TOTALLY TEXAS TEAM BUILDING
To build a team in Texas you need the creativity of Tex Schramm, the patience of Tom Landry and the fun loving spirit of Dandy Don Meredith. With that in mind, we have put together a Totally Texas Team Building exercise for theme parties or visiting Yankees, with real Texas sized fun built in to every challenge. Below please find a list of games and some general ideas and concepts about how the team building will work.
Teams can be pre-selected, chosen by pre-selected captains or selected at random. We generally prefer to keep team sizes smaller than a dozen participants per team. Significantly larger groups make the spirit of the team harder to build. One of our favorite team selection methods involves passing out bandannas as participants enter the room. Teams are then later paired up based on the color of their team’s “Texas uniform.” This technique works best for groups that need to work together, but already have cliques or groups.
Selecting a Captain – Each team is placed in groups and is given some things to accomplish. First, each group selects a team captain. The captain is selected in any manner the team chooses, and will act as the conduit for giving instructions on exercises and acting as the final arbiter in team matters.
Team Name and Team Cheer – These first exercises are designed to improve the communication of the newly formed team, and break down barriers to enhance individual participation within the group. First the team selects the team name, so that gets everyone talking and laughing. Team names are posted on a large white board for scoring during the rest of the exercises. Next the group selects a team cheer or song. These are usually humorous and points are awarded based on originality, teamwork and performance skills.
Shoot
the Can – Contestants vie to see who the best with a
slingshot or cork gun is by competing to knock the most objects off a cactus.
Points are awarded to add to team scores.
Crawfish Races – The Deep East Texans' race of choice. Contestants select their "mounts" from a large "paddock" area. Races find the winner the first off a large circular table. We eat the losers! Boiled Mudbugs is an East Texas delicacy (in season). Points and food are awarded the winners of each heat.
Cow Chip Shuffleboard – A Texas adaptation of the recreation hall favorite. Playoffs allow participants to warm up on "horse biscuits" and move up to real "chow chips" for the finals. This wild activity really makes "scents". Chips are pushed with a large broom to garner points.
East Texas Lawn Washers – The lowest impact sport in the world. East Texans too poor to afford horseshoes developed this game using washers and tin cans. This adaptation is fast moving, easy to learn and guaranteed fun for up to 16 competitors at a time.
Roper Ring Toss – Teams select their best “ropers” and build to their point score by tossing a rope ring over various objects. Objects include cactus, boots, a cowboy hat and a roadrunner.
Rollo Roper – Team members are mounted on a life-sized mechanical horse with a western saddle. When the participant kicks the side of the horse, a small calf rolls out from underneath it. Winning teams are the most successful in throwing a real lariat over the moving calf.
Justin Time Putter – Golfers on the team will excel in this challenge. Teams putt real golf balls with a putter with a Texas twist. As opposed to a normal putter, a boot is substituted for the club head. You’ll get a kick out of this.
Big Barefoot Redskin Relay – Four competitors from each team share two large red, bare feet. All team members must work together to walk sharing a common “foot.” Hence, all team members must simultaneously lift the same leg and move the right leg forward, then left, right, left!
Armadillo Races – It just don't get more Texas than 'dillos! Nine-banded armadillos are "steered" down the track by guests selected as "jockeys.” Handlers are available all evening to answer questions (and believe me, there will be questions aplenty about the fascinating State mascot). This is usually an event for team captains and the final event of the day. Maximum points are awarded for this event so the last place team can overtake first with a perfect score.
Quick Draw – A gunfighter awaits your challenge. You will be given a holster and gun. The gunfighter will teach you how to draw, cock and fire the gun. You will have a few practice shots and then the challenge begins to see who the fastest draw of the old west is. There is a timer that times how many hundredths of a second you do your quick draw competition.
Jail Break – How many grade B westerns have you seen in which the prisoner breaks out of jail by throwing something at the sheriff’s keys and dragging them back into the cell to enable an escape? Well, this game tests those skills. The players are placed in 3-D “jail” and timed to see how long it takes them to capture the keys with a grappling hook. The players’ best scores are posted for competition.
Test of Nerves – Contestants will check to see if they have the steady nerves required to become a blacksmith. By holding a large iron ring, future smithies will attempt to traverse an electrified course of obstacles without allowing the pliers to touch the sides of the course. A perfect score provides a peaceful silence, one false step results in buzzes. Timed scores will be posted for competitions.
Cookie’s
Flapjack Fling
– Players must toss a faux flapjack out of a heavy iron skillet and onto a table
set for four hungry cowpokes. The camp cook had to feed the boys quickly and
get them back in the saddle. This tests your strong wrist, good aim and the
skills acquired from years of cowboy cookery.
Meadow Muffin Toss – A game that uses a Frisbee that resembles the meadow after the cows go home. These “meadow muffins” are tossed into a specialized basket used in Frisbee golf. The largest number of “putts” made in succession is tallied. May the best muffin tosser win!
Redneck Horseshoes – How does a Redneck play horseshoes in Texas? Well, with open-front, horseshoe-shaped toilet lids of course! This silly game is played by chunkin’ the “shoes” over posts made of (what else?) plungers. This is a photo-op deluxe of your favorite party guest or CEO. Two man teams or singles.
World Tour of Texas – Partygoers challenge the clock and each other to beat the best time. Times are clocked and posted to see which guest can take a remote control car through the obstacle course the fastest. Guests visit internationally know locations in Texas such as Paris, Athens and Palestine.
Mechanical Bull – Urban Cowboy Thriller! Skilled operators control speed and movement and customize ride to guests’ personality and sill level. Talk nice and you get a leisurely ride, talk rough or get cocky and well…you will appreciate the inflated mat, side bumpers and safety features. NO BULL!