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.
Sounds like a novel idea James, i think it could work well in a variety of sports… especailly for the younger children.
Jordan
Some of the best drills have come about by asking the kids to come up with their own drills and use their blue-sky thinking.
I think James makes a good point in we are fitting kids into our structure/needs over what works best for their development. It is one thing to create structure/boundaries another to overfill the space and stifle exploration and self-learning.
Sport does not seem to be practised now without a coach being present.
I don’t think applies to kids only.