When the month of October comes around at Saint Dominic, so does the start of the annual nitroball games. Students seem to be excited, but this year teachers are not. A new rule this year is that teachers can not participate in the games anymore.
Mr. Tock, the creator behind this new rule that he likes to call “the Mr. Wilmes rule,” he shared that this rule came about because of Mr. Wilmes’ competitiveness last year in House Gaudium and the need to get families more involved in these games.
“He was just too good,” Mr. Tock said. “He dominated every game. It was like watching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar play basketball against fourth graders.”
“I think it’s sad that people are complaining that 30 something year-olds are more athletic than a bunch of high schoolers, and if they can’t win against a bunch of old people, they need to look in the mirror at their athleticism,” Mr. Wilmes said.
Mr. Wilmes made his feelings clear on this, noting that a time for people to get more comfortable in their family times and getting to know the peers around them has been taken away because of this new rule. Sometimes, kids can also not be as welcoming to each other out of their own nervousness to be around new people, and having a teacher there would’ve helped ease that uncomfortability.
“I feel like it was a great bonding opportunity for me and my family time. We had a good time out there,” Mr. Wilmes said.
However, Mr. Wilmes may just be alone in his opinion. Teachers and even some students think that this new rule is a good thing as it brings about a different type of bonding.
“Personally, I think it’s a good thing cause people don’t have to worry about trying as hard, whereas if there was a teacher, it would be too competitive. It makes it more fun now because people don’t have to worry about a teacher just sweating on a couple kids in family time. People can hit the ball around without having to put in effort because there’s a teacher just dominating,”said senior Ryker Dare.
Nitroball starts next week on October first. Athletes are ready to give it their all. While teachers can’t be there to help, they will be there to cheer on their team and provide as much help on the sidelines as they can.
