Like a little razzle-dazzle when you’re getting smashed in the face? At UpHigh/DownLow, the Silver Lake chapter of LADS (Los Angeles Dodgeball Society), you’re sure to get a glimpse of sparkly purple tights, perhaps under a gorilla suit, right before a big red ball knocks you into next Tuesday. Although, says UH/DL founder Matty Pipes, those moon boots are just for showboaters. “The flashier people are just there for distraction and usually can’t throw for crap,” Pipes says. “It’s the people with the plain tees waiting in the wings that you need to watch out for.” Pipes, who also captains team Bandana Rama, says the Silver Lake division has gotten so much response that he actually has to audition people before they’re assigned to a team. “It’s $50 to join, but, unlike the other LADS leagues, you must be approved by a captain and me. We have to turn away a lot of people.” The chapter’s roster of teams features such motley crews as WW4, FAGS (Fun Active Gentlemen’s Society), Prom Night Dumpster Babies, etc. But don’t be fooled by the silly monikers; the competition gets pretty fierce, especially toward the end of the season. Sometimes the action spills into the stands and spectators are forced to dodge left and right, occasionally futilely, to avoid the ferocious flying bombardment. At the end of the game, though, UpHigh/DownLow is all about the “high-five mentality,“ Pipes insists. “It’s also great to have a place to meet people where you don’t feel like you have to be wasted. A lot of people thank us for that the most.”

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