Remember when you were in elementary school gym class and your teacher would unleash you with a bunch of rubber balls in the middle of the gymnasium?
You’d beeline to those balls, make your way back to the start position and the carnage would begin. You’d dip, dive, dance and hurl like a complete lunatic. It was survival of the fittest and, oh, what a pure adrenaline rush it was!
These days we don’t have to live on just memories. The Harford County Dodgeball League has it all worked out.
When they first began to play, they rented out space in Forest Hill from the organization Just For Kids, but their game was most definitely not for kids. Since then, Forest Hill Recreation bought out Just For Kids and the dodgeball league is still going strong, renting hourly space through the recreation program.
Unlike the Hollywood version, Dodgeball: The True Underdog Story, when Harford County Dodgeballers get together on Monday nights, there are no underdogs. All these boys come to play. Girls, if you are looking for some good-spirited and competitive dodgeball this might be your one-stop shop.
Be forewarned, and this is not just for the ladies, this message is posted on their website:
“Harford County Dodgeball is like no other league you have ever played in before. We are a bunch of guys who like to beat each other up with rubber balls. We do not play with sponge balls and WILL NEVER play with sponge balls. If you are looking for a social league, try somewhere else. This is serious, hardcore dodge ball.”
They don’t joke.
So you thought you were a stud in P.E. class, huh? I’m quite sure that most people have not seen this level of dodgeball. Ever.
Harford County Dodgeball currently has 6 teams with 8-10 players per squad. The teams are: Cobra Kai’s, C. Milton Mustangs, Wargos, Dance Party Vietnam, Yo Mamma and Balls out. They are as creative as they are skilled on the volleyball-like sized court.
Ages range from 18-40. Incidentally, Dance Party Vietnam is a traveling tournament-oriented team and has been nationally ranked #8 in the country. They are undefeated this season.
While all the teams are serious gamers, the February 25 games I witnessed were light-hearted and fun. The Cobra Kai’s took on Balls Out and the Cobra Kai’s came away with a 16-12 victory.
From the moment the referee says “Dodgeball” it is on.
These grown men – lawyers, salesmen, firefighters, carpenters, students and policemen – bring it. They race to the balls as though their lives depended on it and as per dodgeball rules, make their way back to the wall. If they are lucky, they have a ball in hand. If not, they do their best to stay out of the line of fire.
Balls fly and bodies flail. It’s wild to see these fathers, sons and uncles get so into it. By day, they may be upstanding citizens, but on Monday nights they are fierce. Some of these boys are big. I wouldn’t want them lobbing me an egg in the old Easter-egg toss let alone face them at the line of scrimmage. But that’s just me.
Did you know a key to success in dodgeball is communication? These guys proved they won’t go down quietly. They strategize as they hunt one another down. They hoot and holler screaming stuff like: “Go low,” or “Watch that guy, he’s sneaky.” They joke, “Twinkle toes,” as they call someone out for their fancy footwork.
Indeed, they are in it to win it. They regroup and talk it up: “Who are we going after?” As you might suspect, they often gang up on one player to get them out. It’s a part of the game. Imagine your jack-rabbit like reaction when four balls are headed your way. On the sidelines you hear players root on their teammates with, “good dodge.” Speaking of the sidelines, if you happen to take in a game, it’s best to look alive.
These boys work it alright. They labor and sweat and from what I saw, never back down. They go head to head, jump high and low, whatever it takes. No sissies here. They belt out some good-natured ribbing to their opponents and teammates, all the while having a hell of a good time.
While I was taking in the action, many spectators peeked in to check out the spectacle. One person even said to me, “Damn, that looks like so much fun.” It really does.
Bill Pigott and Eli Adams, the two men who run and organized the league, had many good things to say about the competition and they feel they’re onto something. They’re hoping that more players will want to get in on the act, and yes, that includes woman.
They envision the league expanding outside of the corner of Forest Hill and moving into other parts of Harford County and beyond. Currently it costs $250 per team to play, so with a maximum of ten players per team, it costs $25 a head. They have playoffs and prize money is awarded for 1st place.
With prize money involved and all this testosterone flying around, I couldn’t help but wonder if things have ever gotten out of hand? According to Pigott, there have been a couple of times when a call would go against someone, especially in the playoffs, and “they’d take it personally.”
“But we’ve all been playing together for a couple of years now and we know each other,” Pigott added.
For the most part, things work themselves out and these boys keep it under control.
Not long ago, stories circulated about certain school systems trying to ban activities such as dodgeball. If you Google “banning dodgeball” you’ll see what I mean.
Here’s how Adams responded to such a notion: “It’s a necessity to have sports growing up like that…those kinds of sports everyone grew up with and I grew up with I turned out just fine. Personally I think when you eliminate those kinds of competitive things in school it just makes your childhood that much more fragile and you don’t grow up with that competitiveness.”
Pigott, who played semi-pro baseball, knows a thing or two about being involved with sports.
“We just have fun playing,” he said.
Isn’t fun the ultimate motive when it comes to sport anyway – even for a sport aimed at leaving you black, blue and smiling?
