By Michael Gerard Doherty

Hopefully July’s columns have helped to create an overview of the kind of stimulating and engaging coachinglearning environment that best suits players from the Nursery – u-7 age-groups. The column will now take a different format with the aim of sharing a range of games stations along with some tips and suggestions for coaches, parents and players alike.

I will describe how each game can be progressed from entry level (red) to most challenging (green) to ensure that stations maximise the quality of learning for ALL players. Due to the level of detail involved, I plan to cover three new stations on a fortnightly basis.

Therefore coaches will have acquired six stations games each month that can be used to supportform sessions for their own respective groups. These six stations will hopefully offer players opportunities to learn, practice and develop as many fundamental movement skills as possible whilst also using them as a basis for acquiring skills more specifically used in Gaelic games.

Fun Practice Stations & Games: August Part 1

Fundamental Movement Skills: Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Running, Jumping & Throwing.

Technical Skills: Handling, Travelling (bouncesoloevasion) Hand Passing, Kicking.

Equipment Required: A minimum of 6 x beanbags, 15 x cones, 12 x camán, 12 x ‘First Touch’ (or lighter) footballs & sliotars, 1 x remote controlled car, 3 x hoops and 3 x hurdles.

Zone 1 Throw and Go!

Throw bean bag/footbal/sliotar above head and catch five times from standing position.

Throw bean bag/football/sliotar above head (one throw with left handone with right) and catch five times from standing position

Race: Throw bean bag/football/sliotar above head (one throw with left handone with right) and catch five times on the move whilst running to parentcoach.

Progression through age groups:

Hand-Passing instead of throwing.

Kicking footballs instead of throwing.

Zone two Cups and Saucers

Players turn cones upright v coachparent who is trying to turn cones upside down.

Half of the players turn cones upright v other half of players turning upside down.

Must use non-dominant arm only: (footballcamán is in other hand) Half of the players turn cones upright v other half of players turning upside down.

Progression through age groups:

Players executing more than one skill during same game.

A number of player-led commands.

Zone 3 Beware The Remote
Controlled Car!

Parent/Coach, then last remaining player, try to steer remote controlled car into players’ feet until only one player remains. Players run to evade.

Players try to jump over a range of equipment; hurdles, cones, hoops etc whilst avoiding being hit by the remote controlled car.

Players must keep control of the ball, bouncingsoloing after every four steps (football) dribblingsoloing sliotar on camán (hurling) whilst avoiding being hit by the remote controlled car.

Progression through age groups:

Size of playing area reduced to make evasion more challenging.

Players executing more than one skill during same game.

Emphasis on teamwork and scanning for team mates with head up.

Tips & Suggestions

Parents

Ask parents to keep their phones in their pockets for as long as possible during the session. Instead, encourage them to focus on witnessing three key moments when they were proud of their sondaughter. They should then discuss these events with their child after the practice session.

Players

Encourage players to discuss the following three things with their parents after practice.

1. Which friend they had most fun with during the session?

2. Their favourite part of today’s session.

3. Name one thing that they would like to happen at the next session?

Coaches

Hold a vote at the end of practice to see which stationgame that the group enjoyed most. Ensure that this game is played again the following week. Find out why this game stood out and ensure that these elements are represented in future gamesstations.

In my next article, I will describe stations 4-6 for August: Sharks & Fishes, Go for Goals – Primed for Points and Bouncing and Solo Games.

For more discussions, suggestions and resources please visit my Twitter page: @livelearnlovegg.

If you would like further information about any of the games outlined above or wish to discuss possible games for a certain learning area please email me at: livelearnlovegaelicgames@
outlook.com.

If you are seeking more information or wish to place an order for our Nursery/u-7 booklets please visit: www.livelearnlove
gaelicgames.com or send us an email to the address above.

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