AUBURN #- Friday nights, the A gym at the Auburn YMCA has become one of the most exciting places to be in town with the Y's winter dodgeball league, drawing together 12 teams this season for some fun, fast-paced competition.
Fitness director Steve Komanecky said the impetus for the league came from several of the Y's younger staff members, who became intrigued with the game hot on the heels of the popular movie #- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.
“So we thought that we would give it a try,” Komanecky said. “The response was very good, so we have kept it going.”
The game is played much like many will remember from their days in school, with a few new twists to keep the game exciting.
“The rules are the same,” Komanecky said. “Get hit, you're out. But we give each team 45 minutes to play and they can play as many games as they can in that 45 minutes, and the teams are awarded a point for each game they win. Every team is trying to accumulate points to get to the playoffs at the end of the session.”
The Y also uses a slightly different ball than some might be used to, for safety, but also to keep things interesting.
“We use a rubber coated ball,” Komanecky said. “It isn't like those old hard rubber or volleyballs, some might think of. You can throw this as hard as you want and it isn't going to hurt. Those old ones you'd get hit and you'd feel it for a week. These new ones are also harder to catch, so it keeps things interesting when you are out there trying to catch it.”
This sense of nostalgia for what has been one of the most beloved of childhood gym class games has helped to attract a lot of dedicated, loyal players to the league, many of whom have been supporting it since it first began.
“It has definitely become one of the more popular things we have here at the Y,” Komanecky said. “Everyone seems to have a lot of fun playing.”
Some teams, such as Headshots, who have been champions two years running, have been with the league since the very beginning.
“It seems like it is what we've always done on Friday nights, we've always been here,” said Andrew Hamilton a team member. “I don't think we'd know what to do otherwise. It has always just been a lot of fun to come down here and play.”
This unique mixture of childhood nostalgia and adult competition has also attracted a number of new players this session, including Tom Palmer.
“My cousin played last year and it looked like it would be a lot of fun, like back in middle school, but with a little more intense competition,” he said.
According to Komanecky, the level of exertion involved in a good, fast game of dodgeball can be some of the best exercise anyone can get.
“I really don't know of a better workout,” Komanecky said. “I know I played with a team last year, so I can vouch for it. You are going all out for those 45 minutes. But there have also been studies done with high school kids and their heart rates were monitored and it was shown that they were getting a better workout than almost any other exercise they were doing.”
The adrenaline rush of good competition is a very exciting part of the game that draws a lot of players.
“It is like it was in high school only better,” Will Scheider said. “We all want to win and it gets pretty competitive, but that is a big part of what makes it so much fun, to be able to go out and compete against other teams that want to win too.”
While competition is a good healthy release, Komanecky stresses that teams try to keep their heads on their shoulders and not let the games get out of hand or too physical.
“Competition is good,” Komanecky said. “We like to see people play and have fun, that's the point of it, to have fun. But we like to see people demonstrate good sportsmanship. It can get pretty intense, but we try to make sure that everyone keeps a cool head about it and remembers that it is about having fun out there.”
Many teams focus more on the intellectual, strategic side of the game instead of relying purely on strength and intensity.
“It is about strategy,” Brian Nicholson said. “Strategy over strength, brains over brawn, that's how we try to play. We try to conserve the balls and not throw them if we can or we look for the weaknesses of the other team and look for good plays to make.”
Right now the future of dodgeball is a little up in the air at the Y, but according to Komanecky, as long as people are playing safely and enjoying themselves, he hopes that it will remain a part of what the Y can offer.
“As long as people are having fun we can keep offering it,” Komanecky said. “So far so good this session. As long as people are having fun and playing with good sportsmanship I think we can keep offering it.”
“So we thought that we would give it a try,” Komanecky said. “The response was very good, so we have kept it going.”
The game is played much like many will remember from their days in school, with a few new twists to keep the game exciting.
“The rules are the same,” Komanecky said. “Get hit, you're out. But we give each team 45 minutes to play and they can play as many games as they can in that 45 minutes, and the teams are awarded a point for each game they win. Every team is trying to accumulate points to get to the playoffs at the end of the session.”
The Y also uses a slightly different ball than some might be used to, for safety, but also to keep things interesting.
“We use a rubber coated ball,” Komanecky said. “It isn't like those old hard rubber or volleyballs, some might think of. You can throw this as hard as you want and it isn't going to hurt. Those old ones you'd get hit and you'd feel it for a week. These new ones are also harder to catch, so it keeps things interesting when you are out there trying to catch it.”
This sense of nostalgia for what has been one of the most beloved of childhood gym class games has helped to attract a lot of dedicated, loyal players to the league, many of whom have been supporting it since it first began.
“It has definitely become one of the more popular things we have here at the Y,” Komanecky said. “Everyone seems to have a lot of fun playing.”
Some teams, such as Headshots, who have been champions two years running, have been with the league since the very beginning.
“It seems like it is what we've always done on Friday nights, we've always been here,” said Andrew Hamilton a team member. “I don't think we'd know what to do otherwise. It has always just been a lot of fun to come down here and play.”
This unique mixture of childhood nostalgia and adult competition has also attracted a number of new players this session, including Tom Palmer.
“My cousin played last year and it looked like it would be a lot of fun, like back in middle school, but with a little more intense competition,” he said.
According to Komanecky, the level of exertion involved in a good, fast game of dodgeball can be some of the best exercise anyone can get.
“I really don't know of a better workout,” Komanecky said. “I know I played with a team last year, so I can vouch for it. You are going all out for those 45 minutes. But there have also been studies done with high school kids and their heart rates were monitored and it was shown that they were getting a better workout than almost any other exercise they were doing.”
The adrenaline rush of good competition is a very exciting part of the game that draws a lot of players.
“It is like it was in high school only better,” Will Scheider said. “We all want to win and it gets pretty competitive, but that is a big part of what makes it so much fun, to be able to go out and compete against other teams that want to win too.”
While competition is a good healthy release, Komanecky stresses that teams try to keep their heads on their shoulders and not let the games get out of hand or too physical.
“Competition is good,” Komanecky said. “We like to see people play and have fun, that's the point of it, to have fun. But we like to see people demonstrate good sportsmanship. It can get pretty intense, but we try to make sure that everyone keeps a cool head about it and remembers that it is about having fun out there.”
Many teams focus more on the intellectual, strategic side of the game instead of relying purely on strength and intensity.
“It is about strategy,” Brian Nicholson said. “Strategy over strength, brains over brawn, that's how we try to play. We try to conserve the balls and not throw them if we can or we look for the weaknesses of the other team and look for good plays to make.”
Right now the future of dodgeball is a little up in the air at the Y, but according to Komanecky, as long as people are playing safely and enjoying themselves, he hopes that it will remain a part of what the Y can offer.
“As long as people are having fun we can keep offering it,” Komanecky said. “So far so good this session. As long as people are having fun and playing with good sportsmanship I think we can keep offering it.”
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