How many of you have heard of a new sport called Battleship? If you haven’t chances are you will probably hear about it soon.
Battleship, or Canoe Swamping which is another name for it, pits two or three people on a team. Each team is in one canoe and four canoes are allowed in the pool at one time. Each team in their canoe is allowed to bring one item per person, preferably a bucket or a shield.
The three people in the canoe use the shield to block water out of their canoe. Then, for example team A uses a bucket to try and put water in team B or team C’s canoe so it will sink to the bottom of the pool.
To start the battleship tournament the officials blow their whistle and all four canoes come towards each other.
There are two main rules you must remember if you enter a battleship tournament. Number one is you cannot take water out of your own canoe. Number two is you cannot take another canoes bucket or shield.
For example if another canoes bucket or shield falls in the pool on it’s own, Team A cannot take Team B’s bucket, it just has to stay in the pool. Battleship is a double elimination tournament so each team can afford one loss.
Director of Intramurals Mike Chadee brought Battleship tournaments from his old College Western Illinois University. According to assistant program director Jeremy Haney the sport is very popular among the students here at A & M Commerce. Men and Women both seem to enjoy the sport
very much.
Undergraduate Natalie Saladino said “It doesn’t matter how big your bucket is you can still lose.”
Other students think the game involves a lot more skill
then luck.
Undergraduate student Robert Dodge said, “You must master your balance.”
Chadee added, ” It’s something different that allows people to come out and enjoy themselves.”
Kyle Weaver of team skulls, who won the battleship championship with team Life Guards last year said battleship competition, is not only fun, it’s also an intense workout. Undergraduate student Rod Wallace commented, “Everyone likes to get wet.”
Battleship also gives some students a sense of pride.
Undergraduate student John Pierce said he likes you get to sink the other team and then brag about it.
If you are looking for something new, different, fun and wonderful to do on a hot summer afternoon then Battleship tournaments might just be for you. The next time your at the Morris Recreation Center talk to Mike Chadee or Jeremy Haney.