Basic 5 · Physical Education · Manipulative Skills
Rolling a Ball with a Stick through Obstacles
In this topic you will control and roll a ball with a stick through arranged cones.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Hold a stick correctly
- Roll and control a ball with a stick
- Dribble through cones without touching them
What you already know
- Manipulative skills (Basic 4)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
- Strand
- Motor Skill And Movement Patterns
- Sub-strand
- Manipulative Skills
- Indicator
- B5.1.4.1.3 – Roll ball using a stick through obstacles (arranged cones)
Introduction
In hockey, players control a ball with a stick while running past opponents. Rolling a ball with a stick through cones builds the hand-eye coordination needed for such games.
1. Holding the Stick
Hold the top of the stick with your left hand and place your right hand about 20–30 cm lower down. Keep your knees slightly bent and lean forward a little. The flat end of the stick touches the ground beside the ball.
2. Rolling and Controlling the Ball
- Tap the ball gently forward with the stick; do not hit it hard.
- Keep the ball close to the stick, about one stick's length in front.
- Look up often to see where you are going, then look down to check the ball.
- Use small taps to change direction.
- Stop the ball by placing the stick in front of it.
3. Dribbling through Obstacles
- Set up 6 cones in a straight line, 1.5 metres apart.
- Weave the ball in and out of the cones (zigzag).
- Turn around the last cone and come back.
- Try not to let the ball or stick touch a cone.
- Repeat faster as you improve.
4. Coordination
Hand-eye coordination: Using the eyes and hands together to control movement.
This skill improves hand-eye coordination, footwork and control. It is used in hockey, golf and many local games. Practise with both sides of the body to improve control.
Local versions of this game are played in many Ghanaian communities with a bent stick and a ball made of rags or a tin. The same skills of gentle touches, close control and looking up apply.
Safety: Keep the stick below waist height. Do not swing it near other people. Use a light ball.
New words
- stick
- A long object used to hit or guide a ball.
- dribble
- To move the ball forward with small touches.
- cone
- A marker used to set up a course.
- control
- Keeping the ball under command.
- zigzag
- A path with sharp turns left and right.
- coordination
- Making different parts of the body work together.
Summary
- Hold the stick with two hands, left hand on top.
- Tap the ball gently and keep it close.
- Look up and down to see the path and the ball.
- Weave through cones without touching them.
Class activity: Cone Relay
- Set up two lines of six cones.
- Each member dribbles through the cones and back, then passes the stick.
- The first team to finish without knocking cones wins.
You need: Locally made ball, Smooth wooden stick, Plastic-bottle targets
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which hand goes at the top of the stick?
- A. Left hand
- B. Right hand
- C. No hand
- D. Both feet
Show answer
Answer: Left handRight hand goes lower.2. When dribbling, the ball should be…
- A. close to the stick
- B. far away
- C. in the air
- D. behind you
Show answer
Answer: close to the stickFor control.3. Weaving in and out of cones makes a…
- A. zigzag path
- B. straight path
- C. circle
- D. square
Show answer
Answer: zigzag pathLeft and right turns.4. You should hit the ball hard when dribbling.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: FalseTap it gently.5. Looking up helps you see where you are going.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueThen check the ball.6. Moving the ball forward with small touches is to ______.
Show answer
Answer: dribbleAs in hockey.7. Give three tips for controlling the ball with a stick.
Show answer
Answer: Tap gently, keep it close, look up often (or stop with the stick).Any three.8. Why should the stick be kept below waist height?
Show answer
Answer: To avoid hitting other players and causing injury.Safety.
Homework
- Make a ball from old cloth or paper and practise rolling it with a stick around objects.