Maximum Pursuit: The Ultimate Relay & Pursuit Game

The students love this game as it is high-paced and requires them to constantly hustle. Simply put, each runner is chased but also chases at the same time. It works on relay skills in the sense that they must run around the square and must touch the hand of the next runner on their team. As they tag off, the following runner then tries to close the gap on the next team’s runner. Gaps between runners will increase and decrease as the game progresses. The aim of the game is the catch the next team’s runner by tagging them. Once a runner is tagged, the whistle is blown and a point awarded to the team that caught the next team’s runner. Whoever was running when the whistle was blown goes to the back of their team line and the next runner steps forward to run on command. 

Setting the Game Up
As you can see from the diagram below, the running area is coned off in a square shape. When setting this game up, I divide the class in 4 equal teams with each team located on the inside of the square in their respective corner. I give the example below of blue team, black team, green team, and red team. It is important that each team is identified by color as they are being chased and are chasing. 

At first I have the students run a few relays to get used to the running format. I get them to first use a baton to pass on to their next team runner as we race. After a few relays, I switch the path from clockwise to anti-clockwise with the runners still passing the baton. We then move to a simple touch and run format. The touch and run format is used in the maximum pursuit game to be played next. Please see diagram and explanation below. As well, there is also a video of the game being played in action. It really is a super game to play in PE and the students absolutely love it. They don't realize how much they have sprinted until after the game is over. Try this one out, you won't regret it!