Team Building Games

by Pam Headridge

Team "bonding" is a very important process that will help to ensure a close-knit
team. A strong cheer squad becomes one in purpose and desire, Encouragement
is very important in team bonding. If team members try to motivate one another,
everyone will try harder to accomplish team objectives. Teambuilding games are
a fun way to develop cohesiveness. They tear down walls in communications,
provide avenues that encourage discussion, and increase productivity. Team
building takes time but the end results are well worth the extra time. It is an
ongoing process that boosts commitment. Here are some games and exercises to
do with your squad to build a unified group.


Relay Lock Race- Each person selects a partner. They stand back to back and
lock arms by the elbows while holding their own stomach with their hands. The
coach gives the instruction to get from one side of the gym to the other. Don't
give them specific instructions on how to get to the finish line other than they
can't let go of their stomachs. This causes creativity and laughter.

Shoe Game Have everyone take off their shoes and put them in a pile in the
middle of the room. Mix the shoes up. Divide the cheerleaders into 2 groups. See
which group can find their shoes and put them on first. When they have their
shoes on the team done first must sit on the floor.

Truths and a Lie - Each team member writes 2 true facts and one lie on a card.
The coach collects the cards and reads them aloud. The rest of the squad tries to
guess who it is and which fact is the lie.

Sculpting - Give your squad different supplies such as newspaper, scissors,
construction paper, glitter, straws, tape, string, etc. and tell them to create a
sculpture that represents their school's spirit. Have them explain the significance.
If the school's spirit is low, use this opportunity to discuss how they can improve
their school's spirit.

Trust Fall- Cheerleaders sit in a close circle with their legs straight and arms out.
One cheerleader stands in the center of the circle. She should have everyone's
feet around her ankles. The girl in the center squeezes all her muscles and is very
tight. She falls to the side and the other cheerleaders catch her and push her back
and forth in the circle. Let all members be the one in the center.

To Be Or Knot To Be You need an even number of students, ideally no larger
than twelve. Form a circle facing each other (the difficulty of the activity
increases, the greater the number of students in the group). Students close their
eyes and reach across the circle with their right hand to grasp the right hand of
another student. They should pretend that they are shaking hands - but hold on!
With eyes open, have each student reach across the circle with their left hand
and grasp the left hand of a different student. No student should be holding both
hands of the same person. Now, without letting go, have the students untangle
themselves. The result should be a circle of intertwined circles, or one large
circle.

Cheerleader Tic-Tac-Toe- You need nine chairs set up in three rows. Divide the
squad into X's and O's. Just like in regular tic-tac-toe, the X's and O's alternate,
except they sit in the chairs instead of drawing it out on paper. Ask questions
about the rules of football, basketball or any sport. The cheerleaders must raise
her hand to answer. If she is right, then she sits in one of the chairs. The first
team to get three in a row, diagonally, vertically or horizontally, wins.

Ball of String - While standing in a circle; pass a ball of string from one member
to another. The rules are only the person with the string can talk. After everyone
has had their turn to speak and share their feelings, there will be a web of string.
This web illustrates the interconnected nature of group process. Everything they
do and say affects the team. Now toss a balloon in the middle and have them try
to keep it. They are not allowed to touch it. This symbolizes teamwork.

Back to Back- Divide into partners with one person left over in the middle. You
need one person to be the caller. The call will yell directions telling the
partners to line up back to back, foot to foot, elbow to elbow, shoulder to
shoulder and so on. When the caller yells people to people, everyone must
find a new partner. The one left over is now in the middle. This is a form of
people musical chairs.

Line Up - Divide the group into 2. Each team will compete against each other to
see who can get the challenge done faster. Challenges could be line up according
to birthdays, alphabetically by first name or last name, age, etc. Try the same
challenges without talking.

Machinery - Divide the group into teams (3 or more teams). Assign each group to
build a certain machine with their own bodies such as a toaster, washing
machine, vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, television, etc. Give them time to work it
out. Then they build the machine and the other teams guess what it is.

