Insanely interesting games at school – Part 3

Hiya everyone, been one more long break again now. Completing a master’s thesis is turning out to be quite an ordeal, just like cooking the first time. You aim to prepare a delicacy, you start off well identifying all the necessary ingredients, start cooking confidently and then halfway through realize that you are way off course and that you have still not cooked anything. Then you’re hit by a wave of panic when you see that it’s almost time for guests to come. You execute plan B – add plenty of spice, salt and masala and put whatever you have cooked so far inside a pressure cooker and let it cook for 10 more minutes to produce a dish that is a highly distorted version of the original. Then you wait hoping for some kind of miracle to happen and get an ‘Excellent’ from your guests .

Anyways, let’s move on now with the third insanely interesting game I had played at school. The name ‘dodge ball’ is self explanatory. Dodge the ball. As simple as that. I must confess that this was the only interesting game that was ever played during those boring common PT periods (basically a session of physical training where you just keep exercising most of the time/ do stuff like march pasts and rarely get to play a game).

Well so how is it played? This is a team game. The entire class is divided into two groups. The members of one group form a huge circle and the other group is confined to run inside this circle. The members of the circle have to target the people running inside with the ball. The people running inside the circle need to ‘dodge’ this ball and if they are unsuccessful, they have to leave the circle. The aim is to eliminate group running inside within the shortest possible time. Once fully eliminated, the dodgers become the throwers and the throwers get a chance to display their dodging skills. There are restrictions for both the groups. The dodgers are not allowed to step beyond the circle and likewise, the throwers cannot change the  diameter of the circle which means they stay rooted to their spots while throwing the ball. But the thing that makes it really interesting is the ball itself. It is not a small ball the size of a tennis ball which can be easily held and fired at full power.  Rather it is a much larger volleyball/throwball which is difficult to grip and rather cumbersome to hit the target with.

Needless to say, dodging is the best part. If you are inside the circle, there is this instinctive feeling that turns you into one of those graceful matadors in a Spanish bull fight. The temptation to go ‘torro torro’ is huge. And that’s exactly what gives life to this game. Logically speaking, the throwers should become more excited and pumped with each eliminated contestant. But in reality, desperation increases.  Because with each eliminated contestant, the probability of their wayward shots hitting the target is reducing.

Benefits :

-          Saves you from the drill of boring exercise sessions and march pasts.

-          A good way to take out your anger is throwing things at people. This would be a perfect way to do it and still get away cleanly with it.

-          Although morally incorrect, matchups between boys and girls are possible (and have been played as well) making it highly interesting.

Potential problems:

-          Hastily executed shots by throwers can result in the ball going dangerously away from the intended target. This can in extreme cases lead to a change of target. There have been numerous instances of the referee (the physical training instructor) getting floored.

-          Possibility of students using the above technique to get back at those rude and harsh instructors and in general people in the class they do not like.

Although not a game which could be played inside the class, this was one of the games I just loved playing at school

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« Insanely interesting games at school – Part 2

An Awakening »