List of dodgeball variations

The following is a list of rules variations for the collection of games known as dodgeball in different countries and/or states.

Army Dodgeball

Army Dodgeball consists of two teams, and is normally played in a medium sized arena (such as a basketball court or a parking lot). The two teams are picked and a line is made in the center of the playing area. Each team is assigned a side and neither team may cross the center line or they risk being eliminated. Several dodgeballs are then distributed to the teams. Each player then tries to hit the other team's players with the ball, and the spot that is hit is therefore "wounded" and the player must move to the back of the playing area and wait for the "medic" to come heal them. The medic is one player assigned at the beginning of the game by each team. As the two teams throw the ball(s) at each other, if a "wounded" player is hit by a ball before being "healed" they are then removed from the game. The game ends when one player remains unwounded and not out. The game is best played by a medium-sized group (10-30) and lasts from 20 minutes to an hour.

Bombardment

Bombardment is a game played with two teams and five balls on an inside gymnasium (usually a basketball or netball court) divided into three roughly equal zones. Each team can roam freely in their own zone, or in the central no-man's land that divides their zones. If you are hit with a ball on the full, you are out, if you catch a ball on the full, the teammate who has been out longest returns to the game (in some versions of bombardment, you can choose who to bring back). Deflecting a ball with a ball that a player is holding is allowed.

Bombardment is played with two teams each with three pins and five dodgeballs. The objective is to knock over all the opposing team's pins or eliminate all the players on the other team. Players can get out by getting hit, however it must be below the neck. Also if a ball is thrown and a player catches it on the full, the player who threw it is out and the teammate who has been out longest returns to the game (in some versions of bombardment, you can choose who to bring back). There are several variations such as if the game is played in a gym. If a player hits the basketball hoop's backboard or shoots a basket, then that team frees all eliminated players. The game is also sometimes played with three pins per team and variations of this game are also known as Pin Guard or Battle Ball. Another variation changes the purpose of the pins, in this variation it restores all the members of the opposing team.

Medic

Medic ( Dr. Dodge or "Doctor Doctor" or "Hospital") involves a leader in each team who tries to avoid getting hit. When players are hit, they fall on the ground and wait for their team's "Doctor" to come and save them. When the Dr. saves the fallen players, they can get up and play again. The game ends when one team is entirely eliminated, which would happen a lot quicker if a team loses their "doctor". Another variation of the game ends as soon as the doctor is hit. Therefore, it is key for a team to pay attention in order to figure out who the enemy doctor is. Some teams employ a "fake doctor" strategy to throw the opposing team off-guard as to who the doctor actually is, but in some games the doctors are known to both teams beforehand. One variant's rules are altered so that when the doctor is killed, a new player becomes the doctor. Another variation is King's Court, which also involves a leader. If the leader is hit, the game is over. Sometimes used in conjunction with pins.

Another variant uses a 'hospital' in which 'injured' players who are on the ground are dragged by players of either side back to the hospital which is at the rear of each team's playing area. A patient brought back to the hospital is revitalized and allowed to continue playing, though if they are brought to the opposing team's hospital they are now playing for the other team.

Ga-ga

Main article: Ga-ga

Ga-ga or GaGa (also known as Octoball) is a form of dodgeball which is played within an octagonal enclosure when available, or in any other space that is completely enclosed by walls. The objective of the game is to eliminate one's opponents by hitting the ball with either an open hand or closed fist into the region at or below his or her knees. That player is then out and must leave the playing area. A player can also be eliminated by having his or her ball caught in the air. Touching the ball twice consecutively without the ball touching another player or the wall is grounds for elimination unless that player is attempting to catch the ball. Carrying, throwing, or catching the ball after a bounce also results in elimination. Hitting the ball out of bounds is grounds for elimination unless it is as the result of a defensive deflection. Pushing a player into the ball and any other physical contact is also a violation. This and other matters of dispute are settled by the game's judges. There is only one ball in play at a time in ga-ga. The game is started either by placing the ball in the center of the octagon with each of the players touching the wall, or by bouncing the ball and repeating the word "ga" each time the ball touches the floor. After three bounces the ball is in play and the players may leave the wall. Any player touching the ball or leaving the wall before the third bounce is considered out. This is also the procedure for resuming the game after a stoppage of play. Stoppages of play result from the ball being hit out of bounds or the ball being caught. A player being hit at or below his or her knees is not grounds for a stoppage of play. The winner is the last player left in the playing area. The game can be played with a large group of people playing for themselves, in teams, or one on one.

