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Essential Techniques for Throwing and Dodging to Outsmart Your Opponents
Dodgeball is a straightforward game: hit your rivals with the ball to eliminate them while evading incoming throws. These are the basic rules, but mastering the game involves more than just hitting and dodging. Key strategies include refined throwing techniques, expert catching, and effective teamwork, which can dramatically boost your chances of success.
Winning Strategies for Dodgeball
- Throw at lower angles. It’s much harder for opponents to catch low throws.
- Target the strongest players first, removing them from the game to strengthen your team’s position.
- Use your body to block or deflect balls, or catch them using your own ball for added defense.
Game Plan
Effective Ball-Throwing Methods
Grip the ball with one hand. Using one arm for the throw allows you to generate much more force than trying to use both hands. Spread your fingers wide to secure a strong grip. Hold the dodgeball like you would a tennis ball.
- If your hands are too small to grip the ball this way, you can curl your hand and wrist around the ball, cradling it. This will still allow you to throw with power and precision.
Target the lower half. It’s much tougher for your opponents to catch a ball thrown toward their legs. Even if they dodge, you’re less likely to get eliminated. Just be sure not to let the ball bounce before reaching your target.
Throw from a closer distance. Even with strong throws, reducing the gap between you and your target helps convert your power into speed, making it harder for the opposition to dodge.
Keep your hands hidden behind your back. Whether holding the ball or not, keeping your hands out of sight gives away less information, preventing the other team from anticipating your next move. This subtle trick can give you a crucial advantage.
Eliminate the top players first. Taking out the opposing team’s strongest throwers early on will keep your squad in the game longer. By limiting their ability to knock out your team members, you gain a significant advantage as the match progresses.
Techniques for Dodging
Position yourself close to the back wall. When you're on defense, create as much distance as possible between you and your opponents. This gives you more time to react and better visibility of incoming balls, making it easier to dodge or catch them.
Use your entire body to catch incoming throws. When catching, engage as much of your body as possible. Start with your hands to make initial contact, then scoop the ball toward your chest. This reduces the likelihood of dropping the ball and getting eliminated.
Deflect balls with your own throw. If you’re holding a ball, use it to deflect incoming throws instead of dodging. This is particularly effective against low throws. Firmly grip the ball and push it out toward the incoming shot to deflect it away.
- Be careful not to drop your own ball while blocking, or you’ll be eliminated.
Leap over low throws. Since throwing low is a common tactic, you won't always be able to catch or deflect every low ball. When a ball is heading straight for you, jump and spread your legs to clear it, aiming for just enough height to avoid the ball. Avoid jumping too high, as it will slow your recovery time for the next throw. If the ball comes at one of your legs, simply raise that leg as you jump.
Assign numbers to your opponents. Before the game begins, have your team assign a number to each player on the opposing side. This system will help you coordinate both offense and defense, as you’ll all know exactly who to refer to when planning strategies.
Announce your targets and throw in unison. Dodging or catching a single ball is easy. However, when two or more balls are coming at an opponent, you make it harder for them to avoid. Use the numbers you’ve assigned to target specific players. Call out the number just before you throw to synchronize your efforts.
Distribute yourselves. Staying clustered together makes your team one big target. Instead, spread out along the back wall to improve your defense. Move forward when you’re ready to throw, but avoid blocking your teammates’ line of sight, which can make their throws harder to land.
Force players out of bounds. Eliminating opponents isn’t limited to hitting them with the ball. By strategically working together, you can force an opponent to step out of bounds. For example, if you want to make an opponent dodge to the left and step out of bounds, focus your throws at their right side. After a few throws, they’ll begin to move left and eliminate themselves.
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Ensure you can actually catch the ball before you make the attempt.
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Stay in constant motion. Even if there aren’t any balls near you, you’ll be harder to hit, making opponents less likely to target you.
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Don’t place yourself in the middle of the action, or you’ll be the obvious target. Position yourself towards the back, perhaps in a corner, and wait for enough teammates to be eliminated. Once that happens, you can step in to help!
The tips in this section are based on the real experiences of Mytour readers like you. If you have a valuable suggestion you’d like to contribute to Mytour, feel free to submit it in the space provided below.
- Consider holding off on throwing your balls until the opposing team has thrown all their balls your way. Then, you can strike back with every ball in your possession.
- Collaborate with your teammates to distract the other team. Try weaving back and forth or even pulling off a silly dance move.
- Give your team a fun or creative name to increase the enjoyment of the game!
Important Warnings
- The rules and regulations may vary depending on the dodgeball league. Be sure to check these before the game starts.
