Zulu Toss Game

(“Keep Your Eye on the Ball”)

Materials:

One tennis ball or other tossable item per team member

Procedure:

Each Patrol forms a circle, with a Troop Guide outside the circle(s).  The Patrol Leader tosses (sends) one ball to Participant B, who receives it and then tosses (sends) it to Participant C, etc., until the ball has been touched once by every individual.  The last to touch it sends it back to the Patrol Leader.

Toss the ball around the circle several more times until everyone is accustomed to receiving from and sending to the same individuals every time.

The Patrol Leader tosses the ball to Participant B again to start it on another trip around the circle.  When that ball is midway through the participants, the Guide (standing outside the circle) hands the patrol leader a second ball, which he or she then tosses to Participant B, Participant B to participant C, and so on.  There are now two balls being sent and received around the circle.  As long as everyone receives from the same person and sends to the same participant each time, the balls will continue to move smoothly thru the system.

The Guide gradually hands the Patrol Leader more balls.  Timing their introduction into the circle to keep the balls moving, until all the balls are in play.

Debriefing:

At the end of the game, the Guide should ask the group(s) a few questions that reinforce the activity.

• What did you learn from this game?
• What role does communication play in this game?
• Can you succeed if others on your team don’t?
• If you had to do this again, what would you do differently?

(Adapted from BSA Troop Junior Leader Training)

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