2005

Rock-It-Ball developed.  This process includes initial design and redesign of equipment, materials testing, testing and selection of sports balls and sports goggles.  Game rules devised, refined, field tested, refined.  Practice fixtures and small tournaments as part of testing procedure.

Feb 06
Launch – point zero

Rock-It-Ball launched officially at Youth Sport Trust’s Sports Colleges Conference in Telford.  Overwhelming response.
Rock-It-Ball asked to be part of YST’s TOP Activity programme.
Schools from all over the country start to implement Rock-It-Ball on an individual basis
First interest expressed from abroad

March 06

Rock-It-Ball used by charity for the disabled and starts moving into prisons

April 06

Now starting to be used for Holiday Sports Camps, Gifted and Talented, INSET run for LEAs. 

May 06

Media Personality Keith Chegwin gets involved
Excellent feedback coming in from schools

June 06

First steps towards a partnership with major northern sporting university

Aug 06

Rock-It-Ball now being included in sports supplier catalogues

Sept 06

Work starts on Sport Education resource pack for teachers
Interest starting from some universities
Rock-It-Ball part of YST’s exclusive Business Honours Club

Nov 06

Rock-It-Ball now starting to be implemented in some regions on an ‘area-wide’ basis rather than in individual schools
YST’s School Sports Partnership Conference – even more enthusiastic response than Feb as word has spread

Dec 06

Rock-It-Ball now in over 1200 schools.
Big inroads into Scotland
Launch of Sport Ed Resource Pack for Teachers
International Rock-It-Ball Federation founded

Jan 07

Rock-It-Ball part of Sainsbury’s Active Kids program.
Carnegie National Championships.  This event was a great success.  7 teams took part including 2 university teams, a team of teachers from West Yorkshire, a team of teachers from Scotland, an Air Cadet team and a team from a school in the North East and a factory team.  The event was filmed by a Japanese TV news channel.  Overall winners were Loughborough University.

Rock-It-Ball UK Association founded. This organisation is intended to be the administrative body for the UK and will act as the National Governing Body (NGB) for the home nations until those nations have their own NGBs.

First player (Tom Hildreth, 16) selected to the England International squad.

Feb 07
(12 months)

Sports Colleges Conference.  Progress has been so spectacular over the last 12 months that there is real excitement about the new sport.
Sport getting well established in Scotland.
Scotland Rock-It-Ball Association established.
Rock-It-Ball appears on Wikipedia
First club (Tees Valley Spartans) in preparation

March 07

Tom Hildreth filmed for TV
Rock-It-Ball shown on Japanese TV news item
First England training session

April 07

Rock-It-Ball appearing in discussion forums on the Internet (blurtit)

June 07

Inaugural World Cup.  What an unbelievable day.  Event contested by England, India, Pakistan, Scotland and compered brilliantly by Keith Chegwin who exclaimed after the India-Pakistan match ‘I’ve never seen anything so exciting’.  England fielded widest age range with players ranging from 15 to 48.  Scotland fielded the only mixed team - and won.  Congratulations to Scotland.

July 07

Easingwold Rock-It-Ball club (Easi-Rockits) awarded lottery grant.
India Rock-It-Ball Association established

Aug 07
(18 months)

Tees Valley Spartans awarded lottery grant
First Development Group awarded lottery grant and established

Sept 07

Halifax Strikers awarded lottery funding
Easi-RockIts up and running
England Rock-It-Ball Association established

Oct 07

First woman (Alex Chambers) selected for senior England squad
Easi-RockIts obtain sponsorship
BBC film England practice session
More Development Groups in progress
First Regional Associations in preparation
Paul Reed appointed England Youth Team Coach

Nov 07

Rock-It-Ball featured on prime time TV
Rock-It-Ball starts to be played in American schools.
Establishment of American Rock-It-Ball Association
Rock-It-Ball presence in 3 US States (Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky)
Large UK manufacturing and distribution company approaches Rock-It-Ball wanting to take it on – turned down.
Initial expressions of interest from TV production company regarding televising Rock-It-Ball tournament over a series of programmes.

Dec 07

Organisations now starting to approach the sport for sponsorship – O-Pro mouthguards want to be the official mouthguard partner of the IRIBF.
Visit from delegation from Spain.
Next official partner (Rhino Sports) appointed for the UK.
Press board outside newsagents with headline – first one featuring Rock-It-Ball (Easi-RockIts selected for England).
Activity right up to Dec 24th!

