Dodgeball bouts in doubt

COEUR d'ALENE — If you've walked through McEuen Park on a Friday night this summer, you've probably seen Michael Lentz playing dodgeball on the tennis courts.

The games are free, open to anyone, and often draw a crowd from passersby.

Lentz wants to keep it that way, but he fears rules for using Coeur d'Alene city facilities might force him to change the game.

His love for dodgeball started after experiencing a similar pickup game in downtown Seattle. While on a date, Lentz was walking through a park when he saw a large crowd watching an "intense game of dodgeball."

"So I said to the girl I was on a date with, 'Here's my wallet - hold on to it for a second,'" Lentz said. "I ran in there and probably played for an hour, then came back."

And how'd that work out?

"That was the last time I saw her," he said.

Lentz said dodgeball quickly became a big part of his life that he wanted to share with the Coeur d'Alene community.

The group started playing at McEuen Park in June. Most weeks, the crowd is enough for teams of at least 12, if not more, he said.

"It's a great way to meet people, hang out and get some exercise," Lentz said. "Free dodgeball is a passion of mine. I don't charge anybody or make money from this."

But concerns arose when the Coeur d'Alene Parks and Recreation Department said the group needed a city permit before using the facilities. Soon after initial contact with the parks department, Lentz said the city installed a sign alerting permit requirements on the courts.

"Organized activities with a set day and time require permitting because it is a dedicated use of facilities," Recreation Program Coordinator Adam Rouse said. "The fee pays for a staff person to be on-site and mitigate any problems with the public that come down to the court."

Rouse said permit fees are usually about $40 per hour, per court. However, Rouse said the city has worked with drop-in activities to require each participant to sign a liability waiver and pay $2.

Part of the city's reasoning for reaching out to the dodgeball group was a concern that other residents felt "run off the court," Lentz said.

The department does not log citizen complaints, but Rouse said they had received multiple calls about the dodgeball activity.

Lentz said he usually arrives early to tell court users about his plans and invites them to play dodgeball. He said there have rarely been issues. That was how out-of-town visitors Michelle Castillo and her son Bailey found out about the game.

"We were done playing tennis and happy to leave," Michelle said. "We went back to our hotel room, changed and decided to come back."

On Aug. 10, Lentz expressed concerns to the City Council that his group would disappear if he couldn't pay for the permit. Since the games are free and vary in participants, Lentz worried that imposing fees would drive people away.

City Councilman Dan Gookin began working with Lentz after hearing his story, in particular his fear that the city could "kick him off the park" and turn off facility lights. Gookin said the parks are free for public use, but the city needs to know about organized events for proper management.

"It sounds bureaucratic, but it just makes it fair for everyone," Gookin said.

In a subsequent meeting with Gookin and city staff, the group discussed possible permitting or city partnership opportunities for dodgeball games.

Gookin said similar partnerships have been positive for the city, citing new pickleball courts and the Coeur d'Alene Skatepark.

"Sometimes city hall seems difficult, and we can be," Gookin said. "But I think at the core, everyone wants to do something right to help the community."

Several park-goers stopped to watch the dodgeball games last Friday night. Coeur d'Alene resident Jen Freeman sat on the sidelines as she watched her 13-year-old son and his friend play for hours.

"I would rather know my kids are down here playing dodgeball and exercising outside than sitting in their room playing video games or out causing trouble," Freeman said.

Moving forward, Lentz said he's considering all options to keep playing dodgeball, including sponsorship opportunities and financing.

"We are trying to figure out the best way the city can handle our use of the court while maintaining the game at McEuen and keeping it free for everyone to play," Lentz said.