Traditional Sports from Around the World (Africa)
Dibeke
Traditional Sports: Africa (South Africa)
Montessori Physical Education
Applicable for in-person Social Distanced Learning
Introduction:
Unfortunately, there is not much information on the origins of the sport Dibeke. Most resources say the name Dibeke describes how sport (it’s unclear whether they mean all sport or this particular sport) is an addictive and fun pursuit for children. Even though there is little known about the origins of the sport, there is a substantial effort to preserve this game as part of the indigenous culture and sport of South Africa. A pleasant and unique aspect of the game is its emphasis on gender equality, which is built right into the fabric of the game. Teams should consist of an equal number of boys and girls per team (usually six and six). It also has unique rules that govern the amount of risk vs. reward an individual player will engage in, which ultimately enhances the overall strategy of the team.
My students absolutely love this game, and I am sure your students will love it as well. The game resembles a cross between kickball, dodgeball, and sharks and minnows, which by themselves are all fan favorites, so when they are put together this makes a new super fun game. Dibeke is simple enough that my lower elementary students love the (simplified version of the) game very much, and the upper elementary students truly utilize different strategies, making for very engaging gameplay that can be different every time it is played.
Depending on the size of the playing area, this game works well for in-person social distanced learning. A quick variant to make this game more suitable for social-distanced in-person learning is to have the defenders spread out throughout the playing area. Each defender must stay in their prescribed defensive zone, which forces the defenders to have to pass the ball from one to another to have the best opportunities to get the attacking team out. Not only does this variation help the younger students understand good defensive positioning, but it helps keep the students six feet away from each other.
Materials:
· A large open space (such as a gym or field)
· An appropriate sized kick ball or soccer ball depending on the age of the participants
· Rubber disc dots (to show the students where their individual defensive territory is)
· Pennies or jerseys to identify teammates (optional)
· Scoreboard or white board to record the score (optional, but highly recommended for the upper elementary version)
Prior Knowledge: The students should have had lessons on Africa (specifically South Africa).
Modified Dibeke for lower elementary
1. Split the class into two equal teams. If possible, make the teams evenly matched by using previous knowledge of athletic ability based on kicking and catching skills. Speed is also an important factor.
2. Introduce that the game that the students are playing is from a country called South Africa.
3. One team will be the kicking team, and one team will be the defending team.
a. The objective of the kicking team is to score a many points as possible by running from one side of the gym to the other.
b. The objective of the defending team is either:
i. Catch a ball in mid-air
ii. Tag a player with the ball who is trying to run to the other side.
4. Standing next to each other while spaced apart, the kicking team makes a line at the baseline of the gym or at one end of the field. This is considered the safe zone, and there is an identical area on the opposite side of the playing area that the attackers are running to. The kicker and the attacking team are trying to run to the other side and back to score points. As the instructor, I usually watch the walls and count as children successfully reach them.
5. The defense is trying to get the ball once it is kicked forward. It is important for the members of the defense to spread out to cover as much of the playing field as possible after the kick.
6. Gameplay starts when the pitcher on the defending team calls out one of the attacking team players to be the kicker. The pitcher should choose a new person after every successful kick. This player steps out a little, and the pitcher gently rolls the ball to them for the kick with an underarm bowling motion. The ball should roll smoothly and not bounce; otherwise the pitcher will have to roll it again. If the pitcher rolls several bouncy balls, the pitcher should be replaced.
7. The kicker must kick the ball as hard as they can forward. If the ball goes to the side, the kick should be redone. If the kicker misses the ball, nothing bad happens, they just do it over again. This emphasizes that the pitcher should not do an extra hard our bouncy roll; it only wastes time.
8. Once the kicker kicks the ball, the kicker must run to the other side and try not to get tagged. If they make it to the other side, it is worth one point. If the kicker runs back to their original position, that scores another point. The other members of the team have the option of running once the ball is kicked to “help” the kicker. The other players must wait for contact on the ball; no head starts. Once a player begins to run, they lose the safety of their side and cannot turn back. Every player who makes it to the other side also scores one point. Once the running is over and there wasn’t a catch or two tags (we’ll get to this in a moment), all the offensive players who ran are able to go back to the original starting point without fear of being tagged and the pitcher picks a new kicker to repeat the process again. While a little cumbersome, this ensures that everyone will have a chance to kick the ball.
9. When the ball is kicked, the best play that the defender can do is catch the ball while it is in midair. If this happens, the offense and defense automatically switch immediately.
