Stealing Bases (Agawan Base)

English: Stealing Bases

Filipino: Agawan Base

Equipment: markers to be used as the base, 2 pcs. (you can use two trees or two slippers or two chairs as your bases)
Number of players: minimum 4, two in each team (more players for more fun recommended) Minimum age: 5 years old

Mechanics: There are two bases, each base has equal number of members. There will be one person assigned to guard the base. The others may leave the base to run and try to catch another members of the other team or to try to steal the opponent's base. If you touch the base of your opponent first, before members of that team tag you, you steal their base and your team wins.

Another main goal is to catch as many of the opponents as your team can. A captive opponent becomes a prisoner and stands on the captor’s base until a member of his own team saves him by touching/tagging him. Once he is tagged and “saved”, the prisoner is freed and goes back to his base.

The game can be as small-scale as teams just facing each other and trying to tap the opponents to catch them or as large as team members hiding and strategising whom to catch first – for example, the weakest links or the slowest runners. If there are no more members at large, meaning all opponents have been captured, all members of the stronger team will have to try and get the base from the “guard” by tagging it. The one left must try not to leave the base lest it be overtaken by the opponents. In this case, the stronger team wins.

What do you learn from this game?
1. Speed and agility, not getting caught by the other group.
2. Loyalty, save the captured members of your group; no one gets left behind
3. Tenacity, if at first you don't succeed...try and try again
4. Sportsmanship, win or lose you accept both with good humour, at least everyone had a lot of fun!