Rubber whizzes through the air, the strike of a ball marking the opponent’s downfall, Montagues vs. Capulets, Sharks vs. Jets.... this is the annual RMHS Dodgeball Tournament.
Every year, the long awaited tournament finally arrives, and transforms the high school. Friends against friends, the competitors are out for blood, fighting for the coveted title.
Although participants are accustomed to traditional trash talking and taunting, the stakes were higher than ever before, and physical confrontations resulted. Junior Meghan Daley explained, “Many boys got very competitive, and screamed at the referees for all of their calls.”
Although the different groups dominating the high school are very apparent through the creation of each time, dodgeball has always been an active way to unite and involve the whole school together. Regardless of grade or extracurricular interests, everyone is involved on the court at an equal, level playing field. Whether you are a freshmen who plays basketball, or a junior who is in drama club, everyone is welcome on the dodgeball court; a sense of camaraderie arises out of the competition.
This begs the question: to what extent should this competition be taken? Why is it that a friendly competition utilized for fundraising, becomes confrontational?
It is apparent that many students are asking themselves the same question as well. Although it has been widely agreed by all that dodgeball is a worthwhile tradition that should be upheld, many believe that this year took a bit of a turn downhill.
The intense competition created by the game clearly crossed a boundary this year, as described by Daley, “ Many people cheated, which was frustrating, because I wanted to see who would really win without having to cheat.”
Many others agreed, further explaining their concerns, “It was far less organized,” said junior Devon Lewis. Considering the observed decrease in organization from dodgeball in years past, the issue seems to lay in the lack of leadership displayed by the referees, and those who arranged the tournament. Junior Nora Jerrett edified this frustration over the referees’ calls, saying, “How well your team did had more to do with the referee and your grade than the skill of any of the players. Next year, I would hope that we could have less biased refs.”
This combination of extreme desire to win the title, with a lack of fair leadership, seemed to have a negative result, as it, “Brought out the worst in people,” according to Daley. Our widely-loved sense of friendship found throughout dodgeball in the past, seemed to be lost this year, “Some people got left out due to lack of athleticism,” said Natalie Bloom, junior.
For those who signed up for this tournament in search of athletic conquest, the competition this year was seemingly perfect. However, for the majority who were simply involved to be a part of a team, and enjoy the excitement of school spirit, this year’s tournament seemed to pale in comparison to others. In order to do what is beneficial for the school body as a whole, it seems as though some major changes are in store for next year, in order to recreate a more friendly, light environment.