'Intense' Dodgeball Tourney Goes Down to the Wire

Just how good is the Western Springs Dodgeball program?

Even after dividing their best players among two teams to ensure parity—at their signature home tournament, no less—Western Springs only missed top honors by a single throw at the Recreation Center's third-annual dodgeball tournament on Sunday.

The championship match came down to a three-on-three sudden-death playoff between the Western Springs "Blue" team and the Glenview-based "Christ Lovahs." Seconds into the playoff, Glenview's Nick Szafranski drilled Western Springs' John McQuillan in the back left side of the court to claim the $300 prize and end a long string of frustration for his team, who have placed second in their last five consecutive tournaments. (See Szafranski's $300 throw to the right.)

"We've struggled," said a happy Szafranski after the match. "We've gotten to this point before and lost in the second overtime—always a bridesmaid, never a bride. [Today] we're the bride, I guess."

The loss was hardly crippling for Western Springs, who created two teams ("White" and "Blue") for the tournament by pairing three seasoned adult players with three inexperienced teenagers or middle-schoolers. While the White team was eliminated in the quarterfinals, Blue upset the no. 1 seeded "Scrap City" (which also included Western Springs players on its roster, and practices at the Recreation Center) to make the finals. (Scrap City placed third, winning a wacky consolation match filled with trick throws and showmanship.)

"[Playing Scrap City] was easier for us than the championship game, because we've never seen that team before," said WSDB Blue captain Dave Blazek. "We played as a team. In sudden death it can go either way—it goes pretty quick."

Eleven teams (of 13 who registered) showed up for the tournament, a successful showing for the organizers.

Western Springs Dodgeball is unquestionably the strongest program in the National Amateur Dodgeball Association (NADA,) which is based out of Schaumburg and hosts teams from throughout the Midwest. Founded by locals Jimmy Osterhout and Brad Rackow in 2001, the program has grown to include over 100 players.

A team from Western Springs has won every NADA tournament in the past nine years, according to tournament organizer Ben Klingberg of La Grange Park. (The current double-punch of quality teams are "P-Squared" and "Double Rainbow Force Whoa.")

Klingberg calls the Chicago region a central hub for competitive dodgeball. "There's a large community here that play regularly," he said. "Chicago has plenty of places to play, and it's easy for teams to form and then travel to Schaumburg for a big tournament."

The sport is growing nationally as well, fueled by all-ages appeal as well as increased media portrayal, including the 2004 Ben Stiller hit film "DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story." Glen Spejcher of Bloomingdale, who attended the tournament, even plays for the "professional dodgeball" team Chicago Vendetta, and is attempting to launch a pro league with teams in major cities.

But meanwhile, the future success of the Western Springs (decidedly amateur) program is imperative upon the introduction of skilled youth as older members phase out. So when middle-school players like LTHS freshman Robert Watkins come away from a tournament cheerful an impressed, that future looks bright.

"It was pretty intense," said Watkins, who was playing in his first-ever dodgeball tournament, for the White team. "More intense than I thought it would be."

Western Springs dodgeball meets in the Recreation Center every Friday evening from 7:00 to 8:30 for 5th-8th grade players and from 8:30-10:00 for adults. Newcomers from the area are always welcome.

The teams will next compete at the NADA winter nationals in Schaumburg. More information about NADA is available at www.dodgeballusa.com.