Teams Course Participants
You will go on, over, under, or through a series of elements made from rope, wood or cable. These elements are at elevations from ground level to 12 feet.

Ropes Course Participants
You will traverse a series of cables and platforms 20 feet above the ground. You will wear a climbing harness and helmet, and you will clip into a static belay system.

Certified facilitators design a safe, fun and enriching program that targets the personal and professional goals identified by your group. The activities are metaphors for what happens in your work or community environment. They provide a flexible vehicle for learning through experience. Program activities include:

• Orientation & Goal Setting
• Warm-up & Awareness
• Problem-Solving Initiatives
• Trust-Building & Support
• Discussion

Orientation & Goal Setting
Safety and program guidelines are outlined. Participants share ownership by identifying personal and group goals.

Warm-Up & Awareness
These activities provide an opportunity for group members to interact and establish an atmosphere of support and cooperation.

Problem-Solving Initiatives
An initiative is a clearly defined task that requires group cooperation and some physical effort to affect a solution. All of the activities engage the participants in the decision-making and leadership process through communicating ideas, planning and implementation. During the process, participants have fun, develop a sense of camaraderie, and experience the effects of teamwork.

Trust-Building & Support
Trust and support are essential for the group to achieve success as they participate in higher level challenge activities. This series of activities provides an opportunity for group members to trust their physical and emotional safety with others.

Discussion
Most activities include time for the group to discuss the experience. Participants compare the activity with similar situations in their work or community setting. They explore patterns of interaction in relation to personal and professional effectiveness. Participants also consider ways to modify their behavior to be more effective.

Group Preparation
Your Teams Course facilitator will contact the group leader at least one week before your scheduled event to discuss the following topics:

• Group goals and objectives for the event.
• Your group's characteristics and purpose, strengths and vision.
• Emotional or physical considerations that could affect your group's safety or participation.

For your safety and comfort, we suggest the following:
• Participants should not wear jewelry or bring money.
• Dress for comfort (wear layers of clothes).
• Wear sturdy shoes (no sandals) and clothes that can get dirty.
• Bring water (especially during the hot weather).
• Bring bug-guard during the buggy season.

Participant Waiver & Release
Each participant must bring a completed Participant Waiver and Release form to participate in any Teams or Ropes Course activities. Forms for participants under age 18 require the signature of a parent or guardian. Please complete both pages of the Participant Waiver and Release.

Pre-Course Group Preparation Guide
Maximize the effectiveness of your teams course experience!

• Review the Program Information for Participants sheet with your group, if applicable, send a copy home to parents.
• Discuss what is important for people to do if they want to have an effective team; components of teamwork include: cooperation, respect, listening, sharing ideas, planning and working toward a common goal.
• Create a Full Value Contract with the group before they do the teams course.
• Do some pre-course cooperative activities.
• Plan some post-course activities, suggestions include:
  • Participants can identify ways they can incorporate some things they learned on the course into their daily activities
  • Take pictures at the course and have participants write a paragraph about their experience on the teams course.
  

Other cooperative activities are described in the following resources:
Baack, S., et.al. (1989). Adventure recreation: An adventure in group building. Nashville, TN: Convention Press.
Fluegelman, A. (1981). More new games. Garden City, NY: Dolphin Books/Doubleday and Co., Inc.
Glover, D.R. (1992). Team building through physical challenges. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.
Orlick, T. (1982). The second cooperative and sports games book. New York, NY: Pantheon Books.
Rohnke, K. (1989). Cowstails and cobras II: A guide to games, initiatives, ropes courses, & adventure curriculum. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.
Rohnke, K., Butler, S. (1995). Quicksilver: Adventure games, initiative problems, trust activities and a guide to effective leadership. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.


For additional information, please contact Liz Waschek at 630-871-2810 or via e-mail.