MULTI-SPORT GAMES Part II
HIT BUT NOT OUT
(Benches, four large sponge balls, one bib between two)
Split the sport hall into four sections using benches put across the width of the hall. Separate the group into two teams. One team stands in one of the middle sections, while the opposing team stands in the other one. Each team has two sponge balls, which participants throw at opponents, trying to hit them below the waist. Opponents try to avoid being hit by dodging out of the way.
If any participant is hit below the waist, they move to the "hit area" behind the other team's section. These players can throw any balls that land in that area back at their opponents. When all the participants on one team are in their opponents' hit area, the opposing team wins.
- Use low throws only to avoid people getting hit in the face.
- Ensure participants do not throw the ball too hard.
- Use soft balls only.
- Don't allow players to stand on benches.
- Participants in the hit area can only use a ball when it goes into that area - no reaching over.
- Put in more balls to speed up the game.
EASIER/HARDER: Use wider or narrower middle areas to increase or decrease the difficulty.
VARIATION: Players in the hit area can move back to the middle section if they hit an opponent. This keeps the game going for longer.
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HOOP DEFENDER
(One to four large sponge balls, 10 to 16 hoops, one bib between two.)
This game is best played in a sports hall or gym. Ideally a basketball or netball court should be used. Two teams stand at opposite ends of the court inside a semi-circle (i.e., the three-point line on a basketball court or the shooting area on a netball court). Place half the hoops in front of one team's area and the other half in front of the opposing team's area. If you do not have hoops use cones or chalk to mark out metre-wide areas around each team.
Participants run to the opposite end and throw sponge balls at opponents, trying to hit them below the waist. The thrower is not allowed to enter the area beyond the hoops to throw at their opponents. After throwing, participants must return to their side.
If an opponent is hit they have to stand inside a hoop in front of their teammates. These hoop defenders can block any balls thrown at the rest of their team. If they catch a ball they are back in the game. If all the participants in the semi-circle are hit, then the opposing team wins the game. Time the game, and if it has not been completed, stop after 3 to 5 minutes. The winning team will be the one with the fewest players standing in the hoops.
- Allow low throws only to avoid people getting hit in the face.
- Use soft balls only.
- Put in more balls to speed up the game.
- Start with two sponge balls and add more as the participants become familiar with the game.
VARIATION: Players are allowed to hit opponents who are running through the middle area if they are in possession of a ball.
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GET THE BEANBAG GAME
(One beanbag or any type of sport ball less than the number of teams (e.g., 6 teams = 5 beanbags or balls)
Put the participants into equal teams of between four and six. The whole group should then stand in a large circle, but teams should stand together. There should be a gap between each team, and each participant should be numbered. Participants sit down facing the centre of the circle. Place some beanbags (or balls) in the centre of the circle, making sure there is one fewer than the number of teams you have, for example four beanbags for five teams.
Shout out a number like 'Three'. The participant numbered three from each team stands up and runs clockwise around the outside of the circle. Once they have completed a lap, participants run through the gap they were sitting in and attempt to pick up a beanbag. Those who pick up a beanbag score a point for their teams. Place the beanbags back on the floor and when the participants are back sitting in their place, call out another number. Continue until one team has reached a set number of points (e.g., 15) or for a set time (e.g., 5 minutes).
- Ensure the beanbags are spaced out in the middle of the circle to prevent participants from clashing heads during the race for the beanbag.
- Only play on a non-slippery surface.
- When participants are not running, they should be sitting cross-legged and should not obstruct the other runners.
-With younger participants, use coloured bibs so that they can see where the rest of their teammates are sitting.
- Change participants' numbers within their team so that they have a chance to race against different opponents.
VARIATION: Shout two numbers at a time, but increase the number of beanbags in the middle area.
HARDER: Decrease the number of beanbags.
HARDER: Have two colored beanbags in the centre area and assign a different value to the beanbags.
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LINE TAG
(Floor with markings on, one bib per four to six participants.)
This game is best played inside a sport hall that has a variety of courts marked out. The lines are likely to be of different colors and will intersect each other. Choose some of the group to become chasers, who each put a bib on. There should be one chaser for every four to six participants. Chasers start by running around trying to tag the rest of the group. All participants must stay on the lines and are not allowed to jump from one line to another. Chasers must be on the same line as the person they are pursuing to tag them. All participants can change direction and start following different-coloured line, but only where the lines intersect. Tagged participants must perform a fun challenge before rejoining the game. Count how many times participants are tagged by the chasers in a set period of time. Change the chasers and begin again.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure chasers do not tag too hard.
- It is important that you choose a suitable number of chasers for the game to last.
- Participants can overtake others but must return to the line straight away.
- Chasers will find it easier if they work together to try to trap the participants they are pursuing.
VARIATION: Allow participants to move on only one color of line.
VARIATION: This game can be played in teams, for example, with a group of 16 participants split into four teams (4 in each). Each team takes a turn to be the chasers and has 60 seconds to tag as many people as possible. Count up the number tagged by the team, with the team scoring the most winning the game.
VARIATION: Allow the participants to step from line to line providing they are within an easy reaching distance. They must not touch the floor where there is no line.
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SHUTTLES
(Cones)
This is an activity that can be used as part of a warm-up or as races where participants work against the rest of the group. Cone out your working area. Arrange the cones in lines so that there is a starting line and four other lines about 5 to 8 m apart. Line the participants up on the starting line and call out the number of the line(s) that the participants must run to. Therefore, if you shout numbers 1 and 4, then the participants run out to line 1, return to the start, then run to line 4 before returning to the start. Change the instructions so that participants perform different movements each time.
The following are examples of some of the commands:
- Hop out on right foot and back on left foot.
- Run backwards.
- Move on hands and feet.
- Skip sideways.
- Bunny hop.
EASIER: Participants can get a longer rest between sprints if you group them.
HARDER: Make it a race to add competition.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: The game can be adapted to specific sports by using relevant skills when travelling between lines. For example, soccer could be used by dribbling to the line with the right foot and back with the right foot.
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STARS AND STRIPES
(Cones to mark out the lines for participants to run towards)
Arrange participants into pairs and instruct them to stand opposite their partners about 2m apart. Name all the participants in one of the lines 'stars' and name all the participants in the other line 'stripes'. Two lines of cones are placed on the ground, one on either side of the participants. Shout 'stars' and all the stars quickly turn and run towards the nearest line of cones. In this instance, the stripes must chase after their partner, trying to tag them before they get to the line of cones.
If the star reaches the line before being tagged, they gain a point. However, if the stripe tags their partner before they get to the line then they gain the point. If you call out 'stripe' then the opposite occurs with the stripe running for the nearest line and their partner trying to tag them before they get there. After each race participants should return to their starting positions ready for you to call out the next star or stripe. Participants should play the best out of five or seven and should keep score of their points.
- Warn participants to be careful of collisions.
- Ensure chasers do not tag too hard.
- Participants should turn and run in a straight line towards the cones and not cut across other participants' paths.
- Linger on the 'st' part of the call and occasionally call out words such as 'st...rawberries' to keep the participants guessing.
- Change partners regularly.
- Ensure participants are correctly warmed-up before this activity.
EASIER/HARDER: Vary the starting positions of the participants. For example, they may sit or lie opposite their partners.
VARIATION: Change the names used, to 'crumbs and crusts' for example.
SPORT-SPECIFIC: This suits various games such as soccer or hockey that involve dribblingg. In this case, participants all have a ball beside them. When their name is called they have to dribble with their ball to the line before being tagged. The chaser does not dribble a ball.
