Ballsy Jews dodge to title
WHEN an advertisement on Facebook for the Sydney Skyzone Dodgeball Championships caught the eye of Ilan Lavan, he thought it might be a fun way for him and four friends to recreate one of their favourite films, Ben Stiller’s 2004 hit Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story.
But six rounds later, after ducking and diving past 24 of the top dodgeball teams Sydney has to offer, Lavan was the title-winning captain of all-Jewish side, the Bondi Ball Boys — a prize that netted the side $500 cash.
Held at Skyzone Alexandria Arena, the competition is played on trampolines, which is the single deviation from the game outlined in Stiller’s film but only adds to the sport’s frantic, fast-paced nature.
With first prize going to the team with the best overall record, Lavan’s Bondi Ball Boys’s 22-1 win/loss ratio easily secured the title, as teammate David Helfenbaum took home tournament MVP.
Helfenbaum dominated throughout the competition, including a week three performance that saw him face-off alone against four players but still manage to win the game and secure the side’s progress to the next round.
A strong supported cast backed Helfenbaum: Gil Pollack’s thunderous arm sentenced several teams to an early exit, while James Israel and Chanan Hecht’s artful dodging proved a nuisance for many opposing players.
Needing a win in the final round to guarantee the championship, the Ball Boys’ fairytale run looked all but over as Hecht and Lavan were left surviving an onslaught against Balls of Blue.
But a game-changing play by Hecht, spectacularly catching a ball deflected off Lavan’s back, swung the momentum back in the Jewish side’s favour to help it to victory.
Upon accepting the winner’s trophy and check, the Bondi Ball Boys decided to donate 10 per cent to a local charity, with the remainder to be invested in new sweatbands to defend their championship next year.
The champs: (from left) Gil Pollack, Ilan Lavan, David Helfenbaum, James Israel and Chanan Hecht.
ADAM BLAU
comments