When we started Elevate Ultimate in 2016, we asked the same question many coaches and organizations ask today: What is the best way to teach ultimate to kids?
We knew that the key to growing Elevate and ultimate in general was a grassroots approach, as in getting kids to play that had never seen or heard of ultimate before. Moreover, we knew the vital importance of these kids having an absolute blast at their very first practice, and not leaving a single ounce of doubt in their mind whether they wanted to play again.
Unfortunately, many of the resources available online when starting Elevate were not usable for this goal. Partner passing, three person, breakforce go-to…heck, these are boring for adult club teams, how could we expect a new 8 year old to fall in love with ultimate from those drills?
That’s why Elevate has started a Game of the Month series. Each month, we’ll show you one of our favourite games (voted on by the 10,000 kids that we coach each year) and the different ways we adapt them for different ages and skill levels.
If you like what you see, make sure to check out our full database of curriculum resources with 100+ games and drills, 60+ video tutorials, and 8+ curriculum templates so you never have to come up with camp or clinic curriculum again!
Baseball Game Tutorial
Baseball is a great summer camp option for an afternoon when the energy is a little low. Make sure all the kids get to play different positions when they’re playing defence.
Set Up:
➔ Create bases by making a square with four cones
➔ Create a line where the runners cross at ‘home plate’
➔ Create a pitchers box that’s quite big in the middle
How to Play:
➔ The batting team all gets to “bat” before the teams switch
➔ Batting: the batter has the disc and must throw it ‘in bounds’
◆In bounds: if there’s a line drawn from the batter’s box to first base, it cannot be on the outside of that line when it lands – same thing with the third base line
➔ If a defensive player can make a catch, the batter is out
◆ Any players that were on bases just go back to where they were (there’s no
tagging in this game)
➔ If the disc lands on the ground, the defensive team runs to the disc and must complete passes back to the pitcher’s mound
➔ Once the disc is caught inside the pitcher’s mound, ANY runners that aren’t on a base at that moment, are out
➔ Keep score and play a few innings
Adaptations:
➔ Coaches help wherever
➔ No bunting
Like this game? Make sure to comment and let us know if you try it with your team.
Remember, if you like what you see, make sure to check out our full database of curriculum resources with 100+ games and drills, 60+ video tutorials, and 8+ curriculum templates so you never have to come up with camp or clinic curriculum again!
P.S. If you email ari@elevateultimate.com with subject line “Elevate50”, we’ll give you $50 off your first month
P.P.S. For every organization you refer successfully, we’ll give each of your organizations $100