If you’re tired of playing by the traditional dodgeball rules, here’s a list of dodgeball variations that might interest you. Read the following article for different ways to play this fun game with friends and family…
Among the many sports played at school, dodgeball is by far the most popular. Now kids who are good at this game and can hit other players effectively with the ball will vouch for the fact that this game is truly entertaining and fun. However, this cannot be the truth for some kids. There are few kids who don’t do well in sports, and that is the reason why their love for this game is missing. But we are not here to discuss whether or not you like or dislike dodgeball. The point here is that since this game is so popular and played almost all across the U.S. and most parts of the world, you can’t help but bring in a few variations into the traditional way it’s played.
As most games are played across the world, there are times when we can get bored with the same old rules that need to be followed and a change in scene is required. Well, if that’s the case with you while playing dodgeball, then we can be of some assistance. In this SportsAspire article, we have to put together a list of dodgeball variants that you can learn and play with your friends at school or at home with family. Want to find out more about them? Then keep reading.
Dodgeball Variations’ List
Since dodgeball is a game played between two teams, the variations aren’t that dissimilar. You will require more than 4 to 6 players to form two teams and carry out the game accordingly. To learn more about how each of the different variations of dodgeball is played, take a look below.
| Variations | How It’s Played |
| Army Dodgeball | Two teams are made where each team gets to choose a side of the court. Similar to the traditional dodgeball rules, each team will throw balls to the opposite team players and try to hit them. Once a player is hit, he/she has to go to the back of the court to get healed by a doctor. One team player is the doctor who will ‘heal’ the players. The opposing team has to hit the ‘wounded’ players in the back so that they don’t return. If they are successful, then that ‘wounded’ player is out. This way, each team has to make sure they eliminate the opposing team’s players. |
| Bombardment | In this game, each team will get 3-4 pins and about 5 dodgeballs. The pins are to be lined in the back of the court, behind each teams’ side. The players have to knock down all these pins and/or eliminate the opposite team’s players. For offense, a team player can either catch the ball that is about to hit him/her or deflect it by throwing a ball. With every pin that is knocked down, a team player can be called in who has been out for a long time. |
| Doctor Dodgeball | To play this game, first each team has to assign one player as the doctor who has to save himself/herself from getting out. Once the players of each team are hit, they have to stay on the floor and wait for the doctor to ‘heal’ them. If the opposing team manages to hit the doctor, then the entire team is eliminated. But since the opposing team wouldn’t know at first who the doctor is, it can become a challenge. A team can even assign a fake doctor to fool everyone. |
| Dodge Football | The objective of this game is similar to traditional dodgeball. The only difference is that instead of using dodgeballs, you will use footballs to play the game. Here, the key thing to remember is that footballs are tougher than dodgeballs and can come at you with more speed than the latter. |
| Four Quadrants | In this game, the court is separated in 4 different quadrants for the teams to play in. You can have either 2 or 4 teams playing from each quadrant. The objective here is to hit and eliminate the players from each quadrant and be the last one standing. The players who get out can be brought back in the game by following the rules from the traditional dodgeball. |
| Ga-Ga | To begin the game, you can either place the ball in the middle of the court and each player has to touch it. Or, each player will bounce a ball on the wall and yell out “Ga” every time. Ga-Ga is played with only one ball. A player has to hit the ball with his/her open hand or a closed fit to eliminate his/her opponents. That player can also eliminate opposing players by hitting on or below their knees. If a ball is coming at you and bounces once on the ground, you can’t catch, throw, or carry it. If you do, you are eliminated. You can catch the opposite team’s balls to eliminate them. Also, you can’t push someone in front of a ball to save yourself as this is considered as a violation. |
| Gauntlet | There are two teams in this game – fielding team and running team. Fielding team will position themselves on both sides of the court, making a channel in the center of the court so that the running team can run through the channel and go to the other side of the court. Once the running team reaches one side of the court, they have to run back to the starting position. As the running team makes their way from one side of the court to the other, the fielding team has to throw the balls and eliminate them. The running team can send 1 or 2 players to make the run at a time and save themselves from getting hit. If 1 of them gets hit, both players will sit down there itself. The runners can also carry a ball with them while running as this can help them in saving other runners while they are eliminated. Both teams switch sides and the team that makes the maximum runs, wins. |
| Pin Dodgeball | In our list, the next game is called Pin Dodgeball orProtect the Pin. To play this game, each team will get 3 pins that need to be placed at the back of the court (on either ends). The objective is to hit all 3 pins and knock them down. The players have to save the pins from being hit and also make sure they don’t get hit and eliminated from the game as well. Now if a team’s 2 pins are down, they can come to the opponent’s side of the court, slightly beyond the line. This way, you get an advantage. In this game, each player will also get bands which can be used as lifelines. You can choose to give either 2 or 3 lifelines that can be used during the game to stay in the court. |
| Poisonball | There is only one team in this game and the objective is to be the last player standing to win the game. You can use either 1 ball or even 10 balls to play the game. 2 players are selected as throwers and they have to hit and eliminate other players in the game. Now when a player gets hit, he/she is does not get eliminated, but instead becomes a thrower. After all the players are out, the throwers will have to eliminate each other and try to win the game. |
| Prisonball | This game is played in the same way as traditional dodgeball but when a player gets hit, he/she has to stay locked up in the opposite team’s prison. For the ‘prisoner’ to get out, his/her teammates have to throw him/her a ball that needs to be caught. If he/she catches the ball, he/she is out of the prison. |
| Scatterball | Also known as Every Man for Himself, this game is played with either 1 or 2 balls. To start the game, 2 players will stand in the middle of the court, 2 dodgeballs will be thrown in the air, and they have to catch the ball in less than 5 steps. The other players can run free in the court. By taking only less than 5 steps, those 2 players have to eliminate others; you can’t hit the players in their heads. Once a player is hit, he/she is out. Once there are few players left, the 2 players who have the balls can run around the court to hit others. When the last player is left in the game, he/she wins. |
| Trampoline Dodgeball | As the name suggests, the playing field for this game is laid over trampolines. The rules of the game are similar to that of traditional dodgeball but the only difference is that you have to hit and catch the ball with a lot of bouncing going on. But while playing the game, players have to be very careful so as to not crash into one another and make sure they don’t get hurt. |
Well, quite a few variations to keep in mind the next you play dodgeball. So, did you like any of these games? Try them out with your friends at school. I’m sure you’ll have a great time playing them. Have fun!
