The Granton Way

The CDT Dodgeball Coaching System

The CDT framework blends Catching, Dodging, Throwing (physical) with Communication, Decision-making, Teamwork (mental) to create a holistic coaching approach. It supports skill acquisition, tactical awareness, and behavioural development, offering a scaffold for designing drills and evaluating performance.

The CDT system is a holistic approach to dodgeball training that integrates core skills (phsyical and mental) into a framework that supports the development of well-rounded players who can perform under pressure and contribute positively to team dynamics.

Physical Skills

These are the technical foundations of dodgeball. Mastery in these areas enables players to stay in play longer, contribute offensively, and defend effectively. These arecore athletic skills each requiring technique, timing, and agility.

Skill	Description	Requires	Promotes
Catching	Securely receiving thrown balls under pressure. Builds confidence and control.	Hand eye coordination	Defensive confidence, Understanding of risk/reward behaviours
Dodging	Evading incoming throws with agility and timing. Enhances spatial awareness.	Spatial awareness and agility	Anticipation of opponents actions, Quick reactions
Throwing	Delivering accurate, strategic throws. Develops power, precision, and tactical intent.	Power, accuracy, and timing	Offesive pressure and tactical play

Mental Skills

These cognitive and social skills underpin strategic execution and adaptive play. They help players respond to dynamic situations and support each other under pressure. These cognitive and interpersonal skills elevate gameplay from indiviudal performance to cohesive strategy.

Skill	Description	Requires	Promotes
Communication	Sharing timely, clear information (e.g., callouts, warnings, tactics). Builds trust and cohesion.	parsimony and relevance	real time coordination and teamwork
Decision-making	Choosing when to throw, dodge, or hold based on game context. Encourages tactical thinking.	awareness and quick thinking,	thinknig and tactical awareness
Teamwork	Coordinating with teammates for collective success. Reinforces role clarity and mutual support.	organisation and practice	collective resposibility and mutual suppor

Integration: Physical + Mental = Game-Ready Behaviours

When phyisical and mental skills are trained together players will develop habits that will lead to smarter, safer, and more effective gameplay.

Element	Skill Type	Positive Behaviour Outcome
Catching + Communication	Physical + Mental	Calling catches, backing up teammates, reducing dropped balls
Dodging + Decision-making	Physical + Mental	Choosing when to evade vs. counterattack, avoiding risky moves
Throwing + Teamwork	Physical + Mental	Coordinated attacks, passing opportunities, avoiding solo play
Teamwork + Communication	Mental + Mental	Calling out targets, warning of incoming attacks, notifying of intent to attempt a catch.
Full CDT synergy	All	Respectful play, strategic cohesion, resilience under pressure

Coaching Application A CDT-based session might include:

• Warm-ups that blend agility drills with call-and-response communication.

• Mini-games focused on decision-making under time constraints.

• Team challenges that require coordinated throwing and dodging strategies.

• Reflection periods where players discuss what worked and what didn’t, reinforcing mental growth.

Embedding CDT into every layer of training fosters not just skilled athletes but thoughtful teammates. Leading to improved coordination on the court and a stronger team.

Monitoring & Evaluation

Use CDT as a matrix to log skill development and behavioural indicators. For example:

Player	Catching	Dodging	Throwing	Comm.	Decision-making	Teamwork
GIANT	✅✅	✅	✅✅	✅✅	✅	✅✅

This supports transparent feedback, targeted coaching, and inclusive progression tracking.

Combining CDT skills leads to high-quality in-game behaviours:

• Anticipatory Dodging: Reading opponent cues (mental) to time evasions (physical).

• Coordinated Throws: Using communication and teamwork to set up multi-player attacks.

• Safe Catch Zones: Decision-making about positioning and risk, enabling confident catches.

• Role Fluidity: Players adapt roles mid-game (e.g., blocker, sniper) based on team needs and personal strengths.

ENHANCED CDT - CDT + B/T

Blocking can be added as a physical skill and tactics as a mental skill for CDT + B/T

The table below presents a structured approach to dodgeball coaching by combining four core physical skills. Each intersection highlights a specific behaviour that integrates physical execution with cognitive strategy, offering coaches and players a clear pathway to develop well-rounded, game-winning performance.

Physical \ Mental	Communication	Decision Making	Teamwork	Tactics
Catching	Calling for catches to avoid collisions and ensure coverage	Choosing when to catch vs. dodge based on ball speed and angle	Catching teammates back in when the other team is up in numbers	Positioning to intercept throws based on opponent patterns
Dodging	Signal to others when they are being targeted by other players	Reacting quickly to multiple threats and choosing optimal dodges	Staying in to keep your team in the game.	Using feints and movement to bait throws and create openings
Throwing	Coordinating attacks with teammates. Calling out targets and holding players.	Targeting opponents based on their vulnerability and position	Throwing in sync with teammates for multi-angle pressure	Varying throw speed, angle, and timing to disrupt opponent rhythm
Blocking	When blocking the ball high warn teammates of direction to help them prepare for potentail catches.	Deciding when to block vs. dodge to conserve energy and avoid risk	Protecting teammates by blocking the ball down and to the side to avoid deflection hits.	Using blocking to control tempo and pmaintain or surrender ball control based on game situation.

© 2025 Keir Liddle (Granton Giants). All rights reserved.

The CDT Dodgeball Coaching System, including its framework, visual models, indicator matrices, and associated training materials, is the intellectual property of the author. This system integrates physical and mental skill domains—Catching, Dodging, Throwing; Communication, Decision-making, Teamwork—for the purpose of coaching, development, and evaluation in dodgeball and related team sports.

No part of this system may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews, academic use, or non-commercial educational settings with appropriate attribution.

For permission requests, please contact: len.dodgeball@gmail.com.