Dodgeball games

Head or neck contact stops play and never creates an out or point; the target remains active only when there is no suspected concussion.

• Setup: Mark back, center, side, and FIFO-queue areas; split matched foam balls between back lines and announce the no-head rule, warning sequence, ball-control restart, concussion removal, substitute, and no-contest rules.
• On head/neck contact the host calls STOP; every ball is dead and returned to the two back lines.
• With no suspected concussion the target remains active, the contact creates no out or point, and the thrower is warned. Any suspected concussion means immediate removal and no same-day return; a safe substitute enters at the back line, or the round ends no contest when none is available.
• A repeat unsafe thrower sits the round; split balls evenly between back lines, give an odd extra ball to the contacted player's team, and restart only on the host's GO.

House accuracy round: each participant gets two underhand throws that must bounce once in the strip before below-knee contact; formal WDBF play would call the bounced ball dead.

• Setup: Mark a 2 m-deep bounce strip beginning 3 m in front of the target line and a throw line at least 6 m from the target line. Use one soft foam ball, one thrower and one target at a time, and a FIFO roster so everyone receives two throw turns and two target turns.
• Throw underhand from behind the line; the ball must bounce exactly once in the marked strip.
• Below-knee contact before a second floor or wall touch scores 1; air, outside-strip, second-bounce, or unsafe throws score 0 and consume the attempt. The target may sidestep but not block or catch.
• An obstruction or host-not-ready attempt is a no-count replay; otherwise the host calls dead, retrieves the ball, and rotates the FIFO roles until everyone has equal turns.

A legal catch may return only the first queued teammate.

• A legal catch may return only the first queued teammate.
• Use Catch-Save Rotation’s FIFO queue. First confirm the caught thrower’s out; if that catch already ended the round, no return occurs. Otherwise freeze, collect every ball to back lines and release the first queued teammate through their own back line. They touch no ball until the host confirms live and restarts on GO. A double catch-point award still returns one person only. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Catch Brings One Back as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Catch Brings One Back; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A legal cone knockdown earns 2; a legal player hit earns 1 instead.

• A legal cone knockdown earns 2; a legal player hit earns 1 instead.
• Use Target Cone Dodgeball’s clear three-cone cycle and point mode. One throw earns at most one result, with the ball dead at first qualifying contact. Reset a checked cone only during a host stop and do not score it again until the full three-cone cycle resets. This is the base 2:1 rule, not another doubling of a cone’s 2. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Cone Target Double as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Cone Target Double; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Complete the stopped back-line reset before any repeat attack.

• Complete the stopped back-line reset before any repeat attack.
• Use Back-Line Reset’s clear visible walking retreat. Turn to see the path, walk to your own back line, touch it and regain readiness before another throw. A premature repeat throw is dead and earns 0, not a hit plus a later reset point. Stop for a blocked retreat; nobody backpedals blindly to satisfy the rule. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Back-Line Touch as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Back-Line Touch; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Complete one catchable soft teammate pass before attacking with that ball.

• Complete one catchable soft teammate pass before attacking with that ball.
• Use Two-Ball Teamwork and track the completed-pass condition on each ball separately. A mere touch, drop or unready feed does not qualify. Each ordinary attack consumes its own pass permission whether hit or missed. Keep the base 2-point qualified hit once, with only its separately defined all-player-chain extra-throw exception. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Soft Pass Required as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Soft Pass Required; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A contested loose ball stops play for one assigned walking retriever.

• A contested loose ball stops play for one assigned walking retriever.
• Use Neutral Ball Reset’s alternating recipient list. Both approaching players stop and clear space; the host collects live balls and places the neutral ball alone at center. Only the named recipient walks out, collects it and returns behind the attack line before GO. No dives into feet or legs, grabbing races or bonus for reaching it first. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Neutral Loose Ball as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Neutral Loose Ball; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Limit the Doctor to one rescue per round while keeping the Doctor Dodgeball rescue protocol.

