Carpentersville dodgeball tournament raises funds for local charities

Forty teams competed at the fourth annual Carpentersville Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 4790 dodgeball tournament at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville on Saturday afternoon.

Teams comprised of six players took to four courts as 10 games were played simultaneously from 12 to 5 p.m., with winners advancing, hoping to reach the grand championship game.

Art Carrillo, a firefighter/paramedic with the Carpentersville Fire Department was one of more than 30 volunteers running the tournament and says it grows each year.

In 2013, 32 teams were registered. Registration was open to the public as well as firefighters, who came from local departments like West Dundee but farther ones as well, including Franklin Park, Addison and Oak Park.

"Not many people have a dodgeball tournament," Carrillo said. His tips to players? "Duck, dodge, dive ... and dodge!" he adds with a laugh.

Brothers David and Mike Grezenko of Lombard brought a team representing their company, PA Crimson Fire Risk Services Inc., to participate for the second year in a row. "We had so much fun last time that we decided to come back again this year," Mike Grezenko said.

Money from the event will be donated to a local charity yet to be decided. Information is at iafflocal4790.org.