Forget about the playground game that children play at recess.

If Monday害羞草研究所檚 national team practice was any indication, the dodgeball played at this week害羞草研究所檚 world championships at the Pan Am Centre in Markham, Ont., will be a wild, eye-darting experience.

The sport is a mix of power and deception combined with agility, defence and co-ordination.

害羞草研究所淚f you really pay attention to it, it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of intensity, it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of athleticism and it害羞草研究所檚 a lot of strategy,害羞草研究所� said Canadian head coach Victor Gravili.

And mention the 2004 movie 害羞草研究所淒odgeball: A True Underdog Story害羞草研究所� at your peril.

害羞草研究所淭he Dodgeball movie is like Caddyshack to golf,害羞草研究所� said Dodgeball Canada vice-president Alex Svetlovsky. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like asking Tiger Woods about the gophers on the golf course.害羞草研究所�

For the uninitiated, live dodgeball is like the sporting equivalent of a multi-ball pinball game.

Balls fly around at breakneck speed. Players who aren害羞草研究所檛 whipping balls are faking throws or doing their damnedest to get out of the way.

The ball itself weighs 140 grams, is seven inches in diameter, easy to grip and is soft and cushiony. The sound upon contact is much worse than the pain, which is minimal 害羞草研究所攁lthough the occasional 害羞草研究所漟ace shot害羞草研究所� can sting.

Canada is a world powerhouse in the sport in both men害羞草研究所檚 and women害羞草研究所檚 play. The national men害羞草研究所檚 team won gold at last year害羞草研究所檚 world playdowns in Melbourne, Australia while the women害羞草研究所檚 side took silver.

Big things are expected again at this year害羞草研究所檚 championship starting Wednesday. The men害羞草研究所檚 team is virtually identical to last year with all eight players from Toronto or surrounding area.

The women害羞草研究所檚 side has four Toronto players with others from Elmvale, Ont., Charlottetown, Ottawa and Winnipeg. A second Canadian entry 害羞草研究所� dubbed Team Maple Leaf 害羞草研究所� has been added to both eight-team fields as a replacement for Pakistan, a late pullout due to visa issues.

The basics are fairly simple. In a broad stroke: get hit and you害羞草研究所檙e out. Catch a ball and the thrower is out and one of your teammates returns to the floor.

Six players per team and six balls on the floor. When a team害羞草研究所檚 players are all out, the opposing team gets a point. The team with the most points after 40 minutes wins.

害羞草研究所淚 think the biggest misconception is people think that it害羞草研究所檚 a bully sport that is really easy to be good at as long as you害羞草研究所檙e strong, and that害羞草研究所檚 not true,害羞草研究所� said Canadian middle player Halen Sky. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 plenty of people that have great arms but they can害羞草研究所檛 dodge at all and they can害羞草研究所檛 catch.害羞草研究所�

The sport requires more than just a 害羞草研究所済rip it and rip it害羞草研究所� approach. The faking, ball-pumping and hesitation are all critical to a team害羞草研究所檚 success.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 constant action, constant thinking, moving on your feet, lots of throwing,害羞草研究所� said Svetlovsky. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a great fun time.害羞草研究所�

Many players started in local leagues and worked their way up to the elite level. Malaysia, the host of the first world championship in 2012, is also expected to contend.

The playoffs begin Friday and the finals are set for Saturday.

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press