Adventure Club Goes Ballistic in Dodge Ball Tournament

In mid-November, the Dodgeball Tournament, hosted by the Adventure Club and its advisors, Shauna Campbell and Sarah Jones, took place in Malden High’s gym, inviting many students from all grades to play against each other. 

The event was a dodgeball tournament in which many students were able to come together to participate. Not only did students come from different grades, but teachers even took part in the event against students to raise the anticipation level.

This tournament was a fundraiser for the Adventure Club, and every year the club hosts this event in November. 

There were a variety of different teams that played against each other in a bracket format, which narrowed the teams down to see who was able to move on to the next round. Certain teams lost because of certain flaws, such as turning their backs or underestimating the opposing teams, resulting in their elimination. 

Throughout the game, many students and teachers threw balls at each other with no hesitation and pure competition in their eyes. The games were fueled by vigorous passion that was clearly seen by those in attendance.

Both sophomores Eli Horton and Joey Isles were part of one of the teams that made it to the final game. Horton spoke on his mindset during the games; he was very competitive and made it clear with sharp movements and a confident manner that reflected how much he wanted to win. “I was giving it my all and made sure to have enough confidence to pull me through it and the possibility of a win,” Horton said. 

As teams were eliminated,  the rivalry and intensity heightened. 

Little altercations were apparent in the game and they would usually be about how one team felt about the points and who received them. These were quickly forgotten as the game went on and brought teams to the final round.

Advisor Campbell had many thoughts about this tournament, as well as reactions.

“We were looking for a fun fundraiser that was sports-related but didn’t require being on an official sports team—just gym skills and that anyone could participate,” Campbell said. 

When asked about her initial thoughts and what she wanted to include for the tournament, Campbell stated that “I was excited that students coordinated their outfits and were excited to play; the trophy was something we really wanted to include and hope to have a club and events trophy case at school at some point.” 

Campbell generally thought of being inclusive for all participants and wanted them to enjoy themselves more than anything. 

At the end of the tournament, the Throwback Boys team had won, and everyone in the gym raised and cheered on the team, finishing off the event with a unique prize: a trophy that helped commemorate the win and celebrate the Adventure Club’s event.