Lions dodgeball benefits the blind

The Noblesville Lions Club will host its first annual dodgeball tournament at noon on Saturday, March 10 at the Ivy Tech College Gym, 300 N. 17th St., Noblesville.

Proceeds will be used to support programs for the blind and for leader dogs.

Registration for the eight-member teams is currently underway. (Six players participate at one time, with two players acting as substitutes.) Teams, which may be co-ed, are encouraged to form and register as soon as possible so that T-shirts may be ordered. Teams pay an entry fee of $80, or $10 per team member. The fees will cover the expenses of T-shirts with names or logos and medals for the winning and runner-up teams.

A total of 16 teams will be organized into two leagues (American and National); a double-elimination format will result in an American and a National champion. League champions will then play a best two-out-of-three game series for the tournament championship. Medals will be awarded to the tournament champion and runner-up. Dodgeball is played with six balls on a 30-feet by 60-feet court divided into two 30-feet by 30-feet areas for each team.

Waivers are required of all participants and those under 18 must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. Each participant must wear approved gym shoes.

To enter your team, text or call David Marsh at 317-690-5856 or email davestravel1@prodigy.net.

“Four athletic events you don’t want to miss this winter,” Marsh said, “are the Super Bowl, Winter Olympics, Lions Club Dodgeball Tournament and March Madness.”

Sponsors are also being sought for the tournament to help raise funds for the programs benefitting from the event. Sponsor levels of $600, $400 and $200 are available. Text or call Lions Club member George Long at 317-213-7631 or email galongpi@hotmail.com for details and to sign up as a tournament sponsor.

All sponsorships include a logo or business name on the welcome banner, a listing in the program, verbal recognition at the start of each round of play, the corporate website, if any, on the Noblesville Lions Club website and promotion on the club’s Twitter and Facebook pages.

In addition, Platinum Sponsors ($600) will have a logo or business name on the tournament’s save-the-date, e-blast, promotional materials and other advertising, a speaking opportunity at the start of the tournament, signage at the Lions Club porkchop dinner, active website link on the club’s website for one year and 12 tournament tickets.

Gold Sponsors ($400) will have a logo or business name on the save-the-date, e-blast, promotional materials and other advertising for the tournament, an active website link on the club’s website for six months and eight tournament tickets.

Silver Sponsors ($200) will receive a logo or business name on the e-blast and promotional materials for the tournament, an active website link on the club’s website for three months and four tournament tickets.

Admission to the tournament is $3 for adults, $2 for students and free for pre-first grade. Family tickets are $8. The tournament is expected to last about four hours “with lots of action, laughs, music and surprises,” according to Marsh. Attendees are free to leave and return to the tournament.