Mat Ball

So, I've been teaching Physical Education for 15 years now.  I do my best to make my classes fun, engaging, and challenging.  When my students leave the gym, I want them sweating and smiling.  I want there to be a buzz about what just happened, and a thirst for more.  Now, by no means does all of this occur after each class, but after a Mat Ball game, shirts are wet and smiles abound.  And this is what keeps me grinning in a  profession I chose in 1990.

I first heard of this game from a colleague years ago, but have since adapted the rules significantly, dropping and adding parts to meet the needs of my students' abilities, class size, and gym facilities.  I believe this is one of the best assets of a competent teacher---the ability to be flexible and adaptable so that most, if not all students, are actively engaged.  The reason I stress this is because I have found this game to work with all age groups and sizes, regardless of the space or equipment.

If you are a P.E. teacher, you gotta give it a shot.  Coaches, feel free to take a break from your sport and use it as a fitness/fun day.  Take, steal, borrow.  Make it fun and leave them yearning for more MAT BALL.

Cooperative Game:  6 Base Mat Ball

Supplies Needed:  

1. large slow floating ball (or any ball you feel meets your students’ skill level) 
2. 6 large mats for bases (or 4 bases depending on the size of gym and # of students)
3. Inside area to play in

The easiest way to explain this game to students is to tell them how it is different from normal kickball. Here are the differences:

·         You can have as many runners  as you want on each mat

·         If a runner leaves a mat,  they cannot go back, they must advance to next base

·         There are no “base lines”

·         You must go around the bases twice to score a run

·         To get a player out on a kick, you have to tip the ball, using any style, for another player on your team to catch.  In other words, you cannot catch a kick directly and get the kicker out---you must tip, set, bump or knock it to another player on your team.

·         If the ball after being kicked hits a wall or ceiling first, it acts as the tip and you can catch it right away.

·         You may throw the ball at a runner to get a kicker out.  However, if the runner catches the ball in the air, he/she is allowed to throw the ball anywhere in the gym and keep on running.

·         If a runner is on any base, he/she is allowed to pick the ball up as long as one foot remains on base, and throw the ball anywhere in gym and keep running.

·         Runners may run at any time.

·         At the beginning of an inning if you were on a base when the third out was made, you go back to that base.

I FIND THAT IF I PITCH, THE GAME GOES WAY SMOOTHER.  I CAN KEEP IT MOVING ALONG AT A FAST PACE.  A GREAT GAME AND A FAVORITE AMONG THE STUDENTS YEAR AFTER YEAR.  UNLIKE NORMAL KICKBALL WHERE I FIND THERE IS A LOT OF STANDING AROUND—THIS GAME WILL ACTUALLY GET YOUR STUDENTS IN THAT TARGET HEART RATE IF PLAYED CORRECTLY.

 
Send me an email, and I'd be happy to forward you a diagram.
scotteberly35@gmail.com