Interview with DFA President Robert Di Fabio

Firstly we’d like to wish you a massive congratulations on receiving recognition from the Australian Sports Commission. This is a huge day not just for Australia, but for the sport of Dodgeball!

1- What does this mean for Dodgeball Federation Australia, and the future of Dodgeball in Australia?

It’s a significant milestone for Dodgeball Federation Australia (DFA) and the sport, to be officially recognised as a National Sporting Organisation by the Australian Sports Commission.

Recognition from the Australian Sports Commission is pivotal to dodgeball’s continual growth and development across Australia. Recognition from the ASC will provide greater credibility for dodgeball on a national platform. The DFA aims to take the sport to a new level of professionalism in growing awareness, through grassroots, junior development and other specialised programs. A strategic priority for DFA is to promote inclusion and importantly, aid our athletes in performance on the domestic and international stage with the Australian Dodgeroos.

2- With an achievement this big a lot of work must have gone on behind the scenes, we’d love to have an insight into what the process was like, and how long did it take?

The DFA was officially founded in October, 2014. Since we commenced discussions about formalising an NSO for dodgeball, our primary objective was to work towards gaining recognition for the sport by the Australian Sports Commission. This was discussed in our initial meetings with the World Dodgeball Association. To see this vision become a reality was a great moment, not just for the sport but for the team at the DFA, who contributed endless hours of work behind the scenes.

We built a potent business plan in 2014, and slowly grew our organisation, while ensuring we would fulfil the criteria needed for the DFA to be recognised by the ASC.

3- Any advice for nations that are just beginning this process?

I think it’s important to have a solid business plan, and know where you want to take the sport. Having the building blocks in place is essential for the development of the federation. Also, it’s imperative to have a strong team of support staff. Without this, it’s difficult to take that next step.

4- Any predictions for Australia at the World Cup? Can the Dodgeroo’s Women defend their title?

I think all three of our squads can go deep into the tournament. We have the talent and depth to excel and perform at a high level. We’ve shown in the past we can compete with the very best in the world, and I don’t think NYC will be any different.  

Our Women’s team has been our most consistent since the Dodgeroos’ debut in 2015, winning the Asian Championships in 2015 and the World Cup in 2016, while coming runners-up at the Asia Pacific Championships in 2017. Of course it will be difficult in NYC, given the raft of talent across the women’s competition. But we expect our girls to dig deep, and have a great tournament.

5- Any lastly, how do you think the other Asia-Pacific nations will go at the World Cup? Any nation you’d like to single out for being a favourite for success on this stage?

It’s fantastic to see the development of dodgeball across the Asia-Pacific region. There’s some great emerging talent across a number of nations, I wouldn’t be surprised to see our continent become one of the powerhouses on the world stage.

In relation to NYC, I’m expecting a solid contribution from all four nations at the World Cup. Malaysia are one of the obvious favourites, given their fantastic performances across all three divisions at last year’s Asia Pacific Championships. They’re a nation we highly respect, not just for their performances on court, but their humility and training regimes is something we really admire.

I also believe Hong Kong and Singapore will have a solid tournament. From watching both nations last year, it’s evident how much they’ve improved. We wish them the best of luck.

In the World Invitational, I think Japan is the dark horse to take out the Men’s title.