OUR STORY
We met in kindergarten at the age of 5 and have been close friends ever since. A group of us grew up in the foothills of northern California which we commonly refer to as “The Hill”. As kids we spent a lot of time outdoors, and if we had a ball to play with, we had a game! Basketball with no hoop, 4 square with no lines, we would make the rules up on the fly and play until we couldn’t stand.
As the years went on we got more capable and more competitive. We continued to get together as often as we could, and we’re consistently trying new competitive games. Finally, we arrived at the idea, we should take our favorite elements of the games we love, and turn it into a unique and amazing game from “The Hill”. DotBall360° was born! The more we played, the more we were hooked, and the more people that joined, the better it was.
We knew we had something special, and we needed to figure out a way to let others enjoy a game we have come to love. Through an amazing and tireless journey, we have developed a sport, a game, a company, and a product to share with the world. We hope you have as much fun with DotBall360° as we do, and maybe even more!
OUR TEAM
Ryan St. Denis
I was born in Placerville, California and grew up in the little town of Kelsey, just up “The Hill”. Since I was a kid, I always loved games. All types of games from board games to sports to games we just made up. The friends I chose from a young age had the same attributes, and we instantly became close because of it. Mike and Eric were two of these friends.
I knew in middle school that I would always love games, sports, and activities and value the relationships they create, because of this I knew I wanted to pursue a career as a Physical Education teacher.
After high school I went to Sacramento State to earn my degree in Kinesiology. I became and athletic director and taught middle school PE for 5 years. My goal as a teacher and coach was always to engage all students, no matter size, ability, or age to enjoy physical activity through the fun of playing games. If my students enjoy the activity, they will willingly participate, therefore, gaining all the benefits of physical activity beyond my class. Finding the right activity for the right student is key.
In 2013 I moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to pursue my wife, McKenzie, and a career in the Albuquerque Fire Department. I changed career but never lost the love for games, sports, and physical activity. I've found that games and physical activity with our crew has huge benefits not just physically but physiological as well. It has built crew camaraderie, help us deal with depression and PTSD, and keeps us physical fit through healthy competition. I’m known as the guy that either brings a game to the station or makes up a game to continue these benefits. DotBall360° was a game we invented that was widely popular within our crew.
On our annual trip, Mike and Eric confirmed that DotBall360° has potential to be a game/sport that would be loved by more then just us. We hope that this game will create friendships like we have, benefit kids and adults physically and psychological, and grow into something special for all. Play anyone, anywhere!
Mike Garcia
I was born in Sacramento, California and grew up in the little town of Garden Valley just up “The Hill”. Living in the foothills of northern California, there was an abundance of outdoor activities that kept me busy. I’ve always loved being outside and being active. I met Eric at a mutual friends house when I was 4 and Ryan the first day of kindergarten, and I knew we were cut from the same cloth.
I was born with a rare bone disease commonly referred to as “O.I.” (Think Mr. Glass from the movie Unbreakable). In spite of this challenge, I continued to play games and stay active. I was extremely fortunate to have an amazing group of friends around me that knew to watch out and be careful. Often, our group would adjust rules of the game to lower the physicality, so I could play. In this spirit, we were very creative and never let this obstacle stop us from having fun.
After graduating I worked for several years at a prestigious audio company before starting my own business with my cousin. I stayed local to Sacramento but did more than my fair share of traveling. After a few years of holding every title from janitor to CEO simultaneously, we sold our business, and I went back to retail. There were aspects I enjoyed, but I always struggled spending my day working for somebodies dream.
I retired from retail in 2019, and my wife and I bought the house I grew up in from my parents. I have been renovating it piece by piece since. We joke that she dreams the dream, and I build it.
Over the last several years our group of friends have been getting together semi-annually, and we have played every game you can think of in that time. Ryan always has a “new” game we need to try, and it always makes the trip memorable and fun. He began to combine our favorite elements of the games we play, and the more we played the more we loved it. DotBall360° came to life with a group of friends, some innovation, and a competitive spirit, and here we are!