On December 16, 2011 at 6:30 pm, the first ever “Dodge-a-Cop” dodge ball tournament was held in the Staples High School gymnasium.

At this competition, dodge ball teams were formed that comprised of both youth and police officers from the Fairfield County area. According to Elaine Daignault, the Youth Services Coordinator and driving force behind the event, more than 100 people participated in the event.

“[There was] such a great vibe from everyone and the cops had a blast!” Daignault stated in an email.

This event was a joint effort between the Westport Youth Commission and the Westport Police/Youth Collaborative, a group that strives to improve the relationship between Westport’s police and youth.

To participate in the event, students formed groups, many of which were made up of member of clubs, such as the Teen Awareness Group, which two cops were then added to. Admission to the event cost $20 for a tem of five or $5 for an individual. All of the proceeds from the event were donated to Toys for Tots, an organization that helps to provide holiday gifts for children.

A total of 12 teams participated in the event. Each teams played multiple rounds until the teams with the most wins faced each other. All of the members of the winning team were presented with “Dodge-a-Cop” t-shirts.

Many student participants showed their enthusiasm for the event by dressing in costumes, or giving their teams humorous names.

“My team, Goons Inc., is going all the way,” Jack Dobrich ’13 stated.