Dodgeball Basics: Coaching,
Exercises and Drills
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Introduction
Warm-up & Warm-down
Circuits
Drills
Fun Play
Codes of Conduct
Dodgeball in Schools
UKDBA
1. Introduction to Dodgeball
Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive…and Dodge, that is what most people have come to relate
Dodgeball with over the last few years. The game of Dodgeball is a sport which takes
place not just in the form of playground games it has now become involved in league
matches, national and international tournaments drawing in adults and students from all
corners of the world. Huge in America, Dodgeball has finally come to the UK and has hit
down hard!
For this reason, this document has been constructed to help anyone wishing to increase
their team’s performance or just get involved with the sport. Involved are suggestions of
a warm-up and warm-down, circuits, drills, fun games, codes of conduct, information
regarding the UKDBA and the reasons why Dodgeball should be played in schools. The
drills and exercises are at a basic level and are there to help beginners pick up the game
as easily and as enjoyably as possible. If you have any ideas that you wish to be put in the
next coaching document then please email them to [email protected] with a
description and diagrams.
For more information regarding equipment, court size, the rules and the structure of Inter
Dodgeball go to ‘Why Dodgeball’ on our website or see our ‘Inter Dodgeball rules’.
2. Warm-up & Warm-down
Warm-up and warm-downs are essential for any training. The purpose of a warm-up is to
get the blood flowing, muscles warm and your mind ready for exercise. The purpose of a
warm-down is to decrease the risk of sore muscles. Keeping warm immediately after a
session is vital as this helps prevent infections when your body’s immune system is at its
lowest and also helps to restore your energy levels.
RUNNING:
This is the easiest way to get the body moving at a steady pace for a warm-up or a slow
pace for a warm-down. Whether it is round a sports hall or a sports field there is always
the facility to do so and no equipment is necessary. Incorporating a bit more activity into
this can be done by a simple routine – 1 blow of a whistle means touch the ground, 2
blows = jump up to the ceiling, 3 blows = sprint to the nearest wall and so on.
STRETCHES:
It is very important to stretch the muscles post and pre exercise, starting from the ankles
to the neck. This is usually helped by someone in the middle of the circle dictating which
stretch to do next so as everyone does exactly the same thing at the same time.
3. Circuits
Circuits are a good way to warm up as they can be done at a low or high intensity, are
also easily demonstrated and can be controlled by a set time limit. Below is a list of
simple stations that can be used to improve ball skills, stamina, agility and aim:
BALL SKILLS:
1) Standing less than a meter from the wall and facing it, move the ball from the left to
the right, up over your head. Using just the fingertips from one hand and making sure the
ball stays close to the wall swap hands when you reach the centre.
2) In a standing position, hold the ball between your legs (one hand positioned at the
front and one at the back), quickly swap hands before the ball can touch the floor.
3) Move a ball around your waist or up above your head as quickly as possible, changing
direction every 5 times.
STAMINA:
4) Skip on the spot
5) Relays from cone to cone
6) Step ups on a bench
AGILITY:
7) Markers are positioned at the front and back, left and right of a player (circles), the
player must start in the middle (square) and sprint to the first marker in front of them and
back to the centre, to the right and back to the centre, and so on. Players must be facing
forwards.
8) Position cones (circles) in a zig-zag, Player 1 stands at one end and sprints to each
cone grounding their outside foot on each to sprint to the next and jogs back to the
beginning to do it again, this is repeated. Player 2 counts how many times this is done.
P1
P2
MOVEMENT:
9) Player 1 stands a meter from the wall facing it and Player 2 stands 5 metres behind,
Player 2 calls left or right and then throws the ball in the direction they called. Player 1
must turn to their left or right and catch the ball directed at them.
10) Player 1 and Player 2 stand a meter away, facing one another. Player 1 places the ball
anywhere in the vicinity of Player 2 – high, low, left or right, bounce to the side, and roll
along the ground. Player 2 must snatch the ball in as quickly as possible.
AIM:
11) A player stands 2 metres away from the wall facing it and they mark out a spot on the
wall that they must aim for. Using the ball they must see how many times they can aim
for this spot, Player 2 counts.
12) On the wall are 5 coloured or numbered markers, Player 1 stands 3-6 metres away
from wall, Player 2 shouts out a colour/number and Player 1 aims for that marker. Player
2 counts how many are hit.
Make sure they are varied e.g. all stamina stations are not after one another.
4. Drills
REACTIONS & SPEED:
This drill will work on reactions and speed. Three balls (circles) are placed on the dead
zone, 3 players are on the back line on either side (squares). The coach (triangle) is at the
side of the court and shouts ‘Go!’ or blows their whistle and one player from each side
runs to see if they can get the ball before the other player.
DODGING AND MOVEMENT:
DODGING AND MOVEMENT:
This is a drill that will work on dodging the balls. 2 throwers (squares) with a box of balls
will stand in the middle of one of the team’s areas on court. Bibs (circles) will be
scattered in the other team area on the floor and all players (triangles) will line up on the
side line with each player beginning in the middle of the back line. The aim is to grab a
bib without being hit by a ball, if you successfully do this then you keep the bib (acts as 1
point) and join the back of the line, if a ball hits you or you step out of court then you
stop and join the back of the line. Once all bibs have been collected off of the floor the
player with the most points wins.
5. Fun Play
Below are some of the variations of Dodgeball, these can be adapted to suit the number
of people you have and also their ability. The first three are ideal for children as they
highlight the fundamentals needed for the game and also (the first two) decrease the
elimination period which has caused arguments among some schools.
