Alaskan Baseball

Name and Purpose

Alaskan Baseball combines big-energy throwing, relay teamwork, and counting under pressure.
Players practise cooperation, pacing, and celebration of collective effort rather than individual scoring.

a.k.a.

Age / Group / Time / Space

Ages 8-16 | 12-40 players | 15-25 minutes | Large open field or gym with clear running room

Materials

Quick-Run Card

Divide into two equal teams. Team A forms a circle around their thrower.
Thrower launches the ball and runs laps around the circle. Each full lap = 1 run.
Team B chases the ball. First to reach it calls teammates to line up behind them.
Team B passes the ball through legs to the back, then overhead back to the front.
Front player calls out. Team A stops counting laps. Teams swap roles. Play 3 rounds or set a time limit.

Setup and Boundaries

How to Play

Team A forms a circle. One player stands in the centre with the ball.
The centre player throws the ball as far as possible in any direction.
The thrower immediately runs laps around the outside of the circle. Each completed lap earns 1 run for Team A.
Team B chases the ball. The first player to pick it up calls out and all Team B members line up behind that player.
Team B passes the ball between their legs to the last person, then overhead back to the first person.
When the ball returns to the front of Team B’s line, that player calls out. Team A stops counting laps. Record Team A’s total runs.
Teams swap roles. The process repeats.
After each team has thrown, compare run totals. Play 3 rounds or use a time limit.

I-OPt Options

A (Active): Throw the ball, run laps, or be a chasing fielder
S (Support): Count laps aloud for your team, encourage the runner, help organise the relay line
Q (Quiet): Stand in a fixed spot in the circle or at the end of the relay line, participate at a walk pace
O (Observer): Watch from the sideline, keep the official score, choose when to join in

Inclusion Adaptations

Walking laps are equally valid. Count each full walk-lap as 1 run.
For players who prefer not to throw, a kick-off or underarm roll is an equally valid launch option. Announce this in the pre-brief.

Stewardship Moment

After each round, each team does a quick scan of their zone and picks up any loose items before the next throw.
Reflection: “What did your team do well together? What would you adjust next round?”

Consent

Pre-brief: “This game involves chasing a thrown ball and running laps. For those not comfortable with running, walking laps count the same. For those not comfortable with throwing, kicking or rolling the ball is another option.”
Mid-game check: After the first full round, pause. “How is everyone feeling? Any adjustments before we go again?”
Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can step back to a support or observer role between rounds. Call “In!” to rejoin at the start of the next turn.

Risks and Mitigation

Collision during ball chase: remind Team B to slow down once someone reaches the ball, no diving
Thrower running into circle members: mark the running lane clearly outside the circle with cones
Competitive score escalation: remind players that the running total resets each round

Warm-Up Suggestions

“Scatter and Freeze”: players jog freely in the space, freeze on the whistle, then find a partner closest to them
“Underarm Relay”: pairs practice passing the ball underarm before the game begins

Debrief Questions

What? “What was the team doing that helped your runner score more laps?”
So What? “Did the relay feel faster or slower than you expected? Why?”
Now What? “Where else do you work best when everyone on your team knows exactly what to do?”

Cleanup and Reset