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FLOORBALL ACADEMY

COACHING CERTIFICATION

Point 8 Training & Development, Inc. © 2013 0

“We Take Action to Change Lives through Sport and

Community Development”

2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Page | 1 --- Point 8 Training & Development, Inc. © 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4

The Floorball Academy............................................................................................................. 6

The modules are as follows ..................................................................................................... 7

Module 1: The Prerequisites ....................................................................................................... 9

The Opening Whistle: ............................................................................................................. 10

The Coach’s Toolbag .............................................................................................................. 22

Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 23

Activity – A ............................................................................................................................. 24

Module 2: The Concept ............................................................................................................. 26

The Opening Whistle: ............................................................................................................. 27


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 32

Activity – B ............................................................................................................................. 33

Module 3: The Model ................................................................................................................ 35


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 41

Activity – C.............................................................................................................................. 42

Module 4: The “Am’s” ............................................................................................................... 44


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 52

Activity – D ............................................................................................................................. 53


Module 5: The “Must’s” ............................................................................................................ 55

The Coach’s Toolbag............................................................................................................... 58

Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 59

Activity – E .............................................................................................................................. 60

Module 6: The Impact ............................................................................................................... 62


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 67

Activity – F .............................................................................................................................. 68

Module 7: The Strategies .......................................................................................................... 70


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 81

Activity – G ............................................................................................................................. 82

Module 8: The Activities ............................................................................................................ 85


Video Footage ........................................................................................................................ 95

Activity – H ............................................................................................................................. 96

Module 9: The Program ............................................................................................................. 98

Video Footage ...................................................................................................................... 100

Activity – I ............................................................................................................................. 101

Advanced Training: Beyond the Game .................................................................................... 103

Examination .......................................................................................................................... 106

References ............................................................................................................................ 107


INTRODUCTION

Message to the Coach

The Floorball Academy

Overview of the Manual


A MESSAGE TO THE COACH Thank you for embarking on this one of a kind coaching journey. We are excited to share with you our years of extensive Floorball experience and coaching knowledge in order to help you better support the Floorball athletes in your area.

As a prospective Floorball Academy Certified Coach (FACC), you will learn way more than just how to develop physical skills or “physical literacy” in your participants. You will be able to evaluate the importance of skill development that goes beyond the physical and learn to value the social aspects of personal development that contribute to a participant’s overall Floorball experience.

With your passion for the sport of Floorball and this exciting coaching platform at your disposal, we can work together to grow Floorball community by community, state by state, and country by country.

Are you ready? ...Let’s go!


THE FLOORBALL ACADEMY The Floorball Academy, offered by Point 8 Training & Development Inc., will serve as your hub for the highest quality Floorball programs and services in developing physical literacy and social literacy in your participants.

All of the programs and services offered to you through the Floorball academy are based on the ground-breaking model outlined in the book entitled, “The New Game Plan – Using Sports to Raise Happy, Healthy, and Successful Kids.”

All coaching and training programs have been developed for you by clinical sports counsellor, Stephen R. Raghoobarsingh, M.A. and Floorball coaching specialist, Greg Beaudin. Training programs typically consist of a theoretical component, practical component, observation component, written examination, and re-certification all of which fully support the Canadian Sport for Life’s Long-Term Athlete Development initiative.

OVERVIEW OF THE MANUAL As a FACC, you will learn about innovative tools to effectively support the athletic and personal development of your participants through Floorball.

Prior to taking this certification program, please ensure that you have met the following criteria:

• Have read and fully understood each chapter of “The New Game Plan – Using Sports to Raise Happy, Healthy, and Successful Kids”

• Have prior coaching experience and/or athletic experience in organized sports

This manual is written in a manner that assumes you have a prior working knowledge of the perquisite material and prior athletic experience.

The certification program is made up of 9 distinct modules. Please note the following:

• Successful completion of each module’s activity and a passing grade on the final examination is required for a coach to receive certification.

• Each module below discusses key aspects of the training program that are designed to support the athletic and personal development of each participant.

• The activities at the end of each module, although self-monitored, highlight major concepts of this program that will appear on the final examination. You are strongly encouraged to complete each activity to ensure that you fully grasp each concept.


THE MODULES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

Module 1: The Prerequisites

Module 2: The Concept

Module 3: The Model

Module 4: The “Am’s”

Module 5: The “Must’s”

Module 6: The Impact

Module 7: The Strategies

Module 8: The Activities

Module 9: The Program

Each module, in addition to the key area of focus, will be made up of the following sections:

The Coach’s Toolbag (except for Module 9)

Video Footage

Activity

“The Coach’s Toolbag” will provide you with some extra tips and strategies. The “Video Footage” will provide you with visual aids related to the discussion in each module. And, the “Activity” will outline home activities and exercises designed to help you further understand each module’s area of focus that will also be represented in the final examination.


MODULE 1

THE PREREQUISITES


MODULE 1: THE PREREQUISITES

The Opening Whistle The History of Floorball The Culture of Floorball Understanding the Code The Coach’s Role Safety First The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – A


THE OPENING WHISTLE: In Module 1, you will be given a whirlwind tour of the history and basic details of the game of Floorball. Appreciating these aspects of this growing sport, including Floorball’s unique culture, is crucial to developing the game in a healthy fashion.


THE HISTORY OF FLOORBALL Floorball, also known as innebandy, unihockey, and salibandy, originated in Sweden in the early 1970’s. Although it began as a school pastime, the sport rapidly emerged throughout the Nordic regions.

In 1986, the International Floorball Federation (IFF) was founded and 23 years later in, 2009, Floorball was being played in over 80 countries by over 2.5 million people.

In the most popular Floorball regions, such as Sweden and Finland, the sport is more popular than hockey. In fact, Floorball has been officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and may be included in the program for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Although, Floorball now stands on its own accord as a bona fide international sport, it is also becoming highly regarded as a platform activity. In other words, Floorball is being utilized by hockey players to further enhance and develop their hockey playing skills. Currently, numerous top-flight professional hockey players and junior prospects have incorporated Floorball training and techniques into their training regimen.


THE CULTURE OF FLOORBALL The sport of Floorball, which is a diverse blend of North America’s floor hockey, ice hockey, and the Swedish game of bandy, is known for its inclusivity and accessibility as evidenced in its equipment design. For example, Floorball sticks and balls have not only been designed to be more functional and technically superior to other “hockey-style” sports, but they are significantly more cost-effective. As a result, the sport possesses less risk and embraces a wider demographic.

Today, Floorball is viewed as the global brand of indoor gym hockey and is referred to by many other names including Innebandy (Sweden, Norway, and Denmark), Salibandy (Finland), and Unihockey (Switzerland). In English, these terms translate to Indoor Bandy, Hall Bandy, and Universal Hockey.

With Floorball on the rise, more and more participants are being exposed to the many benefits of this sport. Respect, tolerance, and good sportsmanship are hallmarks of the Floorball culture. These attributes, along with its fast pace and widespread appeal, have helped to make Floorball an Olympic pathway sport.

No examination of the culture of Floorball would be complete without talking about the “magic” of Floorball. The stick and ball designs allow for players to develop extraordinary stickhandling skills that have led to a Floorball by-product activity known as “Zorro”. Zorro is an aspect of Floorball culture that focuses on stickhandling wizardry. Zorro’s influence on the culture of floorball can be seen globally, and with exposure through the world wide web, has gained great popularity.


RULES OF THE GAME Some of the rules that distinguish Floorball from other sports and shape the culture of the game are as follows:

The ball must be struck below knee level

After an infraction, possession is given to the opposition, where a “free-hit” occurs

Players must keep the stick below the waist at all times

Players must refrain from intentionally hitting an opposing player's stick and must play the ball

Players must refrain from player obstruction or body checking

Players, with the exception of goalies, must refrain from playing the ball with their hands or their heads

Off-sides and icings are non-existent

Goalies play mostly on their knees but may stand up and move around in their designated crease

There is zero-tolerance for overtly aggressive behaviour

The captain is the only player permitted to communicate with officials (any other player that contravenes this rule will receive a penalty and/or an ejection based on the official’s discretion)


EQUIPMENT COSTS On the whole, Floorball equipment is far less expensive than the equipment used for floor hockey or ball hockey. This is due in large part to the less violent nature of Floorball. Since violent contact is discouraged, gloves, helmets, knee pads, etc. are not required and only shoes and a stick are needed. Sticks retail anywhere between $20 and $250 each.

