“Just remember the five Ds of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive and … dodge,” said seven-time dodgeball all-star Patches O’Houlihan (played by Rip Torn) in the 2004 movie “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.”
Put your reflexes and Patches’ advice to the test this Wednesday, July 25, during the City of Eugene’s third-annual dodgeball tournament for charity.
With six people on the court per team at any one time and six balls also on the court, the games will prove to be a fast and furious affair. The winners of the tournament will have their choice of charity organization to give the $200 purse to, and receive the coveted golden champions helmets.
The most spirited fans at the event will also receive a spirit award: $100 to give to the charity of their choice.
For Eugene Community Events Manager Billie Moser, this is an exciting event. Part of the larger “Summer in the City” downtown series, the tournament will feature a beer garden sponsored by Ninkasi Brewing Company, a 1970s disco theme, two courts playing dodgeball simultaneously and a live DJ spinning disco-era tunes. There will also be a drop-in court for those wishing to bring their own teams down to play some pick-up games.
“We did a focus group. It was all about making the dodgeball better,” Moser said. “This is all about building community connections with the artists and the downtown merchants with everybody else. It’s also a good way to bring people downtown and see how much it has changed in just a few years.”
Also present at the event will be a Four Square court for kids (and adults) and a circus arts area to learn and watch juggling, hula hooping and other affiliated activities.
“Last year we started the tournament with eight teams, but it sold out quickly so we upped it to 12 (teams).” said Moser. “We tried to do it for free the first time, but one team didn’t show up, so you can imagine what kind of organizational difficulties that presented. We really do put a lot of thought into these events.”
While a lot of thought is being put into the event, dodgeball team members are also putting some work in.
“Yesterday during practice I got hit right in the face. Threw my head back like I was boxing,” said Paul Adkins,@@http://www.linkedin.com/in/pauladkins@@ graphic designer for Cawood Marketing and team captain of last year’s tournament winners, the Cawood dodgeball team.
“This year they’re all gunning for us. Honestly, we just kind of lucked into the finals,” Adkins said.
With 12 teams vying for the championship in just two hours, the tournament will be a test of endurance as well as focus and agility.
“There was some controversy around the scoring last year. The refs called in one way, and the other team saw it the other way,” said Kurt Booker, internet technology manager at Cawood and dodgeball team member. “Afterward my arm was pretty sore. We’ve discovered that you can throw underhanded and still be effective. We keep in pretty good shape for a bunch of desk jockeys.”
“We’re having fun with the competition. This is the first year we’ve ever practiced. We’ll probably be the most prepared we’ve ever been,” Adkins said.
To further hone their skills, team Cawood lobs missiles at each other in mock dodgeball battles in the parking lot of their office building.
“We’ve taken to renaming our lunch break ‘recess,’” Adkins said.
Schoolyard rules will be in effect for the tournament. If you catch a ball, one of your teammates that has been struck out is allowed to come back into play and the person that threw that ball is out. Also, there has to be two members of both genders on the court to start the game.
Registration for the event costs $30 per team beginning on July 23 , and secures at least three games per team. The dodgeball tournament will go from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 25 and will take place at Kesey Square in downtown Eugene.