Please note that information on this event page is subject to change and we'll inform the community accordingly

🎉 Welcome to the 1st Annual Lavender Challenge! 🎉

Hosted by Minnesota Dodgeball, this is a 2-day queer and WTNB-centric dodgeball tournament in the Midwest!

The Lavender Challenge isn’t just about dodgeball—it’s about creating a safe, inclusive, and empowering space for queer, women, trans, and nonbinary (WTNB) players to compete, connect, and shine. This is your chance to be part of important and celebrate the athleticism and spirit of the queer community.

We’re dreaming big: we want this to be a flagship event where queer players from across the globe can come to Minnesota annually, show off their skills, and prove that queer dodgeball players can and will excel at the sport. Are you ready for the Challenge?

📅 Tournament Details Name: The Lavender Challenge - Year 1 Location: Jefferson Activity Center, Twin Cities, Minnesota Dates: Saturday, August 16 & Sunday, August 17, 2025 Applications Open: April 9th, 2025 at 12:00 PM CT

👋 Who Can Play? Players: All participants must identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community or the Women, Trans, and Nonbinary (WTNB) community. Cis Male Allies: We love your support! Help us run the tournament by refereeing, setting up, or breaking down. This is your chance to uplift our community.

🏐 Divisions & Roster Requirements

• We’ll do our best to meet our target numbers and honor these team caps. However, depending on demand (or lack thereof) for specific divisions, Minnesota Dodgeball reserves the right to make adjustments as needed to ensure the best experience for everyone.

All divisions require rosters to have a minimum of 7 players and a maximum of 9 (Open/WTNB) and 10 (Mixed). With only 6 players allowed on the court at a time, this means every team must have at least one rotating sub.

Saturday, August 16 (Single Elimination) Select one division between Open Foam or WTNB Foam. You cannot play in both, as they’ll be running simultaneously.

Division 1️⃣ (Saturday AM) Open Foam (12 teams cap) – No gender identity requirements OR Women, Trans, Non-Binary (WTNB) Foam (12 teams cap) – Cis identifying males are ineligible to play in this division. **Note: This is not a womens-only division. Trans individuals and nonbinary players (including male-presenting individuals) are welcomed.

Division 2️⃣ (Saturday PM) Open No-Sting (12 teams cap) – No gender identity requirements OR Women, Trans, Non-Binary (WTNB) No-Sting (12 teams cap) – Cis identifying males are ineligible to play in this division.

Note: This is not a womens-only division. Trans individuals and nonbinary players (including male-presenting individuals) are welcomed.

Special Cloth Exhibition Match in-between divisions ~ Sunday, August 17 (Double Elimination) Division 3️⃣Mixed No-Sting (24 teams cap)

• Each team may have a maximum of 4 non-WTNB/cisgender male players on the court. At least 2 court positions must be filled by WTNB-identifying players. Teams that do not meet this requirement will start the round short-handed.
• Note: WTNB players may be male-presenting. We trust our community to respect and care for each other.

💵 Cost $40 per division

📜 Rulesets We’ll be using USA Dodgeball rulesets for all divisions (Foam, Cloth, and No-Sting). All players can familiarize themselves with the rules here: https://www.usadodgeball.com/rules

🏆 Prizes

• Custom 1st Place Medals for each division
• 2nd Place Medals
• Reimbursement:
• Up to $40 for future queer-centered tournaments (or those led by majority queer-identifying teams/leaders).
• Limited to one player (no stacking - this means if you win multiple divisions, you only get comped $40).
• Must be used within one year.
• Not available for cloth-exhibition winners.

🌈 Why This Tournament Matters The Lavender Challenge is more than just a competition—it’s a celebration of queer joy, athleticism, and community. By joining us, you’re helping to prove that spaces like this are not only needed but essential. Together, we can create a world where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered through sports. Your support helps us elevate queer athletics and build a future where everyone belongs. Let’s make it happen! 💜

Ready to play? Mark your calendars for April 9th, 2025, when applications open! Let’s show the world what queer dodgeball is all about. 💜