Goalkeepers do require added protection including padded pants, chest protectors, knee pads, face-masks, and gloves but the cost of this equipment is still less expensive than the goalie equipment costs associated with hockey-related activities.

THE STICK The Floorball stick is not only shorter than a hockey stick, it also has a plastic blade that is much rounder than a hockey stick blade and permits a player to handle and control the ball a lot better. The Floorball stick is also significantly lighter and more maneuverable.

THE SHOES As you might expect, footwear is a critical part of a Floorball player’s gear. The most suitable shoes are those designed for court sports such as volleyball and racquetball. These shoes possess a lighter weight than, say, tennis shoes, and are designed with a slip-resistant sole that improves a Floorball player’s stability.

THE BALL In Floorball, the scoring object is an aerodynamically crafted ball that is approximately 23 grams in weight. With hundreds of dimples, and 26 holes, in its design, the ball is developed to reduce air resistance and can reach up to speeds of 200 km/hr.

GOALIES Goaltenders in Floorball, unlike their counterparts in hockey, begin play on their hands and knees. Not only are they able to use their hands and bodies to stop the ball, but they are also permitted to throw the ball back into play.


THE FLOORBALL RINK The shape of a Floorball rink is very similar to that of an ice hockey rink, but smaller in actual size. The dimensions are typically 40 m long x 20 m wide and the Floorball rink is identifiable by its rink boards. However, Floorball rink boards are approximately 50 cm high and made of plastic or fiber glass.

ZORRO

Zorro, or “freebandy,” is a sport that spawned from Floorball and focuses on stick-handling. Also, known as “airhooking or “skyhooking”, zorro players use air resistance and quick, deft moves to keep the ball “stuck” to their stick. The stick that is used by a player to zorro actually has a pocket in the blade which allows the ball to sit better and supports the ball being “stuck.” This stick is considered legal and may be used in competitive Floorball games.

*check out the following clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIaREjjbWWU


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIaREjjbWWU

THE GAME OF FLOORBALL With the worldwide expansion of Floorball, the game has seen a huge increase in participation at all levels of play. In competitive Floorball, professional leagues and numerous international competitions have led to the sport being officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In recreational Floorball, people of all ages are experiencing the fun, social, safe, and inclusive nature of the game resulting in exponential growth between 1996 and 2009. In this 13 year-span, the sport went from being played in 20 countries to 80.

Competitive Floorball Recreational Floorball

Some of the rules that distinguish Floorball


UNDERSTANDING THE CODE In order to successfully build upon the history and the culture of the game of Floorball, it is important for coaches to accept their role in the development of the game through proper instruction and professionalism. Without this “code,” the growth of Floorball will inevitably suffer. Therefore, when working with Floorball participants, parents, and staff, all coaches will adhere to the four major values that make up this code:

1. Respect

2. Integrity

3. Diversity

4. Fun

RESPECT You will exude respect at all times. Regardless of the situation, you will do everything in your power to ensure that an individual feels valued and heard.

INTEGRITY You will behave in a manner that reflects integrity. Throughout your coaching drills, exercises, lessons, and discussions your honesty and ethical consistency will empower your participants to do the same.

DIVERSITY You will value diversity of all kinds. Individuals, regardless of their gender, ethnic origin, religion, physical ability, or sexual orientation will be welcomed, embraced, and included.

FUN You will deliver all activities in a fun manner. Participants will experience Floorball as a positive sporting and learning experience and will be able to use this sport as a platform for the rest of their lives.


THE COACH’S ROLE So, what makes the Floorball Academy (FA) coach different from other coaches belonging to other sports? Well, FA coaches, after completing the Point 8 Floorball Coaching Certification Program, will develop the tools and the awareness to be better able to support participants to:

enhance their athletic skill development

improve their performance

build their self-esteem through healthier Floorball participation

support their mental skills and psychological development

develop their social literacy

SAFETY FIRST As a coach, you are fully responsible for the safety and security of your participants. Below is a list of basic safety procedures with which to familiarize yourself. However, this list in no way replaces the comprehensive policies and procedures that are prescribed by your association or organization. By undertaking this certification program you are ensuring that you have met the safety training requirements established by your member organization including valid first-aid training certification prior to signing up for this certification.

The Point 8 Floorball Coaching Certification Program does not offer safety training. The safety points below are simply reminders and in no way replace the official safety or first-aid training that is required by your member organization. If your member organization does not require safety or first-aid training, it is your individual responsibility to ensure that you possess valid first-aid training certification.


EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & PROGRAM START-UP Familiarize yourself with the Floorball program space before the program

commences. Questions you need to be able to answer include the following: o Where are the facility’s washrooms? o Where is the fire extinguisher and alarm pulls? o Are there water fountains available for use? o Is there phone access? o Where are the emergency exits and the main entrance?

Designate an outside meeting place in case of emergency and inform your staff and participants

Check the Floorball equipment to ensure that it is functional and safe You must be the first and last person to leave the program space and ensure that

the space is secure when entering and exiting

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Check with your supervisor regarding the specific procedures related to the facility

in which you are coaching Ensure that a first aid kit is on site Assess any emergency or crisis situation Call 911 and administer first aid treatment, if required. Driving participants in your

vehicle is prohibited Contact parent/guardian of the participant(s) affected by the situation and contact

your supervisor Complete all relevant forms ie. accident form, incident report form, etc.

FIRE EMERGENCY Pull the fire alarm and call 911 Conduct a head count and gather all participants Inform participants where to gather outside Exit the facility/program area with your participants (use a pre-determined route

and outside meeting place) Contact your supervisor as soon as possible


PHOTO RELEASE FORMS Any photos or recordings of participants must be approved by a supervisor and

consent must be given by the participant or his or her parent or guardian if they are not of legal age

All media or press must be directed to your supervisor to obtain approval before photos of participants can be taken or publicized.

Photo release forms can be obtained through your supervisor and written consent must be given by all parents or guardians of the participants involved

SUN SAFETY Encourage your participants to wear the following when playing Floorball outside: sunscreen

o a hat o a shirt that covers the arms o sunglasses

Give your participants enough time to apply sunscreen before going outside Look for a shady place as a home base when playing Floorball outside (ie. under a

tree or a park shelter). Practice sun safety yourself ie. if participants see that you are protecting yourself,

they are more likely to do so as well

LOST CHILD PROCEDURE – ON SITE Stop activity, secure all exits, and survey all areas of the room immediately If the participant is not located, immediately notify your supervisor, call 911 and

contact the parent/guardian of the participant Be prepared to give a detailed description of the participant and the events leading

up to the disappearance to the authorities If the “buddy” system was used in the program, ask the participant’s buddy and the

other participants when they last saw the lost participant. One staff member or volunteer will be allocated to stay with the remaining

participants while an instructor and all available staff and volunteers survey the facility and adjoining outside areas

Once authorities have taken over the search, resume activities with remaining children ensuring they are comfortable and have addressed any immediate concerns regarding the lost participant

Fill out an incident report immediately and provide a copy to your supervisor


LOST CHILD – OFF SITE When there is:

a) Only one coach, stop the activity, secure all exits, and survey all areas of the facility and adjoining outside areas immediately.

b) Request that an adult volunteer be made available, have them stay with the remaining participants while you survey the building and adjoining outside areas

If the participant is not located, immediately notify your supervisor, call 911 and contact the parent/guardian of the participant

Be prepared to give a detailed description of the participant and the events leading up to the disappearance to the authorities

If there is not a second instructor or adult:

a) Call the recreation office to send a staff member to the site to assist

b) If it is safe to have the remaining participants accompany you, survey the building and adjoining outside areas with the children

c) Once authorities have taken over the search, resume activities with remaining participants ensuring they are comfortable and have addressed any immediate concerns regarding the lost participant.

d) Fill out an incident report immediately and provide a copy to your supervisor.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES Employ the buddy system Maintain appropriate coach/participant ratios Ensure you have access to a phone Take attendance at the beginning and end of the Floorball program Use activities to help build awareness Secure entrance and exits Accompany a participant when he or she leaves the room Ensure participants are leaving with the pick-up person indicated on their

participant form Do head counts throughout the program Position yourself effectively to observe all program space


THE COACH’S TOOLBAG Regardless of the sport, as a coach it is important that you ensure the proper tone of your program or season is established. To aid in developing a healthy overall sporting environment, learn to I.N.S.P.I.R.E. your participants.