• Limit the Doctor to one rescue per round while keeping the Doctor Dodgeball rescue protocol.
• Only a living Doctor may rescue the first queued teammate during a host-called frozen-ball lull at the rescue gate; resume only on the host's signal. Collect every ball to back lines before the rescue and confirm that person live behind their own back line before GO. This variant changes only the Doctor’s two-token allowance to one; the Doctor remains unable to revive an out Doctor. If the optional catch requirement is selected, also spend that Doctor’s own one unused legal catch permission with the rescue token. A catch ending the round permits no rescue. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Doctor One Save as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Doctor One Save; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A legal controlled low-band hit adds 1 to its ordinary point value.

• A legal controlled low-band hit adds 1 to its ordinary point value.
• Use Captain’s Safe Throw with the low band called: below waist and above ankles, excluding feet and all higher targets. A qualifying direct hit earns the base 2 plus 1 once, for 3 total. Wrong-band, high, hard or close throws earn no bonus and are dead or stopped under the base rule. Do not enlarge the body band or add another copy of this bonus. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Low-Line Bonus as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Low-Line Bonus; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Score a called wall window with no player in the target lane.

• Score a called wall window with no player in the target lane.
• Use Target Wall Windows’s six throws, clear line and 1/2/3 patches. Only first wall contact wholly inside the called open window earns that value; a rebound earns nothing. Stop all throwing before retrieval, with no defenders standing in or behind the target area. If selected, retain the base per-player two-large-hit unlock and next-throw timing. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Target Wall Window as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Target Wall Window; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Three legal team catches unlock one whole-team return, once.

• Three legal team catches unlock one whole-team return, once.
• Use Three-Catch Comeback’s visible counter. A third catch still applies its ordinary caught-thrower out. Keep the one earned permission until a host-stopped lull with someone queued, only while the round remains active; then freeze and collect all balls and release queued teammates in FIFO order through their own back line, confirming each live before GO. Spend the one comeback marker; later catches cannot create another full return. A catch that ended the round cannot reopen it. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Three-Catch Return Bonus as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Three-Catch Return Bonus; stop at the agreed finish condition.

At one minute, compare active players and stop the round.

• At one minute, compare active players and stop the round.
• Use Timed Survivor’s direct-hit/catch outs and equal starting rosters, but announce a 60-second clock instead of its ordinary three minutes. At the buzzer all balls become dead; active counts decide, with ties shared. If its optional final 30-second bounce phase is also selected, begin that phase at 0:30 and keep its defined bounce-hit elimination and no-out bounce catches. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score One-Minute Survivor as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after One-Minute Survivor; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Both active partners at a posted whistle earn 2 for that pair.

• Both active partners at a posted whistle earn 2 for that pair.
• Use Partner Protect Round’s fixed pairs, neighboring-disjoint matchup circle and two one-minute heats per pair. Freeze at 15, 30, 45 and 60 seconds; both active earns 2, otherwise 0. Keep the ban on body screens and contact, secure held-ball deflection and stopped lane swaps. This is the base survival award once, not another 2 on top. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Partner Protect as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Partner Protect; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Name the legal band before release, never after the hit.

• Name the legal band before release, never after the hit.
• Use Captain’s Safe Throw’s torso or below-waist/above-ankle low band. A legal direct hit in that preannounced band earns its base 2 once; an uncalled or wrong-band hit earns 0. After scoring, stop and rotate the willing captain before the next GO. An agreed visible call may replace speech, while safety or access speech remains welcome. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Captain Zone Call as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Captain Zone Call; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A securely held two-hand foam blocker can make an incoming ball dead.

• A securely held two-hand foam blocker can make an incoming ball dead.
• Use Corner Shield Challenge’s one designated blocker per side. A clean ball-only block earns its base 1, but a trapped ball, body contact or dislodged blocker earns 0 and stops for safe collection. Do not treat a deflection as a catch or add both block 1 and catch 2. The holder never drops a blocker into live traffic or uses it near someone’s face. Keep other incoming-ball rules unchanged. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Blocker Ball as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Blocker Ball; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A valid catch frees the first teammate in the side queue.

