Twelve PAX rolled up to the Uptowner for a very humid and gloomy Game Day.
After dispensing with the disclaimer, we moseyed toward the rock pile, curiosity evident on the faces of the PAX…What does Fast Tax have in that bag?
Warmups were a sprinkle of typical Uptowner fare: SSHs, Arm Circle variants, Imperial Walkers, and, not to be dissuaded, Crab Merkins.
Sufficiently warmed, YHC selected the fenced in baseball field for the debut of his new game. Amidst the eager anticipation of the PAX, YHC pulled a large balloon out of his big black ball bag and introduced Plank Floaters.
Plank Floaters begins with PAX forming a plank circle while one person hits the balloon into the air and immediately gets back into a plank position. The PAX to his right must jump up and hit the balloon back up, before it touches the ground, and get back in plank, with the cycle repeating around the circle. If the balloon hits the ground, everyone does 5 burpees and then play resumes. As is typical of YHC’s creations, this was a work in progress with a few mods made along the way (direction reverses after a save, 1 PAX in ready position, 3 burpees, etc.).
We headed to the kid’s playground picnic table for the next festivity of the morning –
BALL BUSTER.
Ball Buster is a combination of Capture the Flag and Dodge Ball, except there are no boundaries. PAX form two teams. Each side has a blue ball (referred to as the Flag), which must be positioned at a pre-identified location on each team’s base and each PAX on the team is given one non-blue ball. The object is to steal the opposing sides blue ball (i.e. their flag) and bring it back to your base. The team scored against has to do three burpees.
Similar to dodge ball, PAX can use the ball to hit or “tag” an opposing player or block an incoming ball. If you are hit, or the person you are throwing at catches the ball, you have to immediately drop your ball and do two burpees or five merkins.
PAX can only hold one ball at a time. In order to pick up the flag, you must drop the ball if you are carrying one. You can pick up a tagged PAX’s ball and throw it away, but only after dropping your own.
However, when carrying the opposing team’s flag, it can be strategically used as a regular ball to hit or tag an opposing player. If the opposing team retrieves their flag (b/c the carrier was hit and had to drop the ball), it must be brought or thrown back to base and placed in the same pre-identified spot. A player cannot just run around with the Flag in their possession.
Halfway through the game, the teams should switch sides – which we forgot to do…
Having dispensed with the game rules, play commenced.
Team 1: Booboo, Colonial, Fast Tax, Logo, McGyver, Triple Shift
Team 2: Architect (FNG), Charmin, Cyber Cajun, Hawg Cycle, Mayhem, Pool Boy
What began as an even match quickly descended into a one sided game as Team 2 carried the day 5-3.
At some point toward the end we were joined by Vagabond.
With time running out, we headed to COT for Name-o-rama, Naming of the FNG (Architect), announcements, intentions, and prayer.
Thanks for the fellowship and allowing YHC the chance to engage his creative side!
SYITG!
