Jumpers for Goal Posts

Play, not train.

Working within school or university environments and on training camps, there seems to be a need to structure every session.  The time tabling of lessons and lectures, meal times, and transport means that very minute is accounted for. 

On camps there is the additional problem of support staff having to prove their worth and being given sessions to do. So the timetable is dictated by fitting around the staff having something to do, rather than what works for the athlete. 

Ironically, it is in the down time, the 10 minutes before or after a session where the athletes can play and experiment that a lot of decision making and motor skill development takes place.

I have recommended to some tennis coaches that they have a 2 hour “jumpers for goalposts sessions” where there is no coaching or drills, but just an opportunity for young players to play in an unstructured fashion- and to have fun.

 We will see how that goes.