Two-Pole Ball Carry

In pairs, students hold two parallel poles like a stretcher and carry a ball on top without dropping it through a course with lines, a slalom and sudden stops. The activity builds balance of a moving object, coordination with a partner and decision-making.

How to play

1. Pair students up with two poles and one ball per pair; one stands in front and one behind, each holding one end of both poles, with the poles about a hand's width apart (2 min).
2. Standing test: place the ball on the poles, raise and lower it slowly without dropping it, then walk 10 m (30 ft) in a straight line (3 min).
3. Course: follow a court line, weave through a 5-cone slalom and drop the ball into a hoop at the end without touching it; walk back along the outside carrying the ball (5 min).
4. Change of pace: on one whistle, pairs stop dead without losing the ball; on two whistles, they do a half turn and keep going (3 min).
5. Stretcher chain: groups of 3 pairs pass the ball from one set of poles to the next without using hands until it lands in the hoop (3 min).
6. Wrap-up: each pair shares what helped them stay in sync: talking, counting steps or watching the ball (2 min).

Rules

• No touching the ball with hands; if it falls, put it back on the poles where it dropped.
• Walk, don't run, with the poles at waist height.
• Poles never go above shoulder height and are never used to hit anything.
• Before starting, the pair decides who sets the pace.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: hold the front end from the wheelchair while the partner matches the pace, on a course with wide curves.
• Visual impairment: carry the back end while the front partner calls out curves and stops.
• Advanced students: carry two balls on the same pair of poles.

Learning goals

• Keep an object balanced while moving with a partner.
• Coordinate pace and direction with a partner.
• Choose the right speed for curves and stops.

Equipment for a class of 25

• PVC poles: 26
• foam balls: 13
• cones: 25
• hoops: 5

Teacher tip

Start with large foam balls, since small balls lead to frustration quickly. Make it clear from the start that the poles are for carrying, not for sword fights.

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