I.N.S.P.I.R.E. The acronym I.N.S.P.I.R.E. reflects strategies that you can use to engage your players and their parents in an effective manner helping to foster a positive environment and prevent negative situations from occurring:

Inform parents through meetings, newsletters, and so forth your coaching philosophy, expectations of them, complaint handling procedures, etc.

Network with other coaches as a method of technical support and brainstorming

Skill development, instead of winning/losing, should be your primary focus as a coach

Prepare yourself beforehand through coaching clinics, training programs, and other coaching resources

Invite parents to be involved with team planning and functions as a means of developing community and team-building

Reinforce positivity and fun

Encourage, encourage, encourage


VIDEO FOOTAGE Video Link #1: The Ball The Stick The Shoes Video Link #2: The Rules


ACTIVITY – A

1. Using the concepts discussed in this Module 1, highlight the differences in the coaching styles demonstrated in Video Link #1 and Video Link #2.

2. In your experience, who would you identify as your favourite coach? What characteristics or traits did he or she possess?

*Note: your answers to this question may appear on the final examination.


MODULE 2

THE CONCEPT


MODULE 2: THE CONCEPT

Social Interest The Goose Story The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – B


THE OPENING WHISTLE: In Module 2, you will develop an in-depth understanding of a model that teaches how to effectively use Floorball to impact the overall athletic development and personal development of participants in your community.


SOCIAL INTEREST Social Interest is the major underlying concept that underlies every aspect of the FACC. Without this concept, there is no tie that binds the strategies, tools, and applications of the program you are undertaking.

Social Interest (SI) refers to the following:

“Moving together towards a common goal while balancing the needs of the individual with the needs of the group.”

Developing this sense of community in all aspects of your life is a true indicator of psychological health and social well-being.

In relation to Floorball, and sport in general, if you as a coach are able to support your athletes to develop SI by creating a balance between their own individual pursuits and their team’s goals, they will have a much better chance of becoming not just excellent athletes, but excellent people.

This, in essence is the aim of this certification program.


THE GOOSE STORY Believe it or not, one of the finest examples of Social Interest can be found in the flying patterns of Geese. The story goes something along the lines of this,

Next fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in a V formation, you may be interested to know what science has discovered. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately

following.

By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets into formation to take advantage of the lifting

power of the bird immediately in front.

When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies at the point. All the geese honk from behind to encourage those

up front to keep up their speed.

Finally – and this is important – when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshots, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend a helping hand and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to

fly or until it dies; only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.

(source: Noyes, 1992)


THE COACH’S TOOLBAG

THE LIFE WHEEL The life wheel below highlights some of the key areas of your life. It may be used as a gauge to see how well you are moving with SI.

Simply rate yourself in each area, on a scale of 0 to 10, to determine how well you are meeting your individual needs (where 0 is the poorest rating possible and 10 is best rating possible). Then do the exact same self-assessment with respect to how well you are meeting the needs of others.

Generally speaking, scores of 7 or higher are considered healthy and the difference in scores between individual needs and the needs of others in a particular area should be within 1 or 1.5 points.


SAMPLE OF A HEALTHY SI RATING

HEALTH Individual Needs: SI Rating = 8 Group Needs: SI Rating = 7 Difference in SI Rating: 1.0

SPIRITUALITY Individual Needs: SI Rating = 8 Group Needs: SI Rating = 6.5 Difference in SI Rating: 1.5

CAREER Individual Needs: SI Rating = 7 Group Needs: SI Rating = 7 Difference in SI Rating: 0.0

RELATIONSHIPS Individual Needs: SI Rating = 8 Group Needs: SI Rating = 9 Difference in SI Rating: 1.0

LEISURE Individual Needs: SI Rating = 7 Group Needs: SI Rating = 8 Difference in SI Rating: 1.0


VIDEO FOOTAGE Video Link #3:

• Miracle on Ice

Click on the following link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYscemhnf88 (or paste in separate browser or use the search term: “final minute of the miracle on ice”)


ACTIVITY – B 1. Compare Video Link #3 to the Goose Story by answering the following questions (research

the history of this game if you feel you require more information):

• Who was the favourite in this game?

• Who was the underdog in this game?

• What was the importance of this game? Using SI or the Goose Story, explain how this accomplishment was made possible?



MODULE 3

THE MODEL


MODULE 3: THE MODEL

The New Game Plan Model The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – C


THE NEW GAME PLAN MODEL In helping you to understand the model outlined in the book entitled The New Game Plan – Using Sports to Raise Happy, Healthy, and Successful Kids (hereinafter referred to as the “NGP Model”), allow me to take you through the process of developing this comprehensive framework by asking three questions that define the NGP Model in relation to Social Interest.

THE THREE KEY QUESTIONS

QUESTION #1: “What is the primary objective of any sport?”

ANSWER #1: “To win”

RELATION TO SOCIAL INTEREST: “…common goal” The answer to Question #1 does not mean or imply that winning is the most important thing. It simply allows us to discuss sports in an analytical way by identifying “the objective” aspect of sports. If our intention is to develop an all-encompassing model of sport that relates to every athletic activity, we need to examine sport objectively and Question #1 accomplishes this.

Nevertheless, there may still be people that will argue that “having fun” is the primary objective. Although it is extremely important, “fun” is not the primary objective because it cannot be measured. Fun can, however, be considered the primary “subjective” and after reviewing the entire NGP Model you will begin to understand that a true appreciation of the primary objective will help you experience more of the primary subjective, or fun, from your sporting experiences.


QUESTION #2: “How do you measure winning?”

ANSWER #2: “By scoring” “The offensive side of sports” “The scoring process”

RELATION TO SOCIAL INTEREST: “Moving together…”

Although the NGP Model focuses on the offensive side of sports, this does not mean that the defensive side of sports is unimportant. In fact, all facets of the NGP Model can be applied to the defensive side of sports. Unfortunately, not all sports possess a defensive component and if this model intends to apply to each and every sport then it has to examine an aspect that is common to each sport. For example, would it be fair to compare the defensive side of Floorball to the sport of golf, which doesn’t have a defensive side? Of course it wouldn’t. That’s why the offensive side of sports is the primary focus.


QUESTION #3: “During the scoring process, what are the different types of interaction that occur in relation to the scoring object?”

ANSWER #3: Direct Interaction: actual physical exchange of a scoring object between teammates (ie.

passing the ball in Floorball).

Communication: indirect interaction that may be verbal or non-verbal (ie. baseball signs, sweeping in curling, etc.). Indirect interaction may also reflect “score-combinations” which refer to the tallying up of scores from separate athletes. If one golfer’s round of 70 is added to another golfer’s round of 72 on the same golf team, their score-combination of 142 represents indirect interaction since each round was played independent of each other before being added.

Isolated Play: individual performances occurring without direct interaction or communication (ie. a golf shot).

RELATION TO SOCIAL INTEREST: “...balancing the needs of the individual (isolated play) with the needs of the group (direct interaction, communication)”


A NEW WAY TO CATEGORIZE SPORT Now that you understand the difference between direct interaction, communication, and isolated play, you are in a position to categorize sport in a whole new way. Instead of simply categorizing sport based on the number of participants it has, you can use the following three categories:

Team Sports or Activities: Direct Interaction: Yes

Communication: Yes Isolated Play: Yes

(Example: Floorball) Pseudo-Team Sports or Activities: Direct Interaction: No

Communication: Yes Isolated Play: Yes (Example: Baseball)

Individual Sports or Activities: Direct Interaction: No

Communication: No Isolated Play: Yes (Example: Golf)

Notice that the second category is called the “pseudo-team” category. Pseudo-team, in this case, refers to sports that appear as “team” sports, but in reality prohibit direct interaction during the scoring process (a defining characteristic of team sports) and permit participant to interact indirectly or independent of each other in a group, not a team, environment.



PSEUDO-TEAM SPORTS & ACTIVITIES The NGP model not only defines categories of sport and activities using definable criteria, it also introduces a brand new category of sport: pseudo-team sports. With this new category of sport in place, we can now place certain sports and activities in their proper place.

Baseball, for example, can be discussed in a different context along with curling and cricket. Also, activities such as team shoot-outs and team golf can be more properly termed as pseudo-team shoot-outs and pseudo-team golf.

