By Randee Schmitt

One sophomore stands alone, bravely facing a team of juniors and seniors. A ball is thrown, but he swiftly sidesteps to avoid being pegged. Holding their breath, the crowd stands on tiptoes awaiting the outcome of the match. All is silent until the last player’s out.

The Maverick student council held a charity dodge ball tournament on Saturday Oct. 27 to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. Thirteen teams competed head to head in friendly competition, but only one team walked away with a victory.

“I wanted to come up with another way to raise money because we usually just collect change but I wanted to come up with a way to raise more money than usual for the Ronald McDonald House,” student council sponsor Julie Masters said.

With teams of six to eight people, everyone from football players to softball players, and student council members alike, paid 5 dollars to register their teams. For three hours the participants hurled balls back and forth, each team determined to win.

“We were able to pick the charity we wanted to contribute to, and I’ve always volunteered for the Ronald McDonald House and when I was in college I did too, and I think it’s a great corporation,” Masters said. “Heaven forbid someone end up in that situation, but it’s a great place for families to stay when their children are sick and receiving care. It’s a good organization that always has been close to my heart.”

Warming up for the days’ activities, the teams gathered in the bleachers while Masters went through the basic dodge ball rules. Then, it was go-time. During the head to head competition, the teams played a number of hard fought games, ducking, diving, throwing, and catching their way up the leader board. Finally, the team WTHA walked away with the ultimate victory after facing the Purple Cobras in the final game.

“When making our team, we chose our football family because of that connection we already had with each other,” junior and participant Jordan Brown said. “It was all for a good cause and was a fun and really good way to raise money.”

An estimated 360 dollars was raised on Saturday alone. After factoring in the amount of money collected through donations taken by student council members, it’s safe to say they certainly did their part in helping the Ronald McDonald House.

“[The dodge ball tournament] shows how together as a school we are, and it shows how ready we are to help people who need help. And, we do it in a fun way. Not only are we helping the community, but we’re bringing the community together,” junior and student council member Valerie Campos said.