St Barnabas Trust KS2 Multi-Sports Competition – The Alternative Games
Get ready for high-speed action, tactical shifts, and new sporting challenges! This event is designed to push our Year 3 through to Year 6 children out of their comfort zones. Moving beyond traditional sports, this competition introduces fast-paced, “alternative” team games that demand quick reflexes, clear communication, and adaptable strategies.
The Tournament Format: Skill & Competitive Spirit
As a Key Stage 2 event, we combine the excitement of learning a new sport with a structured, competitive environment. The day is designed to see which teams can master the unique mechanics of sports such as Handball, Dodgeball, Benchball and Volleyball.
Tactical Warm-ups
Before the matches begin, teams will rotate through specialised activities to master the fundamentals of these alternative games:
- Agility drills for Dodgeball and Handball goalkeeping.
- Mastering the high-point contact and communication needed for Volleyball.
- Practicing how to turn a defensive interception into a fast-break attack in Handball.
The “Alternative” Arena
The tournament features a number of different disciplines. Teams must be versatile to succeed across the leaderboard.
Examples:
Handball
A “Football with hands” style game. No Contact, 3-step limit and fast paced shooting.
Dodgeball
The ultimate test of reflexes! Focus on catching to bring teammates back in and tactical “outs”.
Volleyball
Modified for KS2, focusing on keeping the ball live and utilising three hits before sending it over.
Benchball
A fast-paced game where you must pass to a teammate on a bench. No running with the ball!
Competition & Scoring
- Group Stages & Knockouts: Schools will compete in a round-robin format within their groups, leading to high-stakes finals.
- Professional Officiating: Referees will enforce specific rules for each sport, encouraging students to adapt quickly to different officiating styles.
- The Multi-Sport Trophy: Points are accumulated across all three sports. We will award medals for the overall champions and the “Versatility Award” for the team that adapted best to all three games.
Respect and Resilience
Alternative sports can be challenging and fast. We expect our KS2 students to demonstrate Resilience when learning new rules and Respect for their opponents and officials. Every match ends with a handshake, celebrating the effort and skill shown by all Trust schools.