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Introduction

Congratulations on your new purchase of TeamTraks. These unique walking platforms encourage teamwork while aiding in the development of coordination, cooperation and communication skills. This guide is designed to help your students get the most from your TeamTraks.

Features

Highly Portable - TeamTraks fit in a small duffel bag and can be carried easily from one location to another.
Expandable - TeamTraks can be easily connected to fit both the level of challenge and the size of the group.
Durable - TeamTraks can be used indoors or outdoors (on grass). The fabric is waterproof and is reinforced with fiberglass for extra strength.

Basic Challenge

Up to 5 people may use one pair of TeamTraks to travel as a team from one point to another. In doing so, no one may touch the ground. If there are more than 5 people, simply connect more TeamTraks with the Fastex� buckles to accommodate more people.

Crocodile River
Scenario:
While traveling through the Amazon jungle in search of a cure for cancer, your team has come across a mysterious 60-foot-wide river filled with crocodiles. Luckily, your guide has brought along a set of TeamTraks, which will allow your team to cross over the river without sinking.

The Challenge:
Your team must cross the river using the TeamTraks.

Rules:

1. No one may touch the river (ground). If someone touches the river, a penalty must be served. Example Penalties include that the penalized player:
   • May not verbally communicate for 2 minutes.
   • must turn around and face backwards.
   • must be blindfolded for 2 minutes.
   • must sing like an opera singer when they wish to communicate.
   • must speak backwards whenever they talk.
   Or the entire team starts all over, the entire team does 5 pushups, etc.

2. Wrapping the rope around feet or hands is not permitted.

3. The TeamTraks may not be altered in any way. Only the TeamTraks may be used to cross the river.

• SAFETY - Watch out for the "domino effect" - this happens when one person begins to fall into another person causing them to fall. Encourage the group to act safely and warn them of the domino effect. Always spot the group to prevent injuries.

• TYPICAL SOLUTION - The team stands on the TeamTraks like giant skis with everyone's left foot on one TeamTrak and everyone's right foot on the other TeamTraks. (NOTE: Provide one set of TeamTraks per group of 5 people. Connect TeamTraks together for groups larger than 5 people.) While holding onto the TeamTraks hand ropes, each team member will lift their right feet simultaneously while pulling up on the TeamTraks hand ropes on their right side. The group repeats this action with their left feet. The group usually yells some type of chant together such as "1 - 2 - 3 RIGHT, 1 - 2 - 3 LEFT!" Sometimes the group will choose one person as a leader and that person will call out the signals.
• GENERAL - This challenge is unique in that it is easy to figure out how to do, but difficult to actually pull off. This challenge gets harder as the group gets larger (more people requires a greater degree of concentration, balance, communication, etc.). This activity necessitates the exact timing of the group's efforts for success and should, therefore, be used with a group that has worked successfully in the past (and now needs a harder challenge).

Other Activities

1. Using 4 TeamTraks, a group of 15 people must transport 5 baseballs from Point A to Point B (a distance of about 30 feet) and into a bucket. The group creates channels or gutters for the balls to roll through by shaping the TeamTraks in their hands. The balls may not be touched by anything other than the TeamTraks, and they must always travel forward. If a rule is broken, a penalty is served (examples: Start over, no verbal communication for 2 minutes, blindfold one person).
2. Have the group travel to a spot 20 yards away then return to the start line moving in reverse.
3. Require the group to move sideways from one point to another.
4. Create a race situation between two teams. You can allow the teams to practice for 10 minutes before you start. If the teams practice within sight of each other they will end up borrowing ideas from each other. If you separate them completely (sight and sound) the groups will have to come up with ideas on their own.
5. Provide obstacles for the team to travel around, through, or under (like cones, etc.).
6. If it's hot outside, have the group travel by a sprinkler.
7. Provide 3 TeamTraks for 2 groups of people. Line up the TeamTraks in 3 parallel lines then have the two groups stand on the Team Tracks like normal with the twist being that the two teams must share the "middle" TeamTrak. The 2 groups must travel as one. This is accomplished by having the 2 teams shift their weight to the shared (middle) TeamTrak while simultaneously lift and move the outside TeamTraks. They, now, all shift their weight to their outside legs as they lift and move their inside legs forward (remember that their inside legs share a common TeamTrak).
8. Start with everyone on the TeamTraks and then "drop off" passengers at various places. Think of this activity like a school bus dropping off students to their homes.
9. For a really difficult challenge, try having every other person on the TeamTraks stand backwards. If the group has been using a "left , right" cadence to indicate which TeamTraks to move, the position of the inverted people will now be opposite of the rest of the group.
10. If any of the TeamTraks hand ropes touch the ground during the activity those ropes may no longer be used. This makes things much more difficult for the team and will encourage a greater level of contact between participants.
11. Have 2 groups, each with their own set of TeamTraks. The 2 groups must pick up a bucket filled with water (nuclear waste) and transport it to a "safe" spot. The 2 groups must stay at least 10 yards apart from each other and must stay at least 5 yards away from the bucket. Supply the groups with one section of rope that has a hook attached to the middle of it. The hook will allow the group to hook onto the bucket handle. If any water is spilled give the group a penalty.