Self-Disclosure Introductions (this is great for new teams) - Ask each team
member to state her name and attach an adjective that not only describes a
dominant characteristic but also starts with the persons first name. Examples:
Serious Susie, Nice Natalie, and Loving Lauren.

Amnesia Game - A participant is identified as suffering from amnesia. That
person needs to pretend not to know anything about the past. The rest of the
group tells some things that help the amnesia victim to remember and to become
the same person as before. The amnesia person can ask questions to gain more
insight. Some questions could be What would I do in a certain case, What is
my favorite saying

P E E R O - Make up bingo cards with nothing in the squares. Hand out one to
each cheerleader. Every person has a cheerleader sign in a square. Each person
can only sign a cheerleaders card once unless you do not have enough
cheerleaders to fill all the squares of one bingo card. You want to have a different
name in each block. Put all the names in a container. The coach draws out a
name and that cheerleader must stand up and tell something about himself or
herself. The rest of the cheerleaders block out the name. The first cheerleader to
get bingo or peer-o wins.

Name Crostics - Give a piece of paper to every cheerleader and ask them to write
their name in the middle of the paper about a half an inch high. When given the
signal, the cheerleaders should move around the room, attaching their names to
their name if the letters fit (like a crossword puzzle). The person who is able to
attach the most names is the winner.

Human Scavenger Hunt Divide your cheerleaders into teams. Give each team a
list of questions to answer. The first team to finish, wins. Examples of questions
are
Name 2 people on the cheer squad who has the same first and last initial.
Name a group of people on the squad whose ages add up to 46.
Who is the person on the squad that lives closest to the high school?
Name group of three people who all have different colored eyes.
Name 2 people who have a birthday in the same month.
When is the coachs birthday?
When is the ADs birthday?


All Aboard -Take a large sheet and spread it on the floor. Have all the students
stand on the sheet together. Once they have done this fold the sheet to make it
smaller. Again, have all the students get on the sheet. Continue this process.
Eventually, the sheet will be so small that the students will need to use a great
deal of cooperation, teamwork, and ingenuity to get the whole class on the sheet
without anyone falling out/off the sheet.

Team Talk - Communication is another key to team unity. Part of
communicating is getting to know your teammates, their opinions, concerns and
aspirations for the team. Here is a great list of topics to use for learning about
each other. Sit in a circle and have a leader ask a question. Allow each team
member to answer the question until everyone has participated. Then continue
with the next question.
When did you first know that you wanted to try out for this team?
What do your parents say about you being on the team?
Veteran members: What past team member did you most respect and why?
New team members: What do you think your most important job is as a first year
member?
What is one or two words that students in your school use to describe your team?
What words do you want them to use?
What do you think youll remember about your team 10 years from now?
Veteran members: What one piece of advice would you give to the new members if
they want to have the most positive team experience?
New members: What help or encouragement do you need from the veterans to be a
successful team member?
What one thing can you do consistently to show your dedication to the team?

Minefield - Have group discuss things that are detrimental to functioning as a
group. For each characteristic/action, throw an object into the playing space, the
"minefield." Have group choose partners. One partner is blindfolded at one end
of field. The non-blindfolded partners stand at the opposite end of the field and
try to talk their partners through the minefield without running into any of the
obstacles.

Human Dragon - Divide your team into 4 teams of 6-8 individuals. You can have
odd numbers or vary the length of the "dragon" depending on the skill, size and
ability of your athletes. Each team designates the "head" person and the "tail "
section of the Human Dragon. All other team members fill in behind the head of
the dragon by holding on to the person in front of them at the waist. The goal of
the activity is to have the head of each dragon attempt to tag the tail of any other
dragon team. Only heads of the dragon can do the tagging because all other team
members must remain connected (with two hands) to their teammates. Players
attempt to avoid having their team's tail be tagged and skillfully attempt to
shield their tail from other dragons on the prowl.

