The Laurier Brantford dodge ball team has been gearing up for their last tournament of the season when they will head to George Brown College on January 24, but unfortunately this year the team faces some challenges not seen in previous years.

This year the dodge ball team has had some financial hills to climb. Proceeds to enter tournaments have gone way up, so for the Golden Hawks this has made fundraising efforts a must if they hope to compete, as team captain Tim Miller explains.

“Well when we started the team this year we found that with the three tournaments and the Laurier gear that our cost was going to be ten times as much as we paid last year (Last year it was $20, This year it was $200),” says Miller.

So, to raise money to give the team the opportunity to attend the upcoming tournament, the team has decided to hold a night of comedy for Laurier Brantford students to attend. Miller has been the leading force behind bringing comedians Patrick Haye and Arthur Simeon to Brantford – an idea that came to him after catching one of Haye’s shows at a Yuk Yuks location.

“About a year ago I went to Yuk Yuks and saw this comedian named Patrick Haye, one of the guys that will be coming to our campus! And I thought he was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever seen before,” says Miller.

For those who might not be familiar with Haye and Simeon, Haye was the runner up in the Yuk Yuks Great Canadian Laugh Off, a title that would have earned the up and coming comedian a hard $25,000. Accompanying Haye on the RCW stage will be Ugandan native Arthur Simeon.

Simeon moved to Canada when he was a kid and like Haye has been hitting Yuk Yuk Stages around the country and making a name for himself. Simeon has made several T.V. appearances in the past few years such as spots on Just for Laughs, both the Halifax and Winnipeg Comedy Festivals (broadcasted on CBC), and a spot on HBO’s Funny as Hell.

The money that the show will raise will help to go towards paying for transportation and entrance fees for the tournament, while also subsidizing other fares the team has endured.

Originally the team was looking at holding a dodge ball tournament at a local high school, but that idea was swept under the rug after the team realized that the fundraiser may not bring out as many Laurier students as the team would like.

The tournament at George Brown is a site where the team has played some of their best games. The team came home with a very respectable second place finish last year and will be hoping to do even better this year and bring home a championship.

So, for students looking to enjoy a great night of comedy while also supporting Laurier Brantford’s extramural dodge ball team, tickets can be purchased at the U-Desk in the Student Centre for just ten dollars.

The show will take place on January 29 at 10 p.m. in RCW 002 and Miller believes those in attendance won’t be disappointed. “I promise that these guys are funny. They perform all over Northern America in stand up comedy clubs and have been on tour with some of the funniest guys on this planet,” says Miller.