Duration: 20 – 30 minutes
Group Size: Section Level
Resources: Tennis-sized balls (or crushed paper), equal to the number of participants
Purpose: To strengthen teamwork, with emphasis on coordination & communication.
Overview: To successfully complete various juggling challenges as a team.
Conduct:
- Have the team stand in a circle facing each other. Each member in the team to hold out one hand (their master hand) with the ball in it and the other hand placed at their back.
- Tell the team they have three tasks to complete. The challenge for them is to complete them in as short a time as possible. The number of challenges can be adjusted depending on time constraints. Generally, the larger the group, the longer it will take. Give at least 5-10 min for each task.
- Task 1: Each member of the team is to simultaneously throw the ball in his hand to the person on his right and catch the ball thrown to him (by the person on his left) with the same hand. Appoint a leader to call out and coordinate the throws. A successful catch is when all members in the team succeed in catching the balls thrown to them in 3 consecutive throws.
- Task 2: Similar to Task 1 except in the reversed direction i.e. ball to be thrown to the person on their left. Same standard applies – success is when all members in the team succeed in catching the balls 3 consecutive throws in a row.
- Task 3: The throws have to be done in the sequence, “left”, “right” and “left” again.
- After each challenge, allow the team time to discuss and coordinate their throws if they have not already done so. Encourage each member to sound out feedback to one another on the throws made to them (too low, too far forward etc) so that they have a better chance of catching them.
Debrief Questions:
- What does this activity tell us about teamwork and coordination? What is involved in coordination?
Notes:
The team does well when members are focused on the task at hand and each member does well in their assigned roles i.e. throwing and catching. Communication and feedback is important in ensuring members actions (their throws) are adjusted appropriately to increase their chance of success. Concentration and timing is key in coordination. As members try their best, patience and mutual encouragement is key to spur the team to meet the more difficult challenges and not give up.