Create A Monster- Make a monster that walks with both hands and feet on the
ground. The monster must have one less arm than the number on the squad and
one more foot. Once the monster is created, it has to move five feet and make a
sound.

Encouragement- Have a piece of paper for every team member on the squad
with one name on each page. The team sits in a circle. Everyone has 30 seconds to
write one positive thing on each team member's sheet (30 seconds per sheet, then
pass them). At the end, each girl goes home with a sheet with many encouraging
statements. A variation of this game is to have each team member have her own
paper taped to her back.

Toxic River- Everyone is on one side. You measure a space about 5 feet and call
it a toxic river. You want the whole squad to cross as fast as they can. They
aren't allowed to cross the toxic river without special pair of boots and there is
only one pair of boots. Each person can use the boots only once. The boots cannot
be tossed over the river. Each person has to personally give the boots to the next
person and if they touch the toxic waste without the boots, the team must start
over. Hint: Carrying people over is the key.

Human Letters -Divide the squad into groups of 4 to 5 people. The coach calls
out a letter. Each group has to spell out the letter on the ground with their
bodies. The group to get the letter the fastest, or the most accurate, wins. Keep
score.

Rock-Paper-Scissors Tag Form two groups. During each turn, a team must
decide whether they are rock, paper, or scissors. The teams face each other,
and on the count of three shows either rock, paper, scissors. The one who wins
chases the other team. If the chased team member gets caught before they reach
a designated home base, she becomes part of the other team.

Pass the Body Every lies on the floor in one straight line with heads together
with legs and body extending out to the side. They extend their arms up and a
person will lie on top of the hands. Group passes the body down the line.


Bonding Quotes - Assign different cheerleaders to bring in bonding quote or
word for each week. At the end of each practice, have each cheerleader explain
how she applied that quote or word to practice.
Samples:
All the talent in the world doesn't mean a thing without your teammates
The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary,
You have no control over what the other guy does. You only have control over what
you do.
The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves.
Think big, believe big, act big, and the results will be big"
Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.
- Henry Ford
Michael, if you cant pass, you cant play.
- Coach Dean Smith to Michael Jordan in his freshman year
We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately.
- Benjamin Franklin
The ratio of Wes to Is is the best indicator of the development of a team.
- Lewis B. Ergen
A championship team is a team of champions.
- Unknown
Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we.
- Unknown
Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.
- Unknown
Teams share the burden and divide the grief.
- Doug Smith
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has.
- Margaret Mead
One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbor


It is better to have one person working with you than three people working for you.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

A major reason capable people fail to advance is that they dont work well with their
colleagues.
Lee Iacocca

Light is the task where many share the toil.
Homer

No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

What we need to do is learn to work in the system, by which I mean that everybody, every team,
every platform, every division, every component is there not for individual competitive profit or
recognition, but for contribution to the system as a whole on a win-win basis.
W. Edward Deming

