You know how it goes, in all those feel-good-sport-movies. It’s all about the underdog’s struggle for acceptance and to win over the mighty. It all happens at the last possible minute, that turnaround to overcome all odds and win. It only happens in the movies right? Well, there is a possibility that you can be that underdog-slash-hero. I have one such story that made me the hero of the day when I was around eleven years old. My brothers and I still talk about that story to this day.
Children nowadays seem to have lost out on those wonderful summers I grew up having. With their video games, internet and cliques or small circle of friends, they don’t see the potential of what a simple game of dodge ball can offer in their neighbourhood.
As a kid, I spent my summers up north to stay at my mom’s village on the Cree territory. I loved those summers so much because of several things. One, because we were up north, the sun only sets at around ten thirty or eleven in the evening in the summer. This meant we came home at sunset around eleven. Two, we were surrounded by pine trees which made exploring in those little clusters of trees within the village so much fun. Three, summer wasn’t as muggy as it was in the city. That meant that during the weekdays while my mom was working, we could still enjoy playing outside. Instead of the dilemma in the city where we wished we could go cool off at the swimming pool but can’t because dad was at work. Finally, we would mingle with a large number of kids from different parts of the village to play outdoor games like tag ball, hide and go seek, dodge ball or even a game we like to call “Andy-over”. We would even make up a bunch of different types of games played outside with a large group of kids.
Cousins, siblings, their friends and our friends would all get together to play an assortment of games. Boys and girls, kids and teens all got together to play. The most popular game we would all agree to was dodge ball. So we chose two captains. The captains would then choose their buddies in the oldest version of survivor, to outwit and outlast that missile in the guise of a big pink rubber ball. Once all the players were chosen, we would all go in our respective square that was formed in the dirt by one of the players as the teams were forming. It was usually one large square divided in two to accommodate the teams that would play within the bounds. With the toss of a coin we would see who had the first chance to shoot the ball.
The rules were simple; Throw the ball at the opposing team in hopes of hitting a player out. If that player decided to catch the ball instead of dodging it and manage to catch the fast ball aimed towards them, then that meant they got the chance to throw that ball to get the opposing player out. The players who were tagged out, would go on the opposite end of the large square for a chance to grab the ball that went out of bounds to tag their opponent and perhaps even get revenge on the one who got them out. Even if you were out, this was one way to keep the players in play. It made one hell of a dynamic game. The thing that ensured whether or not you won was to see that last player standing within the bounds created for the game.
The older ones were the lethal ones. They threw the ball fast and hard. It was hard enough to feel the pinch of that rubber on your skin, even through your tee-shirt. We all dreaded seeing that ball in the hands of the big kids. The big kids usually picked off the tougher opponents first, which were usually the big kids on the opposing team. We little kids were no threat to them because we didn’t throw as hard or as well as them to tag them out. We usually would try to avoid being hit and if possible manage to get our hands on that ball to pass it over to the out of bounds players who would do their best to tag out the opposing team.
So one day, we had a large group of kids gather in our neighbourhood in hopes of playing dodge ball. It was an overcast day, not too hot and with a slight breeze. Perfect day, because that meant the large horseflies, that buzz around you incessantly, hoping to land on you and take a chunk outta you leaving a nice large itchy bump, were nowhere in sight. The teams formed and on the opposing team was the largest guy in our group, a giant. He was like a linebacker for a football team with an arm of major league baseball pitcher, or at least that’s what I thought when I saw this guy play. We were all scared of him and our opposing team was smug and confident that they were going to win this game, easy-peasy. The ball was partially deflated but still playable and still able to bounce off the opponents who were the unfortunate ones to be in the line of fire.
The game progressed and everyone on my team was picked off one by one. Many of the players ignored me to pick off the harder players, as was the usual strategy of both teams. If any aimed at me, instead of aiming for the big guy, I would be quick and spry enough to dodge the ball. My team eventually dwindled down to only me. I remember how the ball would be passed from the inside bounds group to the outside bounds of the opposing team, all trying to tag me out.
My strategy was simple, I would just keep an eye at the opponent who took aim and would dodge at the last second. This strategy was keeping us alive in the game. My tagged out team members would cheer me on. I could see some of them waiting in suspense, seeing if I could just dodge that ball one more time. Most of all, they were all hoping I could get my hands on the ball to pass to them to tag the remaining opponents out. Zoom! Dodge! Whiz! Dodge! Whoosh! Dodge!
Then, the unthinkable happened. As the giant caught the ball and I turned to face him for another dodge, I tripped and fell on my back. I could hear the collective groan of my teammates as they would witness my certain demise at the hands of the giant. I was on my back with my knees up towards my opponent. I could see his arrogant smile that indicated “easy pickings” when looking at my defenceless form on the ground. I swear I could hear him chuckle an evil: “Heh, heh, heh.”, before he lamely threw the ball at me. There was no point in throwing the ball hard at helpless little ol’ me and it’s not very sportsman like as well.
Thanks to the slightly deflated ball combined with the soft throw of the giant, a miracles of all miracles happened; I managed to catch the ball between my knees! The cheers from my team were deafening as the giant’s eyes widen in surprise. He never expected this to happen and honestly neither did I. So I got up from the ground with the ball in my hands. Stunned, surprised, delighted at my luck, I looked at my teammates who were all excited at the turn of events.
In my enthusiasm, instead of tossing the ball across for my teammates to out the opposing team, I made the mistake of aiming the ball towards the giant. I may have been fast on my feet but my throws were no match for the giants’ big hands to catch. Again, his smile was arrogant as he went to catch it thinking my luck has finally run its course and he could tag me out once and for all.
Then against all odds, lightning struck twice, the ball bounced out of the giant’s hands. I swear, my memory retains that moment in slow motion just like in all those feel-good-sport-movies and I see the ball fall to the ground with a deafening sound of one bounce (remember the ball was slightly deflated). The giant was tagged out. Yelps of delight and more cheers from my teammates as our rivals looked on slack jawed at the impossible. Their sure thing was out and the ball rolled out of bounds and into the hands of my teammates which easily picked off the rivals one by one, making us win!
Of course, I’d like to say that my teammates picked me up to carry me on their shoulders while a closing theme song like: “We are the Champions” by Queen plays in the back ground like they do in the movies, but you’ll have to settle with the following which in my opinion is better than any movie. The giant smiled at me and patted me on the back saying: “Good game.” It was a fun game full of surprises. I can safely say that my brothers were damn proud of their sister that day and I may have, at least for a little while, gone up a notch in their books. The proof is that, ever since then, every once in a while, my brothers and I reminisce about the time we played dodge ball and won against the giant.
Children nowadays seem to have lost out on those wonderful summers I grew up having. With their video games, internet and cliques or small circle of friends, they don’t see the potential of what a simple game of dodge ball can offer in their neighbourhood.
As a kid, I spent my summers up north to stay at my mom’s village on the Cree territory. I loved those summers so much because of several things. One, because we were up north, the sun only sets at around ten thirty or eleven in the evening in the summer. This meant we came home at sunset around eleven. Two, we were surrounded by pine trees which made exploring in those little clusters of trees within the village so much fun. Three, summer wasn’t as muggy as it was in the city. That meant that during the weekdays while my mom was working, we could still enjoy playing outside. Instead of the dilemma in the city where we wished we could go cool off at the swimming pool but can’t because dad was at work. Finally, we would mingle with a large number of kids from different parts of the village to play outdoor games like tag ball, hide and go seek, dodge ball or even a game we like to call “Andy-over”. We would even make up a bunch of different types of games played outside with a large group of kids.
Cousins, siblings, their friends and our friends would all get together to play an assortment of games. Boys and girls, kids and teens all got together to play. The most popular game we would all agree to was dodge ball. So we chose two captains. The captains would then choose their buddies in the oldest version of survivor, to outwit and outlast that missile in the guise of a big pink rubber ball. Once all the players were chosen, we would all go in our respective square that was formed in the dirt by one of the players as the teams were forming. It was usually one large square divided in two to accommodate the teams that would play within the bounds. With the toss of a coin we would see who had the first chance to shoot the ball.
The rules were simple; Throw the ball at the opposing team in hopes of hitting a player out. If that player decided to catch the ball instead of dodging it and manage to catch the fast ball aimed towards them, then that meant they got the chance to throw that ball to get the opposing player out. The players who were tagged out, would go on the opposite end of the large square for a chance to grab the ball that went out of bounds to tag their opponent and perhaps even get revenge on the one who got them out. Even if you were out, this was one way to keep the players in play. It made one hell of a dynamic game. The thing that ensured whether or not you won was to see that last player standing within the bounds created for the game.