Instinctively, many of you may have “felt” that these sports were different in some way and now you have a framework upon which to justify your original evaluations.

Understanding sport through more objective criteria is the key to using it to benefit a participant’s athletic experience as well as their personal development.



• Doubles Tennis Link

Video Link #5:

• Downhill Skiing Link

Video Link #6:

• Alternate Golf Link


ACTIVITY – C 1. Using paper and pen or in a new document on your computer or laptop, follow the

instructions below:

• Set-up a table with 3 columns. • In the column headings, write down the following: Team Sports, Pseudo-Team

Sports, and Individual Sports. • List at least 7 sports/activities based in each of these categories based on the

new criteria discussed in this module.

2. In Video Link #4, what category of sport would you place the highlighted sport under?





MODULE 4

THE AM’S


MODULE 4: THE “AM’S”

I-Am Messages The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – D


I-AM MESSAGES In this section, you will learn about the concept of “process thinking.” Process thinking, applied to the NGP Model, will help coaches to better engage participants in sports and ensure that their sports lessons turn into invaluable life lessons.

BUILDING POSITIVE BELIEFS THROUGH SPORTS Positive self-beliefs or “I-am” messages are formed when children participate in sport with skill-development, self-improvement and fun in mind. This approach to sport, as mentioned, is known as process thinking. Below are some of the positive self-beliefs associated with each sport, or activity, when children adopt a process thinking approach:

Team Sports or Activities: I am social I am contributing I am competent I am interacting well with others

Pseudo-Team Sports or Activities: I am part of a group

I am capable I am communicating well with others

Individual Sports or Activities: I am self-reliant

I am independent I am responsible

USING I-AM MESSAGES TO OUR ADVANTAGE As coaches, you are likely to come across a wide range of children with different interests and attitudes. Below are the profiles of two different children and some guided questions, answers, and instructor strategies on how to effectively work with each of them. Please remember that it is okay to make guesses about a participant’s behaviour. This is part of the job of being a coach. Trust your judgment and do the best you can.


PROFILE A Name: Sophia Age: 7 Self-Belief: I am alone (negative)

QUESTION #1: “Which type of sport or activity will Sophia gravitate to given her self-belief?”

ANSWER #1: Individual sports or activities provide Sophia with the best opportunity to be alone.

INSTRUCTOR STRATEGY: Your goal is to help Sophia convert her negative self-belief into a positive one ie. convert the negative “I am alone” belief into a positive “I am independent” belief associated with individual sports and activities (see page ??).

QUESTION #2: “What type of sports participation would be best-suited to Sophia?”

ANSWER #2: Since the goal is to establish a balanced involvement in all three types of sports/activities, Sophia will need to incorporate more pseudo-team and team activities in order to reach this goal.

INSTRUCTOR STRATEGY: Before encouraging Sophia to attempt pseudo-team or team activities it would be wise to start her off with activities in which she feels most comfortable. In a Floorball environment, Sophia’s “I am isolated” belief is supported by individual activities (ie. a stick-handling between pylons drill by herself) and healthy participation in this type of activity would be the optimal place for her to begin.

Once Sophia develops a healthy sense of stick-handling, as evidenced by the confidence and adeptness with which she is performing this skill, and builds a more positive “I am independent” message, you may begin to build upon her success by encouraging more pseudo-team activities.


Most activities can be converted into other types of activities, therefore, stick handling can be turned into a pseudo-team activity such as group stick handling. Group stick handling activities may be as simple as adding individual stick handling drill times together to achieve a group total time score. This pseudo-team activity allows Sophia to still act independently by doing her own stickhandling, which is comfortable for her, but also contributes to the group by adding her time to other stickhandling times.

It is important to note that Sophia is more likely to participate in a pseudo-team activity that is centered around her love of Floorball than a brand new, potentially “unsafe” activity, such as soccer or basketball. Once Sophia becomes gradually more comfortable with group Floorball activates and develops a healthier sense of “I am part of a group,” which is associated with pseudo-team activities (see page 19), she can be encouraged to try team Floorball activities. This will allow her to be a part of a team that interacts directly with each other to reach a common goal. Over time, continued exposure to this team will lead to her developing the belief that “I am interacting well with others” which is associated with team activities.

Once Sophia is able to participate in all three types of activities she will be in a position to learn how to balance her needs with the needs of the group. Her developed capacity for Social interest and enhanced self-esteem will increase her confidence in attempting activities previously thought of as “uncomfortable” and will positively impact other aspects of her life, as well.

In a nutshell, creating a balance between all three categories is the key to creating healthy development but as you can see it needs to be done strategically.


PROFILE B Name: Jacob Age: 8 Self-Belief: I am dependent on others (negative)

QUESTION #1: “Which type of sport will Jacob gravitate to given his self-belief?”

ANSWER #1: Team sports provide Jacob with the best chance for him to depend on others.

INSTRUCTOR STRATEGY: Our goal for Jacob is for him to convert his negative self-belief into a more positive self-belief ie. convert the negative “I am dependent on others” into “I am interacting well with others” (see page 19).

QUESTION #2: “What type of sports participation would be best-suited to Jacob?”

ANSWER #2: Since the goal of sports participation is to establish a balanced involvement in all types of sports, it would be beneficial for Jacob to involve himself in more pseudo-team and individual activities in order to achieve this balance.

INSTRUCTOR STRATEGY: Before engaging Jacob in any pseudo-team or individual activities, it would be more productive to have him participate in the types of activities in which he feels most comfortable. Remember that Jacob’s “I am dependent on others” belief is supported by team activities (ie. Floorball) and healthy participation in this type of activity would be the most appropriate place for him to start.

As Jacob builds a healthier sense of playing Floorball and develops a more positive “I am interacting well with others” message, as evidenced by his improved ability to initiate direct interaction (ie. asking to help others, offering handshakes, being comfortable with leadership, etc.) you may begin to build upon this success by encouraging more pseudo-team activities.


As indicated earlier, most activities can be transformed into other types of activities. In Jacob’s case, Floorball can be turned into a pseudo-team activity such as group breakaways. Group breakaways still allow Jacob to participate as part of a group, which is necessary in order for him to feel comfortable. When Jacob’s breakaway goals or points are added to the points of his teammates, this score-combination contributes to the group aspect although the task of performing a breakaway is done individually. Jacob is more likely to perform this individual type of task because it is focused around a sport he already enjoys. With repeated exposure, Jacob will gradually become more comfortable with the individual opportunities provided to him under a group or pseudo-team setting.

As Jacob develops a healthier sense of “I am capable” (see page ??), he may be encouraged to participate in more individual activities leading him to develop the “I am self-reliant” belief that is associated with individual sports.

Encouraging Jacob to participate in all three types of activities will put him in a better position to learn how to balance his needs with the needs of the group. His enhanced capacity for Social interest can only serve to build his self-esteem and inspire the confidence to attempt activities he once considered “uncomfortable.”

Again, as with Sophia, creating a balance between all three categories with Jacob is critical to supporting his healthy development but strategically in the opposite direction.



NGP CATEGORIES – OBSERVABLES The following table is a list of some of the observables that will help assist you in determining if your participant is improving in a given area or type of sport/activity:

Type of Interaction Level/Area of Improvement (Sport & Non-Sport)

Direct Interaction Assisting Others

Handshakes

Level of Mentorship/Volunteering

Passing

Communication Initiation of Conversations

Greetings

Level of Conversations

Smiling

Hand Gestures

Isolated Play Level of Task Initiation

Sport Object Control (ie. Dribbling)

Willingness to Attempt New Skill Drills


THE SCENARIOS The following is an outline of the investigative questions and answers that highlighted the discussion in this module:

“I AM ALONE” SCENARIO What sport will this child gravitate to?

• individual sports (I am alone, isolated)

In what sports do we want this child to participate?

• pseudo-team sports, team sports

• balanced participation in all sports

How do we get them there?

• begin where they feel “comfortable” (individual sports ie. golf)

• convert their “comfortable” activity into a pseudo-team sport (ie. team golf)

• convert the pseudo-team sport into a team sport (ie. alternate shot golf)

“I AM DEPENDENT ON OTHERS” SCENARIO What sport will this child gravitate to?

• team sports (I am dependent on others)

In what sports do we want this child to participate?

• pseudo-team sports, individual sports

• balanced participation in all sports

How do we get them there?