Völkerball (Germany)

German "Nations' ball" (literally from "Völkerball") refers to Prisonball variants. The main variant in Germany uses a single ball and a "King". The king first goes to the jail zone and returns to the main field when all his men are in prison. The king has three lives allowing for players to get back in. There are many popular variations of Völkerball including a recent Strand-Völkerball (beach nations' ball) league. Völkerball is an official sport in the German gymnastics federation, played by women and girls. It is similar to prison ball.

Another version is played by the YMCA in the United States.

Protect the Pin

Protect the Pin or "PTP" or "Pin Guard" or "Pinball"is played like standard dodgeball, except that each team has three plastic bowling pins (or any pin in general like tennis ball tins and cones) at the back of their side of the court (usually evenly spaced on the last line before the wall). Once knocked over, a pin must stay down. The game ends when all of a team's players are eliminated, or (more often) when all of a team's pins are knocked over. When two pins belonging to a team are knocked over, the "Kill Line" rule comes into play. Players from the team that has knocked over two pins may now go as far as the next line on their opponents side of the court. Each player is given two bands at the beginning of the game which indicates the number of lives they have left (2 bands on = 3 lives, 1 band on = 2 lives, 0 bands = 1 life). Balls may be used to hit players, hit pins, or block. A caught ball brings in a teammate and costs the thrower a life. Balls caught after making contact with the walls, floor, ceiling, pin, or anything aside from another player have no effect.

Standard play involves the use of "Gator Skin" balls of varying sizes, though typically including 6 large, 3 medium, and 2 small. These balls are not able to cause any serious damage, so head-shots are generally permitted.

One variation of this involves only one pin per team, which is usually guarded by an appointed team member. The game ends when one of the teams' pin is knocked down.

This can be played in combination with other types, like Doctor Dodgeball. In some versions of Protect the pin, knocking over the pin can ressurect the thrower's whole team.

Prisonball

Main article: Prisonball

Prisonball (also known as Prison Dodgeball, Prisoner Dodgeball, Nationball, Battleball, Greek Dodgeball, German Dodgeball, Teamball, Crossfire, Swedish Dodgeball, Dungeon Dodge, Trench; King's Court in Canada and Queimada or Queimado in Brazil, Sniper in Japan and Heaven in New Zealand) is played much like the original dodgeball game, except when a player is hit, he gets put in "prison" behind the opposing team. To get out of prison, he must catch a ball thrown at them by a teammate. A player in prison may not eliminate anyone from the opposing team. "Prisoners" remain behind the opposing team until the game is over or they are released according to the current ruleset. In some versions of "prisonball" played on a basketball court, all players are released if a half-court shot is made into the opponent's basket.

Also known as Jail Ball or Jailbreak follows the same rules as normal Dodgeball, except that it incorporates the goal boxes on either end of the court; they are referred to as "jails." When a player gets out, he goes to "jail." In order for a player to get out of jail he must catch a ball thrown to him/her by one of their teammates. At this point the player is released from jail to play once more.This version dates back to 1979, and is also some times known as "Prisoner Dodgeball."

German Prisonball works essentially the same way as "Prisonball" above. However, the prison is extended to the sides of the opponent's court, as well as the back. Noone may be released from prison, however, anyone in prison is allowed to collect balls and attack the opposite team, provided they do not enter their court. This makes for a hectic game since as players are eliminated, teams will eventually be attacked from all four sides. The last team with a member remaining not in prison wins.

Trampoline Dodgeball

This variant follows most normal dodgeball rules, but is played on a grid of trampolines and trampoline sidewalls. Players generally can't be driven out of bounds, so gameplay options are reduced to hits and catches. The addition of trampolines makes the activity even more physically demanding than the regular game. It also allows for a wider range of jump plays as players bounce across several trampolines.

