Ah, dodgeball, America’s other, other past time. What better way to (safely) pelt your enemies into submission, all in a fun and sociable setting? Kidding aside, dodgeball is a sport like any other, and that means the quickest and most skilled players tend to come out on top. Here at Rebounderz, we have our very own Apopka trampoline park dodgeball course, if you’d like to take the sport to the next level. To help give you an edge over your friends, here are some dodgeball tips that will assist you on your path to victory!

Throwing

• Throw Together — This is simple math. It’s harder to dodge multiple balls than one ball at a time. To greatly increase your team’s hit ratio, throw at the same time so that the other team will have to dodge many balls, rather than just one.
• Spread Around — On top of coordinating your team’s throws, you should coordinate your team’s position as well. When balls are all flying from the same area, they’re easier to dodge, but if your team can throw in harmony from different sides of the court, your opponents won’t even see what hit them.
• Throw at the Line — Assess your risk before doing this, as it leaves you more open to attack, but when you throw the ball closer to the line, not only is it going to be traveling faster when it hits your opponent, but they’ll have less time overall to see it coming and dodge.
• Choose Your Targets — It may seem like a good strategy to take out the easier opponents first so that you can focus on the harder ones, but that just gives them more time to knock out members of your team. Focused on the most skillful players first, and once they’re out, you’ve greatly increased your chances of winning.
• Bide Your Time — Dodgeball is a little bit like fishing. You want to lure people into vulnerable positions where they can be hit. If you don’t have a good throw lined up, don’t throw. Bide your time, and wait for an opening. Each second you keep the ball in your possession is a second it’s out of the hands of the other team.

Catching

• Conservative Catching — The one armed reach grab may wow the audience, but your chances of pulling it off are much lower than for a regular catch. Keep it simple, as successful catches are a huge part of winning. Wait for balls that are coming at you directly within your line of sight to maximize your chances of catching them.
• Keep Moving — You’ve made a catch and ousted an opponent! Great job, but don’t stop there! Right after a catch is one of your more vulnerable moments on the dodgeball court. You already have a ball in your hands, and you’re distracted. Keep moving to avoid a knockout from the opposing team.
• Deflect Up — Deflecting is not a good strategy in general, as if the ball hits the wall or floor before you catch it, you’re out. But, if you do need a deflect to avoid an out, make sure to deflect up to maximize your chances of catching it afterwards.
• Play the Odds — How aggressively you go for a catch should reflect your need to do so. If you’re ahead  five players to two, there’s not much need to go for the catch, as failures are costly. However, if you’re behind two players to four, a catch/throw combo could be just what your team needs to catch up!

Dodging

• Jump Dodge — When opponents throw the ball, they’re generally aiming for the waist down. This is because it it’s harder to catch a ball the further away it is from your hands. But, you can use that to your advantage when dodging because there is less surface area to hit. A high jump may be all you need for the ball to fly harmlessly under you.
• Watch Your Opponents — Keeping an eye on all of your opponents at all times is key to dodgeball defense. If one gets out of your line of sight, their throw will also be out of your line of sight, and that means a likely out. If you’re playing at the back of the court like you should (when not trying to grab a loose ball), then you’ll have less area to keep in mind when tracking opponent’s movement.
• Spread Around — The more your team clumps together, the bigger of a target they become to hit. Make sure that you and your team are constantly moving around, leaving enough space between each other so that everyone can move around easily. Additionally, never remain behind a teammate for more than a moment, because if they dodge a ball that is thrown at them, you will likely not see it coming.

Last Man Standing

• Keep Cool — If you find that you’re the last man standing on your team, keep cool. Dodgeball is designed for the comeback upset. This is your time to shine.
• Return Balls — Under UKDBA rules, leading teams can only hold onto balls for 5 seconds once they have two balls in their possession. You can use the to your advantage to force a catch. Once you’ve dodged all of the balls, and they’re just laying on your court, roll a couple back to the opposing team. They have to throw within the five second window, or get an out.  When you see it coming, the ball will be much easier to catch.
• Stay Low — When you’re the last one on your team, catches matter, and dodges at best are only a delay. When you’re at the back of the court, stay low. This will diminish your target surface area, as well as increase your chances of making a catch. Your ability to dodge will be decreased, but at this point an all or nothing strategy has a higher success rate.

Hopefully these tips help you on the court. If you’re ready to take dodgeball to the next level, try our Apopka trampoline park dodgeball court. We also cater to kids birthday parties, and have a trampoline basketball court and other activities as well. Give us a call for more information!