Fastball

Game: Fastball
Number of players: 10-30
Age: 8+
Necessary equipment: ball, cones, bibs/sashes

How to Play

• Determine the playing area. A basketball-court-sized area is good for up to 20 players; more than that you may need more space.
• Use cones to mark out two 2 metre x 2 metre squares, one at each end of the playing area. (Larger squares if playing area is larger.) The squares will need to be at least 1 metre from the edge of the playing area. (Alternatively, you can use pre-marked spaces on the playing area, such as the small circles on a basketball court.)
• Divide the players up into two teams. Give one team bibs/sashes so you can see which team is which.
• Each team starts on one side of the playing area. The ball is thrown into the centre of the playing area by the referee to begin the game. The aim of the game is to get the ball into your playing area without your team being tagged.

Rules

1. If you are tagged while holding the ball, it is handed over to the other team.
2. If you kick the ball, or touch it with your feet in any way, it is handed over to the other team.
3. If the ball is handed over, the other team must move at least 1 metre away from the person who is taking the ball. (This is to avoid them being tagged immediately.)
4. If the ball is thrown out of the playing area, the other team throws it in again from the point at which it went out.
5. Players may drop the ball and pick it up again, or throw it in the air and catch it again.
6. A player can only be tagged if s/he is holding the ball. To avoid a tag, a player may throw the ball into the air and then catch it again.
7. A team is awarded one point if they get the ball into their team's scoring area. To do this, it must be held by a player with two hands, and with both feet in the scoring area.

If necessary, the number of defenders and/or attackers in the scoring area can be limited.


Skills
Team work
Strategy
Ball handling

Bench Ball

Name: Bench Ball
Number of players: 14+
Age group: 10+
Necessary equipment: benches, 4-10 balls, cones

How to play

• Set up a playing area with a bench at either end, and a line of cones down the middle.
• Split the group up into two teams.
• Each team stands one one side of the playing area.
• One member of each team stands on the bench opposite their team's area.
• Each team is given an even number of balls.
• Teams aim to throw their balls to their teammate on the bench, while at the same time defending to stop the other team from getting balls to their team member.
• For each ball they catch, the team scores one point.
• The player must remain on the bench when catching; if they fall of in the process the point does not count.
• Play ends after a certain number of points or a certain amount of time.
• Larger teams may wish to have multiple players on the bench, and use longer benches.
  

Variations

Bench Team Ball
Instead of scoring points, when the bench player catches the ball, the player who threw the ball joins them on the bench. The game stops when one team gets all their players onto the bench.

End Ball
Instead of benches, a row of cones is placed at each end of the playing area. This variation is safer if the players are not confident on the bench. It also gives players more space to move around.

Skills
Ball handling
Teamwork
Strategy

Alaskan Baseball

Name: Alaskan Baseball
Number of players: 10+
Age group: 10+
Necessary Equipment: 1 Ball or other object that can be thrown (eg. rubber chicken)

How to Play

• Split players into two teams.
• One team starts off with the ball (Team A).
• Team A must make a line and pass the ball down their team, over-under-over-under (i.e. the first person passes the ball over their head, the second person under their legs, the third person over their head etc.).
• At the same time, the second team must get into a group (Team B), and nominate one person to run around the group as many times as possible.
• Every time Team B's player runs around the group, they get one point. (No half-points or part points.)
• When Team A gets the ball to the last person in line, they call out, "stop" and throw the ball as far way from Team B as possible.
• Team B must then run to get the ball and start the under-over pattern, while Team A gets into a group and starts a person running around.
• Play finishes when one group reaches a set number of runs, eg. 21.

This game is great fun, and somehow enchanced with the use of a rubber chicken rather than a ball. Rubber chickens are especially good as they are easier to hold on to. It is also an excellent game for teamwork, as no-one gets out, so teams must work together with all of their players.

Skills:

• Ball Handling
• Teamwork

Ball Tag

Ball tag is a simple tag game where players must use the ball to tag people out. Vary the size of the playing area depending on the ability and number of players.

Name: Ball Tag
Number of players: 8 - 30
Age group: 7+
Necessary equipment: 1 ball
Possible other equipment: Cones (to mark off playing area), Bibs (to mark different teams)

How to Play

• Split the group into 2 teams.
• One team is given the ball.
• The attacking team must try to tag members of the other team with the ball. Players must be holding the ball in order to tag another player.
• Players may not move while holding the ball.
• The defending team can intercept the ball at any time. They then become the attacking team.
• Players who are tagged are out.

Alternatives:
To make this a self-replicating game, allow players who are out to return to the game when their team gets an intercept.

Skills/Applications:

• Ball Handling
• Teamwork
• Strategy: Let the game play for a few minutes, then stop the game and ask the teams to get together to strategise.
• Netball