The IT&LS Ropes Course Team Building Excercises

My second day of orientation found me at the mouth of a windy canyon at 8 o'clock in the morning. Our 30-person cohort was invited to participate in a university-run ropes course. Only 16 people came, including 3 faculty members. And let me tell YOU, the other half truly missed out!

Metaphoric Challenges

Challenge #1: Pass the Ball.

Activity purpose: Participants stand in a circle and toss a series of tennis balls across the circle to each other. See how many balls we can keep in the air.

Possible Solutions: Every other person tosses high. Look at the person throwing the ball to you. The farther you stand apart, the longer the ball can be in the air and not in your hand.

Cross-over lessons for school: Communication is paramount to progression. One idea acts as a springboard for another. Therefore, even if what you have to say isn't perfect, it may serve as a catalyst for another "game-changing" idea.

Challenge #2: Fast Ball

Purpose: Move only one ball as fast as you can from person to person in the same sequence.

Possible solutions: Get it order around the ball in a circle. Have the first person hold it and the following people simply touch it. Possibly make a noise when you touch it. (We started at 11.8 seconds and finished a 1.1 seconds.)

Cross-over: Never assume anything. For a long time, we thought we had to stand in the same order as the previous game. This teaches us not to assume that the same rules apply at USU as the schools that we came from. Ask questions of the facilitator or faculty. We'll never know if things are possible unless we challenge the establishment and make a case for ourselves.

Challenge #3: Don't Rock the Boat

Activity purpose: Move everyone in the group onto a pallet one at a time. The pallet must balance each time before another person can get on. Once everyone is on, the entire group must balance for ten seconds.

Possible Solutions: Get a few people on first. Once you are on, pick a spot that will balance and then don't move for the rest of the time. Just let one person make small adjustments for the group. Stand with your feet together so that you aren't tempted to shift your weight.

Cross-over: When there are a lot of people, the work load is a lot less. Sometimes, in group work, if you try to take over someone else's work, you end up causing more trouble that you are trying to help fix. Even if one component or element in the system is renegade or "off balance" it will destroy the entire system.

Challenge #4: The Spider's Web

Activity purpose: Move every on in the group through one of twenty, small holes created by a web of rope tied between two trees without touching the web. Once a person passes through a hole, that hole is "closed."

Possible Solutions: PLAN FIRST. Everyone pick a hole. You can re-evaluate later. The first and last two or three people should pass through the bottom holes that require no assistance. If you are in a pinch, you can reach your limbs through the other side to act as a stepping hold.

Cross-over: If you don't prepare, you will get stuck in the middle of your project. You might be able to get out of it, but it will require a LOT of creative thinking.

High Ropes Course

Activity purpose: We crossed wires 30 feet in the air with only the assistance of ropes.

Possible solutions: Just do it. Don't look down. Be positive. Verbally support each other. When the situation arises, offer to act as an anchor for your teammates.

Cross-over: Everything that happened on the ropes course was a metaphor for who we will be working together for the next two years. From seeing who showed up to the event to seeing who offered their services as an anchor when needed.

Here's a video towards the end of the day:



Ernesto is from Tijuana, Mexico. Patrick is the course administrator and happens to be the husband of one my teachers. Their son is the one squirting me in the crotch with the squirt bottle.