Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge were the five cardinal duties and shouts heard across the Student Recreation Center’s south gymnasium yesterday afternoon during Kappa Sigma’s first annual dodgeball tournament.
More than 120 people participated in the tournament, comprising 10 teams that competed in a best-two-out-of-three competition.
Sorority members dished out a $105 team fee, raising $1,050 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which many fraternity members agreed was a small price to pay to have some afternoon fun with proceeds going to a good cause, said Joel Balzano, the philanthropy chair of Kappa Sigma.
“”It’s a great amount of money raised in a three-hour time period,”” said Balzano, a business economics sophomore.
Jon Burckle, president of Kappa Sigma, said the idea to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation came about because a member of the fraternity is suffering from the degenerative disease that affects an individual’s lungs, sweat glands and digestive system.
“”There’s no better philanthropy to do than something personal that affects someone you know,”” Balzano said. “”Kappa Sig is very thankful for the opportunity to help the community and cystic fibrosis. The sororities really helped us out, and we couldn’t ask for anything more.””
Many sorority members agreed.
“”It’s great to see the whole greek community is coming out for a good cause,”” said Lauren Miller, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.
While most participants came out to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, many were intent on winning the competition.
Kappa Sigma marketing sophomore Dustin Cavanaugh coached the Pi Beta Phi sorority and said his team’s strategy was to hoard the balls on the referee’s whistle and attack at once, instead of laying back and waiting for the balls to hit them.
“”Our strategy was aggressiveness,”” Cavanaugh said, adding that everyone knows all the money raised is going to a good cause. “”Slowly but surely they’ll win.””
Some sorority women admitted to practicing before coming out yesterday, and said they had multiple strategies to win the trophy presented at the competition’s finale.
“”Our motto is ‘dibs on winning, no dibs on losing,'”” said Taylor Grace, a member of Gamma Phi Beta. “”We’re dead serious and intent on winning this trophy.””
The added preparation showed, as the sorority sisters from Gamma Phi Beta and Kappa Alpha Theta – who had two teams on the hardwood floor – rapidly advanced round after round after dominating their less-prepared competition.
“”We’ve already made room for the trophy in our sorority trophy case,”” said Miller, a regional development junior. “”The competition was pretty intense all day. All the girls were intense.””
This wasn’t the only competition for Grace, a sophomore majoring in communication and regional development, who said she took part in last week’s Delt Games along with her sorority. Delt Games is a weeklong philanthropy event hosted by Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
“”It’s been a pretty philanthropic week,”” Grace said. “”We like to be a part of good competition and good causes. It’s been so much fun.””
Alyssa Fish, a member of Alpha Chi Omega, said yesterday’s tournament was all about people who wanted to come out and have a good time – and who had a quick and strong arm.
“”It was very fair competition, and there was a lot of good athletes on each team,”” said Fish, a visual communication senior. “”It was fun to come out for a good cause, and anything that any of us can do helps.””
This is the first year Kappa Sigma has hosted a dodgeball tournament, which Balzano hopes the fraternity continues for years to come.
“”It’s great to see people come out after a long weekend,”” he said.
Kappa Alpha Theta had two teams participating in the tournament, and the teams dominated the competition, receiving first and second place overall.
