3 Zone Games are developed from a game that was called "Ultimate Basketball", which I learned from a teacher colleague of mine, Robin Fondow, at Breck School, Minneapolis, MN.  He had learned it at a workshop.   I in turn am passing it on to whoever reads this page.  All good ideas should be passed on and not kept to oneself...I have adapted the rules for other games I have played with students, namely soccer and field hockey, and I include those variations here.  Once you have taught certain skills and strategies, you can also coach those same skills/strategies within each zone in these games.  These games are excellent for inclusiveness, and for utilizing limited equipment and space for a large group while giving lots of reps to everyone, something which doesn't happen in many "regulation" or large group games.

3 Zone Basketball
Need: Pinnies - 6 colors; 3-6 basketballs; two hoops; bean bags, poly spots.  Can be played on one court with up to 40 players (sub teams of 5, two teams rotating out as "duty" teams, for a cycle).

Divide a basketball court into 3 zones with cones or poly spots.  Set up the hoops, bean bags and basketballs as shown in the diagram below (in this diagram the game is in progress, and several points have already been scored).  Divide the students into two teams.  Divide each team into 3 groups, 3-4 players in each group.  Designate a basket for each team to attack and defend.  Place the groups from each team into each zone, one group from each team in each zone.  The zones are: defense, transition and offense.  There will be one defensive and one offensive group in each end zone, and two transition groups in the middle or transition zone.  Players may dribble and pass within their zones but they may not cross into another zone.  The ball may be passed within zones and/or across zones.   Only offensive players can shoot.   The ball is put into play by the teacher who passes the ball to a player in the transition zone, anyone who is paying attention and calling for the ball while getting open is a good person to pass to.  After passing the first ball in to start the game, the teacher passes another ball in.  More balls can be added, up to six, depending on the team's ability to handle that number of basketballs.  Thus within this one game on one court, up to six smaller games may be played.  The object is to move the ball to a player in the offensive zone so that they can score baskets.  When a player scores, they must retrieve the ball, return it to the teacher, put a bean bag in their team's hoop, and return to the game.  The teacher will then inbound the ball into the transition zone.  Out of bounds balls may be either returned to the teacher, or played as a normal out of bounds would be played, depending on the maturity of the group.  One third of the way through the game, rotate the groups to the next zone: defense goes to transition, transition goes to offense, offense goes to defense.  Two thirds of the way through the game, make the same  rotation.  Thus all players will have played in each zone.  At the end of the game, the teacher may wish to count up the bean bags to see who won.  Or not.

If there are 24 players, this game can accommodate everyone, with 4 players from each team in each zone.  With 32 players, an extra group of 4 can be included for each team (even groups of five can be used for 40 players total, with one group rotating out each time).  One group rotates out after being on offense (The group which starts out will go to defense on the first rotation).  This group can do the scoring and ball inbounding, and the game will have to be played in 4 quarters rather than 3 periods.  A score sheet, poster or scoreboard may be used instead of bean bags.

Other 3 Zone Game Variants (all need: cones, pinnies, hoops and bean bags or score chart/board):

Soccer
(Need: 3-6 soccer balls, can be played with up to 6 players in each zone).  This game is a good for playing outdoors on a full field.  The field is similarly divided up with cones into defense, midfield and offense.  I usually play throw ins for out of bounds on the far side of the field, and all out of bounds are goalies ball.  Again, start with one ball, throw in another quickly, and add more as they get used to it.  I have played this with as young as third graders - they love it!

Field Hockey
(Need: up to 4 soft balls).  Can be played in or out doors, only with a softer ball and no hits allowed (push passes only), for obvious reasons.  Up to 5 players in each zone

LaCrosse
(Need: up to 5 softer balls).  I have only played this with college students.  The rules are similar but I include a wing area of about 5 yards width along the sidelines, and only the wings are allowed in this area.  The wings can be one of the offensive players from each team and are allowed the full length of the field.  Can be played indoors or out.  Number of players per zone varies with size of playing field: up to 6 per zone.