Switcheroo
Activity Overview
Participants learn about and practise working together to send and receive a ball over a net to create a rally.
- Intermediate (Ages 13-15)
- Senior (Ages 16-18)
Facility
- Gymnasium
- Outdoors
Materials and Equipment
- 1 ball per group
- Volleyball poles (with proper padding) and a net (or alternative)
Safety
Inspect the activity area and eliminate potential hazards. Check that the activity surface provides safe traction. Set boundaries for the activity a safe distance from walls and obstacles. Provide a safe distance between activities. Use proper padding on poles when using nets.
Activity Information
Activity Set-up
- Divide participants into small groups (e.g., four to six).
- Participants set up in equal lines on either side of a net or barrier. Participants line up behind one another.
Activity Instructions
- Participants work together to send and receive a ball over the net to create a rally.
- One at a time, the participants at the front of each line hit the ball over the net using a forearm pass (bump) or overhead pass (volley), and then runs to the baseline on their own side before joining the end of their line. Participants can also start with a toss rather than a pass.
- Participants work together to prevent the ball from hitting the ground.
- The leader asks open-ended questions to help participants refine their movement strategies and tactical during the activity. Examples include: Describe how you would send the ball to make it easy for the participant on the other side of the net to return it back to your side. How do you position yourself on the court to be ready to receive the ball successfully?
Adaptations
To maximize the challenge and the fun, participants could identify their own ways to increase or decrease the challenge.
To decrease the challenge, participants could:
- Lower the net.
- Allow a bounce before receiving the ball.
- Catch the ball before sending it back to the other side of the net.
- Choose the object they want to send (e.g., balloon, beach ball).
To increase the challenge, participants could:
- Progressively increase the height of the net after a set number of successful passes over the net.
- Introduce an implement to send the ball over the net (e.g., tennis racquet, table tennis paddle).
- Change the manipulation to kicking.
- Play the game against a wall, instead of over a net.
- Adjust the hitting sequence (e.g., hit ball once to themselves or to the next player in line, then over the net).
Pause for Learning
Throughout the activity, consider highlighting the following skills, concepts, and strategies to send and receive a ball over a net to create a rally. Note that this list is not exhaustive list, and; further learning opportunities may arise during the task.
Movement Skills and Concepts
- Body awareness: Location of self when sending/receiving an object, and the relationship of how body is moving with sending/receiving the ball over a net (e.g., anticipating where the ball might land, and positioning the body accordingly; keeping knees bent and feet shoulder width apart, while arms are out ready to receive the ball)
Movement Strategies
- Applying skills to be proficient at sending an object to a participant on the other side of the net (e.g., sending the ball toward participants so others can easily return the ball)
- Applying skills to be proficient at receiving an object (e.g., assuming a ready position as quickly as possible to be ready to receive the ball again)
Sport Connections
Contains aspects of:
Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
For health benefits, children aged 5-11 and youth aged 12-17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.
Vigorous-intensity activities at least 3 days per week. This activity does not qualify as vigorous intensity.
Activities that strengthen muscle and bone at least 3 days per week. This activity does not strengthen muscles and/or bones.
More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits.
