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Dodgeball

Two teams throw softballs across a marked line, trying to eliminate each other — get hit in the foot and you're out, catch a ball and a teammate comes back. It works because those two small rules turn a simple throwing game into constant risk math: dive for the catch, or protect your own feet.

15–30 min10–20 peopleAverageSoftballsIn-person onlyClassroom ✓
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Dodgeball?

Dodgeball splits the group into two teams on either side of a marked middle line, with a scatter of softballs down the center. Grab one and throw it at an opponent — get hit in the foot and you're out, catch a ball mid-air and an eliminated teammate gets to come back. Whichever team has more players left when the 5-minute clock runs out wins the round.

It works because those two small rules do the most work: only a foot hit counts, and a catch buys back a teammate. That turns a simple throwing game into constant risk math — dive for the catch and save someone, or play it safe and keep your own feet clear. Randomizing the teams turns that risk math into a crash course in trusting people you just met.

It needs real open space — room for two team territories and a middle line neither side can cross — so skip it for a video call, a tight conference room, or a group that can't handle a fast-thrown ball. The softer-ball swap in the tips below opens it up to more players without changing any of the rules.

The rules

  1. Split into two even teams, one on each side of a marked middle line.
  2. Place 5–6 softballs or volleyballs along the middle line before you start.
  3. Neither team may cross the middle line into the other side's territory.
  4. Grab a ball and throw it at an opponent to eliminate them.
  5. A ball that hits a player's foot eliminates that player, who sits out.
  6. Catch a ball thrown at you, and one eliminated teammate returns to play.

Before you start

  • Group size: 10–20 players. Split evenly across two teams before you start — bigger rosters just mean more territory to cover on each side.
  • Mark a middle line, then divide the space in two. Use cones to set outer boundaries and a center line neither team can cross. The original guide lists cones as optional gear but treats marking the line as a required setup step — plan on using them.
  • 5–6 softballs or volleyballs on the middle line. Place them along the line before the round starts, so both teams have equal access once the clock starts.
  • A referee is optional. One person can call fouls and confirm eliminations, but the game runs fine without a dedicated ref.

How to run it

  1. Split into two teams and set boundaries 2–3 min

    Divide the group into two even teams, then mark the outer play area and a middle line dividing the two sides. Randomizing the teams instead of letting people pick keeps the round mixing people who don't already know each other.

  2. Set out the balls and explain the rules 1–2 min

    Place 5–6 softballs or volleyballs along the middle line, then walk through the two things that decide the round — a foot hit eliminates you, and a caught ball brings a teammate back.

  3. Play a 5-minute round 5 min

    At the start signal, players rush the middle line for balls and start throwing. Nobody crosses into the other team's territory — everything happens across the line.

  4. Call the round 1 min

    The round ends when the clock hits zero or one team loses every player. Whichever team has more players left wins.

  5. Reset and go again 5–15 min

    Re-scatter the balls along the middle line and start a fresh 5-minute round — replay until your total time is up.

← 5 minutes settles the whole round.

Facilitator tips

Swap in a softer ballA foam or Nerf ball lowers the fear factor for players hesitant about a hard-ball hit, without changing any of the rules.
Walk the rules before the first throwConfirm the middle line, the foot-elimination rule, and the catch-to-revive rule with everyone up front — it heads off arguments mid-round.
Offer a tag-out optionFor players who'd rather not be hit at all, let eliminations happen by tag instead of by ball — same game, gentler contact.
Randomize the teamsAssign sides instead of letting players pick — it's the fastest way to make sure everyone plays with someone new.

Variations

Battle Royal or Siege

Same elimination format, but players save their own teammates by catching balls instead of relying on the group's shared catch-to-revive rule. A good twist for a group that already knows the base game.

Multi-hit rule

Require two hits before an elimination instead of one. It slows the round down and rewards defensive play for a more experienced group.

Why it works

A catch is also a rescueCatching a thrown ball brings back an eliminated teammate, so every dive for the ball is also a decision about who on your side gets to keep playing.
Random teams force new pairingsMixing teams randomly, instead of letting people pick, means the two players covering each other under fire have often never spoken before — the round does the introducing.
The clock keeps it short and sharpEach round runs 5 minutes, so the game stays high-energy start to finish instead of dragging into a long match.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I love how physical this one gets. Splitting teams randomly means people who've never talked are suddenly covering for each other on defense — the strategy talk in between throws is where the actual bonding happens. Add the multi-hit rule and even a group that knows the game well gets a real challenge."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

5 questions that turn the round into an actual debrief.

  1. What did you enjoy most about playing dodgeball as an icebreaker?Surfaces which part of the round people actually enjoyed — the fast pace or the sit-down strategy talk.
  2. How do you think playing dodgeball helped promote teamwork among players?Points at the teamwork angle directly — asks people to name it instead of just feeling it.
  3. What strategies did your team use to eliminate opponents, and how effective were they?Turns the round's throws and catches into an actual strategy conversation, not just a recap.
  4. Did you find yourself forming alliances with certain players or forming your own strategy as an individual? Why or why not?Surfaces who partnered up instinctively versus who played it solo — a quick read on how the group naturally organizes itself.
  5. If you were to play dodgeball again as an icebreaker, what would you do differently next time?Invites people to think like a facilitator instead of just a player — a good bridge into running it themselves next time.

If this fits, so will these

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One Breath Catch

A fast-moving chase game that rewards quick reactions over strategy.

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Grab the prize from the center circle and sprint it home before you're tagged.

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Another running game for groups that like to move.

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A balance game that moves a gym ball across the room as a group.

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Endzone Trappers

Trap the other team in a jail zone, then free your own teammates with a well-thrown catch.

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

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