Dodgeball = Life

I love dodgeball. My friend convinced me to join at the beginning of last year, and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. It’s fast-moving, requires unbending concentration, flexibility, accuracy, teamwork, a lot of the attributes that sports that get much more attention have. I would even argue that dodgeball is much more of a sport than many of the sports represented in the Olympic games, like 1.) who can shoot an arrow the straightest, 2.) who can run the fastest, or 3.) who can lift the most. I mean, those are sports, but they’re one-dimensional. Dodgeball is a game requiring so many different facets even beyond the three main facets of throwing, dodging, and catching (of which themselves trump some of the other aforementioned sports). Takes a lot of time and a lot of games to mold this tough game, but it’s a game you can definitely “get”/”figure out.” It’s a lot like life: the more games  you play, the better you get  (hopefully).

1.)    Throw together- when you can’t do something yourself, get someone to help you. Excellent lesson for dodgeball as throwing just one ball is easier to dodge and easier to catch as opponents can hone in on one ball, but having 2 balls throw at you is exponentially more difficult to focus on. It’s called “synergies,” or “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” something mega-billion corporations and governmental organizations alike can learn from.

2.)    Throw low and hard: Avoid the worst possibility, which is a catch by the other team. The kneecaps/shin area for most dodgeballers is a weak area, as opposed to the head (most leagues penalize head shots) or chest (easiest place to catch). Exploit weaknesses. It’s kind of like finding a job; find a weakness in supply in an industry that needs certain services…once you find it, you can market yourself and make yourself necessary.

3.)    Don’t reach for the balls when attempting a catch. Overreaching- obsessing over things, investing in pyramid schemes, whatever, don’t let your ambition run wild and reel it in. You’re not gonna catch/win at everything. Minimize the losses and capitalize the gains.

4.)    Don’t be afraid of getting hit. So many analogies here like “you can’t fly if you’re afraid of falling, etc.” It’s totally a mental game: if you try to catch, it’s gonna involve some residual pain. And there’s the obvious possibility you get hit but don’t catch, in which case you endured pain for no reason. But the payoff of a catch is huge; you can turn the whole game around.  

5.)    Pay attention. In leagues I play in there’s usually 7 balls in play at all times, and most of the time those balls will not be with your teammates. They can come at you at any time. The worst feeling is getting hit by a ball that you just didn’t see coming because you were inattentive; I’ll contentedly go out on a nice shot by someone or a nice play, but getting hit with a cheap shot is very frustrating. In our I-phone/texting/tech society today, it’s such an important lesson to maintain your concentration. Don’t take your eyes off the task at hand, or even your mind, which is usually the hardest part, when your mind wanders to other places, that’s when you miss something really important, like the ball coming right at you that you don’t see.

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan

Here’s to a strong push to make Dodgeball a nationally-recognized game.