10. If there is not a catch, then the defenders try to get the ball to tag or to throw the ball at the runner(s). The defender must have the ball when tagging the runner (many younger students initially think anyone on defense can tag any of the runners). The defender can (lightly) throw the ball to tag someone who is too fast to catch on foot, and if the ball hits the runner, they are out. When the defense gets too outs, then it is time for the teams to switch from defense to offense and vice versa.
11. A player who is out returns back to the original safe zone, and they can resume to play on the next kick. A defensive player can throw the ball to a teammate so they can try and tag someone. In general, throwing the ball for passing or tagging is a good strategy, but it is also risky because missing the target almost ensures that all the runners will make be safe.
12. It is up to the instructor how many tags it takes before an offense and defense switch, but typically I have used two tags for a switch, which works well to ensure that one team is not getting all the kicking opportunities.
Dibeke for upper elementary
1. Split the class into two equal teams. If possible, make the teams evenly matched by using previous knowledge of athletic ability based on kicking and catching skills. Speed is also an important factor.
2. Introduce that the game that the students are playing is from a country called South Africa.
3. One team will be the kicking team, and one team will be the defending team.
a. The objective of the kicking team is to score a many points as possible by running from one side of the gym to the other.
b. The objective of the defending team is either:
i. Catch a ball in mid-air
ii. Tag a player with the ball who is trying to run to the other side.
4. The team with the most “points” wins. Points are earned several ways. On offense, if an attacker scores twenty runs, which is successfully going from one safe zone to the other twenty times, that scores two points for the offense. If the defense catches the ball or gets every attacking team members out, their team gets one point.
5. Standing next to each other and spread apart, the kicking team makes a line at the baseline of the gym or at one end of the field. This is considered the safe zone, and there is an identical area on the opposite side of the playing area that the attackers are running to. The kicker and the attacking team are trying to run to the other side and back to score runs. When an individual attacker scores twenty runs, this earns two points for their team. This also releases any attacking player who was previously tagged out (more on this later). This requires a lot of concentration from the instructor (and trust in the students) to be honest with the amount of runs they have scored during their running.
6. The defense positions themselves on the opposite half of the gym or field of the kicker before the pitch and kick. The defense is trying to get the ball once it is kicked past the middle line. It is important for the members of the defense to spread out to cover as much of the playing field as possible after the kick.
7. Gameplay starts when the pitcher on the defending team calls out one of the attacking team players to be the kicker. This player steps out a little, and the pitcher rolls the ball to them for the kick with an underarm bowling motion. The ball must remain on the ground the whole time with no bouncing. If their bowler gives several bad pitches, they are replaced.
8. The kicker must kick the ball past the halfway line for it to count as a good kick. If the ball does not go past the centerline, this is called a short kick, and the kicker is out. If the kicker misses the ball, they get two more tries to do it over again, but then they are out if they miss for a third time.
9. Once the kicker kicks the ball, the kicker must run, trying to get the other side while not to getting tagged. If they make it to the other side, it is worth one run. If the kicker runs there and back to their original side, that scores another run. The kicker can go back and forth as many times as they want to score runs as long as they avoid getting out. The other members (attackers) of the team have the option of running once the ball is kicked to “help” the kicker. The attackers have two different objectives: either score twenty runs as an individual, or help the kicker score twenty runs by shielding them from being hit with the ball or running to provide a distraction.
10. Attackers must wait for contact on the ball; no head starts. Once an attacker begins to run, they lose the safety of their side and cannot turn back. Once the running is over, the pitcher will call on another player who is available at the original attacking side to kick the ball. This could be someone who decided not to run at all, or someone who successfully ran to the other side and back. The process repeats until all the players on offense are out.
11. On defense, after the kick, the best play that a defender can do is catch the ball while it is in midair. If this happens, all the attackers are out and it is time to switch offense and defense (and the defense earns a point).
12. If there is not a catch, then the defenders try to get the ball to tag or hit the attackers with it. The defender can throw the ball to tag someone, and if the ball hits the runner, they are out. A player who is out goes to the sideline and waits to be revived or for the teams to switch. A defensive player can throw the ball to a teammate as well so they can try and tag someone. In general, throwing the ball for passing or tagging is a good strategy, but it can also risky because missing the target almost guarantees that the runners will score more runs.
13. When an attacker gets out, this is called a short run, which means that all the runs they accumulated previously are gone. If they go back in from a twenty run score by a teammate, they will have to start accumulating their runs all over again. Once all the attackers are out, it is time to switch the offense and defense, and the defense team earns one point.
