Multi – Skills and FUNdamentalsTutor CPD Event

Loughborough University.September 19th, 2006

Balance Activity:

Each individual stands behind the cone which they think will most match their balance ability, taking into account that they don not know what tasks they will be asked to do.

o Green – easiero Blue – moderateo Red – harder

Tasks:o Walk along line or bench between cones.o Walk with quality.o Add something into your walk that demonstrates quality (rather than speed).

Don’t forget – factors which can improve balance are wider base, lower centre of gravity, use of arms and so on.

o Add in a turn ½ way along the bench. Try to widen the base to make the turn easier Try to lower the centre of gravity, but don’t forget to keep it above the

centre of the base.o Place the cone you are standing behind ½ way along the bench on the floor to

one side. Walk along the bench and change the cone from one side of the bench to the other.

o Introduce more difficult activities – skip, hop etc

BALANCE

Normal benchUpturned

benchCones

Objective: To develop balance and stability.

Organisation: A large grid with coloured spot markers evenly spaced out within it.

Equipment: Coloured spot markers, bean bags, tennis balls.

1. Ask each child to stand on a coloured spot. Practice stork stand balancing on flat foot. How long can they stay balanced for? Practice balancing on both feet.

2. Can they push themselves up onto tiptoes and remain balanced, for how long? Practice balancing on both feet.

3. Demonstrate back support balance for children to practice (fingers point towards feet, legs apart, strong body, bottom off floor). Start from sitting position and push body up.

4. Demonstrate press up position for children to practice (fingers point forwards, legs apart, strong body, flat back). Can pupils lift one leg or one arm off floor and still maintain position of balance?

5. Practice moving from one balance to the other by shifting centre of gravity.

6. In press up position, put beanbag by right hand. Pick up and place on back. Use left hand to take beanbag off back. Increase difficulty by placing beanbag higher up back or using tennis ball.

7. In groups of 4 progress this into a relay by moving beanbag across backs from first person in-group to last.

DANCE MAT

Objective: To improve children’s ability to move and respond in different ways.

Equipment: Lots of coloured spot markers and marker cones.

1. Dance mat. Organise children into pairs with five different coloured spots. Place the spots on the floor (as diagram shows).

2. One child stands on the middle spot, the other child gives commands by calling out colours (or left, right, forward, back). Child has to move one foot to coloured spot called out.

3. Swap over. Make sure children have a go at different combinations of colour/ direction.

4. Children can practice this with their hands as well.

5. Fast Mover. Divide children into two teams and mark out four dance mats using coloured spots (as diagram shows). Children line up in their teams at point A.

6. Call out commands (colours or left, right etc)

7. One at a time children follow commands using their feet at the first dance mat and their hands at the second dance mat. If they hit the wrong spot on the dance mat they must start again.

8. After completing as quickly as possible each child sits down at point B. The winning team is the first to be sat down at point B.

Teacher

GATES

A A

B B

Feet

Hands

Red, blue, green etc

Objective: To develop different movement skills and improve ball control skills using the feet.

Organisation: Large grid.

Equipment: Marker cones, small balls suitable for dribbling.

1. Give each child two marker cones of the same colour. Ask them to stand in a space within the grid and place their two cones down about 1metre apart to make a ‘gate’. (Make sure there are a mix of different colour gates and that they are evenly spread out)

2. Children jog around the grid travelling through as many different gates as possible. Can they travel through them all?

3. Ask children to travel in different ways. Hop, skip, side step etc.

4. Call out different colours. Children react by travelling through that colour gate.

5. Call out ‘left’, ‘right’ or ‘both’. Children react by touching the left, right or both cones as they travel through the gate.

6. Individual challenge: How many gates can they travel through in 30secs? Repeat, can they improve their score?

Organisation: Children need a ball each.

8. Repeat some of the same exercises as above but whilst dribbling a ball. Demonstrate how to keep close control of the ball and how to stop the ball on command.

9. In pairs with a ball. Pass the ball to each other through the gate. (Could use hands if they find it difficult with feet)

10. Try this on the move. (The person without the ball should run to the next empty gate and call for the ball.)

FOLLOW THE BALL & LADDER GAME

Objective: To improve speed of movement.

