JCC Dodgeball Tournament
Dodgeball team inspired by movie
Craze prompts tournament for students
Monday, January 14, 2008
By Justin Mason (Contact)
Gazette Reporter
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At least that’s the philosophy offered by Patches O’Houlihan, as the grizzled coach hurled tools at his players in the film “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Tale.” And if you’re a member of Team Boss, you can dodge them pretty well. The group of five Niskayuna high school students were crowned champions of the resurgent sport after they vanquished each of their opponents during a dodgeball tournament at the Schenectady Jewish Community Center gymnasium Sunday, drawing dozens of area teens. Once relegated to grade school playgrounds, the sport is growing in popularity nowadays in the wake of the cult following of the 2004 box office smash staring Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller. “We were going off the movie,” admitted Mike Lecce, a junior from Niskayuna, after his team won the tournament. “That’s where we were coming up with our strategy.” Even the rules of the old sport were somewhat foreign to the reigning champions before the film came out. Classmate Kadeem Miller said most of his knowledge of the sport came from what he saw on the silver screen. “That’s how we knew the rules,” he said. “Because of the movie.”
Written by Union College grad Rawson Marshall Thurber, the comedy follows Vaughn and a group of misfits from “Average Joe’s” gym as they attempt to beat Globo-Gym, the big-budget gym located across the street, during a Las Vegas dodgeball tournament The movie’s success spurred regional leagues in both Texas and Massachusetts, as well as a cable network show that aired for three seasons. The surge in the sport’s popularity prompted Rachel Kutil, the JCC’s assistant youth director, and Chris Belden, the sports and wellness director, to host the center’s first dodgeball tournament this year as a way to recruit teens for the Maccabiah Games, an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics. Kutil said the first tournament — open to students from 8th to 11th grade — drew enough interest that she’s already planning an adult competition for spring for adults. “It’s kind of a dodgeball craze,” she said.
The students mimicked dodgeball plays from the movie’s final showdown and laughed over memorable quotes on the sidelines. But when it came to competing against one another, the more than 30 students brought a decidedly serious attitude to the floor. The teams debated strategies and sported stern game faces once the elimination round of the tournament began. The multicolored rubber kick balls sailed through the gymnasium with enough velocity that the seriousness the students brought to the competition was immediately evident. “We’re coming back for the gold next year,” quipped Niskayuna junior Mike Casey, shortly after his team was eliminated.
Likewise, classmate Joe Twitty said his team would try to mount a comeback next year. He jested they might take up O’Houlihan’s unconventional brand of training. “We should have,” he said. “We would have been in the finals if we did.”
With victory in hand, Team Boss members proudly donned T-shirts proclaiming them the center’s dodgeball champions of 2008. The students said the win would give them something to brag about in school this week. “These are definitely being worn to school Monday,” he said holding out the shirt.
Cool Insuring Agency, Inc., presented the Robert and Dorothy Ludwig Schenectady Jewish Community Center with a $10,000 donation to support the community organization's programs for children, adults and seniors. The Schenectady JCC is one of 15 nonprofit organizations to receive a donation as part of Cool's 150th Anniversary Celebration.
Cool Insuring Agency is contributing a total of $150,000 to charitable organizations in the communities it serves throughout New York State's Broome, Warren and Albany counties.
"Cool's 150th anniversary is the perfect opportunity to give back to the communities that have contributed to our success," said Tony Mashuta, president of Cool Insuring Agency. "We thank them for their support and helping Cool become one of the oldest and largest insurance agencies in the nation."
We can identify the folks in the photo with titles and conclude..names here... accepts the Cool Insurance Agency donation with some of the Center's smiling youngsters enjoying the activities.
See all the action from the SJCC 6 Hour Cycling Event for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Our cyclists and sponsors raised over $15,000 for the Foundation's advocacy, education, public health, and research efforts. Thanks to all our cyclists and sponsors for making this a very special day at the SJCC.
Miles Deixler, President of the Board of Directors of the Robert & Dorothy Ludwig Schenectady Jewish Community Center on the Golub Family Campus, announced that approval had been given by the board for a joint JCC-synagogue partnership.
Through the collaborative efforts of area synagogues and the JCC, a three month complimentary family membership will be offered to new members of area synagogues.
The program is designed to welcome new residents to our community and provide the opportunity for them to enjoy the benefits of the Center's programs and events while making new friends.
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