Three Tips for Catching Dodgeballs

From 2012 to 2016, Sam Chandler attended the Rumson Fair Haven High School, located in Rumson, New Jersey. Currently, Sam Chandler attends the Blair Academy, where he founded and presides over the school’s dodgeball club. 

While the most obvious way to eliminate an opponent in dodgeball is to hit them with the ball, another option is to catch their attempt at hitting you. In most dodgeball games, catching the ball eliminates whoever made the throw, and sometimes even allows your team to bring back a previously-eliminated player. Follow these three dodgeball catching tips to know when and how to go for the catch. 

1. When in doubt, bail out. Unless the ball is coming directly for you, you should not try to catch it. Lunging for or chasing the ball means you do not have time to prepare and line up the catch, increasing your chances of missing, or even worse, getting eliminated after a failed attempt. 

2. Catch with your whole body. The bouncing balls used in dodgeballs, coupled with the high speeds with which the balls are thrown, make it very difficult to catch the ball using only your hands or arms. Instead, cradle the ball into your mid-section as it reaches you, folding over the ball to absorb the impact and prevent it from bouncing off. 

3. Only catch when you need to. If your team is winning by five points and there is only a minute left on the clock, do not risk the catch. Your team’s chances of winning are pretty good, so you do not need to risk elimination by trying to catch the ball, which just might lead to a last-minute comeback for the other team.