Is the game of Dodgeball appropriate for a Physical Education setting? I do think Dodgeball is an appropriate game for class. However, it must be played under the right circumstances. These circumstances are the following:
1. A responsible teacher- the teacher must be able to control the classroom to make sure that certain kids arent being bullied on. Bullying is one of the main arguments against dodgeball. Maybe the teacher could come up with the rule that you can only hit a person once in a five minute span. This would prevent a kid from throwing at a certain kid all game just to bully them.
2. Safety- There are now balls that are made that dont hurt when you get hit by them. They are like foam. These are the kind of balls that should be used. Also, there should be a rule to aim for the waste down to prevent someone from getting hit in the face. This rule would prevent a lot of injuries, however a person once in a while might still get hit in the face, that doesnt mean we should stop playing the game totally. There are injury risks involved with a lot of activities. That doesnt mean we should stop playing them totally. Our job is to prevent injuries to the best of our ability.
3. Staying Active- Another argument against dodgeball is that the people that actually need the most activity are the ones who are getting out of the game first and just sitting on the sideline getting minimal physical activity. The teacher should provide the students who are out with another quick physical activity so they can get back in the game. For example, 20 push ups or 20 sit ups or 20 jumping jacks.....something like that. Also, the game actually does have healthy benefits. If you play the game hard for 20 minutes, you could possibly be dripping sweat. Its a very intense game.
So yeah, i do think we should have dodgeball, but only under the right circumstances. Its a game that provides students with a lot of things that make them more well rounded students. It gives them practice throwing, catching, and dodging balls. Its also a game that provides great excercise. It should be a safe, fun, and an active game. The teacher is responsible for making the game appropriate or not.
