When most people think of dodgeball they picture elementary-aged kids taking a break from writing and arithmetic to blow off some steam in their school gymnasium.
But for a group of people in the Tri-Cities, dodgeball is a game reserved not only for the young but the young at heart.
Since 2007, grown adults have been meeting in school gymnasiums across the city every Wednesday night, organized into teams under the banner of the Coquiltam Dodgeball League.
"I think we are people that want to recapture that nostalgia," said Darren Domingo, one of the league's founders. "People like running around and doing the stuff they did when they were a kid."
Domingo launched the league with friends Mason Foulkes and Mark Williams as an offshoot to the Vancouver Dodgeball League. Back then, 16 teams signed up, a number that has grown to close to 40 today.
While many sports are struggling to draw new recruits, Domingo and his colleagues are even mulling expansion.
"We are not really sure yet," he said. "The big issue is gym space."
The rules are simple: six players take the court from each team and attempt to knock the other teams players out with a ball. The team with the last player standing wins the match.
Skill levels vary throughout the league, but Domingo said CDL is good at making sure that teams are in the appropriate tier. Those that just want to have fun and run around are ranked lower, while the more serious dodgeball players are ranked higher, he added.
There's a website, a schedule and standings and the league wraps up with a one-day playoff tournament at the end of the year. A season begins with exhibition games on Oct. 1 and finishes at the end of January.
"If you are new or not quite as athletic, we have a place for you," he said. "There are quite a few players that are all across the spectrum."
While the competition can be fierce, Domingo said there is also a social aspect that has become an important part of the league.
Team often meet up after games at various watering holes around the city, getting to know some of the competition off the court.
"We really embrace the community aspect," Domingo said. "Most players like to come out to the bar after - we have a weekly pub night."
For more information about the league or to register a team, go to www.cdldodgeball.ca.
