By Matthew Fowler, Co-Editor-In-Chief
The sky was overcast on Monday night for the championship round of Newman’s intramural costume dodgeball tournament in Fugate Gymnasium.
There wasn’t any lightning, but there was Thunder.
Four players from the Wichita Thunder Hockey team surprised participants by showing up to compete as a team alongside the five Newman teams.
First-year Thunder forward Tyrone Bronte said that he had fun playing the Newman teams and seeing the costumes that the teams dressed up in. He really loved seeing director of residence life Ian Lecki’s old man costume.
“I had a blast watching Ian with his bushy eyebrows and bushy mustache and the focus he had,” Bronte said. “I was telling the guys, ‘He didn't break character once.’ He was just locked in playing that grandpa role, except throwing the ball really hard. It was awesome.”
Lecki was a member of the winning team, the “Wapsicles,” who all dressed up as elderly people. The other members of the team were senior softball player Alex Schreiner, softball graduate assistant manager Haleigh Pearson, and digital community specialist Jack Schafer.
Part of the team’s success, Pearson said, came from the presence of the Thunder players at the championship match.
“I think the Thunder team here boosted our confidence a little bit,” Pearson said. “We knew we had to step our game up.”
Schreiner said that the Thunder players also helped make the tournament more enjoyable.
“It was fun,” Schreiner said. “You can tell that they are fun and funny guys.”
The experience of the dodgeball tournament may even be incorporated into the Thunder Hockey’s strategy during the season, Bronte said.
“Me and Patrick Kyte had a little bit of a play we ran there, kind of like a football: Hike it through the legs and then throw it,” Bronte said. “We will see if we can incorporate that onto the ice because it worked pretty well. We ended up winning the game.”
During the tournament, students in attendance were given coupons for up to four free tickets to the Nov. 7 Thunder Hockey Customer Appreciation Night, when the team will play the Utah Grizzlies. Those who were unable to attend the dodgeball tournament can pick tickets up at the Student Life office.
PHOTO: Matthew Fowler, Co-Editor-In-Chief
