Target Ball

Target Ball combines throwing for accuracy with lots of movement. The rules make the game easily adaptable to any age. You can use many different kinds of throwing implements. This game can be played: by keeping individual scores, as a cooperative class activity, or in small teams. There are many variations which add interest, fun and help differentiate instruction.

Equipment: A large basket of throwing implements. For example: fleece balls, beanbags, gator skin balls, playground balls, tennis balls, Nerf balls, foam balls, rag balls, whiffle balls, and foam Frisbees. Twenty or more targets; for example: plastic bowling pins, tennis ball cans and/or large empty plastic soda bottles. One or more poly spots for each target.

The game:

• Place targets, spread out around the outside perimeter of the play area. You may place them on benches, on the floor, on ledges, or anything else that may be outside the central play area.
• Place one poly spot in front of each target. You may vary the distance from the poly spot to the target depending upon the throwing implements you choose and the age and ability of the class.
• Give each player one throwing implement.
• Place the basket of reserve throwing implements in the center of the play area. Try to have a ratio of at least five throwing implements for each player. Otherwise you will run out of implements very quickly.
• Players spread out in self-space holding their throwing implement.
• On the "go" signal, players run to a poly spot and throw their implement at the target from that spot. After throwing the implement, players run to the center and retrieve another throwing implement. Play continues until there are no more implements in the center basket.
• Students may not pick up any throwing implement from the floor. They may only obtain a new throwing implement from the center basket.
• If someone else is standing on a poly spot, students may either lineup behind that person, or move to another spot. They must be standing on a spot to throw their implement.
• Count the number of targets that have been knocked down.
• The students re-set the targets, collect the throwing implements, place them back in the basket, except for one to begin the next round with, and play again. See if the students can beat their previous score.

Variations:

1. Vary the kinds of throwing implements.
2. Vary the distances of the poly spots from the targets.
3. Vary the kinds of targets and/or the target's height off the ground.
4. Allow students to count one point for each target they knock down. In each round, the individual student tries to beat his previous score.
5. Allow the students to pick up the throwing implements from the floor. Play until there are only five targets left. Time the event. See how long it takes the class to knock down all but five targets. Play again. With each round, see if the class can beat their previous time. Safety: Do not allow the students to throw their implement while someone is directly in front of them picking up an implement.
6. Place three poly spots at varying distances from each target. Give one point for the closest poly spot, two points for the middle poly spot and three points for the farthest poly spot. The students choose which spot to throw from. Spread these spots out in a triangular formation so that no one is throwing from directly behind anyone else.
7. Divide the class into teams of two or three. No one may move with a throwing implement in her hand (See Pass and Run) Pass and Run . Teammates must pass the implement to each other until one member is standing on a poly spot. If the implement is dropped, that team may not pick it up. They must go back to the center basket, or pick up another implement from the floor, depending upon which rule you are using.
8. Choose two setters for each round. The setters run on the outside of the play area, picking up any target knocked down. Safety: Make sure there are no setters near your target when you throw your implement. Play for two minutes. After the two-minute period, count the number of targets lying down. Choose two new setters for the next round. See which pair of setters has the least number of targets lying down.
9. Mix and match any of these rules and variations.