GAME OF THE MONTH

Line Up (off- and on-the-bike versions)

Off-the-bike version (from NICA’s Off-the-Bike Games resource)

Where: Elevated platform that you can safely step off

Objectives: I can work and communicate with my team.

Setup: This is a close proximity game. Work together as a team to arrange yourselves in a particular order based on a command while standing on a wide log, narrow bridge, or skinnie. Five or more student-athletes stand side by side on a platform. Provide a prompting question or quality that they should use to modify their position in the group. 

“Line up by age! Oldest on the left! Youngest on the right!” Other prompts: Alphabetical by first or last name. • Earliest to the latest birthday • Day of their birthday • Total number of siblings • House number • Smallest to largest shoe • Distance between place of birth and practice location.

Rules: If a student-athlete steps off the platform the entire team must return to their starting positions.

Variations: Once they have mastered the game progress to…Quiet! No talking!

Reflection question: How did you ensure everyone knew what was happening? How did you communicate your ideas?

On-the-bike passing version (new!)

Where: Double-track trail or singletrack trail with plenty of passing opportunities.

Objectives: Communication, teamwork, problem solving, safe passing

Setup: Create ride groups of 6-8 student-athletes. Just before the beginning of a trail ride or at a stop during a trail ride, have athletes line up in no particular order. Explain the rules, but don’t let athletes change their line-up until everyone starts riding. Have a lead coach and a sweep coach for each group.

Rules: Instruct athletes that while riding the next section of trail they must arrange themselves by a certain criteria (e.g., birthday month, alphabetical by name, house number, etc.). They must do so while riding, using communication and safe passing skills. No stopping (if the group needs to stop, don’t allow any rearranging during that time).

Reflection question: How will playing this game improve the athlete experience during races?