4x50 Relay: Blind Handoff in the Exchange Zone

Teams of four learn to pass the baton without looking inside an exchange zone marked with cones, with the receiver taking off at speed so no time is lost. Students work on speed, partner coordination, and trusting a voice cue.

How to play

1. On a 50 m straightaway, mark a 15 m exchange zone with cones and a check mark cone 6 m before it. Make teams of 4 with one baton per team (3 minutes).
2. In pairs and walking, the receiver reaches back with the palm up and the carrier passes upward on the call "Stick!". Switch roles every 5 handoffs (4 minutes).
3. Repeat at a jog and then at 70 % effort: the receiver takes off when the carrier hits the check mark and never looks back (5 minutes).
4. Each team tests the order of its four runners in two timed 4x50 races in lanes (6 minutes).
5. Final: all teams race at once; the winner is the team that improves its own time the most, not just the first to finish (5 minutes).
6. Two-minute debrief: which handoff lost time and why?

Rules

• The baton must change hands inside the zone; otherwise the team gets a 2-second penalty.
• Once the receiver takes off, no looking back: trust the carrier's voice.
• Each team stays in its own lane until every team has finished.
• If the baton drops, the runner who dropped it picks it up without crossing into other lanes.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: serve as a timer, or receive and pass in a longer zone moving at their own pace.
• Visual impairment: the carrier adds a tap on the shoulder and repeats the voice cue twice.
• Lower fitness: run the shortest leg or cut the distance to 30 m per runner.

Learning goals

• Pass and receive the baton without looking and without slowing down.
• Time the receiver's takeoff to the teammate's speed.
• Cooperate to improve the team's time.

Equipment for a class of 25

• batons: 7
• cones: 24
• stopwatch: 2

Teacher tip

The most common mistake is a late takeoff or a receiver turning their head; put one observer from each team at the check mark to spot it. Do the first handoffs walking even if the class is eager to sprint.

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