SEAL Team 7 Dodges Their Way to Victory in Dodgeball Tournament

by Edward Pankowski

On the night of April 29, the annual dodgeball tournament was held at DHS. Thirty three teams attended the tournament, according to the facebook page of the tournament. The evening brought the promised display of intensity and skill that was promised, as DHS students assembled the kind of teams no gym teacher would allow, due to the balance being unfair.

As with the basketball tournament held in March, a variety of teams, players, and names were on display, as the creativity of the participants was matched only by their skill on the court. Teams like "Dirty Dan and the Pinhead Larries, Sponsored by Nike, Foam to Your Dome, and Dirty Mikes and the Boys" all competed to see who could come up with the most creative name. One crowd favorite was the "Manchester Dingos" or "Mandingos" for short. 

Uniforms matched the creativity of the names, as teams showed up in customized t-shirts, sports uniforms, and colored tunics. "Dirty Mike and the Boys" said that they selected their tunics based on their favorite teletubby, while the police officers wore sweatshirts and tunics with "Darien Police Association" written on them. 

As the tournament began, Mr. Buckley announced that the tournament would be single elimination. The announcement that elicited cheers from the audience, however, was "I am required to tell you that headshots are legal." After that, the teams dispersed, either to watch a friend's game or to compete themselves.

Being a single elimination tournament, the three gyms used for the tournament started off packed and gradually whittled down until only spectators and friends of the participants remained. The tournament had several upsets during the course of the night. First, the much hyped Darien Faculty team and the Darien Police team were both eliminated in the very first round. During the game in which the Darien PD lost, a spectator shouted, "they don't know how to throw!" In addition, "Team Fluffy Sheep," which consisted of several burly athletes, was defeated by "Team Gucci," a pack of girls field hockey players. 

One thing all the winning teams displayed was an emphasis on teamwork and working together to launch multiple, simultaneous shots against the other team. While size and strength were important in delivering the ball, the teams who showed an ability to work together usually held the advantage. 

After nearly two hours of dodgeball, the final game took form. The Manchester Dingos, clad in bicycle helmets and pitchers caps, went up against SEAL Team 7, wearing traditional athletic shorts and t-shirts. The game was exemplary of all the qualities every gym teacher looks for in a dodgeball prodigy. In the end, "SEAL Team 7" took the gold, while the "Mandingos" got second place, and "Dirty Mike and the Boys" came in 3rd. 

"SEAL Team 7" member Peter Gesualdi said, "We were cruising here tonight, and they thought they could get in our faces. But we showed them. Now I'm going to Disneyland!" Jack Bennett, another member, put a nice finisher on the event when he said, "I'm feeling great. I can't wait to get the grand prize and put it on Ebay." 

Coordinator Rohit Datta said, " I thought the event was a big success and everyone was satisfied." In the face of such enthusiasm and praise by both participants and organizers of the event, it seems likely that DHS will hold another similar, if not grander, tournament next year dedicated to the ancient art of pegging people with foam balls alongside your closest friends and allies.