Dodgeball

Dodgeball is a game played between two teams and won when one team eliminates all the players from the opposing team. Players from both sides try to eliminate their opponents by throwing balls at them while dodging balls thrown in their own direction. The game is played mostly in school settings, such as in physical education classes or on playgrounds, but adults may play the game in leagues and tournaments. Although the game has been a staple in gym classes for decades, it has some fierce critics and often gets a bad reputation for being cruel and violent.

Brief History

Dodgeball's origins are a bit murky, and no credible sources about its history exist. A few theories about the game's origins have arisen. One proposes that the game can be traced back more than two hundred years to Africa, where people played it by throwing rocks at one another. The theory suggests that people used the game as a form of exercise. Another theory proposes that a missionary brought the game to the United States in the late 1800s. Rocks also were used in that version, and the game became known as "deathbrick." Although these theories cannot be verified, they have contributed to the popular opinion that dodgeball is a violent and cruel game. The game is also known by a few other names, such as murder ball and killer ball, which do not help its vicious reputation.

Many people are familiar with the game of dodgeball from playing it as a child. However, the sport gained renewed popularity when the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story arrived in theaters in 2004. The comedy film reintroduced the game of dodgeball to many adults and encouraged more people to use the game for social, exercise, and fundraising purposes. In 2011, representatives from Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, the United States, and the United Kingdom created the World Dodgeball Federation (WDBF) to provide governance for the growing body of dodgeball leagues worldwide. In 2012, the first dodgeball world championship took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Hong Kong won the men’s gold medal, and a team made up of players from both the United States and Canada won the women’s gold. 

Overview

The game of dodgeball is relatively simple to play. Two teams toss balls back and forth across a central line. The idea is to eliminate players from the opposing team by hitting them with the balls. At the same time, players have to try to avoid being hit by dodging balls thrown by their opponents. If a player gets hit by a ball, he or she is eliminated from the game. If the player catches a ball that is thrown at him or her, he or she eliminates the person who threw the ball, and one player from his or her team gets to reenter the game. The winning team successfully eliminates all the players from the opposing team. In school settings, students play dodgeball with large, inflatable rubber balls. In adult dodgeball leagues, players use 7-inch (18-centimeter) foam balls to play the game.

For a long time, dodgeball was considered a recreational game. However, official organizations and leagues began taking shape in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In 2004, the National Dodgeball League, the only professional league in the United States, was formed. The league contains twenty-four teams throughout the country, broken into two conferences, the National and the American conferences. Later, in 2017, the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) officially recognized dodgeball as a sport. As a result of this recognition, dodgeball could one day make its way to the Olympics. The same year, USA Dodgeball began. In 2024, the organization had seventy-three member organizations and leagues throughout the country.

Although dodgeball has been recognized as a sport, many people have demonstrated opposition to it. In 2006, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), a group that oversees physical education and represents physical education teachers across the county, released an official position on the game of dodgeball. NASPE stated that it does not think dodgeball is an appropriate activity for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. NASPE explained that the game provides limited opportunities for slower, less agile students who are most in need of physical activity and that it allows stronger students to target weaker students. Moreover, the group thinks that it is inappropriate to teach students that hurting others is the way to win games. Others who oppose dodgeball in schools say that physical education programs should meet the needs of every student, not just those who are good at sports. They believe that physical education classes should get students excited about the benefits of healthy exercise habits. Some believe that dodgeball can have the opposite effect, leading to humiliation for certain students.

People who believe dodgeball should be played in schools say that it can help children build confidence and gain a competitive spirit. They think that it can be fun for students. They also believe that dodgeball can help children stay healthy because it involves running, throwing, and moving quickly.

Adults who play dodgeball believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, which is likely why dodgeball leagues and tournaments have formed all over the country. For example, the Elite Dodgeball National Championship is a three-day tournament held at Boston University each year. Teams participating in these competitions can even win money. Prizes range from a few thousand dollars to as much as $125,000 at a single tournament. Participants say that dodgeball provides a number of health benefits, too. Dodgeball's fast pace makes it a great form of physical exercise. The game is intense and requires agility, power, and coordination. Playing the game is also good for mental health because it helps players reduce stress. Players say participants need to be quick on their feet and skilled at deception to be good at the sport.

Some adults who participate in dodgeball leagues and tournaments get injured, which is a drawback. However, the most common injuries are bruises or broken fingers from game balls hitting them too hard. Participants believe these injuries are not that serious because they typically heal within a few days or weeks.

Bibliography

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