Game With an Incident: Stop Play and Respond

Small-sided games where the teacher secretly hands a card to a player, who then acts out an incident mid-play. Both teams must stop, protect the player, assess and organize themselves, just like in a real game.

How to play

1. Explanation: when you hear 'Incident!' or see someone down, play stops, one person protects, one calls for help and one takes care of the player (3 min).
2. 5v5 games on two courts in a familiar sport (team handball, futsal or basketball) (5 min).
3. First incident on each court: the player with the card sits down and acts out a sprain, a cramp, a nosebleed or dizziness; the teams respond (6 min).
4. Play resumes and two more incidents come, including one where the player 'doesn't respond' and the group has to call 911 and get the AED (10 min).
5. Debrief on each court: who protected, who called, what information was given and what to do better (6 min).

Rules

• Act out the incident by sitting or lying down slowly, never throwing yourself down.
• As soon as someone yells 'Incident!', everyone stops and the ball is held.
• Nobody moves the injured player until the group decides what to do.
• If compressions are needed, they go on a cushion next to the player, never on them.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: the teacher stops play by raising a red card as well as calling out.
• Limited mobility: play an adapted sport, or be in charge of calling and coordinating from the sideline.
• Students who don't want to act: get helper roles instead of an incident card.

Learning goals

• React quickly and in an orderly way to an in-game incident.
• Split the roles of protect, alert and help.
• Show responsibility toward injured teammates and opponents.

Equipment for a class of 25

• balls: 2
• pinnies: 10
• cones: 16
• incident cards: 8
• cushions: 2
• mats: 2

Teacher tip

Keep a cushion and a mat next to each court for the 'unresponsive' case. Common mistake: everyone crowds around and nobody calls; have someone say out loud 'I'm calling'.

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