Jan 08

First order from school in Europe (GRg 21) in Austria .
Rock-It-Ball incorporated in another national programme (Specialist Primary School Primary Programme) and another YST programme (UR Activity)
Enquiries from Portugal and Czech Republic

Feb 08
(2 years)

First independent inter-school tournament (held at Wakefield, won by Easingwold)
First meeting of IRIBF Rules Committee
Delegation goes to Hungary to help launch Rock-It-Ball
Because of demand Rock-It-Ball has to move production to an operation with larger capacity
First player sponsorship announced – Rock-It-Ball LLP sponsors Tom Hildreth, first international player
Interest from TV production company.

March 08

IRIBF takes office space
First people inducted into IRIBF Hall of Fame

April 08

Rock-It-Ball in Bulgaria

Rock-It-Ball spreading in USA:

• First High School to try Rock-It-Ball in the USA (in Nov 07) now implements Rock-It-Ball in the curriculum
• First coaches qualified in USA
• First college in USA to play Rock-It-Ball

May 08

First Rock-It-Ball League starts
First university intra-mural tournament (Loughborough)
Rock-It-Ball presented at international conference (by invitation) – Health (a)ware conference, Poznan.
Rock-It-Ball now in Polish University and school

June 08

First qualified German Rock-It-Ball Coach (Julius Niederwemmer)
Rock-It-Ball now on the Tesco Sports for Schools voucher scheme

July 08

First national champions – Easi-RockIts HellCats.  Runners up – HellFighters.
First members of the Hall of Fame inducted.  Tom Hildreth and Craig Buttery.
Inter-school tournaments spreading.

August 08 2 ½ years

Rock-It-Ball into Australia
Rock-It-Ball mentioned on BBC as a future Olympic sport Other sports looking at using Rock-It-Ball equipment for their sports (eg paddlesports)
Announcement of Pro-version: Rock-It-Pro
Announcement of doubles version: Rock-It-Pairs – within 2 ½ years there are now 3 competitive formats

September 08

First university club formed (York St John University)

First application made for recognised sport status (bear in mind that that Dodgeball was only awarded recognised sport status last month [Aug 27th 2008]  - Dodgeball has been around for many many years, has had a film made (4 years ago) and a TV series and has only just been awarded recognised sport status. The fact that Rock-It-Ball is going through the process only two and a half years after launch shows the progress that has been made.

Rock-It-Ball now in 14 countries

October 08

First Rock-It-Ball Youth World Cup.  (England winners; Runners-up Hungary)
Announcement of Rock-It-Ball Triples.  Now 4 competitive formats
Lacrosse makes first overtures to Rock-It-Ball (but please note – Rock-It-Ball is nothing like lacrosse)
First Rock-It-Ball nomination for a national sports award (PMH nominated for BBC unsung sports hero)

November 08

Recognition by Council: Hartlepool Borough Council have told their Sports Development Officer, Paul Reed, that he can focus on Rock-It-Ball and they will support him when he gets international representation.

December 08

First Rock-It-Ball tattoo appears (Mickey Mouse with a Rock-It – Keith Adams, Tees Valley Rock-It-Ball Club)

January 09

Loughborough University Rock-It-Ball group appears on FaceBook
First fund-raising event – Keith Adams’ sponsored dribble from Thornaby to Easingwold and back.
Rock-It-Ball Birthday cakes appearing

February 09(3 Years)

First v3 Tournament – the English v3 Open

March 09

First University Sports Scholarships offered on back of Rock-It-Ball (UCLAN offer to Callum Watt; Glasgow offer to Callum Watt)
Rock-It-Ball starting to be selected for official games - selected as one of only five sports for the Tees Valley Youth Games
Danish NGB established
National Centre of Excellence established for Denmark
First qualified Rock-It-Ball coaches in Denmark
Second Season of National League prepared – growth has been such that there will now be three Divisions (North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber). Others are already in preparation for next year

April 09

Rock-It-Ball being used for Street Games (Tees Valley the first)
Rock-It-Ball being used for Teacher Training – Brighton University uses it as part of the training for PE Teachers
Rock-It-Ball being used for student projects – Leeds Met