• begin where they feel “comfortable” (team sports ie. Florball)

• convert their “comfortable” activity into a pseudo-team sport (ie. team Floorball shoot-outs)

• convert the pseudo-team sport into an individual sport (ie. individual shoot-outs)



• Floorball Drills Link

Video Link #8:

• Floorball Drills Link


ACTIVITY – D 1. What category of activity (team activity, pseudo-team activity, or individual activity)

would the drill highlighted in Video Link #7 fall under? How come?

2. What category of activity (team activity, pseudo-team activity, or individual activity) would the drill highlighted in Video Link #8 fall under? How come?



MODULE 5

THE MUST’S


MODULE 5: THE “MUST’S”

I-Must Messages The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – E


I-MUST MESSAGES

OUTCOME THINKING Unfortunately, there are many participants who, instead of a process thinking approach to sports, develop a harmful approach to sports known as “outcome thinking.” In this section, you will discover the self-beliefs underlying outcome thinking and become aware of its warning signs.

THE DANGERS OF SPORT As you learned in the previous section, positive I-am messages develop when participants adopt a process thinking approach. However, when participants “overindulge” in sport or participate in sport to support unhealthy beliefs about themselves, negative I-am messages will further develop. This approach, as indicated earlier, is known as outcome thinking.

Unlike the positive I-am messages associated with process thinking, re-affirmed negative I-am messages are too uncomfortable to bear and, as a result, they convert into “I-must” messages as a way to protect participants from thinking poorly about themselves. Below are some of the I-must messages associated with each type of sport when participants adopt an outcome thinking approach:

Team Sports or Activities: I must always depend upon others I must always be the best amongst my peers I must always prove myself I must always win

Pseudo-Team Sports or Activities: I must always rely on myself

I must always be the best amongst my peers I must always prove myself I must always win

Individual Sports: I must always rely on myself

I must always be the best I must always isolate myself I must always win


REVISITING SOPHIA & JACOB Unfortunately, the support we provided to Sophia and Jacob isn’t always available. If, by chance, we did not intervene, chances are their negative “I-am” messages would have been too difficult to bear leading to the development of “I-must” messages.

In Sophia’s case, her “I am alone” belief would have more than likely turned into “I must always isolate myself”; whereas, in Jacob’s case, his “I am dependent on others” belief would have more than likely led to him believing “I must always depend upon others”. Once this occurs, our participants begin to use sport for the wrong reasons and attempt to reinforce their unhealthy, rigid beliefs.

Sophia, for instance, would learn to become strongly resistant to working in a team or group setting and if pushed to do so, would choose the most isolated aspect of a team game and act as a “lone wolf.” Jacob, on the other hand, would firmly oppose anything that requires him to act on his own and if asked to do so would experience tremendous anxiety.

Unfortunately, when Sophia and Jacob’s “I must” messages develop, both participants will falsely learn to justify their beliefs through achievements and accolades. For instance, Sophia might believe that if she finishes in first-place on her own in an individual sport, then she is okay being on her own. In other words, achievement will justify her decision to isolate herself. Unfortunately, achievement will become viewed as a “right” that belongs to her, not as a “privilege,” leading to the formation of another unhealthy “I must” message resembling something along the lines of “I must always be the best, perfect, or win.”

WINNING-AT-ALL-COSTS The “I must always be the best, perfect, or win” message is a reflection of outcome thinking or what many of us refer to as the “winning-at-all costs” mindset. The winning-at-all-costs approach is synonymous with perfectionism and athletes possessing this approach are the ones who will cheat to win. Whether it is breaking the rules, taking performance-enhancing drugs, reacting to situations with emotional outbursts, these athletes are mentally rigid and react accordingly.


THE COACH’S TOOLBAG Outcome thinking is perhaps the greatest threat to supporting healthy development in our athletes. As a coach, you will need to be able to identify the indicators of outcome thinking in your Floorball participants that will impair their athletic and personal development.

THE TOP 7 INDICATORS OF OUTCOME THINKING

1. Participants who must prove they are better than everyone else 2. Participants who will attempt to change the rules/situation to suit themselves 3. Participants how visibly upset they are about losing 4. Participants who focus on isolated play while playing team/pseudo-team sports or

prefer to participate in individual sports 5. Participants who are superstitious 6. Participants who are unsportsmanlike 7. Participants who have difficulty taking instruction or receiving coaching



• Outcome Thinking Link


ACTIVITY – E 1. After reviewing video link #9, describe a situation in which you experienced someone

exhibiting signs of the winning-at-all-costs approach. What behaviours/characteristics were displayed?



MODULE 6

THE IMPACT


MODULE 6: THE IMPACT

The Big Picture The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – F


THE BIG PICTURE The impact of both I-am messages and I-must messages cannot be overstated. It can mean the difference between an athlete who is able to be successful in sport and in life or an athlete who suffers from severe mental breakdown, perhaps even suicide. To highlight this impact, you will be introduced to the “behaviour triad.”

The Behaviour Triad

The behaviour triad is a diagrammatic tool used to show the inter-relationship between thoughts (core beliefs), feelings, and behaviours. The behaviour triad, basically, suggests that your thoughts will trigger your feelings, these feelings will trigger your behaviours, and your behaviours, will reinforce your original thought or core belief.

Graphically, the behaviour triad looks like the following:


THE IMPACT OF OUTCOME THINKING Let’s say that a 14-year old bantam player, named Sam, developed an unhealthy outcome thinking approach and began to believe an “I must always be the best” message. When we plug his thought into the behaviour triad, what “Feelings” would this thought or core-belief lead to?

Thought: I must always be the best Feelings: ? Behaviours: ?

Some of your answers may have included some or all of the following:

Thought: I must be the best Feelings: stressed-out, anxious,

depressed, inadequate, pressured, sad, angry, unaccepted, insecure, fear failure, fear rejection

Behaviours: ?

Now, knowing that Sam feels this way, what sort of behaviours would logically follow?

Thought: I must be the best Feelings: stressed-out, anxious,

depressed, inadequate, pressured, sad, angry, unaccepted, insecure, fear

failure, fear rejection Behaviours: aggressive, blames others, unsportsmanlike, bad temper, unfriendly, suicidal

tendencies


THE IMPACT OF PROCESS THINKING Let’s say that a 10-year old mite player, named Emma, developed a healthy process thinking approach and began to believe an “I am doing my very best” message. When we plug her thought into the behaviour triad, what “Feelings” would this thought or core-belief lead to?

Thought: I am doing my very best Feelings: ? Behaviours: ?

Some of your answers may have included some or all of the following:

Thought: I am doing my very best Feelings: positive, confident, good, satisfied, happy, relaxed, comfortable with effort, energetic, motivated Behaviours: ?

Now, knowing that she feels this way, what sort of behaviours would logically follow?

Thought: I am doing the best I can Feelings: positive, confident, good, satisfied, happy, relaxed, comfortable with effort, energetic, motivated Behaviours: friendly, sportsmanlike,

hard-working, tries new things, copes well



PERFECTION VS. EXCELLENCE The difference between excellence and perfection can be summed up by asking two questions. The first question is, “How many of us can be perfect?” The obvious answer is no one. The second question is, “How many of us can be excellent?” The obvious answer is many of us. What, unfortunately, isn’t so obvious to many of us is that when we strive for perfection, which, as indicated, does not exist, we burn-out. The burn-out occurs from attempting to achieve something that is unattainable. A simple shift in thinking from outcome thinking to process thinking helps us to focus on “excellence” – an attainable, acceptable, positive, and healthy standard.



• Winning-at-all costs link

• Winning-at-the-right costs link


ACTIVITY – F 1. After reviewing the behaviour triad,

• which mindset is associated with perfection?

• which mindset is associated with excellent?

• which athlete will be more likely to play sports 5 years from now: the process thinking athlete or the outcome thinking athlete? (Explain your answer using the points outlined in the behaviour triad discussion regarding Sam and Emma).



MODULE 7

THE STRATEGIES


MODULE 7: THE STRATEGIES

Encouragement vs. Praise Handling Disruption Skill Level Variation The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – G


ENCOURAGEMENT VS. PRAISE

THE DISTINCTION Understanding the difference between encouragement and praise is an essential part of understanding how to support a process thinking approach to sport and life. While praise focuses on the person, encouragement focuses on behaviour. This distinction, although subtle, is crucial. Below is a typical example of a statement that reflects praise:

“Good girl, you scored three goals”

Although your intentions as a coach may be good, there is a huge problem with complimenting participants in this way over a long period of time. After repeatedly hearing statements like the previous one, the young girl is likely to wonder to herself, “Am I still a good girl if I don’t score goals?”

