Teamwork Training

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Teamwork Training (Tiger, others, 12:30pm to 3:30pm)

Peacemaker, Dancer and Rock

[albatross]

In the beginning, Tiger starts with simple teamwork exercises like trust falls, pyramids and games.

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In the next phase Tiger measures each of the kids times in the 100 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, 1600 meters, 3200 meters and 10,000 meters.

It takes a couple days to get all the times, and Tiger mixes in some more games and some climbing teamwork.

Once she has the speed data she puts up a flagpole and then puts three stakes out in a strange triangle. The southern stake is the closet to the flagpole, the northeast stake is farther away and the northwest stake is an amazing distance away.

Each stake has three strips of cloth tied around it. One brown, one black and one silver tied round each. Tiger points to Rock: "Brown" To Peacemaker: "Black" To Dancer: "Silver"

"Each of you has three minutes to bring back all your flags. On three. Three!" Dancer and Rock take off running, and Peacemaker does too, but since all the stakes are the same distance apart for each of them the exercise seems like a joke. Dancer is twice as fast as Rock and she finishes in over three minutes at 5:44. Rock comes in about 10:12 and Peacemaker finishes in just under thirty minutes.

Dancer is still a little winded from her run, Rock looks Ok, and Peacemaker looks like she could maintain her pace for another three days without stopping.

"All of you fail," Tiger says cheerfully. "Again."

After another try Peacemaker says, "Without a vehicle I cannot complete the circuit in three minutes. None of us can."

Dancer says: "This is teamwork. How about we each go to one stake? I think I can get to the furthest one and back in three minutes."

"I'll take northeast," Rock agrees.

"And I'll take the short leg," Peacemaker grimaces.

"Peacemaker," Tiger says with a smile, "Do you see Rock frowning when we discuss Mark Twain? Or Dancer wincing during meditation. All of you are young and have all kinds of weaknesses. Learn from them, don't shy away from them or get discouraged. All obstacles are to be dealt with positively."

"Now GO!" Tiger says.

All three of them take off in different directions. All three reach different stakes at roughly the same time, each collects all three flags, and all three run back. This time they all reach the starting point in under three minutes.

"Good work," Tiger says. "This is the beginning."