Physical Education - Teacher Lesson Six

Lesson 1
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
Lesson 4
Lesson 5
Lesson 6

Lesson Six: Doubleball

Teacher Zone:

Doubleball was played by the Cree, Ojibwe, and Dakota Aboriginal groups.

One of the more physical games is called doubleball. In many places, doubleball was a game played by the women and girls. Doubleball was a team sport, which could have from five to ten players on each team, as long as there was an equal amount on both sides. A player would have a stick with a curved end used to catch and throw the doubleball. The doubleball was two round pieces of leather weighted down by sand and tied together with a piece of leather. Rules for doubleball varied, but the object of the game would be to either carry the ball past a certain area or to hit a goal stake in the ground with the doubleball. The playing area would measure around ninety-one meters (300 feet) in length, but any open field could be used. It is recorded that the Cree used a playing field 1.6 kilometers (one mile) in length. Doubleball is set up with a goal at either end of the field of play. The field may be of almost any size. Teams may also be of any size, but should be equal. In the old days, lacrosse and doubleball games were sometimes played with one goal in one village and the other goal in the next village.

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/
Traditions/English/woodland_games_02.html

To play this game in with your students you will need the following materials:

Curved sticks for each student
One double ball (this could be a dumbbell shaped bean bag, or two bean bags tied together or even two small balls tied together)
Pinnies to identify teams
Two nets for goal

Main Lesson:

Share the information presented in the Teacher Information section along with the following to your students.

Students will be broken up into two equal groups of eight or more players. The object of the game is to toss the doubleball into the opponent’s goal. Traditionally, goals were placed approximately a kilometer apart however this may be adjusted based on the playing space available.

The game begins with the teacher tossing the doubleball into the air in the center of the playing field. Players will catch the doubleball with the stick and either carry it, pass it to a teammates, or throw it as far as they can toward the goal. Players will aim to get the doubleball on to their own stick by picking it up off the ground or hooking the doubleball of their opponents stick. The first team to throw the doubleball into their opponent’s goal wins the game. There are no goalies. You may choose to modify the game for points or play by rounds.