KS3 · Physical education · Year 7
Relays
Athletics: run, jump, throw and officiate
Learn it. Recall it. Make it stick.
IllumED Slides
IllumED · 1/10
Your learning goal
I can play an active role in a relay team, using an efficient technique to pass and receive the baton.
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Relays: slides adapted from the imported teaching text; recall questions created from its keywords, learning points and common mistakes. Self-check practice, with no automatic grading or XP. Answers stay on this page and are cleared when you leave.
What you’ll learn
I can play an active role in a relay team, using an efficient technique to pass and receive the baton.
Key learning points
- Move: extending the arm back, while looking forward, provides a stable target for the incoming runner to aim for.
- Move: the receiver should accelerate to a sprint by the time the incoming runner is ready to exchange the baton.
- Think: the receiver must begin to run at a precise moment to ensure the changeover is performed at high speed.
- Feel: striving to apply our very best effort shows self-motivation and supports our team to achieve success in relays.
- Connect: communication from the incoming runner to the receiver is vital to ensure the changeover is a success.
Words to know
- receiver
- the runner in a relay team about to receive the baton
- baton exchange
- the moment the baton is passed between runners
- incoming runner
- the runner in a relay team running with the baton
Common mistakes
Pupils often perform relay changeovers with the receiver standing still until they receive the baton, then accelerating into their sprint.
Changeovers should be performed at high speed. The receiver begins to accelerate at just the right moment to high speed but not too far ahead of the incoming runner. This will be different for each pupil (~3.5m is a good point to work from).
For parents, carers and teachers
- Pupils generally enjoy relay races over any distance. If you don't have a track, straight line races can be just as good and still rely on good changeover technique. Stagger start times or distances for differentiation.