The spring has gotten off to a great start. Dizzy Llamas Orange won the BSSC Dodgeball Championship, Gray Softball and our Sunday Soccer team are off to an undefeated start, and our CoRec teams in every sport are lined up for a successful Summer. For those who haven’t gotten their athletic fill yet, we have two new sports starting up in a few weeks, a cookout for everyone to attend and some new gear for sale.

Dizzy Llamas Basketball – This summer we are starting a fun, Llamas only basketball league for anyone looking to play basketball but hates the high cost and excessive tall people. Well, we’ll still have a few tall people, but come have a good time with some outdoor hoops. For more details, check out the signup thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1192.0

Dizzy Llamas Ultimate Frisbee – Like Basketball, this is a Llama-only league. Last year the Brighton Blouses came away with the title led by Adam Howe, Mike Bizier and Allie Greer. Games are fast-paced and fun, and everyone is invited to play. If you’re interested, take a look at the signup thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1191.0

*Deadlines for signups for both Basketball and Ultimate are approaching, so signup today.

This Sunday, June 14th, We’ll be having a cookout at Casey Field in Watertown as our four Llama softball teams face off in the DL Death Tournament. Even if you’re not a softball player you are invited to come down. I’ll be bringing hamburgers, hot dogs and some drinks, so if you want to bring treats too it would be appreciated. Grilling will start around 2pm. Casey Field is on Watertown Road, and you can park behind the school.

We are putting in a shirt order this Wednesday, so you have to act fast if you want to get some extra Llama shirts. We also have Llama baseball caps, socks and shorts available for anyone interested in purchasing them. All the info can be found on the Gear Order thread here:
http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1197.0

Congratulations to Sean Morgan for being named May’s Llama of the Month, and Carissa Everett who was named an EMAAC player of the week for the Boston Division.

See you on the Field!

It took a year and a half, but reigning Dodgeballer of the Year Shane Knowles finally reached his ultimate goal.  And after a series against the Guerilla Bombers that found the Llamas down 0-2, It was Knowles who delivered the final knockout in Game Five to secure the BSSC Spring Dodgeball championship for Dizzy Llamas Orange.

Until the pivotal battle against the retooled Guerillas, Orange had swept through their first two opponents, including an opening round matchup against Dizzy Llamas Black.  Big guns Dave Benevides, Sean Morgan and Scott Tarentino grunted their way through both series with ease, saving Ashley Parker and Brielle Kissel who were destined to make their mark on a bigger stage.

Down 2-1 in the finals, it was Parker who widdled down the Bombers vaulted lineup, finding herself in a one-on-one matchup with “See Ya” Joe.  After defecting several of Joe’s high velocity tosses, Parker countered and fired a bullet that glanced off his hands and struck him in the head.

Game five was just as intense, as Parker and Kissel found themselves alone on the floor against three Bombers.  Parker now a target for Joe and Scott “The Commish” Buckley, the duo teamed up on a throw hoping to knock out the Llamas’ star before she could strike them.  The first ball Parker defected, but the second one drilled her right in the midsection.  The Guerilla Bombers started celebrating for an instant, but when the ball did not fall, the cheers started echoing from the other side of the court.  Parker had caught the ball somehow while crouched, sending Buckley off the court and bring Knowles back in to finish the game.

Joe was able to get Parker, but a quick toss by Kissel caught the ace off guard and sent him to the bench as Shane sealed the game by hitting the final Bomber with his laser, rocket arm.

The victory is the fourth dodgeball title for the Llamas, and the third in the last year.  Tarentino notched his third dodgeball championship, Parker and Benevides their second.  The last five BSSC Dodgeball finals have featured the Guerilla Bombers and the Llamas.  This win gives the Llamas a 3-2 edge on the series.

Spring is almost here, fields are drying out and the Llamas are lacing up their cleats! The next few months are packed with exciting events as we gear up for the Spring/Summer season.