Poisonball

This variant of dodgeball is different from other dodgeball variations due to the fact there is only one team,no form of ressurection and the winner is an individual and not a team. It's normally played on a small to medium sized arena (Like a basketball court) and between 1-10 balls are used. Two throwers get selected. Their job is to eliminate as much players as they can by throwing the ball(s) at the players.The players stay in the court and they have to try and stay alive by dodging the ball(s) thrown at them. Once a player gets hit, they join the thowers and have to try to eliminate more players using the balls. Usually over time, more balls get introduced to decrease the survival rate. The winner is the last man standing.

Pony Express

Pony Express is played with two teams and is usually played on a small to medium sized arena (like a basketball court) and between 1-10 dodgeballs are used. There is a fielding team and a running team. The fielding team stands on either side of the arena while the running team stands on one of the ends. The other end is left blank-the runners are supposed to run there and back.There is a central dividing line. The fielding team is armed with the dodgeballs and has to get the runner out but they must be behind the throwing line to eliminate players. A member of the running team has to carry an object (usually a ball the size of a tennis ball) to one end of the arena and back before giving it to another member of the team to run with it. (In some versions, you have to run to one side, get a ball, run back to the other side and drop the ball in a bucket and another teammate gets sent over to get one). Either one or two people get sent at a time to run. If one of the players gets hit, they have to sit down and if they are carrying a ball, they have to hold it up in the air and wait for another teammate to retrieve it.If a runner gets eliminated on the half nearest to their team, the next runner can simply carry the ball back to their end without needing to go the rest of the journey. The eliminated player can defend the runner by blocking of thrown balls but they must remain seated or kneeling on the ground.throwing team members cannot intefere with the runners in any way. Once a whole team gets eliminated, the teams swap roles. The winning team is the team that makes the most runs.

Dodge Football

This variation of dodgeball is the exact same thing as standard dodgeball except for the fact that regular, full sized American footballs are used. It is great training for American Football quarterbacks, receivers, and defenders. Unlike standard dodgeball, this variation of dodgeball is slightly more dangerous due to the fact that the balls are hard, harder to catch and travel quickly at fast speeds. But some people say the danger element is what makes this variation of dodgeball more exciting than the standard version.

Every Man for Himself / Elimination

Every Man for Himself / Elimination is a simple variation in which a circular enclosure (or at least with some type of boundaries in a circular form) is used. One or two balls are usually used in this free-for-all variation. This variation can consist of anywhere from 4 to 30 players. At the beginning of the game, one or two players, depending on the number of balls in use, respectively, are to kick or throw the ball into the air. Players will then pick up the dodgeballs, however, they are only permitted to walk 1-5 steps from the spot they picked up the dodgeball. Players without the ball are permitted to run as they please. If a player is hit (excluding in the head), they will immediately be sent out of the game until the game's end. Once the players of the game are reduced to a low number, the organizer of the game/referee may permit the players to run with the ball. The game does not end until there is one person left standing.

A more simpler version of Every Man for Himself / Elimination is Mash.The gameplay remains entirely the same with the only exception being that a player is allowed to return to the game from his or her state of penalty if the person who removed him or her from play is removed his or herself. The game ends when one last person is standing. The amount of steps a player may take with the ball varies by instructor. A game is usually played with more than 10 players and may last anywhere between 10 minutes and an hour, depending on the skill levels of the players.

Sources

• Keyes, A. (2005). The Complete Book About Dodgeball. AuthorHouse. ISBN 1420875485
• International Dodgeball Federation Rule Book (Variations starting on page 34) http://www.dodge-ball.com/site/DodgeBall%20Rule%20Book.pdf
• YMCA School Playground Partners: Dodgeball Games http://ecke.ymca.org/docs/playgroundpartners/dodgeballgames.pdf

External links

• National Dodgeball League, directions for member clubs, and leagues in the United States.
• National Amateur Dodgeball Association
• National College Dodgeball Association
• International Dodge Ball Federation
• Fun and Games