JUMP FOR Game card: JUMPING Low (0cm) hurdle or cones and a stick, landing mat For athletes to jump for height from one foot, landing on two feet Group athletes in threes, each with a jumping area. ON R MARKS From a 5º angle, athletes take two or three steps towards the bar. They jump over the bar, pushing off from one foot and landing on two feet. Groups swap after two or three goes. Jumping leg: hip, knee and ankle extend, in that order, at take-off. Free leg pushes up and forwards. Athlete stays tall with high hips. Lengthen the run up Move to a high jump mat and put the bar higher up. Have a soft landing area. Always do a two-footed landing.
Game card: JUMPING relay TRIPLE SKILL Three coloured markers and one landing mat per group For athletes to perform a hop, step and jump in sequence Group athletes into fours of similar ability. Make sure each group has a jumping and landing area. ON R MARKS Athletes put down the markers, equally spaced, in a straight line to the landing area. Athletes perform a HOP, STEP, JUMP from standing still, landing by each marker. Gradually move the markers, up to -m. Balanced landing. Hop, Step, Jump (uses same leg, other leg, both). Consistent rhythm:. Free leg pushes up and forwards. 5 Athlete stays tall with high hips. Change the sequence of jumps. Landing area is soft. Encourage a balanced, soft, two-footed landing.
goal RAID THE Game card: RUNNING Cones, hoops, beanbags, stopwatch For athletes to run continuously for the length of the activity Set out two bases 50-00m apart. Put 0 beanbags at each base, inside a hoop. Create two teams of equal numbers. ON R MARKS Athletes run steadily to the opponents base, then squat down to pick up one beanbag each. Athletes run back to home base and place their beanbags inside the hoop. Teams keep stealing the opposing team s beanbags until the whistle blows. Relaxed shoulders. Tall running position. Steady pace. Shorten/lengthen the activity time. Shorten/lengthen the course. Change to a relay to allow recovery. Ask other Activators how to use space. Keep the athletes active.
race SHARK TAG Game card: RUNNING Cones, chalk For athletes to run faster over short distances and be aware of others Mark out a 0m x 0m rectangle with four red cones. Chalk an island near each corner. Chalk a ship near the centre. Divide athletes into sharks and sailors. ON R MARKS When the sailors hear Abandon ship! they run to an island without getting tagged (eaten) by a shark. A tagged sailor becomes a shark. Sailors sprint back to ship, avoiding the sharks. Keep going until all the sailors have become sharks. Head up, looking around. Athletes start in On your marks position: one foot and opposite arm forward (right leg, left arm). Athletes lean forward as they start to move. Athletes push down and back with their feet. 5 Arms moving quickly. Increase the area. Teams sprint to a set island. Fewer islands. Make sure athletes don t bump into each other. Encourage athletes to keep heads up. Make sure area is dry.
WIN THE chase Game card: RUNNING Coloured cones, relay batons Set up three lines of cones: a start line, a changeover line 5m A=Chaser B=Escaper C=Observer ON R MARKS For athletes to pass a baton while they are sprinting B (Escaper) puts a cone between (Observer) tells B how far behind A Next challenge: B positions the Next challenge: A must catch B at 5 Change roles and introduce a relay Gradual acceleration Concentration A, B and C, form a Change to groups of Set up the race Make sure running surface is dry. Show athletes the walk-back areas. Ask observers to stand to one side.
Lead THE PACK Game card: RUNNING 5-0cm hurdles or a similar obstacle to jump, cones For athletes to decide their lead leg when sprinting over hurdles, but to practise both lead legs ON R MARKS 5 Use low, light obstacles. Keep the athletes active. Tell athletes to walk back to the start, outside the hurdling area.
