Football Quarterbacks, Receivers and Running Relay

Skill: Catch, Run, Throw
Time Required: 20
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium Group, Small Group
Age Group: 6 - 9yrs, 9 - 12yrs, 13+ yrs
Play area: Gymnasium (large indoor space), Outdoor - Field
Safety Considerations: Remove any safety hazards and obstacles from the activity area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up.
Remind participants to be prepared to receive the football and to not throw the ball too hard.
Equipment: Footballs
Pylons
Hoops
Tennis balls
Objective:
Participants complete the football relay race with their group and do the designated activities and skills.
Other Skills:
Speed
Coordination
Set up:
Please see the attached document for an example of the set up.
Divide participants into groups of 4.
Have one set up for each group, or have one set up, and time each group.
At the start of the activity place a hoop and a pylon a couple feet away from each other. The first participant will stand at that pylon with the football. Place another hoop around 10-15 feet away from the pylon (the distance depends on the skill level of the participants). The second participant will stand inside that hoop. Place a pylon around 5 feet to the side of that hoop (this is the error pylon). Behind the hoop, place 4-8 pylons in a staggered line (participants will weave around the pylons). The third participant will stand at the end of these pylons. Around 10 feet from the last pylon, place another pylon for the fourth participant to stand beside. Next to the pylon, place another hoop filled 4-8 tennis balls.
Step by Step:
1. The goal for each group is to bring the tennis balls from the end hoop to the hoop at the start, but they have to follow and complete the football relay activities in order to do so.
2. Allow groups to come up with their own group name, or to select which CFL/NFL team they want to be.
3. Please see the attached document for an example of the set up.
4. The first participant will start at the first pylon with the football, and will be the quarterback.
5. That participant will throw the football to the second participant (receiver), who will be standing in the hoop that is 10-15 feet in front of the first participant.
6. If the second participant does not catch the ball, or they have to leave the hoop to catch the ball, then they have to run around the error pylon before going onto the next relay activity.
7. If they catch the ball in the hoop, then they turn around and weave around the row of pylons (optional to set up hoops for a fast feet activity instead of, or in addition to this activity).
8. The third participant (quarterback) will be standing just in front of the last pylon.
9. When the second participant gets to them, they hand off the football to the third participant.
10. The third participant throws the ball to the fourth participant (receiver), who will be standing beside a pylon around 10 feet in front of the third participant.
11. They can leave the pylon to catch the ball. If they catch the football, they will run to the hoop filled with tennis balls, pick one up and run it to the starting hoop with their football. If they miss the catch, they will pick up the football, run around the hoop twice before picking up a tennis ball.
12. The fourth participant will run to the starting hoop and place the tennis ball in the hoop and then go stand at the pylon.
13. After each participant does their task, they will move to the next location.
14. First participant will now be standing at the hoop to receive the first pass. The second participant will now be standing at the end of the row of pylons, the third participant will be standing at the pylon next to the hoop filled with the tennis balls and the fourth participant will now be throwing the football at the start.
15. The group to bring all the tennis balls to the starting hoop first or with the fasted time will win the relay
Variations:
Add an additional activity and increase the number of participants in each group. Additional activities could include: fast feet with hoops, rows of pylons for participants to jump over, kicking the football and so on.
Make groups of 5, and the fifth participant will be standing half way from the end hoop to the start hoop. The fourth participant will hand off the football to that participant and they will run to the pylon at the start, and then throw the ball to the second participant.
Instead of the task being to bring all tennis balls back to the hoop at the start, make the task be that when every participant has been in each position, they are done.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download