MULTI-SPORT GAMES Part III
SAFETY LINK TAG (Decision making/dodging/running/agility/balance/reaction time/speed)
- One bib per 6 to 10 participants
- Cones
Cone out your playing area. Choose some of the group to become chasers. Each chaser puts a bib on and stands at the side of the area until the game begins. There should be one chaser for every 6 to 10 participants. The remaining participants are either runners or linkers. There should be one runner for every chaser (i.e., if there are four chasers there should be four runners). The remaining participants are linkers. The linkers are arranged in pairs and spread out around the area. The linkers link their arms with their partners and place the hand on the arm that is not linked with their partner on their hip.
Once the game starts, the chaser try to tag the runners and the runners try to avoid being tagged. If a chaser tags a runner, the chaser takes the bib off and gives it to the runner and they switch roles. The runners can avoid being tagged (or have a rest) by becoming linkers. They do this by running to a pair of linkers and putting an arm through a linker's spare arm (one of the arms outside). If a runner puts his arm through a linker's arm, the linker's partner unlinks and becomes a runner. He must release his link and move around the area to avoid being tagged by a chaser. Have them play for a set time (e.g., 3 minutes). Any participant who is a chaser at the end of the game has to perform a fun challenge, such as saying something funny or performing an animal impression.
- Ensure participants perform a thorough warm-up before carrying out this activity because it involves ballistic movements.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Runners should not run from the side towards linkers when they are trying to link with them because they may run into the linker. Tell them to run from behind and to the side of the linkers and to slow down when they get there.
- Runners and chasers should not pull or hold the linkers as they run around them.
- Ask questions to check understanding after explaining the rules.
- Let the runners practice changing with the linkers so they can do this correctly.
- This can be a very tiring game, so remember to give rest periods between games.
- Challenges should not be seen as punishment. Make sure that no challenge is too strenuous or severe.
SMALL GROUPS: With smaller groups, play with hoops on the floor instead of linkers. For example, if you were playing theis game with 8 participants, you would choose one chaser and two runners. The remaining participants have a hoop each, whoch they place on the floor and stand in. Runners move to a participant in a hoop, and tap them gently on the shoulder if they want to switch roles.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted for use in soccer sessions. Choose one or two more chasers. The chasers dribble balls around the area. To tag runners, they try to pass the ball gently at them so it hits them below the knee.
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SHARK BAIT TAG (Decision making/dodging/running/agility/balance/reaction time/apeed)
- One bib per 9 to 15 participants
- Cones
This game requires a minimum of 11 participants. Cone out your playing area. Choose some of the participants to be chasers and give them bibs to put on. The chasers are sharks, and there should be one shark for every 9 to 15 participants. The remaining participants are arranged in threes. Within each group of three, one participant is the runner (called shark bait) and the other two make up a net. The participants who are nets stand holding hands around the shark bait.
Start the game by shouting 'shark bait'. Once you have called this, the participants who are the nets lift their arms up so that each shark bait can leave her net. The shark baits must run into different nets, The sharks try to tag the shark baits when they are running between the nets. If a shark tags a shark bait, the two switch roles. The new shark puts on the bib, and the participant who is now a shark bait moves to and stands in an empty net. There can only be one shark bait per net. Once a shark bait gets in a net, the participants who are making the net lower their arms to encircle the shark bait. If a shark bait leaves a net but finds all the other nets full, he can return to the net that he left. If two shark baits get to a net at the same time, the participants forming the net decide who has to leave to go a different one. Have participants play for a set time (e.g., 2 minutes), after which one of the participants who formed a net switches roles with the shark bait. After another couple of minutes, have them rotate so the last net person becomes the shark bait. This should ensure that all participants have a go at being the shark bait.
- Ensure participants have completed a thorough warm-up before carrying out this activity because it involves ballistic movements.
- Sharks should not tag too hard.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Shark baits should be careful to avoid bumping into other shark baits if they try to get into the same net simultaneously.
- Shark baits and sharks should not pull or hold on to the nets as they run around them.
- Ask questions to check understanding after explaining the rules.