Once standards such as goals, first-place finishes, and gold medals are imposed upon young children, they will eventually develop unhealthy I-must messages such as “I must always be the best.”

This doesn’t mean that praise is a bad thing. It’s only detrimental when it’s linked to a standard or a result. Saying something like, “You’re such a good girl” without attaching it to a result or a standard can have a positive impact because it acknowledges a child’s character without tying it to any conditions.

Encouragement, on the other hand, can have an extremely beneficial impact on our participants. Below is a typical statement that reflects encouragement:

“Great work out there!”

As mentioned earlier, encouragement emphasizes a participant’s behavior and the previous statement is reflective of that.

Even if a participant doesn’t play well, he or she may still be encouraged by a coach, such as you, who asks, “How did you feel out there?” You can then offer feedback and focus on strengths whenever it was appropriate to do so.


With encouragement, a participant is shown respect at all times and doesn’t have to deal with living up to your standards or conditions.

In short, the distinction between praise and encouragement can be summed up in the following analogies:

1. Praise acknowledges the “runner”, while encouragement acknowledges the “race”

2. Praise is for the “doer”, while encouragement is for the “deed”


HANDLING DISRUPTION

WHAT IS DISRUPTION? Disruption can be considered an event or behavior that causes a disturbance or interferes with delivery. In relation to coaching, players may be disruptive or misbehave for a variety of reasons and many of these reasons are reflected in what is known as the “four mistaken goals of misbehavior.” According to Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs, author of Children: The Challenge (1964), these four mistaken goals are as follows: attention, power, revenge, and displays of inadequacy.

WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE USED TO DEAL WITH THE FOUR MISTAKEN GOALS OF MISBEHAVIOUR? With respect to coaching your participants, the strategies for dealing with the four goals of misbehavior all involve understanding what “you” are actually feeling in the moment. These strategies are outlined in detail below:

ATTENTION When a participant is seeking your attention, you will experience annoyance and want to respond to this participant’s misbehaviour with reminders or commands. Generally, the participant will stop the attention-seeking behavior, but soon after the same or similar behavior will re-surface. Attention-seeking behaviors may include interrupting, whining, nagging, and pouting which are not offensive enough to provoke feelings of anger, just frustration.

COACH’S FOCUS: 1. By focusing on your feelings, you allow yourself the chance to cool down instead of

instinctively reacting to the misbehaviour in a negative way. Understanding your feelings, as well as the participant’s goals, enables you to regain control of the situation and deal with it in a more effective and respectful way.

2. Focusing on more productive reactions to attention-seeking behaviors, such as

ignoring the behavior or giving attention for positive behavior, will greatly diminish attention-seeking behaviors in the future.


POWER If you happen to experience anger when a participant is misbehaving, the mistaken goal of this behavior is power. Your automatic reaction will likely be to enter into a power struggle with the participant which is characterized by pushing back verbally, arguing, or punishing the participant which will cause him or her to continue to misbehave, defy your instructions, or do what you have instructed but at their own pace or in a begrudging manner.

COACH’S FOCUS: 1. You need to realize that entering into a power struggle with a participant only

serves to escalate the struggle and reinforce the mistaken goal of power. You can minimize a power struggle, by taking a step back and saying something along the lines of, "I am a bit too angry to have this conversation right now, so I am going to go over there and cool down. I'll be back in five minutes and we can chat about how we can resolve this."

2. You need to identify the anger and provide effective ways of managing it. You can

provide your participants with healthy power by holding regular team meetings in order for them to contribute to team rules, codes of conduct, and discipline.

REVENGE When a participant cannot win a power struggle with you, he or she will transform their mistaken goal of power to that of revenge. A participant who is focused on revenge will say or do something hurtful causing the coach to experience hurt.

COACH’S FOCUS: 1. You need to refrain from allowing any hurt feelings to lead to you in attempting to

get even with a participant.

2. You should avoiding punishing these participants but instead create a forum in which their “hurts” are heard and healed. Address that the participant’s behavior was hurtful and connect this behavior to their hurts. You are encouraged to say something along the lines of “That was a hurtful comment and it hurt my feelings. Usually when people say these kinds of things, they are feeling hurt? What is hurting you?”

3. You need to ensure that “fairness” is established in your relationship with this

participant because unfair treatment is a catalyst for revenge. These participants are hyper-sensitive to fair treatment, especially when they are on the opposite end of it. Be sure to be consistent in your treatment of all participants and refrain from showing preferential treatment.


DISPLAYS OF INADEQUACY A participant will demonstrate displays of inadequacy when you show them that you have given up on them and feel a sense of hopeless. Displaying inadequacy is extremely detrimental and is the most difficult goal of misbehavior to overcome.

COACH’S FOCUS: 1. You need to support these participants to experience success no matter how small.

Set them up for positive experiences by breaking down tasks into manageable steps.

2. You need to refrain from giving up or pitying them. Encourage their behavior and reward their effort. Focus on their strengths and catch them doing “good.”

Below is a summary table of the four goals of misbehavior adapted from The Parent’s Handbook – Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (Dinkmeyer, D., & McKay, G. D., 1997).

Remember, when using this table to decide your participant’s goal of misbehavior, recognize the following:

i. How you feel when the misbehavior happens

ii. What you do about the misbehavior

iii. How your participant responds to what you do


(adapted from: Dinkmeyer, D., & McKay, G. D. (1997). The parent’s handbook: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance)

GOAL EXAMPLE OF MISBEHAVIOUR

WHAT COACHES CAN DO WAYS TO ENCOURAGE POSITIVE GOALS AND BELIEFS

Attention Active: Interrupting, clowning

Passive: Forgetting, not following instructions, expecting to be waited on

Refrain from giving attention on demand.

Ignore when possible.

Refrain from waiting on participant.

Give attention for good behavior at other times.

Say “good job” when participant helps or listens.

Notice when participant contributes.

Power Active: Throwing tantrums, making demands, arguing

Passive: Being stubborn, doing what coach wants slowly or sloppily

Refuse to fight or give in.

Withdraw from power struggle.

If possible, leave the room.

Let consequence occur for the participant.

Give choices.

Let participant make decisions.

Ask for help, cooperation at other times.

Revenge Active: Being rude, saying hurtful things, being violent

Passive: Giving hurtful looks, hurtfully refusing to cooperate

Refuse to feel hurt or angry.

Don’t retaliate or hurt back.

At other times, work with participant to build trust.

Help participant feel cared for and respected.

Be as fair as you can.

Notice and appreciate when participant contributes.

Displays of Inadequacy

Passive only: quitting easily, not trying

Refrain from pitying.

Stop any criticizing.

Notice all efforts, no matter how small.

Refrain from giving up on participant.

Focus on participant’s strengths, talents.

Notice when participant makes wise choices.

Notice when participant thinks of others.

Give lots of encouragement.


SKILL LEVEL VARIATION

WHAT IS SKILL LEVEL VARIATION? Skill Level Variation or (SLV) is a form of disruption that occurs when the skill-set amongst a group of participants is varied and one or more of these skill-sets is not supported by you, the coach, or the program. What typically happens is a participant who has more skill or less skill than the other members of the group may lose interest because his or her skill-set is not addressed or respected. For example, you may run a drill that is too simple or too hard which leaves a participant or group of participants in a position to experience boredom because the drill offers no challenge. Or, the participants may experience dejection because the skill-set required to perform the drill is too advanced.

WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH SLV? SLV can be handled in many ways. Two key strategies for coaches dealing with SLV are drill modifications and leadership building.

DRILL MODIFICATIONS • Drill modifications simply refer to performing a drill in different ways to ensure all

skill levels are being addressed. For example, in a Floorball passing drill, you can encourage participants to either pass by pushing the ball (basic skill) or by aligning their body and stick in the correct Floorball stance (intermediate skill). Whenever possible, allow participants with different skill-sets to perform together. Integration of skill-sets will help to foster team-mindedness and togetherness as opposed to segregation of skill-sets which contributes to elitism and status-building.