Equipment: Coloured spot markers, a large ball.

Organisation: A large grid.

1. Follow the Ball. Stand at the front of the group and get children to space out and face you. Hold up a large ball for the children to watch and mirror the movements of. E.g move ball to your left, children side step to right side of grid, move ball to your right, children side step to left side of grid, move ball forward, children jog to back of grid, move ball backwards, children jog to front of grid, and bounce ball children jump on the spot.

2. Ladder Game. Organise 2 lines of children facing each other. Children pair up with the person opposite them and sit down facing their partner. Number each pair or get them to sit on coloured spot markers and give each pair a different colour. Each pair needs to be 3-4 paces apart.

3. Call out a number/colour. The pair of children with that number/colour stand up, run down the middle, round the bottom pair, up the line and back down the middle to their space. The first child back scores a point for their team.

4. Repeat this and change the way children move e.g. side step, skip, backwards, combination.

PATTER CAKE GAME & TARGET THROW RELAY

Objective: To improve coordination of limbs and develop throwing for accuracy.

Equipment: 6 large traffic cones, 2 large hoops, 6 coloured spot markers, 6 bean bags.

Organisation: A large grid.

TEAM 2TEAM 1

Spots with children on.

One, five etcTeach

1. Patter Cake Game. Organise children into pairs standing facing each other. One child is the leader and places both their hands in the air (palms facing their partner) either in a low, middle or high position. The second child reacts by mirroring the movements of their partner. The leader now moves their hands to another position with their partner continuing to mirror the movements, and so on.

2. Repeat this with the leader now side stepping to the left or right as well.

3. Repeat this without movement but with the leader using one hand instead of two. Their partner reacts by mirroring the movement.

4. Repeat this with the leader using one hand and the second child reacting by matching the movement of their partner by moving their hand across their body e.g right hand to right hand.

5. Target Throw Relay. Organise the group into 2 teams. Set up a relay activity where children weave in and out of cones before collecting a bean bag off each of three coloured spot markers and then attempting to throw them one at a time into a hoop. Practice and repeat as a race. Score points for getting beanbags into hoop.

QUICK FEET

Objective: To improve forward and backward movements and develop correct running technique.

Organisation: Grid 10metres in length.

Equipment: Two ladders and some marker cones.

TEAM 1 TEAM 2

Spots with beanbags

on.

Traffic cones

Hoops

Throw beanbags into

hoop.

1. Line children up in pairs along a line. Number 1 jogs forwards to the line in a slow controlled manner, turn and jog back. Number 2 repeats.

2. Demonstrate correct turning action. (Bend knees, use of arms, push from back foot.) Repeat same drill focusing on correct turning action.

3. Repeat and focus on running on balls of feet. There shouldn’t be any noisy, heavy feet!

4. Jog forward to line and return moving backwards. (Before moving backwards teach children to move their feet wider apart, push bum out and move backwards glancing to the sides. Do not turn head behind)

5. Repeat several times focusing on running on balls of feet, then use of arms, then keeping head still and focused ahead.

6. Get children to stand still and practice the correct arm action in isolation. (elbows at 90 degrees, inside of the wrist brushes the side of the body so that the elbow is driven back, the hand is then moved to the side of the face and then returned back to drive the elbow back again. Arms should not move across body, arms should not be chopped up and down as if hitting a drum)

7. Practice running action on the spot. Legs only (get knees high), arms only (bend elbows and drive arms backwards and forwards), both (opposite arm and leg).

8. Sprint races over short distance. 4 or 5 runners at a time.

RACKET SKILLS

Objective: To improve children’s hand eye coordination.

Organisation: Large grid.

Equipment: Tennis racket and ball each, a hoop, small marker cones.

1. Egg and Spoon. Children move around the area balancing a ball on their racket. Try to walk, jog and turn without the ball falling off. Ask them to stand still and see if they can bounce the ball on their racket? How many? Can they do it on the move?

2. Knockout. The children move around the grid balancing a ball on their racket. They are allowed to push the ball of other children’s rackets. That child is then out and can

Start Line

Finish

practice bouncing the ball on their racket outside of the grid. Last child left in is the winner.

