I love how this game combines teaches kids in a concrete and physical way how to be a good teammate but also is really fun. It’s essentially a version of freeze tag, and can be modified for any sport, and changed up to make it a technical drill. An added bonus is that it teaches kids to look up and really see the field. By identifying who is in trouble, this game is a defensive drill to teach doubling down. Use it as a fun way to end practice!
How To Be a Good Teammate Game
This game builds teamwork and is hilariously fun. Note that this game is not about winning, and there’s no score!
Count off by 10’s and put the evens on one side and the odds on the other. You want approximately 10 players per side, but it’s easy to modify for a larger or smaller number.
With 10 players per side, you will need three pinnies and 3 balls. You can use any kind of ball. The primary way to play this game is to throw and catch the ball, therefore a nerf ball would work such as a nerf football. You can also use the ball of the sport the athletes play such as a soccer ball, basketball, or lacrosse ball. You can also use a different ball from the sport the team plays as well like a tennis ball.
Give three pinnies to the even number side, and three balls to the odd number side. If you have a ball, you are “safe.” To tag a player which makes them unable to move, touch her with a pinnie that the player holds in her hand. To “unfreeze” a player, throw her a ball. When she catches the ball, she is “unfrozen.” Now, she has the ball and can look around the field to spot a player on her team in trouble (i.e. being chased by an opponent with a pinnie), and throw that player the ball to give her immunity.
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What do the even players without a pinnie do?
The even players who do not have a pinnie are open to be passed the ball which makes them “safe”. Otherwise they are targets for the other team to tag which freezes them in place.