MULTI-SPORT GAMES Part I
1) ARCHERS
(One bib per five or six participants, cones)
Cone out your working area and ask the participants to form pairs. Choose some of the pairs to become chasers and ask each chaser to put a bib on. There should be one pair of chasers for every five or six pairs. The chasers run after the other pairs trying to tag them. All participants run around holding hands or wrists with their partner. If either one of a pair being chased is tagged, they are both "caught" and form an arch. Other pairs being chased can 'free' those caught by running through the arch. Continue the game for a set time or until the chasers tag all of the other pairs.
- Change the chasers regularly.
- During the game, you can help free participants or reduce the number of chasers if you think too many are static (i.e., in the arch position).
- If participants let go of each other's hands while being chased they must form the arch position. Encourage them to keep hold of their partner tightly.
EASIER/HARDER: Variations of the arched shape could be created using other body parts (e.g., in seated position putting feet together)
HARDER: Arches are stuck until two other pairs go under.
_________________________
2) BACK TO BACK
Separate the participants into pairs and number them one and two. Participants sit on the floor back to back with their legs straight. Should 'one round'. All number ones get up and race around their partners, with the winner being the first person to get back to the starting position.
Then shout ' two round' for number two to run around their partner. You can then call out for either participant to race around their partner in random order. Each participant has a few goes. Other instructions such as the following can be added:
- One or two over - participants leapfrog over their partners, who adopt a crouched position.
- One or two under - participants crawl under their partners, who adopt a press-up position.
- One or two on - participants jump onto their partner's back in a 'piggyback'position.
After each activity the participants should return to a back-to-back position on the floor.
- Time commands so that the participants are active for as long as possible but are able to complete the action before the next command.
- For younger participants, add one new command at a time.
EASIER: For younger participants, make 'over' easier by making the 'frog' curl up in a ball on the floor.
EASIER/HARDER: Can the participants think of other instructions? For example, 'one hop round', where number one would hop around their partner.
HARDER: Participants perform the actions twice or more on command (e.g., go round their partner twice)
LARGER GROUPS: Adapt the game for groups of three
SPORT-SPECIFIC: The game can be adapted to specific sports, such as soccer, by dribbling a ball. In this case, do not use the 'on' command.
____________________________
3) BENCH RELAY
(one bench per six participants, cones)
Line up the benches beside each other 3 to 5m apart and arrange the participants into teams of six with each team sitting on a bench. Number the teams. Place a cone 15 to 20m in front of each bench. Instruct the participants that if you call out their team's number they all have to stand up as quickly as possible. Call out anothe number and the team standing up has to sit down while the next team called has to stand.
All the participants must move at the same time to stand up or sit down. If a participant from a team moves too slowly to react or not everyone in the team stands up or sits down at the same time, then that team all run around the cone placed in front of their team while the rest of the teams start counting down the time (i.e., 10,...9...8...,). If they don't all get back in time they have to do a fun challenge.
-Time the shuttle so that the participants work hard but are able to make it.
- If some participants are reacting too slowly, then put them at the back of their bench so that they have more teammates to copy.
- EASIER/HARDER: Instead of doing a shuttle, the participants can run around their own beanch or all the benches as a different challenge.
- VARIATION: Make up a scoring system to add competition.
______________________________
BODY PARTS (Ball)
(One sport ball of any type between two)
Arrange the participants into pairs. Instruct each participant to face their partner with a ball on the floor between them. Shout out a part of the body. Participants place their hands on that part of their own body. If at any time you shout "ball" the participants compete against their partner to grab the ball first, but you should call out a number of body parts before "ball" (e.g., "knees, feet, shoulder, ball). Whoever gets the ball is awarded a point. For every young participants call out simple body parts such as "right foot". "knees", "eyes" and so on. For older participants, call out muscle groups and bones to make it more difficult.
- Make sure the participants are standing far enough apart that they do not clash heads when they reach down for the ball.
