TGfU Category: Zone Games
Locations: gymnasium, multipurpose room, outdoor space (e.g., field, tarmac)
Game/Sport Connections
Zone games are activities that involve controlling an object, keeping it away from opponents, and moving it into position to score. Both offensive and defensive players share the same playing area as they work to prevent the other team from scoring. By playing these games, participants develop skills and tactics to play other zone games or games that require the application of similar skills, concepts, and strategies (e.g., soccer, handball, ultimate Frisbee, football, basketball, hockey, goalball, wheelchair basketball, lacrosse).
Activity Overview
Participants learn about and practise working as a group to send and receive an object while preventing an opponent from intercepting a pass.
Key Movement Skills, Concepts, and Strategies
Throughout the activity, consider highlighting the following skills, concepts, and strategies to send and receive an object while preventing an opponent from intercepting a pass. Note that this list is not exhaustive and further learning opportunities may arise during the task.
Movement Skills and Concepts
Body awareness: location of self when sending/receiving an object, and the relationship of how the body is moving when sending/receiving an object against an opposing group (e.g., participants on offence without the object attempt to move into open space to successfully receive a pass, participants on defence in position, between two offensive players to defend against a pass).
Movement Strategies
- Applying appropriate skills to be proficient at controlling the object and sending/receiving an object to/from another participant while playing against an opposing group (e.g., applying quick movements to make it challenging for the opponents to defend when on offence, guarding the opponents and blocking all passing lanes to try to prevent successful passes being made when on defence).
- Understanding, developing, and performing tactics to be successful in these types of games (e.g., moving into open space and receiving the object to maintain possession when on offence or covering open participants and moving quickly to the object or space when on defence to prevent a successful pass).
Considerations
- Incorporate some or all of the variations listed in the “Variations” section while planning the activity. This will help to best meet the diverse backgrounds, identities, needs and interests of participants and maximize the fun, inclusion, participation, and success of everyone.
- To elevate participant voice and choice, periodically pause the activity and share the variations with participants. Ask them to determine how they would like to change the activity to maximize the fun, inclusion, meaningful participation, and success for everyone. Encourage participants to add any variations of their own.
Equipment
- 1 object to send per activity area (e.g., various sizes and textures of balls, rubber chicken, flying disc, beanbag)
- 1 set of pinnies per activity area
- 4 pylons per activity area
Safety
- Inspect the equipment and activity area to identify and remove hazards. Check that the activity surface provides sufficient traction.
- Establish the boundaries for the designated playing area at a safe distance from walls and obstacles. Share the boundaries with participants.
- Review the safety rules and activity instructions with participants prior to the activity.
- Instruct participants to be aware of their surroundings, including the locations of other participants during play.
How to Play
- Divide participants into equal groups of at least 3 participants per group.
- Two groups set up in an activity area using 4 pylons to mark the corners.
- One group in each activity area wears pinnies.
- Groups choose an object to send (e.g., various sizes and textures of balls, rubber chicken, flying disc, beanbag). Groups may change their object and how they send it after a predetermined amount of time.
- One group starts with possession of the object. The group tries to maintain possession by sending and receiving it (e.g., throwing or kicking it while the object maintains contact with the ground) between group members.
- The opposing group tries to intercept the object while it is being passed.
- Participants cannot move while in possession of the object.
- One point is awarded if the group in possession of the object can make 5 successful passes in a row.
- Once the opposing group gains possession of the object, or after the group with the object has made 5 successful passes in a row, it is the other group’s turn to pass the object.
- Groups keep track of how many points they score.
- After a period of play, provide participants with some or all of the variations. Ask them to decide how they might change the game to enhance their fun, challenge, and success. Encourage participants to add any variations of their own.
- Consider having groups share their variations and select another variation to try with their group.
Image: Visual Depiction of the Activity Instructions
Pause for Learning
Throughout the activity, ask open-ended questions to help participants refine their movement skills, strategies, and tactical solutions. Examples include:
- When attempting to pass an object to your group member, how do you send it so that the object is not intercepted by an opponent?
- When your group member is in possession of the object, what do you do to help them make a successful pass?
- How can you best work as a group to prevent the other group from intercepting the object and earn a point?
- How do you use verbal and non-verbal communication with your group when sending and receiving a pass?
- Which games or sports have you played or know about that use similar rules and strategies to the ones used in this game?
Variations
- Begin by throwing and catching the object before progressing to kicking.
- Allow participants to move when in possession of the object.
- Reduce the number of participants in each group.
- Increase or decrease the size of the activity area.
- Increase or decrease the number of times participants pass the object before earning 1 point.
- Set a period of time (e.g., 3 seconds) before participants must pass the object when on offence. If the object is not passed within 3 seconds, the group loses possession of the object.
- Use an implement for striking to send the object (e.g., hockey stick, racquet, lacrosse stick). Participants must wear appropriate eyewear.