- Let the shark baits practice changing nets before allowing the sharks to chase after them.
- Instruct the shark baits to run out of the net on a side that is away from the sharks so they do not get tagged too easily.
EASIER/HARDER: Change the number of sharks to make the game easier or harder for the shark baits.
GAME VARIATION: The sharks chase for a set period of time and do not change with shark baits that they tag. They keep count of how many tags they make. Each participants takes a turn being a shark, and the one with the most tags is the winner.
SMALL GROUPS: With smaller groups, choose one or two of the group to be chasers. The remaining participants are runners, or shark baits. Each of the shark baits are given a hoop (net), which they place on the floor in the area and stand inside. The shark baits have to run to a different hoop when you call 'shark bait'. Shark baits should be careful not to step on the hoops because they may slide on some surfaces.
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TEAM DODGEBALL (Catching/decision /king/dodging/throwing/agility/balance/coordination/power/reaction time/speed)
- Four benches per group
- Cones
- Large sponge balls, approximately one ball per five participants.
This game is best played indoors. It can be a great game to play with a large group (20 to 40 participants) working in a gymnasium or sports hall. Separate the participants into two teams. One team stands in one half of the playing area and the other team stands in the other. Place benches at the side of the playing area near the halfway point. Comes should be used to mark out a no-man's land between the two teams and a safety area around the benches that no one who is actively playing the game is allowed to go into.
Team start with an equal number of sponge balls, which participants throw at opponents to try to hit them below the shoulders. The ball must be direct hit; it cannot bounce off the floor, a wall or another participant. Participants avoid being hit by dodging out of the way or using a ball as a shield. Participants who are hit are out, and they should sit on the bench on their side of the court. A participant is also out if she throws a ball at an opponent who catches it before it bounces on the floor.
Participants who are out still have a chance of rejoining the game. They should make a mental note of who got them out because if that person is hit or caught out, then all of the people she hit may rejoin the game. The game continues until an entire team is out or , if playing with a large group, until a set number of participants (e.g., 10) are out. At the end of each game, team swap sides, and the fun can start again. Have participants play for a set time (e.g., 20 minutes) or until one team has scored a set number of points.
- Use soft balls only. This game can be dangerous if played with hard balls. Volleyballs and other similar balls should not be used.
- Lead participants in a thorough warm-up before carrying out this activity because it involves ballistic movements.
- Participants may not go into no-man's land to collect any of the sponge balls.
- Participants should use low throws to prevent hitting others in the face.
- Participants should not throw the ball too hard.
- Set up a safety area around the benches to ensure that the participants who are out of the game are not hit by those taking part in the game. No participants are allowed in this area unless they are out of the game.
- For this game to run smoothly, participants must play fairly, so encourage honesty when participants are hit or caught out.
--This activity is ideally played in a sports hall or gymnasium.
- If a participant is out but has not seen which opponent got her out, she can pick another opponent. She must let you know who she has chosen. Once the chosen participant is out, she may rejoin the game.
EASIER: Participants can be out even if the ball bounces on the ground before it strikes them.
GAME VARIATION: If a participant uses a ball as a shield and deflects a ball into the air and this ball is subsequently caught by a team mate, then the opponent throwing the ball is out.
SMALLER GROUPS: This version is good to play when there are fewer than six participants on a team. Participants who are out can only rejoin the game if a team mate catches a ball. When that happens, the thrower of the ball is out and the catcher can choose one of her team mates to rejoin the game,
SMALLER GROUPS: With groups fewer than 12 it is best to stipulate that an entire team must be out for the opposing team to win the game.
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TURN TAG (Decision making, running, agility, balance, reaction time, speed)
- Cones
Ideally there should be 14 or more participants for this activity. Cone out a playing area. Choose one participant to be a chaser and another to be a runner. The remaining participants stand in lines. If there are 16 participants remaining, they stand in four lines of four. Participants hold hands in their lines with their arms extended. The chaser stands in one corner of the area, and the runner starts in the opposite corner.
