physical education. They didn’t like the idea of children risking injury and bullying. And, if the gymnasium wasn’t available, there was no way to play it outside without chasing the ball most of the time.
So Moody came up with some solutions.
First, he focused on the ball.
Gone are the days of hard rubber speeding toward a player’s head.
In Moody’s system, the ball is foam, including a foam core, with a cloth-like covering on the exterior.
When this ball hits, it doesn’t hurt. And, it can’t be used as a weapon in the hands of an aggressive person.
Next, there’s the arena where children and adults can play the game.
Moody designed and built a structure with plastic walls that exceed 8 feet and includes netting.
The structure can be set up indoors or outdoors, takes around 15 minutes to put together and creates a fun atmosphere to play a popular game without the danger and risks that are normally associated with it.
Eventually, Moody realized he didn’t just have an idea. He had a business.
Since Dodgeball2You really got going last year, the company has done more than 200 events, with around 50,000 participants enjoying the new brand of dodgeball.
That includes a lot of repeat business, and it includes parties, gatherings at colleges and churches, and other special events.
For $200 to $300, depending on the season, an event or party can have a complete dodgeball setup, including equipment and a game manager who keeps things moving. Moody’s system features continuous play, so people can drop out and jump in as they like. At pay-for-play events, individuals can play as much as they want, with prices ranging from $10 to $50.
Aside from being fun, Moody sees other benefits in playing dodgeball.
As a former physical education teacher who ran his own running camps, and coached cross country and track and field at the college level, he knows the importance of physical fitness and the dangers of childhood obesity.
Some children spend their free time playing video games but can’t do a sit-up or push-up, Moody said. Getting in some exercise — hours of it at some events — is good for children.
“If we can get them out there exercising secretly, without them really knowing it, I think that’s going to be a huge thing,” he said.
Moody also uses his dodgeball system to tackle the problem of bullying. Dodgeball2You hosts a program called “Dodge Bullying” in schools, where they teach an anti-bullying lesson, discuss sportsmanship and invite the children to play dodgeball in a new, fun way.
“We’re able to get a message across about anti-bullying with a game that was synonymous with bullying back in the day,” Moody said.
While dodgeball can be a challenging game, the real challenge Moody faced was securing a patent for the arena.
Obtaining a patent can be a long, expensive process, and it’s one that Moody had gone through before.
“It was very painful, especially the first time around,” he said.
The first time he sought a patent was about five years ago for a different idea. He spent about $15,000, felt frustrated and did not succeed in that effort.
For his dodgeball arena, it took around 18 months and more than $10,000. But with the help of a patent attorney, it ended on a much happier note. His patent was approved just a few weeks ago.
That means Dodgeball2You doesn’t have to rely on a “patent pending” designation, and worry that someone will steal the concept.
“You’re kind of on pins and needles because people see your idea,” Moody said about the long wait to get approved.
Now that the patent is in place, Moody wants everyone to see it. Very few patents are issued to individuals, and just a small percentage of those go on to make money, he explained.
But his business is going strong —they’ve done as many as a dozen events in one weekend — and Moody is already looking to expand.
With 10 arenas and three trailers already in place, the next step will be franchising.
He’s also pursuing another patent to expand the arena’s concept into a multifunctional structure than can host several different types of games. Add in league play, and Moody’s company has dodgeball covered from all angles, like the arena he built to house the games.
Having a patented, popular concept makes the time and expense he invested worth it, he said.
“It’s a good feeling to have this accomplishment,” Moody said. “I tell everybody if you give up, you’re not going to make it. You have to keep trying. You have to keep pushing forward.”
For more information, call (844) 322-5528 or visit Dodgeball2You.com.
Published June 3, 2015
