Forget about the playground game that children play at recess.

If Mondaysa国际传媒檚 national team practice was any indication, the dodgeball played at this weeksa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淚f you really pay attention to it, itsa国际传媒檚 a lot of intensity, itsa国际传媒檚 a lot of athleticism and itsa国际传媒檚 a lot of strategy,sa国际传媒� said Canadian head coach Victor Gravili.

And mention the 2004 movie sa国际传媒淒odgeball: A True Underdog Storysa国际传媒� at your peril.

sa国际传媒淭he Dodgeball movie is like Caddyshack to golf,sa国际传媒� said Dodgeball Canada vice-president Alex Svetlovsky. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 like asking Tiger Woods about the gophers on the golf course.sa国际传媒�

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

Balls fly around at breakneck speed. Players who arensa国际传媒檛 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 sa国际传媒攁lthough the occasional sa国际传媒漟ace shotsa国际传媒� can sting.

Canada is a world powerhouse in the sport in both mensa国际传媒檚 and womensa国际传媒檚 play. The national mensa国际传媒檚 team won gold at last yearsa国际传媒檚 world playdowns in Melbourne, Australia while the womensa国际传媒檚 side took silver.

Big things are expected again at this yearsa国际传媒檚 championship starting Wednesday. The mensa国际传媒檚 team is virtually identical to last year with all eight players from Toronto or surrounding area.

The womensa国际传媒檚 side has four Toronto players with others from Elmvale, Ont., Charlottetown, Ottawa and Winnipeg. A second Canadian entry sa国际传媒� dubbed Team Maple Leaf sa国际传媒� 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 yousa国际传媒檙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 teamsa国际传媒檚 players are all out, the opposing team gets a point. The team with the most points after 40 minutes wins.

sa国际传媒淚 think the biggest misconception is people think that itsa国际传媒檚 a bully sport that is really easy to be good at as long as yousa国际传媒檙e strong, and thatsa国际传媒檚 not true,sa国际传媒� said Canadian middle player Halen Sky. sa国际传媒淭heresa国际传媒檚 plenty of people that have great arms but they cansa国际传媒檛 dodge at all and they cansa国际传媒檛 catch.sa国际传媒�

The sport requires more than just a sa国际传媒済rip it and rip itsa国际传媒� approach. The faking, ball-pumping and hesitation are all critical to a teamsa国际传媒檚 success.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 constant action, constant thinking, moving on your feet, lots of throwing,sa国际传媒� said Svetlovsky. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a great fun time.sa国际传媒�

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