LANGLEY — Oh, yeah, we’re having fun now.

Tons of it.

Tuesday, the youth dodgeball league was in full swing in the “cooler” at Langley Middle School and the kids were doing what they love to do best — tag their friends out with a foam ball thrown at the highest possible velocity.

Why do they like it so much?

“Nailing people with the ball and not getting yelled at,” declared Callum MacDonald, 8.

Hunter Bova, 9, readily shared that view.

“My favorite part is pelting all my friends and tagging them out because they’re usually on the other side,” he explained.

This is Mackenzee Collins’ first year playing the game.

“Even if I throw the ball hard at one of my friends, I know she won’t get hurt and be mad at me,” the 9-year-old said. “And she can throw it back if I miss.”

Sponsored by South Whidbey Parks & Recreation, the Tuesday night dodgeball program started slowly last year, then really took off, said referee Trevor Hein.

“This season, I’ve got 20 kids from third through fifth-grade for the first two hours, then about 40 older kids from 6 to 7 p.m.,” he said.

The players are divided into teams and lined up opposite each other on the edge of the gym, each team with an adult coach keeping the peace — no baiting of the other side is allowed. A line of balls is set in the middle of the gym floor. The program uses special coated foam “gator” balls, roughly 9 inches in diameter, that are designed for speed, accuracy and minimal risk of injury.

Each child carefully chooses his target, so when Hein blows his whistle, the action commences.

In groups of three, the kids race out, grab a ball and throw at the opposition until only one is left standing, always with a triumphant grin on his or her face.

Coaches keep score on which teams are winning, but that really isn’t the point.

“My son Ben uses up a lot of energy doing this and he’s having a great time,” Kathy Borson of Langley said from the sidelines as she watched the controlled chaos.

Her son said the night was good because no one was cheating.

How do you cheat at dodgeball?

“When the ball hits you and you don’t go out,” he explained. “That doesn’t happen very often, though, because the game goes so fast. It’s awesome.”

Hein is a senior at the Bayview School and enjoys his work immensely. He has a way of commanding the players’ respect and attention without being too officious.

“The look on their faces when they get the other kid out is priceless,” he said.

Hein noted that over the two years, the only injury was a broken little finger.

“We let them go so far and no farther, so it’s a safe sport,” he said.

A drop-in adult dodgeball practice — unstructured, but definitely worth checking out — is held at 5 p.m. Fridays, but can’t hold a candle to the kids in terms of energy expended.

The parks district is evaluating whether to hold a summer dodgeball program, but no decision has been made yet.

And if they did, would anyone sign up?

“Definitely,” said Ben.

For more info on the program, contact parks program director Carrie Monforte at 221-5484, or programs@whidbey.com.