Quarter Football

  1. Readiness Games
  • Grades 3-5

  • Cones

  • 10 minutes or more

Development Goal

To develop teamwork, listening skills, cooperation and strategic thinking skills.

Before You Start

  • Have a quarter or any small object that will fit inside a fist.
  • Divide the the group into two teams.
  • Demonstrate safe tagging: light touch, like butterfly wings on the shoulder.

Set Up

A football field or a rectangle-shaped area with two end zones.

How to Play

  • Each team gets four tries/downs to move the quarter from one end zone to the other.
  • The offensive team huddles up and chooses one student to hold the quarter.
  • Both teams line up facing each other, standing shoulder to shoulder behind their respective end zones.
  • The coach or any offensive player says hike, and the offensive team tries to get into the end zone, while the defense tries to safely tag all the offensive players.
  • Once tagged, offensive players must freeze where they are. When everyone on the offensive team has been tagged or has made it to the end zone, the player with the quarter raises their hand.
  • If the player with the quarter makes it to the end zone without being tagged, their team has scored one point and must turnover possession to the other team.
  • If the player with the quarter is tagged another round/down is played. The offensive team lines up for their next try at the yard line where the player with the quarter was tagged.
  • The offensive team can huddle and secretly change who is carrying the quarter each round/down.
  • The defensive team lines up behind their end zone for every round/down.
  • If a touchdown is not scored within four downs, it is an automatic turnover and the other team gets four tries from the where the last team ended.
  • If a touchdown is scored, the defensive team gets to start with the quarter from the end zone.

Variations

Allow the offense only three tries for a shorter field.