DOWN AND DIRTY

BIG LAKE — Wet and messy — that’s how they do it in Big Lake.

Hundreds of players and onlookers from across Alaska spent a raucous Saturday afternoon yesterday in this popular Mat-Su recreation spot, frolicking in and alongside two giant pits of muddy water dug into a vacant lot in the middle of town. Now a 20-year tradition, the community’s annual mud volleyball tournament has grown into one of the biggest parties of the year in an area that’s known for it’s willingness to have a good time.

“Just look around,” mud volleyball player Bardon Blanchard said shortly after crawling from the muck. “Look at all the people here. Look at all the kids, all the people playing. It’s a great time.”

Covered in mud and dirty water, Blanchard and his Houston Lodge teammates didn’t seem too concerned that they’d just gone down to defeat in one of the 26-team tournament’s early rounds. Minutes after losing their game, the players were already hanging out on the back of a pick-up truck, cracking beverages and trading war stories about the muddy battle.

Blanchard said he’s played in the tournament for 13 years, and that the best part about the tournament is the entire town seems to show up for the show.

“It’s just about getting the community together and having fun,” he said.

Blanchard also pointed out that the tournament’s proceeds go entirely to benefit the Big Lake Lion’s Club.

“It’s all for a good cause,” he said.

Blanchard’s teammate, Anchorage resident Marcus Jewell, said the whole idea behind the tournament is for the people of the area to get out and blow off a little summertime steam.

“It’s a time for everybody to just break loose,” Jewell said.

In many ways, Saturday’s event at the Big Lake “Y” was more a social gathering than sporting event.

Groups of people small and large congregated on the hills surrounding the two mud pits, and the smell of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers was thick in the air. But while the event had a rowdy feel, teams involved ran the gamut from those sponsored by local bars to community church and youth groups.

“There’s people from everywhere and from all walks of life too,” Darren Wiebe of the Big Lake Faith Bible Fellowship team said following a match.

Wiebe said the event is a good way for church members to get out in the community, meet new people and — above all else — have a good time.

“It’s good, clean — well, dirty — fun,” Wiebe said.

The biggest challenge of playing the mud, Wiebe said, was the difficulty players had with the sloppy footing.

“I don’t know what you can really fully prepare [for], because when your feet are stuck in the mud, there’s nothing you can do,” he said.

A number of teams sported Christian themes, including a large contingent from Young Life, a group that pairs teens with adults for recreational and spiritual activities. Young Life youth leader Scott Helle said the idea of the program is to show that going to church and having a good time can go hand-in-hand.

“We like to think the Christian life should be fun, we always have a lot of fun with what we’re doing,” Helle said.

Young Life member Jeremy Wright had a more simple explanation for why so many people would spend a Saturday afternoon getting down and dirty.

“Because it’s awesome,” Wright said.

Contact Matt Tunseth at matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com or 352-2265.