Spring Signups – Signups for our Spring sports are now open. Softball is back and the Soccer team is playing on Friday nights and Sundays. Once the weather gets a little warmer, both programs will kick off their practice schedule. Anyone who wants to play is welcomed, so find your shin guards and dust off your mitts. To sign up or get more information, check out the message board here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1031.0

Dizzy Llama Bowlarama – Our Annual bowling extravaganza pits Llamas and friends against each other in a fun, two-round tournament. This year’s event will be on Saturday, April 4th at Lanes and Games in Cambridge. Last year Mike Gentile took home the title and will look to defend his crown against what we expect to be our largest turnout yet. There will also be a raffle featuring Red Sox Tickets and an iPod Nano as prizes. For more information about the Bowlarama, check out the message board here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=1016.0

Poker League Championship Tournament – For weeks some of our Llamas have been competing in small, but intense poker tournaments earning points to become the Dizzy Llamas Poker Champion. To cap off the season, we’ll be holding a grand poker tournament on Thursday April 9th open to all Llamas. For more information, contact Keith at Keith.Kantor@dizzyllamas.com

Sponsorship – We’re reaching out to all the Llamas as we try and find some team sponsors for the upcoming Spring/Summer season. With more than a dozen Llama teams and nearly 100 Llama players during the summer, there are plenty of sponsorship opportunities for local businesses. If you think your company or a local establishment would be a good candidate let us know. Sponsorship helps reduce clothing and equipment costs, lowers fees and allows us a lot more flexibility when planning events. To help out or get more information, contact Dave at info@dizzyllamas.com

Congratulations to Andrea Nykiel and Allie Greer for winning Llama of the Month for February and January respectively. Both are great athletes and wonderful people. TO see past Llamas of the Month, check out the team website here: http://www.dizzyllamas.com/sports/awards/

See you on the field!

Never in Llama Dodgeball history has a season begun with such hope and anticipation as the 2008-09 Winter season. After taking home the title over the Summer, DL White reached the finals once again in the Fall yet failed to complete their task. All four teams reached the playoffs that season, finishing with a .500 record or better, yet there was still that final hill to climb over.

With 30 teams entered for the Winter season, the path would be much more difficult, yet everyone took it in stride, even as their teams struggled a bit more than the Fall. White once again claimed the #2 seed and reached the Gold playoffs, as did Black with the #6. Blue and Green clinched spots in the Silver playoffs, finishing #16 and #21, respectively.

The night began with the Silver bracket, as Green struggled a bit, yet held their own ground. As a team comprised mostly of young dodgeball prospects, they took their struggles as a lesson in humility and played the upset card in the final week of the regular season, going 7-3 and kicking teams out of the Silver playoffs. Mimi Drozd and Brent Soncini made vast improvements to their throwing skills, and Elizabeth Swanson provided much-needed leadership. Though they were eliminated in the first round, their confidence should carry over to the Spring.

Blue’s path through the Silver Bracket was a difficult one, but they stuck with it and made it all the way to the bracket finals. Without captains Mike Bizier or Jared Calise to lead the team, it was up to the rest of the squad to band together. Joe Tice made most of the stunning plays on the night, but it was Khristopher Miller’s patience and confidence that kept them in each and every game.

The Gold playoffs began late, and Black’s impatience to get things started showed as they took a 2-1 lead on their first round opponent. Rookie Kevin Neville was a great addition to an already-talented roster, and captain Brad Bodell kept the many skilled players in check. Their season ended quite unsatisfactory, yet the team’s dedication will surely carry into the next session, as the entire roster but 1 will be returning.

After the other three teams were eliminated, they settled in for the long road as White stormed through the Gold bracket. Winning their first two series 3-0, they were put face-to-face with their league rivals, the Guerilla Bombers. Captain Tom Boates orchestrated a the attack, while Erin Calamari, one of the best dodgers in the league, found herself in the end of every game. Although they were defeated in the championship game for the second straight season, the team’s will and determination should put them in a great spot for next season as well.

Great job by all four Llama teams, and good luck in the Spring season as DL goes for a 5th straight Finals appearance.