- Instruct participants to keep their legs straignt and stand up tall so that they are not crouching ready to grab a ball.
- Add a cone 5m away from each participant and add an occasional jog or sprint round the cone to increase the intensity.
- If both participants grap the ball at the same time award a point each to avoid conflicts between them (unless it is a rugby practice in which case you can coach about "ripping" the ball from someone). Change the participants' partners regularly to maintain motivation.
- LARGE GROUP: This game can be played in a group of three.
______________________________________
BODY PARTS (Numbers)
(Cones)
This activity is good for use as part of a progressive warm-up. Cone out your working area. Participants run around the area in different directions, slowly building up speed. Once the participants are moving around, call out a number. The participants must place that number of body parts in contact with the floor. The participants hold their position so that you can assess whether they have the right number of body parts touching the floor. The participants then get up and move around again, until a new number is called out.
- Ensure the participants have sufficient space in which to move to minimise the risk of collisions.
- Keep encouraging the participants.
- Encourage the participants not to repeat any positions if the same number is called out more than once.
- Class the hand as one body part.
- HARDER: Only allow participants to have one hand or foot in contact with the floor each time you call out a number.
- HARDER: Play in groups of two or three. Participants must make contact with each other to make a combined shape.
- SPORT-SPECIFIC: Adapted for gymnastics, the activity can be useful in a session on balances.
_______________________________________
CAPTURE THE BALL
(One sport ball each, cones in three different colors, one bib between two in one color)
This game is a variation of capture the flag. It can be complicated to explain, so try to include all of the folloring points in your explanation.
Set up the area using coloured cones. Separate the participants into two teams, with one team wearing the bibs. Each team stands in one half of the playing area. Cones should be used to mark out the halfway line, a jail (7x7m) in each half and a store (7x7m) in each half, where the balls are kept. Half of the balls should be placed in each store. The objective of the game is for players to defend their own team's balls while also trying to 'capture' balls from the opposing team.
There are ten key rules which should help you explain the rules to the group, as follows:
1. When players enter the other team's half they can be tagged by their opponents.
2. Players tagged in the opposing team's area are 'sent to jail' in their opponent's half.
3. Players attack by running into the opposing team's half attempting to get into their store without being tagged. The store is a safe area where attackers cannot be tagged.
4. No defenders are allowed into their own store or into the jail in their own half.
5. Attackers are allowed to capture one ball only per attack.
6. When they can, attackers attempt to run back to their own half carrying the ball they have captured (again avoid being tagged by opponents).
7. Attackers tagged on the way back must return the ball to the opponent's store before going to jail.
8. If attackers are successful in"capturing the ball' this is placed in their own team's store before they attempt to get another one. Balls may not be passed.
9. Players in jail are allowed to come back into the game if a teammate runs into the jail and tags them. In this instance, both players must walk back to their own half before doing anything else in the game. This is a 'free walk back' as opponents cannot tag them.
10. This game continues for a set time (e.g., 5 minutes) or until one team has captured all of the other team's balls.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure participants to not tag too hard.
- Ask questions to check understanding after explaining the rules.
- Watch for participants taking more than one ball at a time.
- This game is great to introduce strategy in game activities. Talking about teamwork, defending, attacking and game tactics can help in introducing the concept of strategy.
- SPORT-SPECIFIC: The game can be adapted to a variety of sports such as soccer, basketball and rugby. For example, in soccer or basketball players have to dribble the ball back without being tagged. In rugby, introduce tackling when players are carrying a ball, depending on age and ability.
_______________________________________
CATCH AND RELEASE
(One bib per 6 to 10 participants, cones)
Cone out your working area. Choose some of the group to become chasers. Each chaser puts a bib on. There should be one chaser for every 6 to 10 participants. On beginning the game, the chasers run around trying to tag the rest of the group.