14. On offense, when an attacker scores twenty runs, two things happen. First, the attacking team earns two points. Second, any player who was “out” can rejoin their team and should head to the attacking team safe zone. Attackers can be hit out again as they are going from the bench to the safe zone.
15. Runners are out if they run outside the playing area, which could be the sidelines in the gym or whatever lines established outside. This would also be a short run, so all their runs would disappear as well.
16. The team with the most points wins. Depending on how successful the first attacking team is, they might use the entirety of the gym class during their turn on offense. If this happens, to be fair, record the teams and play again and switch the teams from offense to defense to give the other students a shot at being on offense.
Aims:
Direct: For the students to learn and play the indigenous traditional sport called Dibeke
Indirect: Listening to directions
Teamwork and team building
Communication
Strategy
Sportsmanship
Physical skills practiced:
· Running and dodging
· Kicking a ball
· Throwing a ball at a target moving or stationary
Control Of Error:
The instructor will have to act as the referee for the game and scorekeeper. Having a clipboard to keep track of runs is heavily advised.
Cultural Connections:
Valued equality: Traditionally, Dibeke is played with twelve players with an even split of six girls and six boys. By having coed teams, equal participation and interest is all but ensured. In the traditional rules, there are specific penalties for disparaging a member of the opposite sex. In terms of gender equality, this game is very inclusive and promotes play amongst all children.
Valued Sacrifice: The running dynamics of the game allow individual players to make the choice of “helping” the kicker or running to help them. By running with the kicker, they my act as a diversion, or may even sacrifice themselves to protect the kicker so they can continue to score runs for the team. By sacrificing themselves and giving up their potential opportunity to kick to ensure more runs are scored, they value the outcome of the team over their own personal fulfillment. This idea of sacrifice for the good of a team, group, family, community, etc., is a pivotal life lesson. This ideal is often reflected in the household where family is valued above individual pursuit, and sacrificing for the family is not only commonplace but expected.
Valued Heroes: The way that points are scored makes me believe that they admire when one person can be the hero and fulfill their potential. When an individual attacker can score twenty runs, then all of the teammates benefit by being released and the team earns points. Most of the time the kicker who scores twenty points receives a lot of help from their teammates, which goes back to the self-sacrifice theme. However, it is the runs of one individual that brings about all the benefits. There are a lot of traditional African stories which feature heroes and demigods that overcome giant obstacles. The player who can score twenty runs in a game represents this hero theme for their amazing feat, and they receive a generous reward for their effort.
Valued concepts of Risk vs. Reward: The game has an element of gambling when on the attacking team. Is it best to send as many players as possible to secure the most points possible every single time? While this strategy would certainty rack up lots of runs, but it also gives the defense lots of opportunity to get the attacking players out because there are more targets to hit after each kick. Hence, there is a high risk / high reward to the strategy of all attacking players running all the time. The converse would also be true. Few players running reduces the chances of attackers scoring twenty runs, but also limits the amount of targets to hit to get people out. Many African games (recreational or professional pastimes) have an element of gambling involved, which directly impacts the strategy used by an individual player as well as the team.
Age: 6-9 and 9-12
Bibliography:
Traditional Sports. 2019. Dibeke (South Africa). Irsie Instytut Bozwoju Sportu Edukacji. Last retrieved 2/2/21. https://www.traditionalsports.org/traditional-sports/africa/dibeke-south-africa.html
Indigenous Games Promotion and Training (2018). Western Cape Government. Last retrieved 2/3/21. https://www.westerncape.gov.za/service/indigenous-games-promotion-and-training
This Sport is called Dibeke.(2018). Junior Sport Live TV. Facebook. Last retrieved 2/20/21.https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=291585328358499
South African Dibeke Association SADA. (2015). Facebook. Last retrieved 2/5/21. https://www.facebook.com/sadadibeke/?ref=page_internal
Department of Sport and Recreation South Africa. (2018). Indigenous Games General and Code Specific Rules (My Games My Roots My Future). South African Indigenous Games Festival. Last retrieved 2/8/21. https://www.srsa.gov.za/sites/default/files/2018%20IG%20General%20and%20Code%20Specific%20Rules.pdf
Zama. L. (2008). More Than Just a Game. The Witness. Copyright 24.com. (2021). Last retrieved 2/12/21.https://www.news24.com/witness/archive/more-than-just-a-game-20150430
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