The Future of Dodgeball at Kean

By: Jaime Alicea III

Intramural dodgeball first started here at Kean University four years ago by a student named Stephen Barnes.  For those of you who do not know what dodgeball is, it’s a sport in which players on two teams try to throw balls at each other while avoiding being hit themselves.

“Stephen Barnes started intramural dodgeball here at Kean and we’ve continued it for the people who love the sport,” said Colin Dowling, a dodgeball player.

All students have those stressful days where they want to pull their hair out or yell at a teacher.  Dodgeball allows students to release the stress they’ve endured throughout their day on the dodgeball court.

“I play dodgeball because the semesters can be long at times and it’s a great way to relieve stress,” Dowling said.

The dodgeball events bring a variety of fun and competitiveness for all students.  All participants, including girls, are treated fairly and with respect. The intramural sport has also made a student by the name of Ibrahim Hayek quite popular.  Who could forget Ibrahim’s insane acrobatic spin in the air, as he dodged the ball thrown at him and threw one of his own while in the air to get his opponent out.  The video of the spectacular ordeal went viral on YouTube, even appearing on shows like Comedy Central’s “Key and Peele” and MTV’s “Ridiculousness.”

The intramural dodgeball members have also created Facebook and Twitter groups, named Kean Dodgeball. The Kean dodgeball Facebook and Twitter groups allow members to see important event dates, canceled dodgeball sessions or even do a little smack talking before playing on the court.  The dodgeball Facebook group has almost 200 members now and continues to grow every day.

“I play Dodgeball every week because of the nostalgia factor,” Myles Jenkins said.

On Dec. 6, two teams from the intramural dodgeball group traveled to a sports complex in Mahwah,  and represented Kean in a cash prize dodgeball tournament, with proceeds going to the Ocular Melanoma Foundation. The tournament was sponsored by a dodgeball group named Elite Dragon.

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