Dodge Through

For every action there is a reaction. Sometimes the "reaction" is minute and only makes a small ripple on the surface of our world, but every so often the tremor sweeps the nation in a wave of revolution. These "reac- tions" can range from horrendously horrible results such as the assassina- tion of the Austrian archduke which triggered World War One. Other times they are solely a benevolent force like the Brit-Pop invasion in the 60's which brought music such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones to North America. The common ground that ties many of these "reactions" together is the fact that the catalysts don't always realize _ their role in fate's tapestry.. When the Beatles started as a rebellious rock group doing small shows in Hamburg, Germany they had no inkling of the kind of tidal wave they would make in the musical world. Every avalanche starts with just a few pebbles just as every cultural movement starts with a vision.

Think of a future when your kids will run home excited because they made the UPEI Dodgeball team. We'll be able to sit them down and tell them the tale of hardship, perseverance and gads of fun.

Jt all began with a conversa- tion. Within this conversation there contained an idea. An idea of epic potential that was never imagined by the four young students . A week prior to this conversation these 4 fellows were participating in an annual compe- tition between the actors of the Charlottetown festival and the Confederation players. Joey Weale, Mattieu Arsenault, Brodie MacRae, and myself were involved in this com- petition, just as we were the year before. It was a competition of skill, wits, bravery, and heart. The game was Dodgeball. Yes, the game that we all played in elementary school. It was the game that was usurped by "real"

Cs ee ee a

sports such as soccer or hockey once we hit junior high. But we all knew in our hearts how dodge ball would never die.

This conversation that I men- tioned earlier took place at my house during a BBQ held by my sister. Mr. Weale, Mr. Arsenault, and myself where enjoying the food while con- vincing the guests that my dog's jerky treats were the best beef jerky in town. That is when the conversation in ques- tion, the one that would soon be known to have been the catalyst for an event of epic proportions, started. It began by discussing the war waged on the court the week prior. We started to realize the pure essence that this game contained and its prospective healing properties. That is when the epiphany hit us in such a way that it couldn't be chained back any longer. It was time to take this game onto the court for good. At this point in the eruption of ideas, Brodie came into the conversation full force. He was dumbstruck by such a revelation and the four realized what

- they must do. Suddenly we were

brought down from our higher plane of enlightenment by the realization of what kind of planning it would take to pull this massive event off.

We let the summer run its course, unsure of our vision's foggy future. Nonetheless, we held our heads high and hoped for the best.

- When the new school year

started it had been some time since the four had talked. Mattieu had parted company with the group and returned to his schooling in Quebec where he is rumoured to be spreading the word of dodgeball. Joey and Brodie came to continue there pursuits of knowledge, while I came here to start my journey of costly courses and seemingly worth- less degrees. I had come to believe that our idea would not prevail and that it would be left to rot in the recesses of our minds. But I was utterly mistaken. I ran into Joe in the New Student Centre about a week into school. He

‘presented the fact that he had talked to - the gym and all we needed to do was

set a day and time. He had thrown the few pebbles that were needed to get the avalanche rolling. After that it was a landslide of activity and the quiet murmurs of a possible "Dodgeball Club" turned into the deafening roar that we hear today. Joe made and post- ed posters at many hotspots. He enlist- ed the aid of many to spread his word across the campus. Everything was coming together. Joe was a beacon of light for an oppressed game that many neglected since leaving elementary school. ' The first night was a time of high tension for the club's first mem- bers. The possibility of failure still reared its ugly head in our minds. We came to the gym ready to play a 6 per- son game for we feared that the gener-

the Troubles of Your Life

By Dan MacRAE

ation of today might not be ready for such a cultural revolution. Our fears were obliterated once we witnessed the first of many to start flocking towards the court of enlightenment. We pre- pared ourselves for a night of therapeu- tic combat. And such a night was had.

Since our idea's birth into the

world and its glorious acceptance by our society, we've pushed our move- ment to achieve new territory and

attain a state of cosmic significance that has never been attained before. I managed to chat with the initiator about the game. Joey Weale was the one who carried and nurtured this

proverbial baby into the adolescent

stage that it now embodies. "Dodgeball is a powerful

metaphor for life. Just as in life some- times you need to run away from your

problems, or "dodge" them. Other times you need to turn and face your fears, catch the problem, and throw it at your enemies. And also, just as in real life sometimes people go to jail. But just like in real life you can get out of jail by throwing balls at your cap- tors. So, you see, it's a very powerful metaphor."

He and many others will help it

blossom into full adulthood and last for generations to come. Think of the

future when your kids will run home excited because they made the UPEI Dodgeball team. We'll be able to sit them down and tell them the tale of hardship, perseverance and gads of

fun. This event takes place from 6-8 on » sundays at the Panther gym.

It's been said that everybody who's anybody comes to Dodgeball, and frankly, you are anybody. "Somewhere beyond right doing and

wrong doing there is a Dodgeball

court. Come join us there."

Dodge Ball takes place in the gym on:

-Sundays -6pm to 8pm

Everyone welcome!

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