What is your best team building activity?

I took a team to a one day ropes course in SE Colorado one year. We had a great day, and it ended up that that team made a run in the playoffs.

We do team dinners and a team camp. But the one team activity everyone seems to like is our sleep-over on campus during the week of doubles.

We do everything under the sun from multiple practices to just kicking back with the players, and playing video games or watch a movie or swimming or.... you get the idea....

And of course it's not all fun and games--- wake up call is at 5am and then it's time for a 5.1 mile run.

Here are some practical things that worked for me and cost little if no money at all.

1) Community service is always a way to bring your players together. It shows unity, you can see what kind of heart your kids have, and it's looks good for your program.
a. Raking leaves
b. Shoveling snow
c. Painting houses
d. Removing trash/clean up efforts
e. Cemetary clean ups
f. Adult home visits
g. Hospital visits

2) Fun activities for you and the players:

a. Madden or NCAA tournament (set it up at your house, your classroom, or in your gym. Have the kids bring a TV, their playstation, and a dish to pass). Great time.

b. Set up a Football Olympics type of competition. Wheel barrow race (filled with cement bags), sack race, water ballon or egg toss, tractor tire flips, or any other fun game that requires team work or competition.

c. Find a boy scout camp and ask to use some of their facilities. Some have obstacle courses that are great for team building.

d. Camp out on the practice/or game field. Kids think it's the funniest thing. You can talk about how you need to bond with your land and protect your turf, etc.

e. Have a bon fire. Find the right area to do this, but sitting around a raging fire talking about football is sure to get the juices flowing.

Some of these are doable, and some are not. I just thought I'd add my two cents. Hope this helps.

-Shock

I second this one.

We have also had success with a team cookout at the end of the summer for all of the guys who have completed summer workouts.

During spring weight training class--the most intense dodgeball games you've ever seen---every Friday.

we had a huge problem with that at my last school. the seniors didn't want to do ANYTHING.

your whole post is GREAT advice and words of wisdom. Nothing can ruin a team like selfishness.

each upperclassman is assigned a underclassman. some have two. the underclassman are the responsibility of the upperclassman. summer weight room, your better bring your underclass man with you.
I have found this breaks up clicks. it really brings in the underclassman. some times the upper can be a bad influence on the lower but over all it works.

highway trash cleanup. in my state you can adopt of protion of a local highway to clean up in the fall and spring. the county supplies the vests and trashbags. all you do it the clean up, put the bags by the side of the road. the county comes pick them up.

great way for the kids to realize how keep the enviroment clean and great way for the community to see the kids in a different light.

football team cleans the weight room on day in the summer time.

football team cleans the locker room. players are assigned a week to clean the room. the upper and lower classman are responsible.

we also clean up on the road. we bring 2 brooms, 2 dustpans and after the game we sweep/clean up our locker room. we do not leave until the room is clean.

lock-ins at the schools work as well.

Paintball outing