At Armuchee High School, the teachers put on a dodgeball tournament in March for students to compete in, in our colosseum. This dodgeball tournament is a rewarding experience for students that have no missing assignments within their classes. Some teachers even give students the opportunity to gain extra credit for their class if they choose to participate in the tournament. Bella Duck said, “The only reason I participated is because Mrs. Floyd told me she would give me an extended deadline if I played and I needed that.” This tournament is a great opportunity for students to better their grades if they are willing.
Playing in the tournament can be a fun experience for some, and a nerve wracking experience for others. Choosing to play multiple games of dodgeball in front of the entire school requires much courage and bravery. Cooper Jenkins said, “I wasn’t that nervous to play in front of everyone because I was with my friends, so it was a lot less pressure.” On the other hand, Mickey Fernandez said, “Yes, I was very nervous.” Being able to compete against your peers can be frightening or enjoyable. Bella Duck said, “It was scary to play against and in front of my classmates, but it was super fun and I enjoyed it.” Some did not enjoy having to compete against their classmates and friends. Omar Santos said, “I did not like competing against my peers because it was super competitive.” Even though some people were nervous or intimidated, it ended up being a super fun experience for players and spectators.
The reigning champions of the dodgeball tournament, Slime Belief, have played on the same team and won for the past three years. Due to this undefeated victory, many people had a lack of confidence in their team winning. Cooper Jenkins said, “I did not think we were going to win because of that stacked team with all the seniors. I knew we would have a good chance at getting second place though and we ended up getting that.” Gabe Dehart is a senior that played on the team that holds the champion title from the last three years. He said, “I figured my team would win since we won the past three years.” Every year, the teams grow to be more competitive and more of a challenge to beat.
Once you are able to overlook the stress of the tournament, you start to have a lot of fun. Cooper Jenkins said, “My favorite memory was being out there with all of my friends and spending time with them. It was fun to try something new and I don’t regret it at all.” Each team created a name that was personal to them or that they felt represented them well. Logan Johnson, a freshman, said, “Our team’s name was Lebron, because Lebron James is the greatest.” Everyone playing wanted to make the most fun out of the tournament, which is why they picked people to be on their teams that they knew would have fun with them. Gabe Dehart said, “The people that were on my team are my closest friends.” Some teams did not have enough players to participate, so they recruited people in order to qualify. Freshman Blane Carpenter said, “My team did not have enough people to play so they asked if I would play with them.” The dodgeball tournament gave groups of friends a chance to have fun together alongside giving people the chance to make new friends with their other teammates.
The dodgeball tournament serves as a rewarding experience for student’s dedication to completing their work inside and outside of the classroom. Armuchee High School’s softball and baseball coach, Andy Henderson said, “I think the tournament gives students the chance to loosen up at school since they’re in a stress free environment where they can participate, watch the games, and hangout with their friends for a couple of hours.” The dodgeball tournament is a great opportunity for students to reflect on all they have accomplished in the semester as they enjoy their free time with their friends. “Freshman Fallyn Hinkamper did not participate in the tournament, but enjoyed watching from the sidelines with her friends. She said, “The dodgeball tournament encourages students to work hard in school to work for such a fun reward.” This tournament has given students an encouraging incentive to strive for the best while working hard during school.