Leapor sandpit THE GAP Game card: RUNNING JUMPING Cones, dry take-off surface, dry landing area: For athletes to jump further Mark out boundaries, take-off and landing zones. Divide the athletes into groups of three or four. Each group takes it in turns to jump for distance. ON R MARKS Athletes stand with their feet a little apart. Athletes bend their knees then straighten them quickly pushing up and forwards. Athletes land on two feet. One athlete in the team marks where the back of the feet land. 5 Next time, the athlete aims to beat their distance. Soft landing on both feet. Athletes stretching tall and thin in the air. Athletes pushing off the balls of their feet. On take-off, hips, knees and ankles stretch, in that order. Do more than one jump. Jump the same distance as your partner. Make it a team contest. Keep all athletes involved (use small groups). Change activity if athletes get bored.
race PACE THE Game card: RUNNING Cones, coloured markers, beanbags or similar, a whistle, a stopwatch For athletes to run at a constant, comfortable pace Set out the running area in the shape of a horseshoe, 0-0m long. Divide athletes into teams of four; give each team a colour and two beanbags. Explain that you will blow the whistle at regular intervals every 0 seconds, for instance. Athletes score points for getting within 5m of a beanbag. More points for getting closer. ON R MARKS beanbags and drops one when they running round the horseshoe and drop the second beanbag on the second whistle. The second athlete has to reach each beanbag as the whistle blows. The third and fourth runners do the same. Teams score a point for each Judging the pace. Relaxed shoulders. Quiet footsteps. Change the lead runner. Increase the running time Teams perform relays Use a dry running area.
PowerGame card: THE BALL THROWING Footballs/ basketballs, benches For athletes to perform an overhead heaving throw, forwards and backwards Pair up the athletes, with a ball each. ON R MARKS apart. arms. Use appropriate equipment. Make sure athletes collect balls at the same time, when you tell them. Ask athletes to carry equipment back to the bench.
Quick Game card: RUNNING Cones, whistle SMART START For athletes to accelerate with good posture from stationary positions ON R MARKS Work in small groups. Use cones to mark out the sprint area. Tell athletes to walk back to the start, outside the sprint area. Keep athletes running every minute or two.
gold PUSH FOR Game card: THROWING Cones, footballs or light medicine balls For athletes to boost their heart rate and do a two-handed, pushing throw Set out lines of cones over 0-0m with a goal line at one end. Group the athletes into teams of two pairs. Each team has a line of cones and a ball. ON R MARKS each other. They are sideways to the goal. Athletes push-pass the ball to each other while moving towards the goal. On reaching the goal they run back to the start and give the ball to the next pair, who set off. Athletes score points for reaching the goal without dropping the ball. Smiles, laughter and increased breathing. Knees bent throughout. Shoulders and elbows fully stretched on a throw. stretched out on a throw. Swap sides. Make the race area bigger. Use a heavier ball. Use single-handed push. Make sure running surface is dry. Show athletes the walk-back areas. Keep observers standing to one side.
WAY TO Game card: THROWING throw Foam rockets/ beanbags/turbo javs/small balls/ vortex howler, cones For athletes to perform an overhead pulling throw Set up throwing stations -m apart Ideally throw against a wall or fence. Put athletes in pairs of similar abilities; one will throw and one will collect. ON R MARKS Athletes face forwards and throw objects over their heads with a slightly bent arm. Athletes repeat the throw with one foot in front of the other. Athletes throw again, but now turn sideways on. Ask athletes to name the best throwing position: face on, split feet or sideways. Practise throwing from the chosen position. Keep the elbow high (above shoulder height) and release object high. Standing tall when throwing. A two-handed throw with athletes using a large ball. Make sure all athletes throw and collect at the same time. Tell athletes not to throw if someone s standing in front of them!
Athletes should try to select and maintain an appropriate pace VARIED PACED RUNNING ORGANISATION To help athletes develop good pace judgement and build up their stamina markers for each pair, stopwatch(es), pen and paper (each), tape measure Ideally, work with a partner of similar ability In pairs, athletes put down two markers to enable them to run between point A and point B. Each run is known as a shuttle. Each pair decides the distance between their markers and where they run (distance between markers shouldn t be too far). This enables the athletes to perform at their own level. METHOD Not all of the tasks need be covered in one session: athletes can work through them over a series of sessions (they would need to make a note of the distance between their markers if tasks are to be performed at a later date). The tasks are designed so that if athletes complete them at one time, the intensity of the running gradually increases then decreases. This means they are more likely to recognise the difference between various paces. If tasks are split, an appropriate warm up and cool down is vital. Athletes perform an appropriate warm up. One athlete in each pair runs at a time, with their partner helping to count the number of shuttles completed. After each run, athletes change places with their partner: the person who the number of shuttles, calculates the number they need to achieve for the next task. Athletes perform an appropriate cool down. 5 Athletes can use two set lines to run between (for example, court markings). They can also measure the distance between their own markers with a tape measure or by pacing, so that they can monitor their improvements over time. Ensure athletes work at a safe distance from one another. Ensure athletes are wearing suitable footwear. If this task is being performed in hot weather, ensure athletes have access to water and are adequately hydrated.
