Go Goose Go!

Setting: Intramurals

Season: Spring

Activity Goal

Participants evade being tagged in this modified dodgeball game in a spring outdoor environment.

For participant safety, please review the contents of the Beyond the Walls: Safety Considerations page for information on Safety Standards, Spring Safety Considerations, and Outdoor Playing Areas and Surfaces.

Equipment

• 4-8 cones/pylons
• 1-3 elephant skin balls
• 4 hoops

How to Play

• Review the safety rules and activity instructions with participants prior to the activity.
• Establish the boundaries for the designated playing area and share them with participants.
• Place the hoops side by side to form a square in the middle of the playing area and mark the perimeter of the playing area using cones/pylons.
• Select one participant to be the ‘goose hunter’, and direct them to stand in the centre of the hoops.
• Direct the remaining participants to stand facing away from the goose hunter, with one foot reaching to touch the hoop.
• Play begins when the ‘hunter’ yells ‘Go Goose Go!’ and participants race away from the hunter. The hunter then sends the ball high up into the air above their head, catches it, and yells ‘Freeze!’. The ball toss must be higher than the hunter’s outstretched arms above their head.
• Participants freeze where they are. The ‘hunter’ then throws the elephant skin ball underhand or rolls the ball to try to tag participants below the waist. Overhand throws are prohibited. Any participant who is tagged by the ball then accumulates a letter (i.e., G-O-O-S-E).
• The first participant to accumulate the word ‘Goose’ becomes the new hunter.

Adaptations

Consider these tips to maximize the challenge and the fun for participants.

• Consider adding multiple balls to increase the chances of success for the hunter and to increase turnover in the hunter position. Alternatively, consider adding multiple hunters to the game.
• Try incorporating a variety of locomotion and movement pathways for participants when they are evading capture by the ‘hunter’.
• Consider adding multiple hoops with multiple hunters to increase the level of challenge for participants evading capture.
• To accommodate more participants, consider dividing the space to accommodate more games.
• Consider having different sized balls.

Modifications

Consider these tips to maximize inclusion and fun for all participants.

• For participants who are blind/low vision, consider having participants partner up. Encourage pairs to work together to evade capture.
• For participants who are blind/low vision, when playing the role of hunter, have them count to 3 as an alternative to throwing and catching the ball. The goose closest to the hunter must repeat the word ‘GOOSE’ until the hunter rolls the ball toward the participant to hit them.
• For participants with mobility impairments, allow them to kick the ball towards a goose with the rule that the ball must be in contact with the ground at all times.