Staff photo by Fritz Busch Chris Dalton, left, of the Misfits dodgeball team defends against Brown County Yellow Ribbon Ulmers from left, Shane Guy, Rachel Youngblom, Dan Sowers and Miranda Mathiowetz at the Turner Hall Dodgeball Tournament Saturday. The Ulmers won the eight-team tournament.

NEW ULM — Winning two of three championship games over Jensen Motors, the Brown County Yellow Ribbon Ulmers won the inaugural Turner Hall Dodgeball Tournament Saturday.

Eight co-ed teams competed in the tournament to raise money to replace the Turner Hall roof. Round-robin tournament games began at 10 a.m. A double elimination tournament concluded play at about 2:30 p.m.

Local teams consisted of 6-10 players. Six players, three men and three women, began each match. Games were played until all opponents on one side are eliminated. Many of the games were completed in several minutes.

Balls were thrown and could not be kicked. Players were deemed “out” when a live ball hit any part of a player’s body, clothing or uniform. When a defending player catches a live ball that was thrown, the throwing player is out and a previously “out” player from the catching team may return to the game.

Players can defend themselves by blocking a ball in flight with another ball but most retain control of the ball they are blocking with or they are deemed “out.” Squeezing a ball to alter a thrown or blocked ball is not allowed. Any player committing a head shot is deemed “out.”

Former Turner Hall board member Dan Kalk came up with the idea of holding a dodgeball tournament to help raise funds for Turner Hall roof roof replacement.

“I was inspired by the “Spiking In The Street” downtown volleyball tournaments (the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce hosted the past two summers). And the movie “Dodgeball: (A True Underdog Story) that was about raising money to save a gym, helped too,” said Kalk.

“There wasn’t anything like this in the area so I thought it be something people would enjoy. You don’t have to be incredibly athletic to play. We’re happy with the good response and hope to do it again. The games go quickly More quickly than I thought. Sometimes lasting only a couple minutes,” he said.

Kalk’s team. the Average Dans, won a number of tournament games but did not reach the finals.

Turner Hall Executive Director Andrea Boettger said she was happy to host the tournament.

“We knew we had to raise funds to replace the roof. I was approached about doing it and thought, Turner Hall, sound mind, sound body, was a good place to do it. It’s something different and it’s fun. We ran with the idea, put a planning committee together and here we are,” said Boettger.

“We got some team team sponsorships. We’re very thankful for all the support. We’ll probably do it again. We’ve already had people asking about doing it next year. The first year for something like this is always a trial run. We definitely have enough people with interest for it,” she said.

Ulmers team member Rachel Youngblom said she enjoyed the tournament.

“It was good to come out for a fun day for good cause. We had a great day. I’d absolutely come back next year,” she said.

“I’m on the Brown County Yellow Ribbon board. It’s good to raise suicide awareness in the community. September is suicide awareness month. We’ll definitely come back again. We’re excited to be out here,” said Ulmers team member Dan Sowers.

“Chris Dalton (Misfits team member) and I had an epic battle. I got him out right away. He came back in and got me out. It was an epic back and forth. There was a lot of good sportsmanship out here today,” Sowers said.

Dalton said played dodgeball in a recreation league in Fountain Valley, Orange County, Southern California.

“It’s been fun. This is a great event. Everybody is having fun. It’s a good team sport. I’d like to field a team next year,” he said.