Moving Hoop Target Setting Trios

Trios where a tosser sends the ball, a setter sets it with the fingertips, and a third student holds a hoop up high, moving it around so the ball has to go through. It works on set accuracy and height and on squaring up to a moving target.

How to play

1. Trios with one light ball and one hoop: tosser (T), setter (S), and hoop holder (H), in a triangle about 10 feet apart (2 min).
2. T tosses high to S; S sets toward the hoop, which H holds up with arms straight overhead; H catches the ball after it goes through.
3. One point for each ball that goes through the hoop; after 8 tries, rotate: T to S, S to H, H to T (3 rotations, 9 min).
4. Second phase (5 min): H moves within a 6-foot arc before each toss, and S must turn to face the hoop.
5. Each trio adds up its total points in the second phase and tries to beat its first-phase score.
6. Finish (2 min): trios share what helps them score: spotting the hoop before the ball arrives, bending the knees, pushing up.

Rules

• H holds the hoop above the head and off to one side, never in front of the face.
• T's toss is soft and high so S can get under it.
• Each trio stays in its marked area; loose balls are picked up at the end of each try.
• Score as a trio, adding up every setter's points.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: takes the H or S role seated, with the hoop 6 feet away at head height.
• Visual impairment: wrap the hoop in brightly colored tape, and H says "Here" when moving.
• Lower skill level: use a large hoop and count it as a hit if the ball touches the hoop.

Learning goals

• Direct the set toward a specific target.
• Turn the body to face a target that changes position.
• Cooperate in trios while taking on different roles.

Equipment for a class of 25

• light balls: 9
• hoops: 9

Teacher tip

Large 32-inch hoops give more success early on. Remind holders to keep their arms straight so the ball doesn't hit them in the face.

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