Thursday, February 19, 2009
Grown-up dodgeball league
Roanoke has opened the doors for more adult teams to pound things out with dodgeball.
The Roanoke Times | File September
Dodgeball opportunities for adult athletes have been springing up around Roanoke lately, including midnight matches at Roanoke College (above) and a league sponsored by the Roanoke Parks and Recreation Department that begins its second season in March.
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One playing floor, divided right down the middle by an uncrossable line.
Two opposing teams, each with a half dozen members.
Six gator-skinned balls sit waiting in the center.
The rules are about as simple as can be: get hold of a ball, throw it and hit an opponent, and they're out. Throw a ball and it gets caught, and you're out. Don't let a ball get bounced out of your hands and don't go out of bounds. That's it.
But few people need a primer on dodgeball, which has been a popular activity in playgrounds and schools for decades.
Now it's available for a somewhat older demographic.
Roanoke's parks and recreation department is, for a second year, offering an adult dodgeball league. Registration for teams is Friday.
"We were looking for what we consider to be alternative types of athletic programs for adults," said Cindy McFall, the department's athletic coordinator. She said they wanted something creative, easy to play and inexpensive.
"For this, you just have to have a T-shirt, shorts and shoes. There's very little investment," she explained.
The league is gaining momentum. Last year, because of limited space, the league had to cap membership at just 20 teams, but this year all games will be played at the Jackson Middle School gymnasium, which is big enough to accommodate two matches at the same time.
As a result, McFall said, they're taking on as many teams as want to play.
"We have nine teams total, we have enough now to go," she said, adding that she expects totals to at least double as the registration deadline approaches. Matches have a maximum length of 10 minutes, but she said they rarely last that long.
Another change this time around: In addition to mixed-gender teams there will now also be a division just for men. McFall said she hopes this will help modify the levels of competitiveness because "sometimes men and women play the game a little differently."
Want to play but don't have a team?
That's OK, too. Although teams are typically composed of friends, co-workers or fellow church members, the organizers will allow individuals to join in and be added to teams, or to form their own "wild card" teams with other teamless players.
Players have to be at least 18 but McFall said, "We have anybody from 18 to 60. We had one team last year that wore big wigs and crazy socks. Every team is so unique."
Jeremy Newman of Roanoke played last year and said he's coming back again.
"It was a great time. It's actually a really good workout," said Newman, who also plays slow-pitch softball. "You'd be amazed at how hard you try and throw that dodgeball. Recovery time is not what it used to be."
Another player, Lee Vaughn, who's on a team sponsored by National Pools of Roanoke, agreed.
"Obviously, you've got a lot of people who haven't done a lot of physical activity since high school. You'd be surprised, it's very active," Vaughn said. "It's easy to play, you don't have to know a whole lot and you don't have to practice.
"You walk away with a smile, just having a good time."
