Play or Work: The Resting Team Runs the Game
On each court two teams play while the third works as the full crew: referee, line judge, timekeeper, scorekeeper, and ball runner. Students play hard and learn that a game only works because of the people running it.
How to play
- Hand out role cards with two tasks each: referee (calls and explains), line judge (out of bounds and goals), timekeeper (clock and subs), scorekeeper (game sheet), and ball runner (gets balls back in play fast) (3 min).
- Round 1: on two courts, A vs. B with C as crew and D vs. E with F as crew; mini-handball with a foam ball (7 min).
- Round 2: B vs. C with A as crew and E vs. F with D as crew; crew roles switch people (7 min).
- Round 3: C vs. A with B as crew and F vs. D with E as crew (7 min).
- Each team rates the crew that ran its game from 1 to 3 on timeliness, clarity, and respect; the score is added to the standings (6 min).
Rules
- The crew doesn't take sides; they just do their job.
- Referee calls are not argued; they can be discussed calmly afterward.
- Mini-handball with no grabbing or pushing.
- The ball runner never enters the court while the ball is live.
Variations
Easier
Three-person crew: referee, timekeeper, and scorekeeper.
Standard
Full five-person crew.
Harder
The crew also makes a required substitution at halftime and checks that every player got equal time.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: works as timekeeper or scorekeeper when the team is crew and plays with a protected zone.
- Hard of hearing: the referee pairs the whistle with hand signals, and the timekeeper signals the end visually.
- Students nervous about refereeing: start as scorekeeper or ball runner.
Learning goals
- Play hard and make decisions in the game.
- Learn and carry out the roles needed to run a game.
- Value the crew's work as part of an event's success.
Equipment for a class of 25
- foam balls: 2
- pinnies: 20
- cones: 16
- whistles: 2
- stopwatches: 2
- role cards: 10
- game sheets: 6
Teacher tip
With teams of five, everyone gets a different role each round. Common mistake: the crew starts cheering for one team; remind them neutrality is part of their score.
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