When they are tagged, participants adopt and hold a particular position such as a balance. To be "freed" from this held position, another participant has to crawl under or run around them. Continue for a set time (e.g, 45 to 60 seconds) or until all the participants have been tagged, then change the chasers.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure chasers do not tag too hard.
- Only choose one chaser per 6 to 10 participants to keep the game going.
- The number of people chasing should also be relative to the size of the coned area.
- During the game, you can help free participants if you feel too many are static (i.e., in the caught position).
VARIATION: When instructing younger groups, try 'shower tag'. In this version, the participant's arm is held above their head to look like a shower when caught. To be released, a free participant presses the shower on (by touching the caught participant's arm) and pretends to wash their face or body. Then both participants can run off.
HARDER: Play the game on all fours rather than running (but only on a suitable surface).
HARDER: Instead of 'tagging', the chasers could throw a sponge ball underarm and try to hit the others on the legs in order to catch them.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted to soccer. Chasers run around dribbling a ball and try to hit the runners below the knee with the ball to tag them.
____________________________________________
CIRCLE HOLD
Arrange the participants into pairs and number each person one or two. Those numbered one form an inner circle within an arm on the shoulder of the person standing next to them. Their partners should stand behind them to form an outer circle. Those in the outer circle should stand with their hands on their partner's shoulders. On your command, all participants carry out your instructions as quickly as possible, always ensuring they maintain a grip on their partner. The following are some sample commands:
- Clockwise: Participants run in a clockwise direction.
- Anti-clockwise: Participants run in an anti-clockwise direction.
- Change: Those in the outer circle switch places with the inner circle.
- One on: Those in the outer circle release their grip and have to accelerate to catch the next person in the inner circle.
- One back: Those in the outer circle release their grip and have to slow down then hold onto the next person back in the inner circle.
- Participants should not hold on to their partner's shirts.
- Start at a slow speed until all the participants have an understanding of the activity.
- This game is good to use as a warm-up activity,
- Add one instruction at a time.
- Once participants have the basic idea, speed up the activity by changing the instructions more regularly.
EASIER/HARDER: Make up your own instructions to suit or challenge the group you are instructing.
__________________________________________________________
GROUP OF
(Cones)
Cone out your working area. Participants run around the area in different directions, slowly building up speed. Shout out a number (e.g., five). The participants then have to find a group of five and sit down as soon as possible. Hurry the participants by counting down the seconds they have left then shouting "3-2-1 stop". Any participants who can't find a group perform a fun challenge before the next round. When each new round starts participants must run around on their own constantly changing directions, thus helping to avoid forming groups of the same participants each time.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Be strict on timing. Any participants not in a group when you shout "stop" must perform the fun challenge.
VARIATION: Participants are given a point each time they get into a group in the specified time. Play for a set period of time and the player with the most points at the end wins the game.
___________________________________________________________
HILLS AND HOLLOWS
(Three cones per participant)
Separate participants into two teams and position them on opposite sides of the working area about 20m apart. Scatter the cones in between them with half the cones standing the right way up as hills and half upside down as hollows. One team works to turn the hills into hollows while the other team competes against them, turning the hollows into hills. After 45 to 60 seconds stop the game and count up the hills and the hollows to see which team has turned over the most cones.
- Instruct participants to stay on their feet and ban sliding around to help prevent clashing of heads.
- Encourage fair play so that participants do not turn cones after you have stopped the game.
- Also inform the participants that if anyone is seen to continue after the stop command, the opposing team will be awarded bonus points.
- Do not allow cones to be guarded. Players must move to another cone as soon as they have turned one over.
VARIATION: Use a relay system where one or more players run out and can change a number of cones before returning to the line. The other player(s) then take their turn to run out.
HARDER: The game can be played on hands and feet.
HARDER: Participants can only use their feet to turn over the cones.
From the book: FUN and GAMES (100 Sport-related Activities for Ages 5-16) by Anthony Dowson and Keith Morris