The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of
individual stars in the world, but if they dont play together, the club wont be worth a dime.
Babe Ruth
We are most effective as a team when we compliment each other without embarrassment and
disagree without fear.
- Unknown
A group is a bunch of people in an elevator. A team is also a bunch of people in an elevator, but
the elevator is broken!
Bonnie Edelstein
A boat doesnt go forward if each one is rowing their own way.
Swahili proverb
Wearing the same shirts doesnt make a team.
- Buchholz and Roth
A team is more than a collection of people. It is a process of give and take.
- Barbara Glacel & Emile Robert Jr.
The basic building block of good teambuilding is for a leader to promote the feeling that every
human being is unique and adds value.
- Unknown
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.
- Michael Jordan
None of us is as smart as all of us.
- Ken Blanchard
No man is wise enough by himself.
Plautus
Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their
greatest success.
Stephen Covey
If you dont kick things around with people, you are out of it. Nobody, I always say, can be
anybody without somebody being around.
John Wheeler
In teamwork, silence isnt golden, its deadly.
Mark Sanborn
When a team outgrows individual performance and learns team confidence, excellence becomes
a reality.
- Joe Paterno
A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to
praise the skill of the others.
- Norman S Hidle
All of us, at certain moments of our lives, need to take advice and to receive help from other
people.
Alexis Carrel, Reflections on Li
The greatest danger a team faces isnt that it wont become successful, but that it will, and
then cease to improve.
Mark Sanborn
Were going to turn this team around 360 degrees.
Jason Kidd
Teamwork doesnt tolerate the inconvenience of distance.
- Unknown
A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.
Japanese proverb
It is amazing how much people get done if they do not worry about who gets the credit.
Swahili proverb
There is not I in Teamwork.
- Unknown
No one can whistle a symphony. It takes an orchestra to play it.
- H.E. Luccock
You don't get harmony when everybody sings the same note.
Doug Floyd
Wild ducks make a lot of noise, but they also have the sense to benefit from occasionally flying in
formation.
- Unknown
It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesnt matter who gets the credit.
- Unknown
Teamwork divides the task and double the success.
- Unknown
None of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love,
and together we can do something wonderful.
Mother Teresa
Overcoming barriers to performance is how groups become teams.
-
Teamplayer: Once who unites others toward a shared destiny through sharing information and
ideas, empowering others and developing trust.
- Dennis Kinlaw
We trained hard, but it seemed every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be
reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing
and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing
confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.
Petronii Arbitri Satyricon AD 66
There are few, if any, jobs in which ability alone is sufficient. Needed, also, are loyalty, sincerity,
enthusiasm and team play.
William B. Given, Jr.
Build for your team a feeling of oneness, of dependence on one another and of strength to be
derived by unity.
Vince Lombardi
Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work, a company work, a
society work, a civilization work.
Vince Lombardi

Its easy to get good players. Getting them to play together, thats the hard part.
Casey Stengel

All Aboard!
All Aboard!
This activity requires working together in close physical proximity in order to solve a practical,
physical problem. It tends to emphasize group communication, cooperation, patience and
problem solving strategy, as well as issues related to physical self and physical proximity.
The activity can be run in many different ways.
Basic method: Ask the whole group to try to fit inside a
small area which can be marked by:
o small platforms, or
o circle of rope, or
o tarpaulin or blanket
When the group succeeds, decrease the area (e.g., changing
platforms, shrinking the circle, or folding the tarp) and
challenge the group again. How far can the group go?
Cautions: Obviously people are going to need to feel
physically comfortable in order to get physically close and
be supportive of one another. So make sure people are
warmed up and preferably have removed excessive
jewellery, watches, etc.
Variations
Tarp Flip Over: With a group standing on a tarp, challenge them to turn the tarp over without
anyone touching the ground in the process. Can add a time limit e.g., 15
mins for this activity.
Framing, e.g.,"The group must work together to ensure everyone
manages to get aboard the new management structure. As time goes by,
the team must become closer to deal with shrinking margins and
increased competition." [www.bushsports.com.au]
Team building variation of Tarp Flip Over: the group discusses the
present state of the team and a future desired state for the team. One
side of the tarp represents the present state, the other side the future.
Name game: The activity can be used as a name game by setting the rule
that every communication to another person must include that person's name.
Variations
Tarp Flip Over: With a group standing on a tarp, challenge them to turn the tarp over without
anyone touching the ground in the process. Can add a time limit e.g., 15 mins for this activity.
Framing, e.g.,"The group must work together to ensure everyone
manages to get aboard the new management structure. As time goes by,
the team must become closer to deal with shrinking margins and
increased competition." [www.bushsports.com.au]
Team building variation of Tarp Flip Over: the group discusses the
present state of the team and a future desired state for the team. One
side of the tarp represents the present state, the other side the future.
Name game: The activity can be used as a name game by setting the rule
that every communication to another person must include that person's
name.