For the following activities the children need to be organised into four teams.

3. Caterpillar. Children stand in a line in their teams. The first member of the team runs with the ball balanced on the racket to a line/cone then comes back to give the ball to the next member of the team (without using hands if possible). Each child has their turn until the team has finished.

4. Pass the Parcel. With a racket, children stand in a line in their teams. The last person in the line starts with a ball balanced on their racket. The ball is tipped onto the next child’s racket and then onto the next one until it gets to the child at the front who runs with the ball balanced on the racket to a line/cone then comes back to give the ball to the last person in the line. The relay starts again. Each child has their turn until the team has finished.

5. Empty the Hoop. (no rackets for this game) Organise one team at each corner of the large grid. In the centre of the grid is a hoop with 20 balls in it. One child at a time from each team runs to the hoop and collects one ball, bringing it back to their corner. When all the balls have gone from the hoop, then the team can collect balls from another teams corner. When one team has collected 10 balls they are the winners.

TARGET THROW

Objective: To improve children’s throwing technique.

Equipment: Feet markers, traffic cones, lots of hoops, beanbags, marker cones.

Organisation: Throwing line with eight throwing stations. Cones/hoops to aim at from each station.

1. Overarm throwing at a target. Organise pupils into pairs with two beanbags and set them up at a throwing station. Place a large traffic cone out about 5metres in front of each pair. Pupils take it in turns to try and knock cone over by throwing their beanbag at it. Pupils collect their beanbags on leaders command.

Team 1

Team 3Team 4

Team 2

2. Demonstrate overarm throwing technique. (Side ways on stance, high throwing elbow, start with beanbag behind head, non-throwing arm points at target.) Use feet markers at each station to ensure children stand sideways on. Get children to practice. Are they more successful?

3. Underarm throwing for accuracy. Swap traffic cones for hoops. (Three hoops at each station, see diagram). Ask pupils to try and throw their beanbag to land in one of the hoops placed in front of them. Which throwing technique do they use?

4. Demonstrate underarm throwing technique. (Face target, feet shoulder width apart, swing throwing arm back and then forwards, step forward with non-throwing foot). Allow children to practice.

Multi-Skill Game

Cat & Mouse

Predominantly focuses on balance, but for the ‘cat’ and the ‘mouse’, it also incorporates elements of agility and coordination.

Minimum number to play this game is 11.

1. One person is to be nominated as the cat, and one as the mouse. Place the remaining nine players (these will form the ‘grid’) in three rows of three (or four, five), as displayed below:

2. Ask each ‘grid’ player to put their arms out in an ‘aeroplane’ position, and make sure that they can just about touch the tips of the fingers of the person next to them. With arms out, the linked rows should form a number of horizontal channels (see below)

------ ------ ------

------ ------ ------

------ ------ ------

Throwing Line

Small cones to mark throwing

stations.

Hoops to throw into.

3. Ask the group then to rotate 90 degrees to their right (quarter turn) with their arms still held out in the ‘aeroplane’ position. You will see that new ‘channels’ appear in a vertical direction

4. Make sure that the group understand that on your command (a shout of ‘change’, or ‘turn’ for example), they will change the direction of the channels, thereby forcing the cat and the mouse to have to change direction. Neither the cat nor the mouse can run under the outstretched arms or break through that barrier, they can only run down the channels. Once the group know what they are doing, release the ‘mouse’ into the grid first, then the cat about 5 seconds later! As you shout your command, the cat/mouse will have to change direction very quickly!!! Rotate/exchange cat and mouse at regular intervals.

Multi-Skill principles:

Challenge the balance of the ‘grid’ players by asking then to play the game in the following way:

With feet close together On their tip toes Standing on their right foot Standing on their left foot With a bean bag/cone balancing on their head On stability discs (maybe an issue re: rotating and having enough equipment here!!!)