LEADERSHIP BUILDING • If drill modification is not an option, leadership building allows the skill level that is

not being addressed in the drill to effectively contribute to the group or team. For example, in a Floorball breakaway drill that requires a participant to practice their stickhandling skills, the group of participants with a higher skill-set may contribute to this basic skill activity by being the “passers.” The role of “passer” allows these higher-skilled participants with the opportunity to develop the more advanced skill of passing to a moving target while still being a part of the overall group activity and, thereby, the team.


THE COACH’S TOOLBAG It is imperative that the strategies you use in coaching your participants are in line with the core values and philosophy of this certification program. The following strategies are encouraged to be used in place of other commonly used techniques that are negative and potentially harmful to participants:

SOLUTIONS VS. TIME-OUTS • A solution-focused approach is more positive and views problems as learning

opportunities, whereas, time-outs are punishing and for many children unrelated to the behavior being punished. If, for example, your team is consistently waiting for a dawdling “Johnny” to approach the team huddle, it would be more effective to offer solutions than to impose time-outs. Suggesting a solution such as a “fun 10-second countdown” or suggesting that each participant after a whistle-blow quickly grab a partner on the way to the huddle are fun, positive, and encouraging ways of motivating hustle. However, giving Johnny a time-out not only singles him out, but it is intended to be punishing and does not logically relate to the misbehavior. In fact, a time-out may serve to reinforce Johnny’s dawdling behaviour because he is receiving negative attention for it.

HUMOUR VS. SARCASM • A humourous approach to coaching can go a long way in developing rapport with

your participants because it is good-natured, positive, and focuses on the lighter side of things. Although, sarcasm may get you a few laughs these types of remarks are extremely damaging because they are based on putting others down. Using sarcasm as an approach with your participants will lead to them feeling bad about themselves and create division, as opposed to togetherness. For example, if Sally asks, “How did we do out there Coach?” and you respond with “Your grandmas could have done better,” how could this comment not sting? In fact, it will discourage Sally and the other participants from wanting to continue on or to try to improve upon their play. A more humourous and encouraging comment would be “You all did amazing! I thought I was watching the Olympic team out there for a moment.” Understanding the difference between humour and sarcasm will help you better understand the purpose and objectives of this program.


HEALTHY LANGUAGE VS. UNHEALTHY LANGUAGE The gateway to developing process thinking in your participants is in the type of language you choose to use. The difference between healthy language and unhealthy language is illustrated in the tables below:

Healthy Language - Examples

Great work!

Well done!

Thank you so much for your help

Excellent job!

Tell me what you’re thinking

I can see you have put a ton of effort into this

Awesome work!

Great job!

You have really improved

Unhealthy Language - Examples

Perfect!

You’re the best!

You’re number 1!

Let’s win!

Good girl!

Go out there and score!

You suck!

What’s wrong with you?!


Healthy language also involves stating things to your participants in positive ways. For example, instead of using negative language that contains “no’s” or “not’s,” you will need to convey your instruction in a more positive fashion to provide encouragement. Below are some examples:

NEGATIVE LANGUAGE SAMPLES Do not raise your Floorball stick above the waist.

No. You cannot bodycheck the opposing player.

POSITIVE LANGUAGE SAMPLES

You need to keep your stick below the waist at all times.

Player obstruction or body checking is prohibited.



• Encouraging Coaching


ACTIVITY – G 1. After reviewing video link #11, describe 5 characteristics of an encouraging coach.

2. Using the all of the concepts in this model, describe how would you handle a participant who reacted the same way in the video link #11?



MODULE 8

THE ACTIVITIES


MODULE 8: THE ACTIVITIES

Floorball Basics Skill Progression Drill Design Behaviour Triad Reflections The Coach’s Toolbag Video Footage Activity – D


FLORBALL BASICS

THE STANCE The basic Floorball stance is are the feet positioned shoulder length apart facing straight ahead with the left hand gripping the top of the stick (as a right-handed shot) and the right….

INSERT IMAGE

This stance will be referred to throughout various sections of this program.


SKILL PROGESSION Understanding the skill set of your participants is critical to ensuring that their skill development is being properly nurtured. The table below highlights The New Game Plan 1-2-3-4 Skill Progression:

THE NEW GAME PLAN 1-2-3-4 SKILL PROGRESSION The 1-2-3-4 Skill Progression is an observational component that identifies the actual number of skills and the degree of difficulty required to perform an activity. As a coach, you need to ensure that your participants are being engaged in activities that are well suited to their skill-set. According to this framework, any activity that requires more than 4 skills is automatically considered an advanced activity, regardless of the degree of difficulty required for each skill, and should be carefully and strategically implemented when coaching Floorball participants. To highlight this framework, consider the following activity:

THE FLOORBALL STICKHANDLE & PASS Let’s assume the instructions for the “Floorballl Stickhandle & Pass” drill are as follows: One group of participants to face another group of participants 30 feet apart One ball to be used between the groups The first participant from one group stickhandles the ball half the distance between

the groups This participant then calls out the name of the first participant from the other group

before passing it to them The participant whose name is called repeats the cycle


According to the 1-2-3-4 Skill Progression, a coach would need to break down the activity in terms of each type of skill and the degree of difficulty required for each skill in the following manner:

Skill Degree of Difficulty Used in Drill

Degree of Difficulty

Activities

1 Leg Movements Basic Basic Intermediate Advanced

Walking, Jogging Running, Sprinting Skating, Hurdling

2 Stickhandling Basic/Intermediate Basic Intermediate Advanced

Blade Push Alternating Faces of Blade Zorroing

3 Communication Basic Basic Intermediate Advanced

Verbal Non-verbal (ie, hand signals) Base-running (ie. baseball), sweeping (ie. curling)

4 Passing Basic Basic Intermediate Advanced

Uses Stick to Push Ball Body and Stick are in Proper Stance during Pass No-look Pass, Zorro-Pass

5 Receiving Basic Basic Intermediate Advanced

Allows ball to make contact with Blade Body and Stick are in proper position to receive flat pass Deftly accepts the ball onto blade that is bouncing or in the air

6 Shooting N/A Basic Intermediate Advanced

Raises stick before making contact with ball Body and Stick are in proper position prior to raising stick before making contact with ball Zorro-Shot


The 1-2-3-4 Skill Progression is a gauge only. As a rule of thumb,

1. If more than half of the skills performed in the drill require an “intermediate” level of difficulty then the entire group of participants performing this drill should be at an intermediate level

2. If some members of the group are below an intermediate level, then the above activity needs to be modified to include more basic skills

3. An activity that requires more than 4 skills will be considered an “intermediate” activity based solely on the amount of skills required regardless of their degrees of difficulty

According to the above rules, the Floorball Stickhandle & Pass drill requires 5 skills therefore it must be considered an intermediate level activity at the very least. To reduce it to a basic activity, you may do the following:

Remove the communication skill

Ensure that passing or shooting is eliminated


DRILL DESIGN The following framework will enable you to purposefully design Floorball activities and ensure the proper skill-set is being promoted and all the NGP categories are being represented

THE FRAMEWORK As a rule of thumb, it is important to ensure all three categories of sport/activity are represented in order to ensure healthy “I-am message” development.

All drills will be broken down in terms of the following components:

Drill Number/Name Supplies Required Instruction Skill Assessment Count NGP Category Instruction

DRILL #1: THE WALL PASS (BEGINNER) Supplies Required Stick, Ball, Gym Wall (or Rink Board) Instruction Individual Stand approximately 5 feet from the wall With ball positioned at the forehand side of the blade push ball against the wall (Basic Skill #1) Receive ball on forehand side of blade (Basic Skill #2) Repeat above Skill Assessment Count Basic Skills – 2 NGP Category Individual NGP Category Psudeo-Team Designate group Instruction Time the drill Count how many passes made by each participant Add number of passes to those from the rest of the group for a total group score Team Choose partner Perform drill but pass pall to teammate off the wall Teammate then returns ball by doing the same


BEHAVIOUR TRIAD REFLECTIONS As a coach, it is imperative that you have the ability to frame a participant’s experience in a positive way. Using the Behaviour Triad, you can support the emotional, social, and physical development of your participants with the following reflection:

FEELING REFLECTION • Although “feelings” appear second in the Behaviour Triad, the feeling reflection

occurs first in your discussion with participants because their feelings are “fresh” and more readily available to explore immediately after an activity occurs. During this reflection, encourage your participants to reflect on their feelings by inquiring in the following ways:

What was that activity like for you?

How did you feel when you experienced [specify moment]?

• The feeling reflection inspires your participants to express their feelings and to respect the feelings of their teammates.

