Author: John Park

Gateball Activity Sheet

Name:Pick up Relay

Focus Area: (Accuracy/Strategy/Communication etc)
Red and white teams and numbered order

Key Teaching Points:
Knowledge of ball numbering and colours, appreciation that when playing gateball players should know the position of their ball,turn taking, gate ball is a game in which a leading team, red, play a following team, white. Wearing bibs or badges

Equipment:
Set of gateballs 
Bibs or badges (Bibs have generally been found to be too large for primary age students)

Activity Description:
1.	Random Run. Balls are thrown on the court at random. Kids line up on line 1. When the coach says go, kids run on court, pick up a ball and return to line 1
2.	Colour Relay. Kids are asked what they notice about the balls. They identify colour and numbers. Ask them to form into two teams depending on whether they hold a red or white ball. Kids form two lines but not in number order at this stage. Coach throws the balls on to the court again. Coach explains that in gateball games red play white so we are going to run a relay race in which the red team will pick up the red balls and the white team pick up white balls. The next player runs to collect a ball of their colour once they have been tagged by a returning runner. Winning team is the one to have picked up all their balls and are seated in line.
3.	Colour and Number Relay. Coach asks the red and white team to get in order from lowest to highest. Coach explains that in gateball it is important for players  to know where their own ball is on the court. Coach throws the balls on the court reminding kids to remember their number and watch where the ball is thrown. The relay is now run but kids have to pick up the number they were holding. First team to pick up all their balls and to be sitting in a line are declared the winners

Change it:  (Questions)
Badges/Bibs can also be allocated by running a relay or placed face down on the court to add another dimension to the activity
If this activity is used at the beginning of each session it can be varied. Badges can be picked up first and placed on fence lines so kids have to run a long way to pick them up, a walking race to pick up sticks can also be added.

Safety Considerations:
Gates can be covered to reduce risk of trips
Walk with sticks by side