Adult Dodgeball

SISTERS — Sweat-soaked Central Oregonians spent their Saturday reliving elementary school gym class glories — and comparing welts — at the first-ever Mountain Man Dodgeball Classic in Sisters.

Organized by the Sisters Park & Recreation District, the tournament matched five teams at the Sisters High School gym, mostly drawn from the greater Sisters area. Tournament director Michael Tessier with the park district said it was a first step in an effort to bring casual sports enthusiasts to Sisters.

“We’re looking to create new events that will draw people to Sisters, and from outside Central Oregon, too,” he said.

Dodgeball “may be a little too casual,” Tessier said — originally, the hope was to stage a two-day tournament, but the district struggled to sign up enough teams. Nonetheless, he said the tournament will be given a few years to grow, and the district will forge ahead with a scattering of adult softball, disc golf and Ultimate Frisbee tournaments this summer.

Sitting on the sidelines, teammates Chris Harwell and Stephanie Howrey agreed the team organized by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District was the strongest group of players, though they seemed to be tiring as the day went on.

Harwell excitedly recalled their prior match against the fire district team.

Howrey, the last player on the floor representing the R & R Plumbing team, danced back and forth as the firefighters zeroed their focus on her, then belly-flopped on the floor to evade three simultaneous throws.

“They had their three best guys on her, and they didn’t go easy on her,” Harwell said. “They just launched it at her and she hit the deck.”

Though her dive drew approving oohs from the audience, Howrey said she wasn’t aiming at a highlight play.

“All I’m thinking is, don’t break my glasses,” she said.

Conrad Kiefer, playing with a team of Sisters city employees, said it had been a fun day, playing alongside his wife, Carrie, while their son Sawyer chased out-of-bounds balls around the gym.

Kiefer said he’s hoping the tournament attracts more teams in the future. He said he really wanted to go head-to-head against teams of other city employees from around the region, but said — only half boasting — his counterparts in other communities were “afraid.”

“They should all put together a team next year,” he said.

— Reporter: 541-383-0387, shammers@bendbulletin.com

“We’re looking to create new events that will draw people to Sisters, and from outside Central Oregon, too.” — Michael Tessier, Sisters Park & Recreation District