Keentan: Torres Strait High-Toss Keep-Away

A game from the Torres Strait Islands, between Australia and New Guinea, in which one team tries to string together high passes and catches while the other team tries to intercept. It builds catching in the air, getting open and teamwork.

How to play

1. Share the origin: keentan was played on Mer Island with a ball made of leaves, and it is part of the traditional Indigenous games of Australia. Mark 2 fields of 65 x 50 feet with cones.
2. On each field, two teams of 6 in pinnies play. The team with the ball passes the soft ball using high passes that must rise above the thrower's head.
3. Each clean catch adds a pass, and the team counts out loud. At 8 passes in a row, the team scores a point and keeps the ball, starting the count again.
4. The player with the ball may not move and must pass within 3 seconds. The other team intercepts in the air or picks up a dropped ball and starts counting its own passes.
5. No passing back to the player who just passed to you. Every 4 minutes, stop play and switch opponents between fields.
6. Play 4 blocks of 4 minutes. At the end, ask which team found the best way to get open.

Rules

• High passes only: a flat pass or bounce pass doesn't count toward the chain.
• Safety: when jumping for the ball, go for the ball, not the opponent's body; no pushing.
• If the ball goes out of bounds, the team that did not touch it last throws it in.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with limited mobility: get their own 6-foot zone where they cannot be guarded, and their passes count double.
• Visual impairment: use a brightly colored or sound ball, and the passer calls the receiver's name.
• Shyness or low confidence: for the first rounds, everyone must touch the ball before the team can score.

Learning goals

• Catch balls dropping from a high arc.
• Move to open space to offer a passing lane.
• Appreciate the traditional games of Australia's Indigenous peoples.

Equipment for a class of 25

• soft balls: 2
• pinnies: 24
• cones: 8

Teacher tip

The most common problem is the whole team bunching around the ball, so ask for someone to stay on each side of the field.

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