And any other progression you see fit…

Example activities demonstrated in the workshop: Memory joggerWarm upBrain gym: (10mins)Pairs counting 1-2-3, gradually replace numbers with actionsArms co-ordination gameGentle jogging & warm up

Balance/ core stability work11. Demonstrate press up position for children to practice (fingers point forwards, legs

apart, strong body, flat back). Can pupils lift one leg or one arm off floor and still maintain position of balance eg superman position? Can be adapted for young children using knees as support for press up position

12. Practice moving from one balance to the other by shifting centre of gravity.

13. In press up position, put beanbag by right hand. Pick up and place on back. Use left hand to take beanbag off back. Increase difficulty by placing beanbag higher up back or using tennis ball.

14. In groups of 5/4 progress this into a relay by moving beanbags (can also use cones, balls) across backs from first person in-group to last, try 4/5 pieces of equipment. If beanbag falls off must start again with first person!

15. Press up tennis! Both children in press up position, facing each other. Between them, have a square market out with cones. Throw and catch a tennis ball to each other letting it bounce in the square (make it easier by resting knees on the floor – make it harder by putting a line down the centre to split the square into left and right, catch the ball with the hand on the side that the ball lands in). You can score. If you miss the square or drop the ball you lose the point.

16. Lobster kickster! Both children in lobster position (reverse press up). Kick a tennis ball continuously back and forth. Gradually start to move each other about but always maintain the lobster position. Try for 30-60 seconds, then rest and go again.

Co-ordination

Activities to improve inter-limb coordination:

1. Patter Cake Game. Organise children into pairs standing facing each other. One child is the leader and places both their hands in the air (palms facing their partner) either in a low, middle or high position. The second child reacts by mirroring the movements of their partner. The leader now moves their hands to another position with their partner continuing to mirror the movements, and so on.

2. Repeat this with the leader now side stepping to the left or right as well. 3. Repeat this without movement but with the leader using one hand instead of two. Their

partner reacts by mirroring the movement.4. Repeat this with the leader using one hand and the second child reacting by matching

the movement of their partner by moving their hand across their body e.g right hand to right hand. (ie across mid-line movement)

5. Progression - Incorporate lower limb movements eg. Sidesteps and repeat patter cake game. Sidesteps and move arms in circles at same time

6. Progression – In pairs select 4 movements that can be repeated 4 times and devise your own routine (building on the above ideas) – Use music!

7. Activities or games for either the lower body or upper body that can be used to introduce & develop various forms of co-ordination in a sequence Could be on own, in pairs, in small groups eg. Running technique, jumping, rope skipping, ‘Spotty Dogs’ jumps

8. Tennis ball bounces - Bouncing tennis ball to floor using one hand, alternate hands, 1 ball in each hand & then 2 balls with hands across body

9. Foot-taps with tennis balls - One ball then try two balls and cross-overs. Try in pairs. Try foot-taps & tennis ball bouncing challenge. Can be adapted for young children using a spot marker or a line instead of tennis balls

10. Juggling

11. Activities to develop upper or lower body rotation eg. Everyone in a circle move the ball around using either rugby passes (across the body), or kicking a football across the body. Or could use a Frisbee!

Agility1. In small teams – Different footwork patterns using ladders, cones and spots2. Incorporate ball drops at the end, a team member standing at the end of the ladder with

arms outstretched and tennis ball in each hand, has to drop one of the balls and person moving out of the ladder has to react and catch after one bounce

3. Add wobble board activity at the end of ladders, throw and catch with coach or other team member

For further ideas and information:

The sports coach UK FUNdamentals Audit is now available on the sports coach UK website. To view the audit please visit the following website address:http://www.sportscoachuk.org/Investing+in+Coaching/Long-term+Athlete+Development/FUNdamentals+Audit.htm

The FUNdamentals Audit has been undertaken by sports coach UK, and supported by Sport England, to provide coaches and teachers with a central information source of available resources related to the FUNdamentals phase of Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD). The audit takes a holistic approach to the FUNdamentals phase and takes into consideration elements covering the physical, psychological and social maturation of young athletes. This service is being provided by sports coach UK to help coaches and teachers to decide on resources that may be appropriate to their needs and to support the deliverers of FUNdamentals/ Multi-skill programmes.

Christine SprowellCoach Development Officer

sports coach UK