2009 kicked off with a bang as nearly fifty Llamas packed the Verona Restaurant in Watertown to celebrate the 2008 Golden Llamas award winners. Thank you for everyone one who made 2008 great, and here is looking to 2009 as a year that will eclipse it.

If you were unable to make the festivities, here is a rundown of the 2008 Golden Llama recipients:
Llama of the Year - Thomas Boates
Dodgeball Player of the Year - Shane Knowles
Softball Player of the Year - Jen Kuzmick
Soccer Player of the Year - Andrea Nykiel
Volleyball Player of the Year - Caitlyn Cassara
Basketball Player of the Year - Patrick Brown
Rookie of the Year - Scott Tarentino
Captain of the Year - Dave Claffey
Most Inspirational - Caitlyn Cassara

Most improved:
Dodgeball - Mike Bizier
Softball - Victoria Catalan
Soccer - Mark Goodman
Volleyball - Thomas Boates
Football - Danielle Sullivan
Ultimate - Erin Calamari
Basketball - Matt Guerra

The Golden Llama is our year-end, Green tie extravaganza giving our faithful Llamas a chance to unwind off the field, have a few drinks and win a few prizes. The night starts off with dinner, then opens up into a fun, prized-based Monte Carlo Night. We’ll have poker, roulette, blackjack and other favorites. At the end of the night you’ll get raffle tickets in accordance with the number of chips you’ve earned (or lost). You can put those tickets in the raffle for any of the great prizes available. Finally, we’ll end the night with our awards banquet, where we will honor the folks who have played hard and worked their tails off for Llama glory all year.

Like all our events, this is open to all Llamas new and old, and any friends you have who would like to come.

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AWARDS

Since the club was founded in 2001, honoring our great players has been of utmost importance. A Llama award doesn’t just recognize on-the-field excellence. Teamwork, dedication and dependability have equal stakes in the argument, and help separate the talented athletes on all of our teams. As our numbers swell, the number of folks worthy of awards far outstripes the number we can give. The decision is harder than ever, not only in naming a winner, but also narrowing down some races to only five nominees.

There are two series of awards. The major sport awards, and the Llamas Choice awards. The latter will be decided by you and your fellow players. Because we jump from team to team, you may not get to see everyone play all the time. The Llamas Choice awards focus on improvement, so if you only got to see a player in action a few times, you can still judge that player’s development. There are also a few other miscellaneous awards.

Hey Llamas,

We are getting close to the start of the Winter season, and a few of our teams are still looking for players. Flag Football, Soccer, Volleyball and Floor Hockey will be starting up in December. If you haven’t signed up yet, take a look at the details here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=786.0

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December also brings Llamas, Llads and Llasses, a charity drive that aims to keep kids active by donating sports equipment to children’s organizations. We are looking for new sports equipment like balls, bats and other gear a child could use, and used books that we will sell to fund youth sports clinics in the spring.

From December 1st to December 21st, your Dizzy Llamas captain will be accepting donations at your games. Any donation of new sports gear is welcome, from a Nerf football to an aluminum bat. For more information, check out the message board here: http://members.dizzyllamas.com/index.php?topic=805.0

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The Golden Llama Casino Night and Awards Banquet is scheduled for Friday, January 9th, 2009. This “Green Tie” event will offer food, fun, gaming and prizes. At the end of the night, we will name the 2008 Llama of the Year among other awards.

Like all DL events, friends and family are always invited. As we get closer we’ll release more details, but save the date. It should be a lot of fun!

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Congratulations to Cameron Stewart for winning the October Llama of the Month.

See you on the field!

The Dizzy Llamas Athletic Club is looking for donations from friends, family and Llamas during the holiday season to help promote youth sports and activity in Boston and beyond. The Llamas, Llads and Llasses campaign seeks new sports equipment and used books to be donated to organizations like Toys for Tots and local youth leagues like South End Baseball.

