Dodgeball is one of the fastest growing sports in North America. Over the number of years, we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with new and veteran dodgeball fanatics! The best teams are not necessarily the ones who throw the hardest or are the most athletic but they are the ones with the best dodgeball skills. The following few points are some important strategies to perfect your dodgeball! And yes, there really is more than just dodge, dip, dive, duck and dodge!

WARM UP!

Playing dodgeball works out all the muscles in your body and even all the muscles you never knew you had.

Dodgeball is an intensely fun sport but at the same time, it is also intensely demanding at a physical level.

• Warm up by doing a series of exercises and stretches
• Good warmups include hamstring, arm, thigh, shoulder and leg stretches
• Going for a light jog and practicing your throws are excellent
  ways of warming up your body as well
• Be sure to know your body’s limits, you will probably feel sore after the first few times and that is normal but if you feel any pain in your body while playing, stop and take a break
• Bring lots of water and stay hydrated at all times

TEAMWORK STRATEGIES

• Spread out with your teammates on the court to avoid being bunched up on the same area
• Strategize and have a plan in place with your teammates- communicate on the ‘court’
• When your opponent is in a corner-throw the balls to force your opponent out of bounds
• Avoid standing directly in front of your teammate(s) in case you duck an opponent’s ball
• Avoid standing directly in behind a teammates in case they decide to duck an opponent’s ball
• Use other teammates as human shields
• Know the rules and code of conduct and abide by them

THROWING STRATEGIES

• Work with your team to throw multiple balls to eliminate a single and stronger opponent first
• Practice throwing cross-court as opposed to straight shots
• Fool your opponents and fake your throws
• Target your opponents when they jump, use their inability to dodge at your advantage
• Aim low near the feet making it more difficult for your opponent to catch the ball
• Time your throws as soon as your opponent has thrown his/her ball
• Startle your opponent by screaming when throwing

DEFERENCE STRATEGIES

When defending with a ball, grasp the ball firmly so it is not knocked out of your hands

• Ensure blocked balls are clearly deflected away from your body otherwise you are out
• If outnumbered, try to focus on catching the balls in order to bring your teammates back in
• Develop new ways to avoid being hit and creative and so opponents don’t learn your strategy
• Be unpredictable with your footwork and practice shuffling and side-stepping
• Practice catching all types of throws: fast ones, slow ones, ones that are low to your feet
• Focus on catching certain balls as some balls are just impossible to catch

There you have it folks, the top 4 tips for perfecting your dodgeball – We hope these little tidbits will help you as they have me. Rock on and get your Dodge on!