Dodgeball is Evil?

[Makalakumu]

School districts accross the country have banned dodgeball because they think that the game is teaching our children how to bully the weaker. People say that the cutthroat competitiveness of human target games is bad for kids.

Yet others claim that the game is good. They claim that it teaches kids how the real world works...you know the whole dog eat dog model. You either hunt or be hunted.

Its an interesting issue and worthy of debate. Is the banning dodgeball just another attempt to molly coddle our children, or is it something that is warrented because the game is truly harmfull? :idunno:

upnorthkyosa

PS - Just for your information I had a wicked rocket that was out for blood whenever I played the game. When I was a kid, I loved dodgeball... :asian:

 

[Makalakumu]

A couple of articles

An Open Letter About Dodgeball

The Morality of Dodge Ball

 

[auxprix]

When I was in 3rd and 4th grade, I wasn't very popular. I had just moved into a new school, and was a little small and skinny for my age. I don't know if I am in the minority of bully targets, but I loved dodgeball. It was by far my favorite gym activity. It was something I, as a small person, was good at. It also gave me a place to work out my agressions.

I think that most people who loath the game oh so much seem to be parents who over dramatize the "Strong eats the weak" thing. Personally, I think that anything that keeps kids active in our culture of growing obesidy is a good thing. I've only met one person in my life who didn't like dodgeball, and that was my girlfriend. She doesn't count though, 'cause she had athsma :lol:

 

[shesulsa]

Is the banning dodgeball just another attempt to molly coddle our children, or is it something that is warrented because the game is truly harmfull? :idunno:

Well, crap, why don't we ban football???? or boxing???? martial arts (shhh)???? or wrestling???? or fencing???? Oh, that's right - football, boxing, and wrestling generate profits. Sheesh.

Nah, don't ban it.

 

[Kempojujutsu]

My senior year in High School, dodgeball got banned. Couple of friends ended up taken out a fellow senior who was hitting some of the girls a little hard. I do believe he had a testicle removed because of it. My one friend was left handed, threw a nice curve ball. He throw about head height, would drop to about waist level. I can still remember 20 years later. :boing2:

 

[Bammx2]

I am 38 and I STILL love to play dodgeball!!!!!!!

and the movie is hilarious

and it is just fine for kids to have a good time...the people complaining are probably the ones who got bashed just caused they sucked at everything as kids.
and if kids wanna play it on thier own free will.................who are they to step in stop them?
what kind of example does THAT attitude set for kids?!

 

[loki09789]

This same "DON"T DO IT BECAUSE 'IT' IS BAD" mentallity applies to martial arts, firearms, hunting, the big 4 of North American sports (football, baseball, basketball, hockey)....I would say that if 'it' teaches kids to bully, then another why have teachers because books will teach kids the 'it' of reading and interpretation and so on....

How about teachers (yes, peers and friends some of them) actually take up the mantle of leadership and focus on using these tools to teach something instead of talking about what 'it' teaches? What are you trying to teach WITH it is more important to me.

The same debate goes around about sports: when/why should it be about cutthroat competition and when/why should it be about developing sportsmanship/character? It doesn't have to be one way or the other. There are many a professional coach in sports that links morallity/character and life lessons to sports even at the professional level. In light of the age and some of the incidents around these rookies/vets of professional sports I would say that there needs to be more of them too.

Dodgeball doesn't make bullies, lack of interpersonal skills and effective role models and leaders in the school building that hold students accountable perpetuate bullying...

Gee sounds a little like guns don't kill people, people kill people....

Could it be the theme of instilling some personal accountability in the lessons? Yeah.

 

[someguy]

Yeah I was the nerdwhen I was younger. Eh still am now. I couldn't catch anything exept for a cold. I couldn't throw well either. I still loved the game. Then again who evers team I was on kind of cheated abit. I always came up with a plan. So i wasn't the last kid chosen. Although I nearly was the first time we played.
Oh wait it wasn't dodge balkl we played it was umm war ball. Difference uhh hmmm. I dunno.

 

[Makalakumu]

I think that dodgeball is a great game, but it needs to be accomodated so everyone can participate. My gym teacher in high school had a great system. We would pick teams and then the teams would have five minutes to come up with their winning strategies so every team member would have a job. So, if you were not athletic, you could hang back and shag balls. If you were a jock you could stand on the front line and zip. If you had good hands, then you hung in the middle for the catch.

Also, in public schools, I wouldn't use the red rubber balls we used to use. Those suckers could really flatten someone who is not used to taking hits and they ARE capable of injuring someone. Therefore, nerf balls or even soft bag balls would probably be better. I would personally like the rubber ball though, you can really zing those suckers...