THOUGHT REFLECTION • The thought reflection is important in helping participants to develop healthier core

beliefs. Core beliefs are crucial in the development of a positive mental approach which is required to overcome challenges and develop skills. During this reflection, encourage your participants to reflect on their ideas about the activity in the following ways:

How is this activity similar to ones you have done before?

What did you learn from this activity?

How does this learning relate to what you already know?

• The thought reflection inspires your participants to understand concepts and relate these concepts to themselves and their teammates.


BEHAVIOUR REFLECTION • The behaviour reflection is important in helping your participants transfer physical

skills to other activities and situations while also serving to reinforce the target action’s underlying thoughts and feelings. Encourage your participants to reflect on their actions in the following ways:

What skills did you need to use in this activity?

Where else have you used these skills?

Where else can you use these skills?

• The behaviour reflection supports participants to identify skills and encourages their confidence to apply these skills to new experiences as well as to themselves and their teammates.



ANXIETY BUSTERS Many of your participants may experience performance anxiety which may hinder their athletic and personal development. Therefore, as a coach it is important for you to recognize the signs of anxiety, in order to prevent it from having a significant negative impact.

ANXIETY

WHAT IS ANXIETY? Anxiety is the feeling of insecurity or uneasiness about an impending event or situation. Anxiety can be debilitating and may manifest itself through numerous physiological and psychological indicators. Some of these indicators experienced by participants may include some or all of the following:

• Procrastination or frozen behaviour • Perfectionism • Negative I-am messages • Anger • Aggression • Restlessness • Irritability • Tantrums • Opposition • Defiance • Tummy aches • Headaches • Fatigue • Avoidance or refusal to do things • Clingy/separation anxiety • Poor memory and concentration • Withdraws from activities • Eating disturbances


WHAT ARE SOME STRATEGIES THAT CAN BE USED TO DEAL WITH ANXIETY? Below is a list of anxiety “busters” to help support participants struggling with the indicators outlined in the previous section:

• Belief-Building: encourage a participant’s belief in themselves through positive self-talk

• Understanding Feelings: explain to the participant what feelings “feel” like ie. butterflies in stomach and normalize them

• Structure: routines are predictable, thereby, reducing anxiety • Teach & Acknowledge: role-model to participants how to handle new situations

and how to battle fear; refrain from saying “don’t worry,” instead acknowledge the fear and offer support to help them to overcome it

• Exposure: gradually expose participants to a feared situation as this will familiarity will gradually reduce fear and anxiety

• Relaxation skills: breathing techniques, safe place techniques, and so on are very effective ways of reducing anxiety

• Show Feelings: help participants to show their feelings through facial responses, body language, or words



• Point 8 Training Video Clip

Video Link #13:

• Point 8 Training Video Clip


ACTIVITY – H 1. After reviewing video links #12 & 13, modify the activities for a basic skill group of participants.



MODULE 9

THE PROGRAM


MODULE 9: THE PROGRAM

The Program Plan Video Footage Activity – I


PROGRAM PLAN TEMPLATE The following program plan template encompasses all of the modules for a 1.5 hour lesson.

Lesson: 12:00 pm to 1:00pm Supplies List: Sticks Balls Nets Whistle Boards (optional)

11:30 Set-Up/Emergency Checklist (Module 1) 11:45 – 12:00 Greet Participants (Positive, Fun, Encouraging: Module 2, 4) 12:00 – 12:05 Attendance (Module 1) 12:05 – 12:10 SI Warm-Up Activity (Module 2) 12:10 – 12:20 Activity #1 (Choose NGP Category – Module 3): Basic Skill Floorball Activity (Assess Group Ability – Module 8,) 12:20 – 12:25 Team Huddle (Modules 4, 5, 6) 12:25 – 12:35 Activity #2 (Choose NGP Category – Modules 3, 8) 12:35 – 12:40 Team Huddle (Modules 4, 5, 6) 12:40 – 12:50 Activity #3 (Choose NGP Category – Modules 3, 8) 12:50 – 12:55 Team Huddle (Modules 4, 5, 6) 12:55 – 1:20 Scrimmage (Choose NGP Category – Modules 3, 8) 1:20 – 1:25 Team Huddle/Behaviour Triad Reflections (Modules 4, 5, 6, 7) 1:25 – 1:30 Warm Down/Group Clean-Up


VIDEO FOOTAGE Video Link #14-28:

• 15 Drills


ACTIVITY – I 1. Using the template and the drills illustrated in video links #14-28, create a program plan with a balanced representation of NGP sports categories.


ADVANCED TRAINING


ADVANCED TRAINING: BEYOND THE GAME

The Development The Community The Gear The Psychology (The GMV Principle)


THE GMV PRINCIPLE Although, you are not expected to provide mental strength training for your participants, knowledge of this principle may help you to recognize when the “mental” side of participation is making an impact.

Mental strength conditioning is a vital component of performance, not just for the short-term, but for life. Mental strength conditioning allows you to build your “mental muscle” and teaches you how to train your mind like you train your body.

In building your mental muscle, consider following the GMV principle of mental preparation: Ground, Motivate, and Visualize.

1. Ground: this first phase of mental preparation is often ignored in favour of the second phase, which is to Motivate, but being able to effectively ground yourself prevents motivational techniques from causing over-excitement or overwhelming anxiety. Therefore, it is important to integrate relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises and safe place techniques, into your training routine before going onto the next phase. So, over the next two weeks, think of that place where you feel the most safe and the most calm and just allow yourself to enjoy it. The more vivid your safe place is, the more impactful it will be.

2. Motivate: after you grow more and more comfortable with the first phase, this second phase of mental preparation will have way more impact on your performance. This is because you will be better able to control moving from a relaxed state to a motivated state which will help you achieve that much sought after state of “zoning-in.” To help you maintain this “zone,” break down your most recent successful training session in terms of the following:

Your level of confidence

Your I-am message

Your feelings

Your body sensations

And, finally, the colour that best represents how you performed

A 7 out of 10 confidence level, an “I am fit” I-am message, and the colour red, for example, can be strategically placed on your MP3 player or on your bedroom wall to help you trigger motivating feelings and sensations. Connecting your mind and body in this way will not only lead to being zoned-in, but will continue to help you build your mental muscle.


3. Visualize: this third phase of mental preparation emphasizes your ability to use mental imagery. Visualization or imagery comes in many forms and has been shown to directly impact physical performance. Whatever form of visualization you use, make it a more powerful experience by doing the following:

Seeing your imagery through your own eyes perspective vs. watching it like it is on a movie screen

And, seeing yourself overcome challenges and fears until you believe this to be true

Incorporating all three phases of the GMV principle into your daily routine will not only build your mental muscle, but it will improve your Floorball performance.


EXAMINATION Exam #1: “Written Examination”

Facilitators will be required to successfully complete the Point 8 Coaching Certification – Written Examination.

Notes:

Put a template together for coaches to use and include Behaviour triad reflections


REFERENCES http://www.scanadianfloorball.com/whatisfloorball.htm (the culture)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floorball (history)

http://www.floorball.org/default.asp?sivu=11&kieli=826 (general)

Lowe, T., D. Rugg, B. Johnson, J. Cassidy, R. Vandekamp (1995). Respectful Responsible Parenting – A Facilitator’s Guide. Saskatoon Adlerian Society. Revised March 3, 2003 by Beth Johnson.

Noyes, H.C. The Goose Story. January, 1992. ARCS News, 7(1). [Cited September 29, 2001.] ADD Coach and Optimal Functioning Institute [online]. <www.addcoach.com>

Raghoobarsingh, S. R. (2007). The New Game Plan – Using Sports to Raise Happy, Healthy, and Successful Kids. Victoria: Trafford Publishing.

Shoes: insert link

http://windows3.salibandy.net/Liitetiedostot/Rules%20of%20the%20Game%20Edition%202010.pdf

[9:02:41 PM] Greg Beaudin: http://floorballcoach.org/

[9:12:17 PM] Greg Beaudin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR0y5fyTwIk

Shoes: http://www.asics.se/floorball/products/gel-cyber-power-men/

Asics Professional Player: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bwzDlYs600

http://floorballcoach.org/other-floorball-equipment/

Final Module: Program Plan that includes all modules


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR0y5fyTwIk

http://www.asics.se/floorball/products/gel-cyber-power-men/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bwzDlYs600

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