Scouting the Ground: Explore the Field Before the Battle

Before a big game, teams jog around the field, find each zone and do a mobility exercise in it. It warms up gradually and helps students plan their strategy with the ground in front of them.

How to play

1. The teacher has already set up the main game's field: halves, jails with hoops, flag zones with scarves and safe zones with cones (1 min).
2. Teams jog the perimeter; at each corner the team calls out what it sees (3 min).
3. Mobility stations: ankle and knee circles at the jail, hip circles at the flag, shoulders and arms in the safe zone (3 min).
4. Scouting run: each team jogs to find two routes to the other team's flag and runs them with build-ups (3 min).
5. Team huddle: in one minute decide who defends, who attacks and by which route, then tell another team (2 min).

Rules

• Jog in the direction the teacher sets to avoid crossing paths.
• Don't move cones or scarves while scouting.
• Build-ups at no more than 60% effort.
• Every voice counts in the huddle: whoever has talked least goes first.

Variations

Adaptations

• Visual impairment: a guide describes each zone and how many steps away it is.
• Limited mobility: takes the shorter inner loop and reports back on the zones for the team.
• New or inexperienced students: pair up with someone who explains the game on the spot.

Learning goals

• Warm up gradually and in an orderly way.
• Recognize the playing area and its zones before the game.
• Come up with a simple team strategy.

Equipment for a class of 25

• cones: 20
• scarves: 6
• hoops: 2

Teacher tip

Set up the field before the class arrives; that way the warm-up doubles as the explanation of the main game. If huddles drag, give teams just one question: where will we attack?

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