Team Building Drill – The Portal [ARTICLE]

Provided By: AVCA

Activity:

The team is stuck on one side of the portal (a hole in a wall or space or whatever one can imagine). The entire team must pass through the portal without touching the sides of it to safety on the other side.

Equipment:

A hula-hoop or two, it's always good to have a back up.

Space/Location:

Anywhere will work but areas free of obstacles with soft surfaces are best.

Coaching Points:

Have two players hold the hula-hoop slightly above waist height. The idea here is that no player should be able to step through the hoop on their own. It's a good idea to rotate players who are holding up the hula-hoop throughout the activity. While holding the hoop these players are not able to help teammates who are attempting to pass through the portal. The hoop represents a hole in a wall, thus no one can reach or go outside of the hoop. Gather the rest of the team on one side of the hoop and say that they must pass through the hoop to safety on the other side. Eventually all players must pass through. Players cannot touch the hoop. If someone does while passing through then they must go back to the starting side. Once players get through they may assist others, but only by reaching back through the hole.

Safety:

Always make sure a player's head stays above their waist - so there are no falls onto one's head.
Have players maintain contact with either the ground or a teammate at all times (i.e., no flying through the air - which can lead to injury).
Be aware of surroundings and possible hazards - such as one player kneeling while another steps on their back to get through the portal.

Additional Variations:

Have two (or more) groups race each other. This puts added panic and rushing into the activity. Most often the group that wins is the group that is quick but not in a hurry. Facing this situation can help athletes learn patience and focus in pressure situations.

Adding difficulty:

Any touching of the circle and the entire group must start over.
Use a circle (for ex. an inner tube) that has a smaller hole than a hula-hoop.

Transfer:

During games and practices players learn to help each other accomplish the goal. Players learn how to share their ideas and how to physically work together to obtain the desired outcome. Players develop the satisfaction of working together to be successful.

Evaluating the Success of the Drill:

It should not take too long for the team to get an idea together of how to transport one another. The success comes in the team's ability to maintain their focus and finish the task despite setbacks. The more difficult the task the more frustration they will have to overcome and the more satisfaction