Bones and Cones is a recreational game that has been played at Sinaloa Middle School since the 1980s. Rich Gerhardt, the principal of Sinaloa from 1983 to 1988, took inspiration from the traditional game of Dodgeball and created his own playful yet competitive game. The game has grown in popularity through the Novato Unified School District and has spread to San Marin High School.
The game is played between two teams, ranging from only a few players to the whole class joining on a basketball court. The main objective is to knock the other team’s volleyball off the traffic cone before they knock off yours. The volleyball is protected by a goalie who is the only player with immunity. The most popular strategy is to eliminate as many opponents as possible so that it is easier to knock the less guarded volleyball off. They can not get out of the game but are allowed to sit or kneel in front of the volleyball to guard it from the incoming balls. The teams are separated by the mid-line boundary in the center of the court, where the balls are lined up at the beginning of each game. Two players from each team are selected to run up to the mid-line and grab as many balls as possible for their team after the first whistle is blown. Once each team has collected their balls, the second whistle will be blown to signal that they are now allowed to throw them. A player is out if they get hit below the shoulders, hit someone above the shoulders, or their thrown ball is caught by another player. Once a player has been hit, they must sit out for the rest of the game unless one of their teammates makes a basket in the opposite net.
At Sinaloa, Bones and Cones is used as a way to bring students together as a fun Physical Education (PE) or lunch time activity. The school holds competitive tournaments in January that take place over three to four weeks of lunchtime games. Each homeroom teacher creates a team of ten students to represent the class in the tournament and at least three girls must be signed up. They then battle against other classes to try and earn first place in their grade level.
Scott Himes, the athletic director and head of Sinaloa’s PE department, coordinates most of the games and schedules. He believes students enjoy playing the game because of its intense and exciting nature.
“It’s an opportunity to play for a school home room competitive team and students enjoy playing in front of their peers in a celebrated and spirited environment,” Himes said. “It creates positive memories and stories that students talk about years later.”
At San Marin, Bones and Cones is part of the school’s activities during rallies. These rallies are meant to bring the grades together and celebrate that point in the school year. Leadership students are the people who are picking and setting up the rally games, and their goal is to make the experience engaging and entertaining for all students. Leadership student and junior Mia Thoms has been helping plan rallies for three years.
“I think audience participation is what we’re always trying to get more of,” Thoms said.
Most recently, during this year’s homecoming rally, the seniors and freshmen battled against the sophomores and juniors in an exciting game of Bones and Cones to see who was the better class. Only a few students from each class were chosen to participate, while the rest of the school watched the match.
Freshman Colten Ford frequently participated in Sinaloa Bones and Cones tournaments when he was in middle school and has played in the most recent San Marin rally games.
“I thought it was very fun and something that anyone can do,” Ford said.
Since its creation, Bones and Cones has been part of the yearly activities at Sinaloa and San Marin, and will continue to promote friendly competitiveness between students.
