Perform Better with PB

We recommend taking a self-assessment survey, to help you to identify and reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Take the test and check out the tips below, based on where you want to focus your development.

Core Skills

This sections focusses on the four core skills of dodgeball (Unfortunately they don’t all start with D)

Catching

Catches win matches! Catching is the most valuable skill you can improve, here are some tips:

  • Figure out your “Catching Zone” this is the area of your body where you can easily catch, usually it ranges between your waist to under your shoulders

  • Letting the ball hit you, and then grabbing it on the rebound will slow the ball down

  • Never reach out for a catch, they’re almost impossible to catch and you risk a finger injury

  • Act as if you’re distracted, when they make a quick, solo throw, prepare to catch!

Dodging

  • Jump around - Most throws are aimed low, get jumping!

  • Give yourself some room on the court, if you’re next to the side lines or another player, your options are limited.

  • Always stay facing the opponent, spinning or turning will blind you to the ball

  • When dodging, make yourself as small a target as possible, crouching into a little ball!

Throwing

Throwing isn’t all about strength and speed, a few simple tips will help make your throws far more effective

  • Throw when standing at the front of the court

  • Throw in time with your team

  • Aim low to make it hard to catch

  • Throw with your whole body, plant your feet & twist your hips

  • Grip the ball on the logo and rubber valve

  • Experiment with different throwing styles to find what suits you (Overarm, underarm, hook throw)

Throwing Advanced

Blocking

Blocking keeps you and your team safe, here are a few tips to make the best of it:

  • Hold the ball firmly with both hands making a W symbol with your thumbs

  • Crouch low to make yourself a small target behind the ball

  • Draw the attention of the opponents to keep your teammates safe

  • Deflect balls away from your team (Deflections are still live!)

  • Deflected balls can still be caught, by your team or an opponent

Basic Tactics

Countering

There are a few techniques for countering your opponents in dodgeball, bear in mind that countering does not equal throwing, you can counter the opponents rush by rushing back, keeping pressure on your opponents in general can be a huge help to your vulnerable teammates.

  • Faking out a throw while your opponent are throwing

  • Throwing while an opponent is winding up for a throw

  • Rushing forwards after the opponent has thrown

  • While holding a ball, move up the court in front of a teammate without one, to cover their retreat

General

Here are some general tips & techniques for playing dodgeball, as you can see, it’s all about the teamwork!

  • If you find yourself with 2 dodgeballs, pass one to a team mate

  • Always be ready to make a catch, but dont try to catch every ball

  • Give yourself space to dodge, or angles to throw

  • Try not to run side-to-side as you will block your teams vision

  • Use your ball to keep the pressure on, to protect a vulnerable teammate

  • Don’t throw all five balls, try to keep at least one for countering

  • Keep facing your opponents, try not to turn away while dodging

For more tips or to discuss dodgeball please join our discord! - https://discord.gg/gqTv9se79D

Decision Making

Check out the channel MattDoesDodgeball featured on the left, for some commentary and breakdowns on official British Dodgeball matches between some top teams in the country.

Notice the importance of teamplay, including ball retrievers, covering fire & throwing together.

As a general rule, you’ll always beat a fitter & stronger team through:

  • Patience

  • Teamwork

  • Communication

Strategy & Calls

Target/Hold

Key to winning competitive matches is quick decision making, communication and execution as a team, this takes a lot of time and practice to get right. Below are a few calls that PB uses:

  • Target-Hold - This call numbers players on the opposing team from 1-6 (Left to right) and numbers players on your own team holding a ball 1-5 (left to right), the caller says the first number (target) then the second number (holding player). An example of this would be the caller shouting 1-3 (Targeting player 1, player 3 on your team holds)

Burners

This is a new call we’ve recently introduced, burning a ball means to throw a single ball, very low so there’s little chance it will be caught. The reason for this call is to give the other team 3 balls, forcing them to throw first, and focussing on countering them.

  • The call is “B” follow by number 1-3 depending on which player holding a ball on your team is to ‘burn’ their ball

  • Burned calls should be thrown very low, aimed at players feet and often off-centre, making them very difficult to be caught

  • Burned shots should encourage the opposing player to jump, targeting them low repeatedly, to wear down their energy levels over time

  • Burned throws can be targeted at any player, though if an opposing player is pushing forwards, it can make sense to target them to put pressure on them

Counters

Countering calls help to maximize on your opportunities, while having a plan with your team to align on, best judgement should always be used to have flexibility to maximize on unexpected opportunities . The calls we use are “You” or “Me” where the caller decides which player is to counter, and the countering player decides which one to do, with the other player faking and moving with them in sync.

  • Standing Counters - Pre-throw at the opponents while they are throwing, in an effort to:

    • Hit out a vulnerable player while they’re in motion

    • Reduce the accuracy of the opponents throw

    • Delay the opponents throw (If they have had a “Play X” call made on them

  • Running Counters - This call is to allow the opponent to throw, to get the majority of balls, and then to rush forwards, causing them to have to back pedal and looking for an opportunity for a hit

Fakes

A fake is where the whole team pretends to throw, proceeding an actual throw from one or more players, Fake calls can be added to any of the existing Calls by saying “F” before the call

  • An example call would be “FB3”

    • This call would be for all 3 players to fake (F), then two of the players fake again, but this time player 3 burns their ball (B3)