LEGACY IN ACTION. The world premiere of Kings of Kubb – a documentary by Fireside Productions, LLC – will be held on April 30 at The Pablo Center in downtown Eau Claire. Over countless interviews and long days playing the yard game, area filmmakers BJ Hollars and Steve Dayton spotlight players, volunteers, family, friends who sustain the “lifestyle” which connects the community, on and off the pitch. (Kings of Kubb still via Fireside Productions, LLC)
The Chippewa Valley is just days away from the world premiere of Kings of Kubb, slated for April 30 at the Pablo Center at the Confluence (128 Graham Ave., Eau Claire).
This documentary, a product of local co-filmmakers BJ Hollars and Steve Dayton of Fireside Productions, LLC – with the help of area sponsors and the U.S. National Kubb Championship – meticulously tells the stories of the game (or sport, depending on who you ask) and the dedicated community which brings it to life.
Kubb, as Hollars, Dayton and players will tell you, has long been a popular lawn game which combines strategy and agility. Played in teams or one-on-one, the goal is to knock over wooden blocks (the “kubbs”) and finally the king, using throwing batons.
Yet, the leisurely – or competitive – activity offers more than just a simple pastime on a bright summer day; it’s far more than “throwing sticks at blocks.” The upcoming film premiere will transport local audiences into the heart of the world’s kubb capital – right here in Eau Claire – and celebrate the intersectional community which supports the game all year round.
Over countless interviews and long days capturing the 2024 national championship and beyond, Hollars and Dayton spotlight players, volunteers, family, friends and, of course, the spectators.
We caught up with the two Chippewa Valley filmmakers, who offer us an insider’s look at Kings of Kubb and reflections on the “lifestyle” which connects our community, on and off the pitch.
Tickets to the world premiere of Kings of Kubb ($10/person) are available to purchase at pablocenter.org/events. The April 30 event will feature the debut screening, kubb demonstrations from area players, a live Q&A with stars and filmmakers and more.
Don’t miss the after party for the documentary, to be held at The Brewing Projekt (1807 N Oxford Ave., Eau Claire).
V1: Tell us more about how Kings of Kubb will complement the existing stories and video work produced through Fireside Productions, LLC?
BJ HOLLARS: Kings of Kubb seemed like the ideal story for Fireside Productions. It’s a local story with a worldwide reach. When we think about what makes Eau Claire unique, it’s hard to overlook that we’re the Kubb Capital of North America. Not only that, but we’re the epicenter of some of the most talented kubb players anywhere.
We were so humbled when When Rubber Hit The Road received an Upper Midwest Emmy and now, we hope an even more contemporary Eau Claire story can make the same splash.
STEVE DAYTON: This is more than a story about kubb. It’s about the power of what can happen when Eau Clairians come together in common cause. For twenty years, Eric Anderson has been hustling to build a community centered around a sport few people in America had ever heard of. Now, the national tournament he hosts right here in Eau Claire sets new participation records year after year.
V1: Were there any key lessons learned during the filming of this documentary that might surprise our local viewers?
DAYTON: What most people don’t understand about documentary filmmaking is that so much of our work happens when the cameras aren’t rolling. BJ and I spent nearly two years connecting with the kubb community in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Those connections are what led to the film’s most poignant and emotional moments.
HOLLARS: While the film follows four elite “kings” of kubb (Gregg Jochimsen and John Ellingsen of Eau Claire; John Oman and Trevor Bailey of Chaska, Minnesota), we don’t overlook the many queens of kubb who are also performing at the highest level. Kubb is an accessible sport that equalizes the playing field. It doesn’t matter how fast you run a mile or how many push-ups you can do. If you can throw a baton and hit a kubb with consistency, you could become one of the best players anywhere.
V1: In what ways do kubb’s accessible elements (which do not rely on speed or physical strength) equalize differences based on physical ability, age, or preconceived expectations in sports?
HOLLARS: So many “mainstream” sports (baseball, basketball, football, soccer, hockey, etc.) seem to rely on a very specific physical skill set. These sports require strength, speed and agility, among other elements that simply don’t translate to everyone – ourselves included.
What we love about kubb is that you don’t have to be the strongest, fastest, or most agile to excel. You don’t have to be a certain age or gender to win it all. In the 2024 U.S. Kubb National Championship, we watched a 103-year-old woman toss the first baton in her match. That same year, a female player was on a team that reached the final four cage match.
“Kubb is an accessible sport that equalizes the playing field,” the filmmakers said. “It doesn’t matter how fast you run a mile or how many push-ups you can do. If you can throw a baton and hit a kubb with consistency, you could become one of the best players anywhere.” (Kings of Kubb still via Fireside Productions, LLC)
“It’s hard not to love people who care so deeply about each other and the sport that drew them together.”
BJ HOLLARS
FILMMAKER OF KINGS OF KUB, FIRESIDE PRODUCTIONS
V1: How might the film explore the intersection of gender and competitive performance, given the mention of many “queens” of kubb alongside the male “kings”?
HOLLARS: While it’s true that male players have historically taken the top spots at the U.S. National Kubb Championship, it’s only a matter of time before the “kings” are toppled by the “queens.” Female players have grown increasingly drawn to the sport. In the Eau Claire Kubb League, over 40% of all teams have female players and that number is on the rise.
But perhaps the best indication that the future of kubb may well be female is linked to the kubb in the schools program, which introduces the game to all students at a young age. These days, young girls and boys are growing up with the sport. As a result, we’ve witnessed more girls playing in the Kid Kubb tournament, which translates into more women playing in the U.S. National Kubb Tournament.
The film makes space for the many female players and board members who are paving the way to bring even more women into the game. We dream of a Queens of Kubb follow-up film.
V1: If you had to determine what might be that “common cause” imparted onto kubb players – whether it’s their first or hundredth time playing the sport – what might that be?
HOLLARS: Kubb players like to say that kubb “unites people and creates peace on earth.” That’s a pretty lofty phrase. But over the course of two years, we’ve witnessed versions of this represented both on and off the pitch.
Having watched hundreds of hours of kubb – from the national championship to the local kubb league, to folk(s) playing in the park – what strikes me most is the kubb community’s deep commitment to spread the game. I was first introduced to kubb one night in Owen Park (of Eau Claire) a decade ago. I was there for music, but some person I’d never met lured me into a game of kubb. I’ve found that hundreds of others have found their way to kubb through a friendly introduction from a stranger.
Sure, the documentary’s about kubb, but what most folks don’t realize is that kubb is so much more than a game or a sport. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a philosophy. And its many social elements offer opportunities for people to connect through competition.
Steve and I have watched this film a hundred times and there are moments when we still get teary-eyed. It’s hard not to love people who care so deeply about each other and the sport that drew them together.
BJ Hollars (left) and Steve Dayton (right), pictured together in the RCU Theater – where Kings of Kubb will premiere – at the Pablo Center in downtown Eau Claire.