• A valid catch frees the first teammate in the side queue.
• Use Jailbreak Line’s safe side queue and ordinary caught-thrower out. Freeze and collect every ball, then release only the earliest queued teammate through their own back line before GO. No one crosses a live throw path or handles a ball early. A catch ending the round permits no jailbreak return. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Jailbreak Catch as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Jailbreak Catch; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Retrieve only assigned balls at a walk and return behind the attack line before GO.

• Retrieve only assigned balls at a walk and return behind the attack line before GO.
• Use No-Rush Opening’s separate named retrievers and nonintersecting access routes. Other players stay at back lines until both retrievers are ready. A collision or contested pickup stops and resets the opening with corrected separation. No live throw starts before the host’s signal, and no one earns a first-to-center bonus. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score No-Rush Start Rule as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after No-Rush Start Rule; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Use known signals for a pass, attack and reset, with needed speech always allowed.

• Use known signals for a pass, attack and reset, with needed speech always allowed.
• Use Silent Signal Dodgeball’s demonstrated open-hand, clear-lane point and crossed-forearm signals. An acknowledged signal, completed soft pass and legal attack hit earns the base 2 signal points once. Speak whenever needed for safety or accessible communication without losing points. Stop confusing play and reset before GO; do not turn ordinary speech into a penalty or require a token to call timeout. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Signal Round as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Signal Round; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Play at most three short timed rounds with matching starting rosters.

• Play at most three short timed rounds with matching starting rosters.
• Choose 60-second Timed Survivor rounds before starting; each round starts equal active rosters, no rush and the same direct-hit/catch rules. A unique higher active count wins that round; a tie wins neither. First to two round wins ends the matchup. After three scheduled rounds, compare round wins; highest wins the match and equal totals share. Do not replay timed ties indefinitely or carry active-player counts across rounds. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Dodgeball Best-of-Three as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Dodgeball Best-of-Three; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A legal opposing-kingpin knockdown ends its round immediately.

• A legal opposing-kingpin knockdown ends its round immediately.
• Use Kingpin Cone Guard’s empty target patch and marked attack line. Only a controlled legal direct throw released behind that line qualifies; body contact or another prior contact makes the ball dead before a later cone hit. If defenders are gone, use the base three stopped unopposed cone attempts and its unfinished-cone outcome if all miss. No extra cone point is added to a finished round. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Kingpin Finish as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Kingpin Finish; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Choose one available return, cone removal or own point after the catch.

• Choose one available return, cone removal or own point after the catch.
• Use Catcher’s Choice’s two-heat point format and judge-side score cones. After the ordinary caught-thrower out, freeze all balls and choose just one still-unused reward for that side in that heat. A return follows FIFO/back-line/GO protocol; cone removal subtracts one opponent end-of-heat cone; own point adds 1. Each choice can be used once per round, not once per catcher. Empty or spent choices grant nothing and no return can reopen an ended heat. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Catcher's Reward Choice as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Catcher's Reward Choice; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Any person may stop play for a loose ball near feet without point cost.

• Any person may stop play for a loose ball near feet without point cost.
• Call STOP, lower hands and let everyone become still before a host-named person walks to collect it. Use the base’s clear back-line restart; for a contested ball use Neutral Ball Reset’s alternate recipient. The pause costs no point, catch reward, token or ordinary scoring opportunity. End the activity if loose-ball traffic cannot be controlled. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Loose-Ball Safety Pause as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Loose-Ball Safety Pause; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Occupying all three safe zones at a whistle earns 1 team point.

• Occupying all three safe zones at a whistle earns 1 team point.
• Use Court-Zone Control’s posted 30/60/90/120-second freezes and wholly-in-zone check. This modifier replaces its one-point-per-zone score: all three occupied earns 1, fewer earns 0. Do not add the base zone points or middle-zone double. Keep clear borders and no sideline crowding; stopped play resumes only on GO. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Court Zone Point as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Court Zone Point; stop at the agreed finish condition.

