Winning the water fights takes talent, strategy

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

The strategy that is needed to win the water fights during the Grundy County Corn Festival is not one that winning firefighters from Wilmington were willing to share. “I can't tell you how,” said Captain Todd Friddle. “Let's just say we watched our dad's do it and we learned.” Friddle is so secretive about his strategy that he obviously didn't share it with members of the Minooka Fire Department, where he holds a full-time firefighting position. Minooka's two teams dropped earlier than the final four, which pitted Sandwich against Mazon and Wilmington against Big Rock. Wilmington took first place, Big Rock second and Sandwich third. Friddle said the competition is much harder than people realize and it really drains the energy of the team. “I try to change the man on the nozzle,” said Friddle. “There is water mist in your eyes, the lights come into play and the barrel can be hard to see.” Friddle's Wilmington team consisted of himself, Owen Black, Jessie Cruitt and Josh Plese. Morris was out in the first round against Mazon, but the team won one of three bouts giving them a win last year's team didn't see. “The only way to get good at this is to practice,” said Captain Chris Kindlespire, with the Morris Fire Department. “It's harder to see than you would think.” While they have talked about practicing and getting a team together, he said, they never really have and only compete in the water fights they host during Corn Festival. “I don't know how long we've hosted this, but the past 20 years I've been on the department we have,” said Kindlespire. “I remember seeing them as a kid, so it's been a long time.” He said the older guys around the station have given advice and tips on the art of water fighting, including if the other team gets it spinning on you aim for the pulley. Adult spectators could be heard cheering on their teams, which hailed from Newark, Braidwood, Plainfield, Troy, Minooka, Morris, Mazon, Wilmington, Sandwich and Big Rock. For children, like James Collins, 5, of Morris, found playing in the water that rained down around him from the fire hoses much more important than the reverse tug of war game going on before him. Collins, who came dressed as a fireman complete with fire jacket, hat and boots, stood waiting for the water from the opposing team's hose to reach his spot, where he danced about as it landed around him. The competition had to be held up at one point as the firefighters asked parents to clear the children, for their safety, from the “A” frame that holds the wire after they joined in the wait for the shower of water from the fire hoses. Morris firefighters also took advantage of the large crowd gathered to pass the boot for the son of one of their firefighters, Curtis DeMarse. Carson DeMarse, son of Curtis and Kelly DeMarse of Morris, was recently diagnosed with Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy and, in addition to the fundraiser they will hold on Nov. 8, they hope to gather money throughout Corn Festival as they pass the boot.