Dodgeball, when its played so that in emphasizes teamwork and cooperation can be a good game. It goes wrong when its just a free for all and kids start cowering in fear, though. I don't think the "winner takes all" mentality is a good thing to teach kids because, in reality, that isn't how the world works.

Banning dodgeball is the wrong solution for this. Perhaps teaching teachers to play it so its a worthwhile experience would be better. In the end, I think it all comes down to instruction.

Does anyone think that banning dodgeball is a good idea? Why?

upnorthkyosa :asian:

PS - Does anyone play dodgeball in the dojang for any reason? I can see a couple of martial arts applications for children in this game.

 

[Makalakumu]

Dodgeball = Murderball = Killerball = Poisonball = Warball = Bombardment = Battleship = all names for a similar game. Humans are targets and balls are thrown to hit other humans.

I have heard all of those names before and many of them seem unneccessarily violent to me.

 

[OUMoose]

I always liked dodgeball. Never had the best arm, but good hands and I was really agile for being the biggest kid in the gym. 8 out of 10 times i was the last kid standing. It teaches good coordination (throwing on the run), reflexes (OH CRAP!), and good cardio. Of course, it only takes one overbearing parent to ruin things for everyone else. I feel sorry for the child of whoever started this, as the ridicule other children give is faaaaaaaaaaar worse than any smack they could get in dodgeball.

 

[heretic888]

Yay. Boomeritis strikes again.

Anyone with half a brain can see this is yet another attempt to alleviate personal responsibility on the part of the individual:

"Oh, it wasn't Jimmy's fault that he's an arrogant, bull-headed jerk!! He played dodgeball when he was young, and that's were he got all these 'bad' inclinations and habits!! Please, please, don't blame Jimmy!! Or me, his parent!"

Same old song.

 

[Cruentus]

"When we were young, we put the 5 brown kids in the middle of the gym, and the rest of us would peg them with balls until they cried. Then we took all their lunch money, and made them get into human pyramids. So I don't see what the problem is here...America needs to toughen up!"

Yours,

Don "Rummy" Rumsfield

 

[auxprix]

hahahaha

Now I'm convinced! dodgeball is the root of all evil!

 

[shesulsa]

"When we were young, we put the 5 brown kids in the middle of the gym, and the rest of us would peg them with balls until they cried. Then we took all their lunch money, and made them get into human pyramids. So I don't see what the problem is here...America needs to toughen up!"

Yours,

Don "Rummy" Rumsfield

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[Cryozombie]

Dodgeball is tame compared to some of the "Human Target games" we used to play...

"Buns" for example. which is like dodgeball, only you have 1 thrower and everyone else lined up against the wall... if the thrower pegs you, you bend over, and everyone else playing gets a "free shot" as hard as they can at your... uh... BACKSIDE. Oh yeah... it's played with a tennis ball.

 

[Thesemindz]

Actually, I do play dodgeball occassionaly with the kids in our kids classes. I don't do it very often because I feel that it's a little bit of a stretch to relate it to martial arts, and I don't want parents to complain because I lined their kids up against a wall and threw a rubber ball at them. I always talk about awareness, agility, evasion, etc. with the kids when we play and I will usually change the rules to make them do things like hit the ball back to me with a palm strike or kick to relate it more to martial arts. Mostly, I only play it because the kids love it so much. They beg and beg, and about once every other month or so I cave and play about five minutes of dodgeball. I think in an open field with more space this game could have great martial arts teaching applications.


-Rob

 

[shesulsa]

Dodgeball is tame compared to some of the "Human Target games" we used to play...

"Buns" for example. which is like dodgeball, only you have 1 thrower and everyone else lined up against the wall... if the thrower pegs you, you bend over, and everyone else playing gets a "free shot" as hard as they can at your... uh... BACKSIDE. Oh yeah... it's played with a tennis ball.

wow - now I understand your avatar even more...

J/K

 

[FUZZYJ692000]

Gosh, i loved dodgeball in school...it was always cool to be the small kid cause i could duck behind the big kids and they'd get hit and i'd still be in the game...we occassionally do allow the kids to play dodgeball but an instructor is always supervising making sure that the throwing isn't too hard especially for the younger kids and that it's fair. i liked it for the kids because we switched it over to being aware of their environment, working on their reflexes, working on their blocks, their foot manuevers...all kinds of stuff, plus the kids have fun with it and they do retain and comprehend what they are learning from it. heck we've even done it a couple of times in the adults classes. let me tell you i think the kids do a better job at moving out of the way sometimes, it can be a really exhausting cardio...i don't know how i did dodgeball for hours when i was younger...geez

 

[Gary Crawford]

I loved dodgeball!!!I don't get the reason for the controvery.I don't remember anyone getting hurt playing it.I do remember people getting hurt badly playing basketball though.We had one of our favorite games that we played during recess banned called "Smear the Queer".Did anyone else play that?