ATHLETE GUIDANCE NOTES BEFORE START Perform an appropriate warm up. Place your two markers in the area indicated by your coach don t make them too far apart. Work through the tasks with a partner. For each task, athlete A runs runs or shuttles while performing muscle stretches (hold stretches for 6-8 seconds). Change positions, then move on to the next task. Don t forget to write down the number of shuttles each time. TASK TASK TASK TASK TASK 5 Run between your two markers at a comfortable pace for 0 seconds select a pace you could carry on running for up to 0 minutes. Count how many shuttles you manage to complete. Now you have 60 You are now going to The aim now is to The aim now is to run seconds to try to run double the number of shuttles you ran in Task. try to run slightly quicker select a pace you could maintain for - minutes. increase the pace again to a pace you could continue for minute. again at your original comfortable pace the pace you ran for Tasks You should try to run at the Take the number of Take the number of and. same pace you don t shuttles you completed shuttles you completed in You have minutes want to beat your target in Task. Divide this by Task. Divide this by two to try to run double the but try to meet it exactly. two and see if you can and see if you can run number of shuttles you ran For example, if you ran complete more shuttles in slightly further than this in in Task. You should be 0 shuttles in Task, your 0 seconds. For example, 5 seconds. For example, trying to run at the same target for Task would be if you ran 0 shuttles in if you ran shuttles in pace, you don t want 0 shuttles ( x 0). 60 seconds, your target 0 seconds, your target to beat your target. For would be more than 0 would be to run more than example, if you ran 0 shuttles in 0 seconds. six shuttles in 5 seconds. shuttles in Task, your target for Task 5 would be 0 shuttles.
ATHLETICS CIRCUIT To practise key athletics skills through various circuit training activities ORGANISATION Ensure stations are well spaced out. Spread athletes evenly around the circuit, ensuring there is room and equipment at each station to accommodate the number of athletes working. Lay out the circuit as shown on reverse of card (or similar). An activator or non-participating athlete can help coordinate the throwing station and make sure the conditioning exercises are timed. Ensure that athletes work at a safe distance from one another. The throwing activity should be performed in a contained area, with balls thrown away from other activities. Athletes must Encourage athletes to perform activities with good technique emphasise the need to take notice of the coaching points on the card for each station. Tennis balls (for throws), long jump pit (can use grass), relay batons, stopwatches (one for central timing and one to time) METHOD Athletes perform an athletics circuit based on selected athletics skills and conditioning exercises. Cards are placed at each circuit station to illustrate the activity to perform and key coaching points. Each skill/task should be taught to athletes prior to performing the circuit. They should have a chance to practise them. Athletes work at each station for 6-7 minutes and have minute to move to the next exercise and read the circuit card have to do next. 5 Older students should be able to work independently, with the activator(s) moving round the circuit to provide advice, particularly at the throwing and jumping stations. Younger athletes will need closer supervision. Athletes should always perform an appropriate warm up beforehand 6 Emphasis is on quality of movement rather than quantity, above all for throwing and jumping. 7 Stations within the circuit include: Endurance run (around three cones) Standing long jump onto mat Sprinting (between cones) Javelin action ball throw (using a tennis ball) The four groups start at different stations and move in numerical order (note: station follows station ). When all groups have completed a circuit, everyone moves onto station 5 (relay baton passing push pass technique) and the groups compete against each other. 8 Athletes perform an appropriate cool down.
EXAMPLE OF CIRCUIT LAT Endurance Run Standing Long Jump DIRECTION OF THROW THROWING LINE Javelin Action/Ball Throw Sprinting 5 Relay Baton Passing