Anyone remember that game, dodge-ball? It was the tic-tac-toe or rock-paper-scissor-shoe of gym. No? Well, I don’t blame you. In about every movie that has even one scene of school in it, there was always a scene of dodge-ball. Most don’t remember playing that game at all, but probably had if they are over the age of twelve. I, personally, remember it clearly for the soul-reason that it was taken away. Why? Because so many parents complained about it. Why? Because it’s hard for some kids to avoid air-filled pieces of red-rubber. Ridiculous, right?
Now, let me try to start this off correctly. Dodge-ball was my favorite game in elementary school before they had it banned. But wait, they need a game to play during rainy days and winter. So the question arose; what are we going to replace it with? Well, that day, they developed a game that just reeked of boredom. What was that game? Well, Bean-Bag -- Toe-Touch, of course!
Now, how can I describe this game? It was like swimming with water wings in sport form. It was like saying that we weren’t ready for a real sport that took some skill. Here is the game: slide a bean bag across the floor, and if it hits their shoes, they go to jail. If it hits anywhere above their feet, you’re out. For starts: What? We can’t even throw them? We have to slide them? I fail to see any physical activity, which is what gym all about.
I can still remember dodge-ball so vividly, like it was yesterday. The heat of the moment, and the constant predictions being computed into your head. When you played dodge-ball, you would see your friends hit and would eventually fall, only to wait out the rest of the game. In dodge-ball, you couldn’t rely on your friends to be there to back you up. Friends and enemies would fall before your eyes, succumbed to the might of sphere-shaped rubber. Before you knew it, one would come to get you too. You either had to dodge or take your chances at catching the ball in your hands. Most of the time you couldn’t do either. You were stuck.
Now, that last paragraph describes what you would feel during a game of dodge ball. Imagine the remorse you would have. A classic gym game taken away from you, replaced by bags of plastic beads sliding across the floor. All you had to do was jump and you were home-free. By now you probably understand why I at least miss it. If you don’t, then re-read this whole page.