Quidditch: A No Relay Relay Game

Characters: Chasers, Keepers and Seekers.

Equipment: one quaffle ball (Gatorskin type balls or Nerf type balls) and one golden snitch ball (small bean bag type ball or reaction ball, such as a Z-ball) for each team of four to six players, one poly spot for each team plus additional spots to mark off a no entry zone.

The game:

• Line the teams up near one end line of the play area. Place one poly spot on the opposite end line directly across from each team.
• Place a line of poly spots along the foul line extended closest to the end line near the poly spots. The space between this line of poly spots and the poly spots on the end line is the no entry zone for the keepers.
• Designate the first person on each line the first seeker. He goes to the opposite end of the play area and places one foot on his poly spot. He must keep one foot on this poly spot at all times. He can, however, switch feet.
• The second person on the line is the first keeper. She can play anywhere in the play area in front of the line of poly spots that were extended from the foul line and represent the no entry zone. The chasers may enter the no entry zone if a ball or beanbag ends up in that zone. The keepers must always stay in front of the no entry zone.
• The others on line are chasers. If possible give each line a different colored quaffle ball. If you do not have different colored balls, you can use balls of the same color. It is just a bit harder to track them during the game. Give each line a small beanbag type ball. This is the golden snitch. If you have Z-balls or reaction balls, you may use them as the golden snitch. This will definitely make the game more difficult. You may also use regular beanbags as the golden snitch.
• The object of the game is for the chasers to pass both balls, one at a time, to their seeker. The keepers play defense, trying to keep the balls from reaching the other teams' seeker.
• Each time a seeker is able to get both balls in his hands (first the quaffle, then the golden snitch), she scores one point for her team. The chaser who passed the golden snitch to the seeker becomes the new seeker. The seeker locates his keeper and becomes the new keeper; she gives both balls to this player who takes them back to the line, hands them to the first person and goes to the end of the line. So the rotation is chaser becomes seeker, seeker becomes keeper, and keeper becomes chaser.
• These are the rules:
• No one may move with either type ball in his hands.
• The quaffle must be thrown overhand.
• The golden snitch must be rolled or slid (in the case of a beanbag) underhand.
• The keepers may not catch or kick a ball. They may only stop a ball and either leave it there or give it a small push away.
• The seeker must catch the quaffle on a fly, and hold it in one hand while keeping one foot on the poly spot. One foot must always remain in contact with the poly spot. The seeker must also pick up the golden snitch with her other hand without leaving the poly spot.
• The first chaser throws the ball toward the seeker, taps the next chaser on the hand, and goes to the end of the line. The next chaser runs to wherever that ball is (even if it is still moving), picks it up, and throws it toward the seeker from that spot (remember he may not run with the ball).
• If the seeker does not catch the ball on a fly, the chaser who threw the ball runs back and tags the next chaser who runs to the ball and throws it. This running back and forth continues until the seeker catches the ball. Once the seeker catches the ball, the next chaser on line rolls or slides the golden snitch. Follow the same procedure until the seeker has both balls in his hands.
• Keep the game going for at least ten minutes. It is highly energetic. You may then ask each team how many points they scored. But they will probably not care. They will have so much fun and will be pretty wiped out, that they will almost certainly forget about the score.
• It will take some time to explain and demonstrate the game, but once they know how to play, you can play three or four ten-minute games with a short rest in between. I also recommend making team changes after each game. That way the students won't get hung up on winning or losing.

Variations:

1. Use different kinds of balls or equipment.
2. Vary the kinds of passes.
3. Play without defense by eliminating the keeper and the no entry zone.
4. Allow the keeper to roll the ball away instead of just stopping it.
5. Allow the keeper to intercept a pass instead of just knocking it down. If a quaffle ball or golden snitch is intercepted, the keeper may roll or throw it back toward the line who threw or rolled it.