When the game begins, the chaser has a set time (e.g., 30 to 60 seconds0 to try to tag the runner. Both the runner and the chaser must stay inside the area. They are both allowed to run between the lines of the participants, but they cannot pass under the arms. Within the set time the runner and the chaser are each allowed to call "change" three times. When "change" is called, the participants in the lines release holding hands, turn through 90 degrees and hold hands with the participants standing in front of or behind them. If the chaser is close to tagging the runner while running through the lines, the runner may call "change" so that the chaser is in a different line to the runner. After the chaser has tagged the runner or the time is up, change the runner and chaser, and start the fun again.
- Chasers should not tag too hard.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure participants have completed a thorough warm-up before carrying out this activity because it involves ballistic movements.
- Runners and chasers should not pull or hold the participants in the lines as they run around them.
- Inform the runner and the chaser to slow down or stop as soon as "charge" is called so that they do not run into the arms of the participants in the lines as they turn around.
- Participants should hold hands at a low-level so that they do not hit a runner or a chaser around the neck or head area when "change" is called.
- This game is lots of fun, and most participants want to have a turn as the chaser or the runner, so make sure you have enough time for everyone to have a turn in one or both of these roles. It is good to play this game if you have a long session because participants may need time to rest.
- Remind chasers and runners to try to use the change call to outwit their opponent.
- Allow the participants who are in the lines to practice changing on command so they hold hands with the correct other participants. Ensure that they all turn the same way through the 90-degree turn.
- If there are some lines drawn on the court, use some of these to guide the participants where to stand.
LARGER GROUPS: With larger groups (e.g., over 25) play with two runners and two chasers or arrange the participants into two games.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted to soccer or basketball. The chaser and the runner both have balls, which they must dribble in the area.
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SQUARE COURT HANDBALL
(Catching/decision making/dodging/passing/throwing/agility/balance/coordination/power/reaction time/speed)
- One bib per two participants
- One sponge ball per 20 participants
- Cones
Arrange the participants into groups of 20; then separate the groups into two teams of 10. Number the teams 1 and 2, and give bibs to the participants from one team. Cone out a playing area of approximately 10 by 10 metres for each group of 20. The participants in each team should be numbered 1 to 10. Numbers 1 to 5 from team 1 stand on one side of the area; this is a goal, as are all of the other sides of the area once the game begins. Participants defend the goal they are standing in. The remaining participants from team 1 stand on the opposite side of the area; this is their goal. Participants from team 2 repeat this process on the other two sides. This means that each team defends two goals.
Place the sponge ball in the centre of the area. Call out two numbers - one between numbers 1 and 5 and the other between numbers 6 and 10 (e.g., 3 and 7). The participants who have been given these numbers run in to the area to get the ball. The teammates who get the ball must make a set number of passes (e.g., 3 to 5). The two opponents who do not gain possession of the ball try to prevent the team in possession from making the set number of passes. If they manage to gain possession, by intercepting a pass or picking up a ball that has been dropped by an opponent, then they must also make the set number of passes. Participants who can pass using any techniques they desire. They are allowed to move when they have possession of the ball, but passes must be over a distance of at least 2 metres. When a participant has possession of the ball, she can hold on to it for only 5 seconds; if she holds on to it for longer than 5 seconds, possession is given to the opponents. Defenders are not allowed to make any contact with the participants from the opposing team, but they can knock the ball out of the opponents' hands.
Once the team with the ball has made the set number passes, they can score a point by throwing the ball through one of the opposing team's goals. Shots at the goals must be taken from a distance of at least 5 metres. To score a goal, a participant must throw the ball through the goal below a specified height (e.g., waist or head height). After a shot, if the ball is saved and it comes back into play, any of the participants in the centre can pick it up and try to throw it through one of the opposing team's goals; they do not have to make the set number of passes before shooting. A goal can only be scored by the participants in the centre, so if it is saved or rebounds off a goalkeeper and goes directly into the opposing team's goal without being touched by a participant in the centre, no points are scored and the participants move back to their starting positions. After a goal has been scored or the ball goes out of play, all the participants return to their start positions ready for you to call out another two numbers, Have participants play for a set time (e.g. 10 minutes) or until one team has scored a set number of points (e.g., 10).
