# Kick-Basket-Ball

Two teams play a hybrid game combining kickball and basketball. Kickers circle bases and shoot a basket to score, while fielders relay the ball through every base to their own shooter.

**Time:** 20 minutes. Playworks notes 10 minutes or more; 20 minutes accommodates setup walk-through, two six-minute halves, and debrief.
**People:** 10 to 24. Two teams, as equal as possible; odd participants either play on the kicking team or serve as official scorekeeper and timer.

## Choose this exercise

**Purpose:** Coordinate fielding relays and shooting decisions under real-time competitive pressure.
**Use it when:** Active recreation sessions, athletic warmups, or gym classes where participants have court space and basketball equipment.
**Skip it when:** Indoor meeting rooms, areas lacking a regulation hoop and safe court, or groups with restricted physical mobility.

## Materials and tools

- 2 basketballs or playground kickballs
- 4 base markers (home, first, second, third)
- 2 floor cones or tape strips to mark designated shooting spots
- 1 basketball hoop
- 1 whistle or horn

## Before participants arrive

1. Lay out four base markers in a kickball diamond on a basketball court with a hoop near home plate.
2. Mark two distinct shooting spots on opposite sides of the key using floor cones or tape.
3. Verify the playing surface is dry and unobstructed.

## Say this to open

Today we are playing Kick-Basket-Ball. One team kicks while the other fields. When the ball is kicked, the kicker runs all bases and gets a second ball to shoot a basket. Meanwhile, the defense relays the kicked ball across first, second, and third base to their own shooter. The first team to sink their shot either scores a point or records an out. Let us set up the field.

## How to run it

### 1. Assign teams and review rules (4 minutes)

Split into two teams. For defense, assign five core roles: pitcher, first base, second base, third base, and designated shooter. Any extra defensive players act as outfielders. Offense lines up behind home plate. The lead player kicks; the second player acts as offensive thrower holding ball two. Walk through the relay path and shooting spots once at walking speed.

### 2. Play first half-inning (6 minutes)

Pitcher rolls ball one. The kicker kicks and rounds the bases. Fielders retrieve ball one and throw it first-second-third to their shooter. As runner rounds third base, the offensive thrower passes ball two to them. Both shooters shoot. When both are shooting, everyone counts down 10 seconds. Runner scores first for one point; defense scores first for an out. Stop when defense records three outs or six minutes elapse.

### 3. Switch sides and play second half-inning (7 minutes)

Teams swap offensive and defensive roles. Rotate player positions so new participants take pitching, catching, and shooting roles. The new offensive team sends up kickers and throwers under identical rules. Continue play until three outs are recorded or the seven-minute game clock expires.

### 4. Gather and debrief (3 minutes)

Call both teams to center court. Collect the balls. Ask two volunteers from each team to share observations on how relay communication affected their shooting speed.


## Debrief questions

- What helped the fielding team get the ball through all three bases quickly?
- How did the offensive thrower time the pass to help the runner shoot immediately?
- Where did handoffs slow down, and what adjustment helped fix that?

**Finished output:** Two played half-innings with completed base relays, shots, and recorded scores.

## Remote

This active outdoor sport cannot be run online without changing into an entirely different activity. For remote groups, run an online team trivia relay or digital puzzle race instead.

## Hybrid

Kick-Basket-Ball requires on-court physical play. Remote participants cannot participate fairly. Do not run this as a mixed in-person and remote session.

## Access and participation choices

- Participants may opt for non-running roles including official timer, scorekeeper, or offensive ball thrower.
- Anyone may step aside to rest or opt out of base running by informing the facilitator without explanation.

## If the session gets stuck

**Shooters risk colliding near the hoop while rushing shots.**

Enforce the designated cones on opposite sides of the key so each shooter stays in their lane.

**Fielders bypass bases to throw directly to their shooter.**

Remind players that the ball must physically touch the hands of the first, second, and third basemen in order, or the basket does not count.


## Terms used here

- Offensive thrower: The next kicker in line who passes the second ball to the runner rounding third base.
- Designated shooter: The defensive player near the key who receives the relay throw from third base to shoot.

## Sources and adaptation

Observed in the Playworks game library under the title Kick-Basket-Ball.

Retained the Playworks dual-ball mechanic, mandatory base relay through all three bases, dual shooting, and the 10-second countdown. Added concrete time boxes per half-inning, safety cones for separate shooting zones, explicit handling for odd-numbered teams, and clear limits on step length.

[Playworks](https://www.playworks.org/game-library/kick-basket-ball/)

Current run sheet: https://unitedwetransform.com/exercises/kick-basket-ball/