Dodgeball is a team sport that has long been established and is very popular in Europe, with the sport starting to flourish and is growing in the Southeast Asian region, including Brunei Darussalam.
A team sport held in a closed or indoor court is usually a match between two teams trying to throw the ball and target the opponent while avoiding being hit by the ball thrown by the opponent.
The objective of each team is to eliminate all members of the opposing team by throwing them with the ball, catching the ball thrown by the opponent or forcing the opponent to commit a violation, such as stepping outside the court.
A long line is drawn in the middle of the court and six special balls made of rubber will be placed along the line.
When the game starts, the players will run to the centre line to collect three balls.
Each team throws the ball towards the opponent and the ball must be directed towards the opponent’s chest or lower body and not at the face or head.
Any player who is in possession of the ball can block the ball thrown by the opponent by using the ball he or she is holding.
The player hit by the ball thrown by the opponent must be removed from the court and stand in the substitutes’ place or space.
The basic skill required for a Dodgeball player is first, having the ability and skill to throw the ball accurately and quickly so that the ball cannot be caught by the opponent.
Second, dodgeball players need to have high and steady responsiveness because the players need to be good at guarding when the ball is thrown against them.
This high responsiveness is also seen when the player is very sensitive to the opponent’s strategy in order not to be eliminated from the match.
Next, they must also have quick thinking and awareness to catch the ball at speed to allow the eliminated members back into the court and at the same time eliminate the opponent that fail to eliminate them.
Finally, the most important one is showing ability in avoiding the ball. As long as they are able to divert from the attacks by moving freely and away from danger, this will stand them in good stead to win the match.
The Brunei Darussalam Dodgeball Association is responsible in playing an important role in the development and advancement of dodgeball in the country. The association was first established in 2016.
Brunei Darussalam Dodgeball Association President Haji Muhammad Zainul bin Haji Zaini shared the association continues to increase efforts in developing the sport especially for the general public, students in governments and private schools, civil servants in the government and private sectors.
This association has also organised for the first time a national school-level tournament this year with the cooperation of the Youth and Sports Department, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Co-Curriculum Education Department, Ministry of Education.
Meanwhile, the association is also represented by several local teams who are very actively participating in open Dodgeball tournaments in Malaysia and Singapore.
Regarding the facilities or special courts tailored to host dodgeball games, he stated that Dodgeball requires a closed or indoor hall and in this country, the courts suitable for playing the sport are very limited and have to compete with other sports.
If there is an appropriate place to play the sport, he explained, the association can further expand the sport by holding various activities such as open sessions for the public who are interested to try and also provide facilities for the players or teams to carry out training.
Outlining plans for 2025, said Haji Muhammad Zainul, this association will continue to proactively introduce the sport to the public and try to attract the interest of teams from abroad to participate in the open tournaments that will be held and will also organise school-level tournaments – national schools on a large scale.
In the meantime, the association also plans to form a national team to represent the country at an international level such as the Dodgeball World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
In concluding, Haji Muhammad Zainul as the President hopes that dodgeball will be highlighted by any party in advancing the sport so that one day with the establishment of a national dodgeball team, it will be able to make history and be able to compete thus enhancing the image of the country at the international level. – Fadhil Yunus
