Villagers and Guards Ultimate Keep Away

Skill: Catch, Throw
Time Required: 15
Activity Type: Physical
Group Size: Large Group, Medium 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 play area.
Remind participants to be aware of their surroundings and to keep their head up and be prepared for the ball.
Equipment: 1 ball (volleyball, basketball or dodgeball will work).
Pylons or rope to outline boundaries.
Objective:
For the guards to throw the ball to the villagers, without it getting stolen by the other team.
Other Skills:
Underhand Roll
Set up:
Divide the space into two halves of about 15-20 feet each, with pylons or rope down the centre.
Mark off the last 3-5 feet of each half with pylons or rope (this is the village)
Divide the participants into two equal teams.
Send a third of participants from each team to the two "villages" (the last 3-5 feet at each end).
If each team has 12 participants, then 4 will be the villagers and 8 will be the guards.
The rest of the participants are the guards, and they stand on the opposite half of their villagers, guarding the other team's villagers. They cannot stand in the village area and must remain in their boundaries.
Example of set up is attached to this activity.
Step by Step:
1. The goal is for the guards to throw the ball to their villagers in order to get a point.
2. All participants must stay within their lines and boundaries.
3. If any of them step outside the lines with the ball, the ball automatically goes to the other team.
4. To start, the leader will throw the ball in the play area.
5. If the team B guards get the ball, then they have to get it to the their villagers.
6. The guards can pass the ball to each other, however, they cannot take more than one step when they have the ball.
7. They can throw it, roll it, bounce it or kick the ball to the villagers.
8. However, the guards from team A are trying to intercept the ball, so the guards from team B try to get it around them.
9. If they manage to throw or roll the ball to the villagers and one of them catches it or picks it up without going out of bounds, then they score a point.
10. If a villager tries to catch it must misses, and it goes out of bounds, then it goes to the guards on team A.
11. When villagers do get the ball, it is still in play and they now have to try to get the ball back to their guards without the guards from the other team intercepting it.
12. Villagers can run anywhere in their area with the ball.
13. If guards from team A intercept the ball, then they have to try to throw it, roll it or bounce it to their villagers while team B guards try to intercept the ball.
14. Play for a designated amount of time, or until a team scores a predetermined amount of points.
Variations:
Only allow guards and villagers to throw the ball, or only allow them to roll the ball.
Guards can only hold onto the ball for 5 seconds before they have to pass to another guard or to the villagers.
Have two balls in play.
Increase or decrease the size of the playing area.

Adaptations (General):
Remember that some participants with disabilities may lack comparable coordination, agility and stamina. If full inclusion is not possible, consider having participants with disabilities function as a judge to determine if the ball has gone out-of-bounds, or if there has been illegal interference.

Adaptations (Blindness/Visual Impairment):
Consider using a ball with a bell inside, or a plastic grocery bag tied around it, to enable participants who are blind or visually impaired to hear it.
Sources: Developed for the Leisure Information Network.
Attachments: Download