From December 1st to December 21st, your Dizzy Llamas captain will be accepting donations at your games. Any donation of new sports gear is welcome, from a Nerf football to an aluminum bat. Baseball related equipment would be donated to South End Baseball, a youth baseball league serving urban neighborhoods in Boston. All other sporting equipment will be given to Toys for Tots, and will find homes across the region, in the hands of children who truly need them.

Many generous folks donate dolls and trucks, but few think about sports equipment. Many of us grew up with a ball or a bat in our hand. I had a bucket of balls in my room, one for almost every sport. The thought of a child growing up in a world absent of sports is troubling. Sports equipment and childhood should intertwined. Who better than us know the value of a soccer ball or a wiffle ball bat? Small things that don’t seem like much to most helped shape our lives today.

On top of that, we’ll be conducting a used book drive. Bring a stack of old books to a game. Your captain will also be collecting them. Any books on your shelf that you’d like to donate are welcomed. Those books will be sold and the proceeds will fund clinics hosted by the DLAC for the children of South End Baseball in the Spring.

When you’re out shopping, grab a cheap basketball. When you’re cleaning your apartment for a Christmas Party, throw some used books in a bag. Everything helps. This is the first year of Llamas, Llads and Llasses, and we’d like to make it as easy for you as possible to give during the holiday season. If we all give a little, we can make a big impact by keeping kids active like we were when we were tykes.

Again, all donations can be given directly to your captain. If you have any questions, contact Dave at info@hotmail.com.

The Dizzy Llamas had their most successful Dodgeball regular season in franchise history this Fall, having all 4 teams finish above .500 and gain a spot in the 12-team Gold Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Llamas bid for a second-straight championship fell just one match short.

The night began bitterly, as DL GREEN and BLUE were placed in a first round matchup, with the winner moving on to face DL WHITE. The rookie-laden Green squad had a fantastic season led by veteran David Claffey. “The Franchise” honed the skills of these talented rookies, including Brent Soncini and Elizabeth Swanson. Both teams created a uniform attack, throwing 3-5 balls at a time as a unit. Blue, led by Mike Bizier and Jared Calise, targeted Claffey for most of the match, which proved to be more difficult than expected. The match went to a 5th-and-deciding game, with Blue’s Khahn Tran coming up with a big catch late in the game to ultimately seal the victory.

In the 2nd round matchup, the defending champion DL White was taken by surprise, as Blue captured Game 1 in what was a back-and-forth, time-consuming battle. White captain Tom Boates calmed his team down, and although each and every game came down to the wire, White took 3 straight and moved on. Key knockouts by Dave Benevides and big catches by Scott Tarentino aided in White’s victories.

DL BLACK, having their most successful season ever, drew a matchup against Fantastic Domination. The power arm of Shane Knowles pushed the series to a 5th game, where most of the drama occurred. With each team having 2 players in, veteran Danielle Sullivan came up with the biggest catch of the night, creating a 3 player to 1 advantage. Two unfortunate knockouts would ultimately result in a 1-on-1 battle for captain Brad Bodell. One of Bodell’s throws would get deflected high in the air and caught, ending Black’s Cinderella season.

Back on the other side of the bracket, White cruised through their semi-finals match 3-1, setting up a rematch of last season’s championship bout with Guerrilla Bombers. The Bombers had plenty of time to rest before the finals, which proved unfortunate for the Llamas as they fell 3 games to 0.

All 4 teams pick the action back up in the Winter Season which begins next Tuesday the 25th, where the Llamas will go for a 4th straight Finals appearance. Congratulations to all 4 teams for their success throughout the Fall season.

Rindge, NH – The first annual ‘3-on-3 Tip-Off Classic’ tournament was held in Rindge, NH last weekend and the Dizzy Llamas were well represented by Dave Grubb, Matt Austin, Justin Nelson, and Sam Davidson.

The Llamas, hampered by a flu-ridden Grubb who was dumb enough to get a flu shot several hours before the tournament began, were able to ride a wave of momentum to the finals where the eventually would fall by 1 point. It was a gritty effort all the way through as the Llamas found themselves undersized in each matchup, but tenacious defense and some clutch shooting led the Llamas to a second place finish.