The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Dodgeball event aims to help Adam Hess
Kirtland hosts fundraiser for state champion football player paralyzed in swimming accident
A shy smile came across the face of Adam Hess as he sat in a corner of Kirtland’s high school gymnasium.
Student-athletes from across Northeast Ohio were filtering in and out of the gymnasium as part of a dodgeball tournament to benefit him.
It wasn’t the way Hess wanted to spend the evening. He’d much rather be out on the floor playing with the boys who were in the tournament.
But he smiled at the act of kindness and generosity from the 14 teams who gathered to play in the tournament to help raise money for him after he was injured in a swimming accident last summer, one which has left him paralyzed from the waistdown.
“It’s awesome,” said Hess, surrounded by family and friends as play resumed. “To have this many kids from this many different schools want to be part of this is great. It’s fun to be here.”
Nine schools from around the area took part in the tournament. Kirtland had five teams — ones from each grade eighth through 12th — Chardon had two, and Mayfield, Lake Catholic, Riverside, Mentor, Perry, North and Medina Highland all fielded a single team.
Teams consisted of 10 players and each of the players paid $10 to enter. Add it all up and the tournament raised more than $1,400 before moneys from a donation box and concessions outside the gymnasium were tallied.
“We read about it and what happened,” said Lake Catholic’s Jacob Owens of a News-Herald article over the weekend that chronicled Hess’ injury last June 28. “It’s unfortunate, but it’s good to come here and raise money for him tonight.”
One group of players even donned yellow T-shirts with “Average Joe’s” on the front, a tip of the cap to the movie “Dodgeball” featuring Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller.
Fans crowded into the top row of bleachers or into the corners of the gym to watch, keeping watch to not get pegged by an errant throw.
“We knew we were coming up here for a good cause,” said Carson Dryer from Medina Highland. “We were excited to come up here and play a little dodgeball.”
The competition was friendly, but also on a high level. After Kirtland football coach Tiger LaVerde explained the rules and a short demonstration game was played, the field of 14 teams divided into three gymnasiums for best-of-three pool play.
The top teams were then bracketed out to play for the top places.
“Gotta be the Hornets,” Hess said as the tournament started, picking the tourney favorite. “We’ll see
how it plays out.” Hess was right. Kirtland’s junior class of football players placed first, the freshmen were second and the seniors were third.
But who was the best dodgeball team on this night was a distant second to the primary cause — Adam Hess, the
former All-Ohio running back who helped lead Kirtland to a trio of state championship game appearances.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to get everyone together,” said Chardon’s Vincent Ferrante. “It’s great competition between all these schools who know each other.”