More than 90 students had signed up to participate in the Friday, December 12, after school KanJam tournament at Newtown Middle School by the time the bell rang to dismiss school for the day.

NMS physical education teachers Matt Memoli, Joe LaRosa, and Ken Kantor were quick to ready the gym for the tourney before students filed in to hear the rules for the after school event.

KanJam is a game that has players attempt to score goals by aiming flying discs at cans with an opening on the top and a slot in the front. According to Mr Memoli, the game became popular with students at NMS after participating in ultimate Frisbee programs in class. After Mr LaRosa e-mailed the KanJam company, Mr Memoli said the company donated all of the KanJams that were used in the December 12 tourney to the school.

“We tried it out and the kids just loved it,” said Mr Memoli.

Inspiration to hold the tourney came from how much the students responded to playing KanJam, and, according to Mr Memoli, in less than two weeks of arranging the event, more than 90 students signed up to participate.

Before the tournament began, Mr Kantor explained the rules and how teams were set up to participate. Students helped the teachers keep score throughout the tournament.

Two rounds were held before a playoff round determined that Ben Talbot and Michael Cotton were the champions of the event. Kyle Duval and Bobby Elston were named as runners up for the competition.