Looking to “dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge” for a good cause? The deadline to sign up for the Battle of the Buckeyes first annual dodgeball tournament has been extended to 5:30 p.m. today.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) is sponsoring the Battle of the Buckeyes tournament, which is a way for athletes to give back within the community, said MacKenzie Pecor, event organizer and external affairs chairman of SAAB.
“This year we decided on a dodgeball tournament to benefit Team Meghan,” Pecor said. “(Her foundation) just worked perfect.”
Meghan Kinney, a former Ohio State student, synchronized swimmer and national champion and Olympian, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, in 2010.
Students created a website, teammeghan.com, in order to help the Kinney family financially during their hard time. Having raised over $10,000, they hope to have reached their goal of $25,000 by the fall, according to teammeghan.com.
Meghan Kinney, 21, did not respond to email for comment.
“I think this is a great thing to do. The fact that she was a student-athlete here makes me more motivated to participate because I’m a student-athlete,” said Julie Walsh, a first-year in exploration and member of the rowing team.
Pecor said on Thursday there were 12 teams registered for the tournament, but she expects more with the extended deadline. There is no charge to play, but rather a $5 donation per person of each team.
If the average team has six members, and there are 12 teams total in the tournament, that will raise about $360 for Team Meghan.
SAAB will also have “Support Team Meghan” bands similar to Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong bands for sale by donation during the tournament, Pecor said.
“Bands have been sold at many athletic contests this year but this is the last event (this year) to get one,” Pecor said. “Next year they will be sold during football games and a lot of other athletic contests in the fall.”
The tournament is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. Saturday in the lower gym of the RPAC. It will be six on six and double elimination, Pecor said. Teams may consist of all men, all women or they can be coed.
More information including the rules, registration info and the tournament flier can be found on the Battle of the Buckeyes Facebook page at www.facebook.com/battleofthebuckeyes.
“The winners will receive prizes. Hang Over Easy is one of our main sponsors,” Pecor said. “A couple local restaurants like that have donated gift cards for the winners.”
Some students feel that word of the tournament could’ve been spread better around campus.
“I found out about (the tournament) yesterday,” said Connor Johnson, a first-year in business. “If I had known I would’ve liked to play. It’s for a good cause but now it’s basically too late to find a team and sign up.”
