Ancient Olympia Games Stations

A station circuit inspired by the events of the first Olympic Games in ancient Greece: the stadium sprint, the weighted jump, discus, javelin, and the shield race. Students practice running, jumping, and throwing skills and learn where the Olympics began.

How to play

1. Spend 2 minutes describing the games at Olympia and form 4 teams of 6. Set up 4 stations at least 30 ft apart (3 min).
2. Stadium: 30-yard sprints in pairs, starting from a standing line, just like the original stadium race.
3. Weighted jump: a standing long jump holding a bean bag in each hand and swinging the arms for momentum, without letting go.
4. Discus and javelin: half the team throws soft flying discs and the other half throws foam javelins at a zone with hoops; they swap halfway through. Every hoop reached scores points for the team.
5. Each station lasts 4 minutes, and teams rotate on the whistle until they have visited them all (16 min).
6. Finale: a shield race relay in which each runner carries a hoop on their back or held like a shield on a 65-ft out-and-back course (4 min).

Rules

• At the throwing station, everyone throws together and retrieves together, always on the signal.
• Nobody walks through a throwing station to get to another one.
• In the weighted jump, never let go of the bean bags.
• Cheer for every athlete: effort was honored at Olympia too.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: throws from the wheelchair, a wheelchair sprint, and the jump replaced by a bean bag distance throw.
• Visual impairment: the throwing zone has a sound guide, and the sprint is run with a guide partner holding a tether.
• Fitness level: each team decides who runs each leg of the finale.

Learning goals

• Practice basic running, jumping, and throwing skills.
• Learn about the historical origin of the Olympic Games.
• Cooperate with the team and follow safety rules for throwing.

Equipment for a class of 25

• soft flying discs: 6
• foam javelins: 6
• bean bags: 12
• hoops: 10
• cones: 20

Teacher tip

Put the throwing station along one side of the field with everyone throwing in the same direction. Teams can wear a ribbon headband as an olive wreath for a fun touch.

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