DODGEBALL WITH LIVES (Ideal for children):
Two teams involved - one team would form two lines facing each other, they have
playground balls for ammunition (two balls was the norm.) The other team would scatter
about between the lines of the first team. The first team would then throw balls at team
two. If a member of team two was hit below the shoulders, they were out and had to stand
aside. If a player on team two caught the ball (not after a bounce), they received a free
"life" (i.e. if s/he is hit again, s/he has used up a "life" and is not out.) A player may not
receive more than three "lives." The fourth, fifth, etc. time a player catches the ball, they
may bring players who were out, back into the game by calling a name. When all players
of team two are out or the teacher decides to change over, the teams switch places.
VARIATION: If a player on the opposite team catches a ball you threw before it
bounced, the thrower is 'out'
DODGEBALL WITH A SHORT ELIMINATION TIME (Ideal for Children):
Players divide into equal teams; playing area is a large rectangle with a line through the
middle, enough balls for one team to have one each. Each player throws the ball trying to
hit one of the members of the other team. If they catch the ball, the person is out. If the
ball hits a person in the head, the person is out who threw it. If the team with a person out
hits a member of the other team, all their members are in again. If the ball bounces then it
does not follow the above rules.
BASIC DODGEBALL (Ideal for Children)
You form a circle and choose a person to start. That person throws a ball (preferably a
soft one) to someone across the room. If you catch it, you throw it to someone else. If you
drop it, you sit down. Last person standing is the winner.
CIRCULAR DODGEBALL:
Players are divided up into 2 teams. One team forms an inside circle and the other team
spread out around the outside. A ball is thrown at the players on the inside circle. Players
on the inside were allowed to run around where ever they wanted, but could not go out. If
a player in the center was hit, they became one of the players outside the circle. The game
is over when only one person is left inside the circle and they become the winner.
FRISBEE DODGEBALL:
Two teams play inside a rectangular boundary with a dive separating each team. 2, 3 or 4
frisbees are used depending on the number and ability of players. If a player caught a
thrown frisbee then the thrower was out, play continued until one person or team
remained.
6. Codes of Conduct for a Coach
A coach’s responsibility to its players is highly important, below is a guideline to what
each person must follow:
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Be responsible for setting the boundaries between the player and the coach.
Be concerned primarily with the well-being, safety, and protection of the player.
Take all reasonable steps to establish a safe working environment.
Be punctual at all training sessions, matches and meetings.
Be responsible for planning, co-coordinating, delivering and evaluating the
sessions.
6. Be responsible for communicating and co-operating with registered medical and
ancillary practitioners in the diagnosis, treatment and management of a
performer’s medical and psychological problems. Where there is no medical
intervention is able to make responsible judgments on not playing an injured
player.
7. Be responsible for regularly seeking ways of increasing his/her personal and
professional development.
8. Be responsible for ensuring that the player’s training is of the appropriate
frequency and level for their age, maturity and ability
9. Be responsible for discouraging players from violating the rules.
10. Educate players to the danger of taking banned substances that enhance a player’s
performance and reinforce the rules relating to such offences.
11. Accept responsibility for a player’s behaviour when in a sporting environment.
12. Reach individual agreements with the players on what information collated by the
coach is deemed as confidential. However the disclosure of information to a
certain party will be necessary
a. when it is judged that on the grounds of legal and medical reasons
b. protection of children from abuse
c. the risk of health and safety
d. Disciplinary action of the player within netball.
13. Never smoke whilst involved in coaching, selection and matches.
14. Not drink alcohol so soon before coaching that it affects their coaching
performance in any way.
15. Be equitable and fair to all players.
7. Dodgeball in Schools
Dodgeball originated in schools, however recently is has come under threat to ban this
much loved game by children both in the playground and PE lessons. Below are some of
the obstacles that are being faced and the arguments against them.
SAFETY: ‘Dodgeball is a violent sport’. Dodgeball is less potentially harmful than
traditional sports such as football and rugby, however, skills in these sports are much
more valued through childhood and in society than Dodgeball. Also the ‘violence’ of the
sport can be no more frowned upon than such acts as a spike in a Volleyball game or a
smash aimed at your opponent in a Tennis match. Balls that are used in the game are
varied; I would not expect Primary School age children to use the standard UKDBA balls
(even though these are safe within themselves) but the foam balls that occupy many
school cupboards and so the risk involved is minimal.
ELIMINATION: ‘Dodgeball is an elimination game and encourages gamesmanship’.
Another argument of the game is the elimination process; there are variations of the game
where elimination does not occur just that players lose points or a player only sits out for
a limited amount of time (see fun play). Thus, this eliminates the elimination process!
However, other questions are then raised such as, is there a variation in the elimination of
a batsman in a cricket match, for example?
TEAM BUILDING: ‘Dodgeball is an every player for themselves game ’. Dodgeball
requires tremendous teamwork, it is simply not just about picking up a ball and throwing
it at another player. Strategy, confidence and cooperation are all required by each
member of the team. The game can also be used as a method of reward between the
teacher and the pupil, another form of teamwork and positive conditioning.
8. UKDBA
The UKDBA (UK’s Dodgeball Association) was formed in July 2005 and is the only
recognisable Dodgeball Provider in the UK. It is backed and supported by the
International Dodgeball Federation (IDBF) and supports Inter Dodgeball in its leagues
and tournaments. The UKDBA’s ethos is ‘to develop, not only the “Grass Roots” game
but to take it to the next level!
www.ukdba.org