Water revival: Local fire departments hope to restart tradition

Tue, Aug 19, 2008    to del.icio.us

SPRING LAKE — Streams of water crossed like two swords as the warriors prepared for battle.

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The signal was given and the blades of water descended onto their target. Droplets of water glistened in the evening sun and rained over the warriors as they focused on their target.

In a matter of minutes, it was over. The ball had gone to the other side.

Teams of firefighters from Crockery and Spring Lake townships engaged in a waterball battled Monday evening at Jeffers Elementary School, located at the corner of Leonard Road and 144th Avenue. When it was over, Crockery firefighters rode off in their red-and-white trucks with a trophy in hand.

The whole thing started as a joke. But John Stalzer and firefighters from Spring Lake and Crockery townships hope that the joke could revive a tradition.

Stalzer, the training officer for the Spring Lake Township Fire Department, traces the beginning back to a phone call from the Crockery department challenging them to a game of waterball.

Soon they had a trophy for the winner and the challenge was on.

The two fire departments faced off Monday, with multiple teams from each department battling for the trophy. It was officers against firefighters with the winners going against the other department in the finals. Crockery came out on top.

"We do this every year as part of our training anyway," said Crockery Fire Chief Gary Dreyer.

Waterball used to be very popular in the area, Stalzer said, with an annual competition during the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival. The event was held behind Hostetter's News in downtown Grand Haven and in front of Johnson Boiler in Ferrysburg.

"It has since fallen by the wayside," he said.

Now the two local fire departments want to change that. They hope to make their battle an annual event and hope to get other local fire departments involved in it. Everyone was too busy during the annual Coast Guard Festival, Stalzer said, so they want the event to be separate.

"It'll bring more fun to the area," he said.

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But it's not all fun and games for those involved. There is some training involved for the younger firefighters, Stalzer said, and it helps them learn some basic skills.

"You do have to know what you're doing," he said.

Tribune News Editor Becky Vargo contributed to this story.

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