Dodgeball tourney heats up
Take cover.
Balls will be flying this weekend at Olympic Park in Schaumburg with the start of the National Amateur Dodgeball Association's Outdoor National Championships.
The youth divisions open today and adult teams get started on Saturday.
So, let the hurling begin.
The two-day competition is the largest tournament of the season, and the final one -- consequently teams from throughout the Midwest have entered, said tournament Director Bill DePue.
He expects up to 100 youth teams to compete today, including many from park district camps in the area, with the biggest concentration between fourth and sixth grades.
On Saturday, approximately 50 adult teams have entered, made up nearly entirely of men.
They come, in part, DePue says, for the chance to play outdoors, on grass, even if the courts get pretty muddy by the end of the day, he said.
"They're not afraid to slide on the grass, so they tend to go all out," DePue said. "It's dive-and-duck dodgeball."
Teams are divided into pools for a round-robin tournament to determine the teams that will be seeded in a single-elimination championship round. Top finishers will receive team, individual and cash awards.
This is the eighth year the National Amateur Dodgeball Association -- formed by the Schaumburg Park District -- has hosted the outdoor championships.
Park district officials created it as a recreational pursuit for non-traditional sport enthusiasts. The alternative sport requires minimal equipment and playing experience, though teamwork and strategy are important.
Numbers of teams have remained fairly constant over the last few years, but officials continue to update the rules, to ensure safe, fair play. For starters, the game is played with a rubber-coated foam ball to prevent injuries.
"That's the thing, there aren't too many opportunities to play dodgeball in an organized setting with monitors and a rule book," DePue said.
Monitors trained by the National Amateur Dodgeball Association will be on every court, however early pool play matches will rely on the honor system, or the players themselves, to make the calls.
During single elimination play, monitors will make more of the calls, and they will officiate all of the plays during semi-final and final round matches.
"It starts out with nostalgia," DePue said of the attraction to the game, "but once people realize what a great cardio workout it is, they're hooked."
If you go
What: National Amateur Dodgeball Association's Outdoor Championships
When: Youth teams check in at 8:30 a.m. today, with captain's meeting at 10 a.m. and matches at 10:30. Adult teams check in at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, with captain's meeting at 9:30 and matches at 10 a.m.
Where: Schaumburg Park District's Olympic Park, 1675 E. Old Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg
Cost: $90 per youth team and $120 per adult team
Details: Call (847) 985-2120 or visit www.dodgeballusa. com