Australian Dodgeball League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Australian Dodgeball Championships

Sport	Dodgeball
Founded	2015
Organising body	Australian Dodgeball Federation
Country	Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Darkwood Immortals (Foam Mixed), Oakleigh Orcas (Foam Mens), Sapphire Sirens (Foam Womens) & Skye Rainbows (Cloth Mixed).
Tournament format	Foam Mens, Womens & Mixed, Cloth Mens, Womens & Mixed
Official website	https://www.dodgeballaustralia.org.au/nationals

The Australian Dodgeball Championships (ADC) is a big yearly dodgeball competition in Australia. It started in 2015. Teams from different state leagues, like the Victorian Dodgeball League and the New South Wales Dodgeball League, play in this championship.

Teams need to qualify from their state leagues to join the ADC. The best teams from across Australia then compete to see who is the champion. They play in different types of games, using either foam or cloth balls. There are also different categories for men, women, and mixed teams.

About the ADC Professional League

How the League Started

The Australian Dodgeball Championships began in 2015. At first, the main leagues were in Victoria (VDL) and New South Wales (NSWDL). In the first season, the Victorian League had 23 teams, and the New South Wales league had 8 teams.

Where Games Are Played

Unlike many sports, ADC games are held at central locations. Teams don't play at their own home fields. In Victoria, games are played at the Melbourne State Netball & Hockey Centre. In New South Wales, games happen at the Fairfield Youth & Community Centre.

The Regular Season

During the regular season, each team plays against every other team once. Teams get two points for a win and one point for a draw. They get no points for a loss. Teams are ranked by how many points they have. If teams have the same points, their "point difference" (how many points they scored versus how many were scored against them) helps decide their rank.

The top two teams from each state league then move on to the Australian Dodgeball Championships. There, the best teams from all over Australia play in an elimination style tournament to win the championship title.

Championship Play-offs

After the regular season, the top two teams from each state league enter the championship play-offs. The team that finished first in their league is called the "first seed." They play against a "second seed" team from another state.

The first round of the championship is called the Round of 16. In this round, teams from nearby states often play each other. After the Round of 16, teams might play against other teams from their own state, depending on who wins.

Official Rules

The Australian Dodgeball Championships has its own special rules for professional dodgeball games. These rules are used in all their competitions.

Victorian Teams Were Strong

In the early years of the Australian Dodgeball Championships, teams from Victoria were very strong. New South Wales teams were also good, but Victoria often had the best players. This meant Victorian teams were usually expected to win the championship. Fans of the Victorian leagues often saw New South Wales clubs as their biggest rivals.

However, this is changing. More teams are starting up and getting better across Australia. While Victorian teams are still among the best, other states are catching up. This means the sport is growing and becoming more competitive everywhere.

State Rivalries

Just like in other Australian sports such as rugby league and cricket, Victoria and New South Wales have a strong rivalry in dodgeball. Their games, especially in the Championship Rounds, are often very close and exciting. Even though players sometimes move between the leagues, games between these two states are known for being tough battles.

The people who organize the Victorian and New South Wales leagues are even talking about a special competition. It would be like the State of Origin series in rugby league. Victoria and New South Wales would pick their best ten players to play in a "Best of 3" series. This would decide which state is more dominant in dodgeball.

Teams in the Leagues

Many teams play in the Australian Dodgeball Championships. Here are some of the teams from the Victorian and New South Wales leagues: