Reviving Quadball: Vidisha Jha’'s Journey at Brandeis and Beyond

By: Kailey Fugate

With answers from: Vidisha Jha

In the fall of 2020, the Brandeis Quadball team faced a challenge familiar to many collegiate programs: dwindling recruitment numbers. By Fall 2021, the program, which had been in existence for well over a decade, was on the verge of extinction, with only 5 members remaining. Vidisha Jha emerged as a key figure during this critical period. With support from fellow alumni like, Team USA’s Harry Greenhouse, she spearheaded efforts to implement targeted recruitment strategies and prioritize inclusivity in order to breathe new life into the team.

Her approach, grounded in a strong sense of community, not only saved the team but propelled it to success. Today, she shares her journey and extends support to other struggling teams, aiming to ensure the future viability of the sport. 

Why did you choose to adopt leadership at Brandeis?

“I joined leadership at Brandeis as a freshman because I had friends on the board and there were openings. Given my leadership experience in high school clubs and involvement in quadball meetings, it seemed like a natural progression. Initially, I served as treasurer for a year and a half, and when the rest of the board graduated, I stepped up as president and eventually captain. The decision was somewhat forced by circumstances; the pandemic had reduced our team to just 5 returners, and if we didn't all step up, the club would have folded.”

Can you walk us through the specific strategies you implemented when you realized the program was declining, and how you planned to revive it?

• “Get visible in first-year spaces. We used flyers in dorm rooms as our main advertising. A bit more unconventionally, I became an orientation leader (and later convinced other quadball teammates to do so too). I was able to connect with first years immediately in the new year, and being someone they recognized at the club fair was huge in getting their attention (shout-out to Eli Fighter and Braedy Guenther, best grouplets ever!)

• Don’t leave the sophomores out! This was especially important for us in fall 2021, but every year Brandeis sees a good chunk of sophomore recruitment. A lot of people don’t stick with their activities from their first year or are looking to make more connections. Flyers in sophomore dorms are always worthwhile. We also paid attention to why people were leaving other club sports, and highlighted our strengths in comparison at club fairs.

• Club fair! Prepare your spiel ahead of time, and don’t be afraid to make snap judgements about who you’re talking to. You can and should market differently to people who look athletic and confident than you do to people who look nervous or have never played a sport before. We made sure to have a variety of people at our fairs, but never more than 3-4 for the booth. We put out a combination of athletic players and nerdy players, charismatic people, visibly queer people, and teammates of all different backgrounds and sizes. Our main selling point was always that we were inclusive and willing to teach anybody! Since my last club fair, Brandeis has taken off as a competitive team; I’m sure current leadership chooses to highlight their win record more than we used to, too! 

• Keep a variety of events in the first two weeks after the club fair. We narrowed down our formula to be our regular practices, one “Quadball 101” introduction event, and 1-2 social/non-sport events. In various years we advertised either “open practices” or “tryouts” (even though we were going to take everyone) depending on who we were aiming to attract. The introduction made people feel comfortable with the fact that we weren’t expecting anyone to have any experience, since highschool quadball doesn’t yet exist. The social events gave some less-athletically-inclined people a chance to meet the team without feeling intimidated, and let everyone make friends— which is the best way to get someone from practice one to practice two!

• ABC: Always Be ‘Cruiting! About half of the new players on the team joined in the first weeks of a semester; the other half straggled in over the rest of the time. People are more open to trying new things mid-semester than you think, especially if their friends are already doing it. We’ve used bring-a-friend practices, open hangout sessions, silly fundraisers (cookie delivery on broom, anyone?) and home games as recruitment events. Word of mouth was usually the most successful!”

What motivated you personally to invest time and effort into keeping the program alive, despite its challenges?

“My motivation to keep the program alive stemmed from the sense of safety and acceptance I found in Quadball. It was the first place on campus where I felt truly welcomed, despite my limited sports skills. The supportive leadership and camaraderie made me want to protect that environment, especially during tough times when the team faced challenges and dwindling numbers. Eventually, as our team grew stronger, my focus shifted to empowering my teammates and achieving success on the field.”

What are the fundamental skills you believe are essential for success in your program, and how do you prioritize them in your coaching approach?

“During my time at Brandeis, we focused on nurturing players of all skill levels. We prioritized teaching fundamental skills before progressing to advanced techniques and strategic gameplay. Emphasizing inclusivity, we ensured every player received game time, strengthening our team depth. My co-captain, Adrian Koretsky, played a key role in crafting practice plans and strategies. Tyler Beckmann developed our chaser core post-pandemic, while Fiona Wisehart enhanced our beating game.

One thing that I can’t leave out is how much effort we put into building a family. Every sports team develops a special bond that goes beyond just being a club. We put distinct effort into bringing that bond off the pitch and creating a welcoming, loving environment for members old and new. We emphasized allyship, fiercely protecting our trans and nonbinary teammates. We went out of our way to have multiple kinds of social events, catering to the various interests on the team. We found that real success and camaraderie on the pitch came from love and respect everywhere else!”

Reflecting on your experience, what advice would you offer to other college teams facing similar struggles with retention in their programs or initiatives?

“Build and use your support system! Bring in alumni and club players, if you can, to help elevate your playing. Create a campus presence and relationships with other clubs to bolster numbers. Cultivate the next generation of leaders before your time is up. The worst thing that can happen to a club is a graduating class who takes the gameplay skill and administrative know-how with them. Empower underclassmen to take an active role in the team from the beginning. We often had future leaders lead drills during practice and host other events (shout-out to Caitlyn Pennie and Andres Zalowitz), and made sure we passed on the information we had learned from planning tournaments and travel well before graduating. As an alum who stayed in the area, I make myself available to the current Brandeis leadership and the team as a whole; they know they can reach out if they ever need anything!”

What made you decide to join the MQC board?

“Quite simply, I wanted to pay forward the fantastic experiences that I had. My college quadball experience wouldn’t have been nearly as rich without the support of MQC volunteers and the local club community. I knew even before I had reached my senior year that I wanted to stay involved and help future generations of college kids have the same competitive and community experiences that I did.”