Health & Fitness
In the Spirit of Charity and Competition by Cassidy Alla
Headlight reporter Cassidy Alla reflects on the Jefferson Forum Dodgeball Tournament which was a huge success at MHS.
In the time between the winter and spring sports seasons, MHS is typically in desperate need of competition. To give the students a way to have fun with their friends, raise money for a great cause, and compete for a shining (albeit fragile) trophy during this dull period of the year, the Jefferson Forum Community Service Club had a brilliant idea: a charity dodgeball tournament. And thus, the first annual Jefferson Forum Dodgeball Tournament was born. On March 13th, nearly a hundred players, and over two hundred student spectators convened in the Marblehead High School gym to cheer on their friends and have a good time. Over seven hundred dollars was raised for the Boys and Girls Club of Salem, which was so grateful for the huge donation that they asked members of Jefferson Forum to visit for a tour of the facilities.
The Jefferson Forum Dodgeball Committee had been planning this event for weeks in advance; it is the first major event of this infant club, which was established at the beginning of the 201314 school year. As an officer of the club and a junior at MHS, Cian Saunders claims that the hard work paid off: “To see the school come together for a friendly competition and for such a good cause was awesome. Jefferson Forum put a lot of hard work into the tournament and having support from the school community and students helped make it a success.” A competitor as well, Saunders enjoyed more than just the planning process, stating, “As a participant, I think I can speak to how much fun we had in every step of the process: forming teams, making uniforms, and, of course, playing.” Yes, any spectator can attest to the fact that no over-the-top and hilarious detail was spared in the costuming of the competitors.
MHS whooped and cheered throughout each match, while watching the victorious team, comprised of a group of senior boys, rise to the top. The plastic trophy needed some repair work after a rogueball incident earlier in the tournament, but the winners accepted it with excitement and pride. An atmosphere hungry for competition, a worthy, grateful cause, and a committed group of students came together in a perfect storm to create a hugely successful and fun game. The question is this: who will steal the trophy next year?
