by Rebecca Rider

rebecca.rider@salisburypost.com

GRANITE QUARRY — Erwin Middle School is winding up for its yearly dodgeball tournament — but this time with a twist.

Now in its 11th year, the “Big Dodge” is a school-wide dodgeball tournament which raises money for Erwin’s student council. But this year, organizers also hope to host a second tournament between the district’s seven middle schools.

Erwin will have roughly 28 teams participating in its own double-elimination tournament later this month, but hopes to garner enough support to host a separate tournament, featuring three eight-person teams from each school, on March 10. They’re calling it the “Dodgeball Showdown.”

“It’s not cutthroat competition, it’s just fun,” organizer James Mathis said.

Mathis said that the school tried to do a similar collaborative tournament about six years ago.

“And nothing happened,” he said. “No one was interested.”

He, and the school’s student council, hope that this year will be different — the tournament can raise quite a bit of money.

Last year Erwin raised approximately $3,500 during the Big Dodge. At Erwin, all that money goes to the student council. But not every school has one, Erwin Student Council President Bryson Loflyn said. In the case of the showdown, schools would have the ability to choose how to spend that money — whether it goes to the student council, a club or another school group.

Plans are for Showdown funds to be split between schools according to attendance, Mathis said. Each person who comes to watch the tournament would be asked which school they represented — that money will then be sent to their school.

Student leaders from each middle school have been invited to view Erwin’s Big Dodge, free of charge, to see how the tournament normally plays out. Mathis and the student council have provided tickets for up to five students from each of the six middle schools, and they hope students will take advantage of it.

Should other schools choose to participate in the showdown, each of the three teams will be able to pick out a team shirt color and customize their outfit — as long as it doesn’t violate any standing school dress code. Teams can be any combination of grade levels, but must be school sanctioned and have a teacher supervisor.

If all goes as planned, the showdown will take place in the Erwin Middle School gym at 4 p.m. on March 10.

Mathis and other organizers are still waiting to hear back from local schools, and said a decision hasn’t yet been made about the minimum number of teams needed to put on the event. But they’re hoping there will be a good turnout.

“We hope it’s a big time,” Mathis said.

Interested parties can visit www.dodgeballshowdown.weebly.com for more information.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.