Just like the popular movie, this weekend’s dodgeball tournament, organized by the students in the Sport Event and Facility Management class as a final project, was an  underdog story with a twist.

The tournament, held in the Hill Center last Saturday, started with 27 teams arranged in a single elimination 32-team bracket. The five-person teams had creative and distinct names such as “Balls Deep,” “Drunk Irishmen” and “The Gym Teachers.” After a fierce two hours of play, only two teams remained.

Photo Gallery

Going balls deep

View a photo gallery of students at this past weekend's dodgeball tournament.

The team of “Unusually Attractive Gentlemen,” dressed in basketball jerseys, appeared athletically superior to their opponent “Rule 76,” dressed in matching white T-shirts and blue mesh shorts. “U.A.G.” might not have known, however, that “Rule 76” had previous dodgeball experience.

“We won the intramural dodgeball tournament last year,” sophomore Ryan Bigler of “Rule 76” said.

“Rule 76,” even with its prior wins, had its hands full with the athletic prowess of “Unusually Attractive Gentlemen.” Still, successful dodgeball teams employ maneuverability and strategy, not necessarily strength.

The 15-minute match, one of the longest of the tournament, started evenly and carefully. Players avoided the boundary, launching fast-but-cautious shots at the opposing side. At about the 10-minute mark, it was two vs. three in favor of “U.A.G.” “Rule 76” slickly avoided the cannon-like shots from the opposite side, narrowly dodging elimination by mere inches with choreography-like dodgeball dance moves.

Eventually “Rule 76” whittled “U.A.G” down to just one player after implementing a well-known dodgeball strategy. Both members of “Rule 76” charged the line and launched two balls at once at one opposing player, making it nearly impossible to dodge both balls. Seemingly unfazed, the remaining member of “U.A.G” stealthily planned his next move. While strategizing, however, a member of “Rule 76” threw a ball at his opponent, knocking the ball he was holding out of his hands. According to dodgeball rules, that counts as an elimination. “Rule 76” immediately rushed the court and celebrated their second win in as many years.

The team huddled together for a group picture, holding up the tournament bracket showing “Rule 76” in bright red colors in the center, stating their victory.

Despite seemingly not having a team strategy, they individually used a classic dodgeball approach.

“We aim low and go for the player who’s not looking at you,” sophomore Thomas Bergerstock said.

The class worked on planning the event for weeks but originally developed a different plan.

“We were originally going to do a food eating contest,” sophomore Sponsorship Coordinator Regina Douglas said. “But the school thought that might not be a good idea with liability.”

Peter Han, assistant professor of Sport Management at SUNY-Cortland and teacher of the Sport Event and Facility Management class at Ithaca College, said he was pleased by the turn-out for the tournament.

“We were kind of nervous because we didn’t have enough people registered to fill the spots,” he said. “But at the last minute, we had a lot of people sign up.”

A total of 135 people participated, at a cost of $15 per team to sign up. Half of the proceeds went back to the Department of Sport Management and Media.

As the winner, “Rule 76” received $200 and gift packages from Hollywood Video and Pudgie’s Pizza. The runners-up got their money back, an Eastern Mountain Sports gift card, Tops gift card, a Hollywood Video gift package and a Pudgie’s Pizza gift package.

All participants received the Hollywood Video and Pudgie’s Pizza gift packages.

Along with enticing prize offers, the lure of dodgeball brought in players from all majors. From screaming fans to flying balls to comedic team names, the dodgeball tournament was deemed a fun success.

“Everyone seems to be having fun, and this was a great event,” Douglas said.