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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Ready. Set. Dodge!</p><p>Excitement was running high at the 109th Field Artillery Armory Sunday morning, as over 800 people flocked from all over the region to participate in the eighth annual Zachary Shoemaker Dodgeball Tournament.</p><p>More than 26 teams came out to battle.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve had such incredible community support,&#8221; said event coordinator and Zack&#8217;s godmother, Stef Sikora. &#8220;Everyone is so happy to help and so happy to give.&#8221;</p><p>The tournament came to be in the wake of catastrophic injuries that nearly took the life of 3-year-old Zack Shoemaker in 2008. Surviving life-saving brain surgery and enduring a medically induced coma, Zack has been fighting and thriving every day since and continually making small improvements.</p><p>&#8220;Without this tournament, there is simply no way the family could afford all of the treatment he still needs,&#8221; said Jessica Ravert, Zack&#8217;s aunt. &#8220;The feeding tubes, the on-going medical bills, the lift, the car seats &#8211; it&#8217;s an ongoing struggle.&#8221;</p><p>This year, like with years past, the response from the community and the 32 sponsors allowed the tournament to be able to donate to other organizations as well.</p><p>&#8220;For the first few years, it was just for Zack,&#8221; said Sikora. &#8220;However, as we grew, we were able to donate out some of the proceeds. We&#8217;ve donated to the Heinz Rehab Pediatric Center, Pediatria Healthcare for Kids and Make-A-Wish Foundation &#8211; now this year, we partnered with Ryan&#8217;s Run to do the same.&#8221;</p><p>The Ryan&#8217;s Run campaign &#8211; headed by WNEP-TV news anchor Ryan Leckey &#8212; raises funds for Allied Services.</p><p>With teams from all over the region and beyond, bearing names like All Dodge No Balls, Pale &amp; Frail, Daj Mabal and Wolves of Ball Street, participants and spectators alike were in for quite a competition.</p><p>&#8220;This is our second year back,&#8221; said participant Nicole Golden of the Throwbocop team. &#8220;It&#8217;s the same team as last year, we&#8217;re aiming for the top spot. I drove from New Jersey for this.&#8221;</p><p>The tournament, running on a double-elimination bracket format, featured teams of eight and was $15 per person for entry.</p><p>&#8220;Zack couldn&#8217;t be with us this year, unfortunately,&#8221; said Sikora to the crowd. &#8220;He is at Geisinger Danville for over a week now, and as you play please keep him in mind.</p><p>&#8220;Push out positive energy. We need it to get an hour away down Route 11.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Courtney Steinruck, 17, of team Skook Squad, throws the ball at the Steinruck team during Sunday&#8217;s Dodgeball tournament. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball14.jpg</photo0><caption0>Courtney Steinruck, 17, of team Skook Squad, throws the ball at the Steinruck team during Sunday&#8217;s Dodgeball tournament. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball24.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">John Sikora reads off the team names before the Dodgeball competitions began. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball24.jpg</photo1><caption1>John Sikora reads off the team names before the Dodgeball competitions began. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball34.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Referee Joe Ford talks to teams Duck It and Scott Stevens Productions before their match at the dodgeball fundraiser. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball34.jpg</photo2><caption2>Referee Joe Ford talks to teams Duck It and Scott Stevens Productions before their match at the dodgeball fundraiser. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball44.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Brad Drago successfully dodges a hot while playing for team You Can&#8217;t Dodge With Us. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball44.jpg</photo3><caption3>Brad Drago successfully dodges a hot while playing for team You Can&#8217;t Dodge With Us. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball54.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Team Skook Squad takes down their opponents in the dodgeball fundraiser in Kingston. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball54.jpg</photo4><caption4>Team Skook Squad takes down their opponents in the dodgeball fundraiser in Kingston. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball64.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Charity Dodgeball tournement at the Kingston Armory on Sunday helped to raise money for children and adults with disabilities. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092115dodgeball64.jpg</photo5><caption5>The Charity Dodgeball tournement at the Kingston Armory on Sunday helped to raise money for children and adults with disabilities. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Young boy has been dealing with catastrophic injuries since 2008</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Rachel Holly</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>The Times Leader newsroom may be reached at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Dodgeball tourney raises money for Zachary Shoemaker and many others