The art of avoiding fast-moving, rubber balls returns to Portland next month with the start of Recesstime Sports’ 2008 Winter Dodgeball Leagues.

Dodgeball is one of four recreational activities (kickball, bowling, and ping pong are the others) organized by the founders of Recesstime Sports Leagues. The goal of the Leagues is to bring together Portland-area adults, who share a common appreciation for nostalgic, childhood games normally associated with schoolyard playgrounds.

In the case of Recesstime Dodgeball, there are actually two leagues to choose from.

On Thursday nights, it’s the traditional team-based league, where you register as an entire team or as a member of an already-established team. This League begins on Thursday night, January 10th and runs through mid-March.

Tuesday nights, on the other hand, are set aside for Rescesstime’s Draft League. For this League, you register as an individual and are “drafted” onto a team. The Draft League starts up on Tuesday, January 8th and ends in early March.

Matches on both nights are played between 6:00pm – 10:00pm at either the Salvation Army Gymnasium on N. Williams Ave. in North Portland or Fernwood Middle School, located on Northeast 33rd in Northeast Portland.

To register for either league call 503-381-5056, or get more information online at www.recesstimesports.com.