'Our time to shine': Inclusivity, representation serve as driving force of queer dodgeball league in Toronto

A dodgeball league in Toronto called Downtown Dodgeball is making an impact in more ways than one.

Co-founded by Thuan Nguyen and Andrew Rejano, the league serves as a space for LGBT players to compete and feel safe — a space that did not exist for many growing up.

"We realize the importance of having that space because that space wasn't offered to us. If we can't have that space given to us, then we have to make our own space," Rejano said.

Nguyen said the idea for the league began after competing in a LGBT tournament in Las Vegas, with the level of talent serving as inspiration to start something locally.

"We went there and we got our asses whooped, but we were like, damn, these are all LGBT players and they're kicking ass? Why don't we have this back home? That was kind of what started the entire process," Nguyen told CBC Sports.

Rejano stressed the importance of queer inclusivity in Downtown Dodgeball, with representation acting as the league's driving force.

"Even though we may not always do the best compared to the other national and international competitive players, I wouldn't change it in any other way just because [of] the fact that we're there. We're making our presence known, we're letting the whole dodgeball world know that we're here to fight, we're here to represent," Rejano said.

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The league has been steadily growing, mostly through word of mouth, giving more and more members of the community a place to enjoy the joys of sport.

"We have our time to shine," Rejano said.

Along with developing as dodgeball players, players in Downtown Dodgeball are also building the kinds of connections only sports can create.

"They've become some