The Harford Dodgeball playoffs are in the works with the Championship Game set for 7 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day – Monday, March 17. Get in touch with the league at harforddodgeball@gmail.com for more details.
Thanks agian for a great article Molly!
For all who are interested, please check out the MySpace site for more details on the next session starting soon.
Thanks,
Bill
Harforddodgeball@gmail.com
With all the acrimony on The Dagger lately, perhaps a little Harford County dodgeball is the perfect way to let bygones be bygones and burn off a little steam.
We could have current Aberdeen (Police Rapid Response Team, Mayor Bennett, council president Elliott, Helton and the Transition Team) vs. Former Aberdeen (Denu, Punisher, former Mayor Simmons, former councilman Dave Yensan, Smedley and the Wetlands developers).
How about a one-on-one grudge match between Dels. J.B. Jennings and Pat McDonough for the District 7 state senate seat?
Vietnam Vet, RichieC and Dell vs. RWinger, Dagny and Buck?
The Dagger vs. The Aegis!
Who’s in?
We would kick the Aeg’s ass! I’m game. I can see it now, them running around in their chuck taylor’s with their BIKE shorts.
Maybe it’s not such a great idea after all…
Thanks, Molly for writing about a local involvement in a sport that doesn’t get much press. It looks like a great way to shake off the stress of every day life. I’d love to read more from you about other sports in Harford County we don’t get to hear much about. What are Harford County women up to? (I doubt you’re going to see too many women playing with these guys at Dodgeball!)
I’m down!
Maybe they’ll air it as a Battle Royale on ESPN 8 “The Ocho!!!!”
I’m in…just like the movie…
Maybe it should air on HCN “The No-No”
“No”body watches it,
“No”body knows it exists…
Don Morrison can do the play by play, and harfordneighbors(dot)net can run their ads all over the place…
Oh, well, I guess someone watches it…
COOL.!!That is something you dont see everyday.I think its great to read about stuff you dont even think exsists.Molly I really enjoy your work.KEEP IT FRESH.
any game playing’ is out for me. ( congestive heart failure ) I will stay on the side line’s.
still rooting for the dagger. but dodge ball was one of my favorite sport’s
MOLLY,I NEVER KNEW THERE WAS SUCH A LEAGUE IN HARFORD COUNTY.
BECAUSE OF YOUR CATCHY TITLE TO THE ARTICLE I CONTINUED TO READ ON.YOUR WORDS AND DESCRIPTIONS KEPTED ME INTERESTED.I NOW WANT TO TAKE MY GIRLS TO A GAME AND REMEMBER THE FUN I HAD PLAYINY DODGEBALL IN SCHOOL.KEEP UP THE INFORMATIVE ARTICLES.
I WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THEM.THANKS FOR ENLIGHTENING ME.
Big Bri gets all the credit for the title, he’s the man.
That would be an exhilirating game- dagger versus the aeg! I’m all in and my money (if I had any, that is) would be on the DAGGER squad for sure.
“Bri Bri”? That’s it, I’m changing all of his bylines. “brian” no longer writes here 🙂
Maybe more in theme with dodgeball, we can change it to “White”?
The Dagger Vs. The Aegis?
If you all want, we can make it happen. This sounds like it has charity written all over it!!!!
PS- Girls are more than welcome to play!!!
“It must be the hair, Cotton. It’s feathered and it’s FABULOUS!”
-ESPN 8 Announcer, commenting on Allen Vought at the Aegis vs. Dagger Dodgball Extravaganza
we had fun this year,maybe next year we can pinch??anywho had a blast guys maybe you can swing by one thursday.
ZZZZZZZZZZonch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s a nice shirt the guy in your first picture is wearing. Is that a league shirt? I can almost make out the name, PlayAction. Something about kickball. I wonder if they have dodgeball too?
Play action is weak. They do have dodge ball, but it sucks. They play with nerfballs
I wouldn’t say Play Action is weak it is not the same level of competition.
Molly
I never knew dodgeball was a sport let alone had a following and a league. Good article, we could use a reporter like you in the St. Pete /Tampa area to inform us what is here locally…
New Season starting MONDAY!!!
Bill, give us some deets. Are you still playing at the same place? Is their a registration?
How’d the season end anyway?
Dance Party Vietnam dominated the league and won it straight up. Wargo’s took second with Cobra Kai’s coming in third.
Monday starts an abreviated session. Three teams from last session return and one new one comes in. As for registration, unfortunately we have limited space and we could only take a few team.
HOWEVER… Plans are in the works for going to a bigger site later on in September. The plan is to go to an 8-10 team session.
More details to come!!!
Update-
We are officially part of Harford County Parks and Recs. This give us the ability to grow as space allows. Please feel free to contact us about getting a team up. We are looking to kick back up this fall.
Thanks,
Bill
Bill, congrats! What will you do with your summer?
Personally I will be doing a long “honey do” list. As for the league, most of the teams play in other programs like softball.
Hopefully we can get a charity event going around the end of the summer in time to kick off a new season.
MORE DETAILS TO COME!!!
New season starts on the 18th!!! Check out the website for details or email us at harforddodgeball@gmail.com.
LET’S PLAY!!!