Dodgeball Variation Using a Cageball |
Games: A Dodgeball Variation That's Better for PE Classes
Dick Moss, Editor, Physical Education Update.com
Dodgeball (we called it Bombardment, in my high school days) is a fun game for those who are good at it and don't mind getting hit with flying projectiles.
However, the National Association of Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) considers the game to be inappropriate for use in schools because it puts children in the position of being a target. It can also cause pain if hard balls are used.
Fortunately, you can adapt this game so that nobody is a target and it's fun for everybody. How? By having students throw the ball at a Cageball instead of each other.
How to Play
Divide your class into two teams, each with an equal number of soft balls, like Gatorskin balls. Put the Cageball at center court (a Cageball is a large ball that's between 4' to 6' in diameter).
The goal of the game is to throw the small balls at the Cageball to move it past the foul line of the opposing team's court. Good overhead throwing technique should be used and players cannot cross the half-court line to either throw or retrieve a ball.
The game is over when the ball crosses the free-throw line or is touched by a player. And that's where the "Dodge" in Dodgeball comes in. Players will attempt to get as close to the ball as possible to get a good throw at it (when it's in their own court) and will have to dodge out of the way to avoid being touched by the rolling ball.
Reference: Joe Deutsch, "From Hall of Shame to Hall of Fame: Transforming Traditional Elementary Activities," Missouri Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 2007, 17, 48-52.
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© 2009, Physical Education Update, www.peUpdate.com
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