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Warn participants to be careful when they are running into the area to get the ball. They should stay on their feet and be careful not to crash heads with opponents.
- To prevent all four participants running to the ball and possibly colliding, delay calling the second number for a second or two, so only those who have the first number run to get the ball.
- Use a soft ball only.
- Participants who are on the goal line should not dive when trying to save throws at the goal. This is to prevent teammates colliding when diving.
- Try to arrange the participants so that they are paired against opponents of similar ability.
- Wait until all participants are set up before calling a number.
- Encourage all participants to listen carefully for their numbers being called out.
EASIER/HARDER: Vary the set number of passes teammates must make before shooting to change the level of difficulty.
EASIER/HARDER: Change the size of the area to change the level of difficulty. A large area gives the participants more space when they are in the middle and makes it easier to score because the goalkeepers have more space to cover.
GAME VARIATION: Call out only one number, and allow participants to throw the ball through either of the opponents' goals straightaway when they have possession.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This game can be adapted for use during soccer sessions. Have participants use a soccer ball and do not allow them to contact the ball using their hands; they must score by shooting through the goal so that the ball passes below waist height. Goalkeepers can or cannot use their hands as another variation.
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TACTIC TAG (Decision making/dodging/running/agility/balance/reaction time/speed)
- Eight cones per group of four
Arrange the participants into groups of four, then separate each group into teams of two. For each group of four, use cones to mark out two 10-by-10- metre playing areas approximately 15 to 20 metres apart. Number the teams 1 and 2 and have team 1 stand in one playing area and team 2 stand in the other playing area.
When the game begins, one participant from Team 1 becomes an attacker while both participants from Team 2 are defenders. the attacker from Team 1 begins to move across the area between the two teams, towards Team 2's playing area. Once the attacker from Team 1 has left his area, the participants from Team 2 count down slowly from 20 to 0. They should call out the numbers at a rate of approximately one every second, so the attacker has 20 seconds to attack. the attacker must have tagged an opponent before the countdown has finished. The attacker's aim is to tag one of the defenders and then run back to his own area without being tagged by the other defenders. Therefore, when one of the defenders from Team 2 has been tagged, his team mate must try to tag the attacker from Team 1 before he gets back to his own area.
The defenders can move anywhere they like inside their area, but they must stay inside until on them has been tagged. At that point, the defender who is chasing the attacker can leave his area. The attacking team scores a point if the attacker successfully tags a defender and gets back to his own area without being tagged. The defending team scores a point if the chasing defender tags the attacker before he returns to his area. Once a team has counted down to zero, the attack is over and the attacker cannot tag an opponent. In this instance, the defending team is awarded a point. The attacker should return to his area where he and his team mate are now defenders when a participant from the opposing team attacks.
After the attack by Team 1, the teams switch roles so that Team 2 attacks. Again, only one participant from Team 2 attacks. Teams then alternate between attacking and defending, and within each team, teammates take turns to attack. Have participants play for a set time (e.g., 5 minutes), until everyone has had a set number of turns attacking (e.g., 3 each) or until one team has scored a set number of points (e.g., 7)
- Participants should not tag too hard.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Lead participants in a suitable warm-up before carrying out this game.
- Try to be very clear when you explain the rule about the defender who is not tagged chasing the attacker after a tag. It also helps to demonstrate this rule before playing the game.
- Teams should count down slowly from 20 to 0; they should not count too slowly or too fast. You may want to count down for all the groups using a stopwatch or timer for guidance.
- The size of the areas and the distance between them depends on the age or ability of the participants. Smaller areas and a shorter distance between the areas are preferable for younger or less able ones.
GAME VARIATION: The defenders have a sponge ball, which they can pass to each other. The attacker has to tag the opponent who does not have possession of the ball. When the attacker has tagged an opponent, his teammate must try to hit the attacker with the sponge ball before the attacker gets back to his area.
GAME VARIATION: Create groups of three or bigger teams. If playing with bigger teams, have more than one attacker going at a time. However, do not have more than half of the team attacking at the same time.
From the book, More Fun and Games: 100 new sport-related activities (Anthony Dowson)