An attack released inside the marked no-close line is dead.

• An attack released inside the marked no-close line is dead.
• Use the conservative attack line rehearsed before the selected live court game. Hold or deaden the ball, stop and step back along a clear path before the next host-ready restart. An inside-line hit earns no point or out; accepting 0 never authorizes a hard or close throw. If the available space cannot support a suitable line, choose a people-free target drill instead. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score No Close Throw as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after No Close Throw; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Skip a one-hand or non-dominant constraint whenever it is unsuitable.

• Skip a one-hand or non-dominant constraint whenever it is unsuitable.
• Use Safe-Hand Catch Drill’s ordinary comfortable two-hand version and keep its matching six receiving opportunities. A changed catching mode is recorded separately, with no bonus lost from earlier valid catches. If the group prefers bounce play, choose Bounce-Throw Only as a separately declared point round with its own bounce-hit/catch rules; do not combine those bounce rules with Doctor Dodgeball or another game requiring direct airborne catches. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score One-Hand Skip as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after One-Hand Skip; stop at the agreed finish condition.

A side must score a cone before its player hits can score.

• A side must score a cone before its player hits can score.
• Use Target Cone Dodgeball’s three-cone cycle and point mode. Each team begins with its own body-hit scoring locked; its first legal ordinary cone knockdown earns 2 and opens that team’s legal player-hit 1 scoring for the rest of that heat. The other team must unlock separately. Earlier body hits earn 0 rather than being saved for later. Reset locks at the next heat and keep the last-cone bounce option if selected. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Target First as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Target First; stop at the agreed finish condition.

No ball contact occurs until the host confirms the returner live.

• No ball contact occurs until the host confirms the returner live.
• Use Rotation Re-Entry’s stopped FIFO return: collect all balls, release the first queued teammate through their own back line and confirm live before GO. An intentional early carry, roll or touch forfeits that ball to the other side, awards no re-entry and sends the entrant back to queue for a stopped reset. Do not let a player carry a ball while entering or select an arbitrary later teammate. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Clean Re-Entry as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Clean Re-Entry; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Two consecutive catches in a receiving turn sequence earn 3 total.

• Two consecutive catches in a receiving turn sequence earn 3 total.
• Use Safe-Hand Catch Drill’s ordinary two-hand six-receiving-turn mode. The first clean catch earns its normal 1; a second consecutive clean catch adds 2 instead of 1, completing a 3-point pair, then start a fresh pair. An ordinary drop earns 0 and ends only that unfinished chain, retaining the earlier catch point. Do not also add 3 to both base catch points, and do not stack the separate doubled one-hand mode. Six catches can earn 9 at most. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Catch Chain as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Catch Chain; stop at the agreed finish condition.

Recognize one controlled throw as the STUD play.

• Recognize one controlled throw as the STUD play.
• After a complete round, invite one vote per willing participant for a specific controlled legal throw whose placement, restraint or readiness helped the game. A person may abstain; do not reward power alone. Share tied recognition and keep it outside catch points, active counts and the game winner. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Soft Throw Award as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Soft Throw Award; stop at the agreed finish condition.

In the one-each finale, only a legal catch or target knockdown can win.

• In the one-each finale, only a legal catch or target knockdown can win.
• Use Fair Catch Final’s staged one-each entry, clear opposing cone patches and held-ball rules. A safe ordinary body hit is dead with no out or point during that finale; unsafe high, hard or close throws are dead and stop play. A valid catch or legal direct cone knockdown decides, with simultaneous events handled by the base stopped reset. If ordinary elimination had already ended before the finale, its result stands. Use soft dodgeballs, mark clear court lines, stop on hit, no head shots, no close-range throws, and pause immediately for loose balls near feet. Scored results are tracked as challenge points.
• Score Final Catch Wins as 1 challenge point, separate from the main score.
• Reset and rotate evenly after Final Catch Wins; stop at the agreed finish condition.