K. I. D. L.

(Kenyon Intramural Dodgeball League)

War Ball

Perhaps the largest scale of carnage possible for the sport,

War Ball can be (and should be) played with hundreds of

people, of any age group. I’m not kidding.

Unlike other variations, War Ball most values destruction

and mass annihilation, which becomes apparent in its select

variations of Gameplay. Like open-court dodgeball, the

game occurs within a set of boundaries past which the

players may not go except when retrieving a rogue ball.

These may be marked by visible lines or plastic cones as

the inventory allows.

All balls begin on the center line between the two halves

of the playing area, and all players begin behind a

designated backline. The game begins when the moderator

calls “War Ball!” Players then run toward the center line

to retrieve as many of the balls as possible. In common

practice, players must return behind the backline before

they are able to use these balls, but some play so that

center line balls are immediately active for the fuller

sense of mayhem.

In War Ball, like some schoolyard versions of dodgeball,

ricochet shots can eliminate players. That is, if a ball

thrown by one player bounces off an opponent and into one

or more other opponents before hitting the ground, all

those hit by the ball become eliminated. Likewise, if a

ball hits one or more players before being caught, the

players hit by the ball are saved and the player who threw

the ball is eliminated. In War Ball, no clash is neutral.

Balls that bounce before hitting a player do not and never

have caused elimination.

Generally, this variation continues until all players on a

single team become eliminated. However, a time limit may

also be imposed on game play for practical purposes, in

which case the team with the higher survival rate wins.

For non-competitive play, some moderators institute

periodic jail breaks, by which every player who has been

eliminated may rejoin the game. While this leads to

further chaos, it mostly leads to “no hard feelings.” Keep

the kids happy.

To add further anarchy, some play this game with multiple

ball types at one time: foam, rubber, and beach ball

varieties, for example. Also, reports show that some play

a version in which kicking and spiking balls can cause

elimination... but that’s just silly.

Questions? Email the KIDL at kidl@kenyon.edu.