The older ones were the lethal ones. They threw the ball fast and hard. It was hard enough to feel the pinch of that rubber on your skin, even through your tee-shirt. We all dreaded seeing that ball in the hands of the big kids. The big kids usually picked off the tougher opponents first, which were usually the big kids on the opposing team. We little kids were no threat to them because we didn’t throw as hard or as well as them to tag them out. We usually would try to avoid being hit and if possible manage to get our hands on that ball to pass it over to the out of bounds players who would do their best to tag out the opposing team.
So one day, we had a large group of kids gather in our neighbourhood in hopes of playing dodge ball. It was an overcast day, not too hot and with a slight breeze. Perfect day, because that meant the large horseflies, that buzz around you incessantly, hoping to land on you and take a chunk outta you leaving a nice large itchy bump, were nowhere in sight. The teams formed and on the opposing team was the largest guy in our group, a giant. He was like a linebacker for a football team with an arm of major league baseball pitcher, or at least that’s what I thought when I saw this guy play. We were all scared of him and our opposing team was smug and confident that they were going to win this game, easy-peasy. The ball was partially deflated but still playable and still able to bounce off the opponents who were the unfortunate ones to be in the line of fire.
The game progressed and everyone on my team was picked off one by one. Many of the players ignored me to pick off the harder players, as was the usual strategy of both teams. If any aimed at me, instead of aiming for the big guy, I would be quick and spry enough to dodge the ball. My team eventually dwindled down to only me. I remember how the ball would be passed from the inside bounds group to the outside bounds of the opposing team, all trying to tag me out.
My strategy was simple, I would just keep an eye at the opponent who took aim and would dodge at the last second. This strategy was keeping us alive in the game. My tagged out team members would cheer me on. I could see some of them waiting in suspense, seeing if I could just dodge that ball one more time. Most of all, they were all hoping I could get my hands on the ball to pass to them to tag the remaining opponents out. Zoom! Dodge! Whiz! Dodge! Whoosh! Dodge!
Then, the unthinkable happened. As the giant caught the ball and I turned to face him for another dodge, I tripped and fell on my back. I could hear the collective groan of my teammates as they would witness my certain demise at the hands of the giant. I was on my back with my knees up towards my opponent. I could see his arrogant smile that indicated “easy pickings” when looking at my defenceless form on the ground. I swear I could hear him chuckle an evil: “Heh, heh, heh.”, before he lamely threw the ball at me. There was no point in throwing the ball hard at helpless little ol’ me and it’s not very sportsman like as well.
Thanks to the slightly deflated ball combined with the soft throw of the giant, a miracles of all miracles happened; I managed to catch the ball between my knees! The cheers from my team were deafening as the giant’s eyes widen in surprise. He never expected this to happen and honestly neither did I. So I got up from the ground with the ball in my hands. Stunned, surprised, delighted at my luck, I looked at my teammates who were all excited at the turn of events.
In my enthusiasm, instead of tossing the ball across for my teammates to out the opposing team, I made the mistake of aiming the ball towards the giant. I may have been fast on my feet but my throws were no match for the giants’ big hands to catch. Again, his smile was arrogant as he went to catch it thinking my luck has finally run its course and he could tag me out once and for all.
Then against all odds, lightning struck twice, the ball bounced out of the giant’s hands. I swear, my memory retains that moment in slow motion just like in all those feel-good-sport-movies and I see the ball fall to the ground with a deafening sound of one bounce (remember the ball was slightly deflated). The giant was tagged out. Yelps of delight and more cheers from my teammates as our rivals looked on slack jawed at the impossible. Their sure thing was out and the ball rolled out of bounds and into the hands of my teammates which easily picked off the rivals one by one, making us win!
Of course, I’d like to say that my teammates picked me up to carry me on their shoulders while a closing theme song like: “We are the Champions” by Queen plays in the back ground like they do in the movies, but you’ll have to settle with the following which in my opinion is better than any movie. The giant smiled at me and patted me on the back saying: “Good game.” It was a fun game full of surprises. I can safely say that my brothers were damn proud of their sister that day and I may have, at least for a little while, gone up a notch in their books. The proof is that, ever since then, every once in a while, my brothers and I reminisce about the time we played dodge ball and won against the giant.