Capture the Pins

Length of Activity: Minimum of 30min to 40 minutes

Optimal Student Grade Level: This has to be done 3^rd grade and up.

Steve’s Notes: Children beg to play this once they learn it. This is a definite reward game for the students. This is an excellent continuous movement and great cardiovascular workout. You must have large play area such as soccer or baseball field to do this game.

How to Play

Teams: 2 equal teams, each team has 1/2 of a large rectangular playing field

Equipment: jerseys, flag belts, 8 plastic bowling pins, many large pylons to create field (very important to have a clear MID-LINE & side lines), small cones/markers to make a "free-throw" circle size holding zone at the ends of the field.

Procedure:

Opponents may capture your flag only when you are on their side.

Cannot tackle dive, grab person or clothes

Cannot protect flag by holding, or slapping hand or diving

Flags gets captured – you must go to "the holding zone" – they must hand you back your flag

To get out of "the holding zone":

Team Rescue – teammate get through to you – grabs your hand … may walk you back safely as long and you hold hands HIGH

Captured Pin – teammate captures a pin and gets back to their side with it (show teacher your pin and you then get to pick one teammate who gets safely out of "the holding zone" (walk back with your fist held HIGH) (toss pin safely in your backfield)

Fitness workout – yell to teacher that you’re going to go run a freedom 1/4 mile lap. Yell to teacher you’re going to go do 60 PFA steps – or some variation with PFA equipment

Pin Guarding:

You must stand back one big step away from any pin you are guarding

Strategy:

There are many wise things and plays you can do as a team to help play better and win. Talk, plan, think, sacrifice.

Winning:

When all the players on one team are in "the holding zone".

When you have captured all of your opponents pins

SAFETY

Don’t grab or tackle runners

Don’t run forward while looking back (This is "running blind"… it’s dumb and dangerous)

No diving or jumping or twisting

Keep your balance

Be aware and focused on the movement of others. ALERT

Don’t get hyper …Hyper, dangerous players must be removed from this fast, exciting game for they will hurt themselves or others.

It is not wise to play this game on a wet field.