Planning Design appropriate learning activities to meet requirements of athletes’ stage of development Setting goals for the season/session Choose coaching methods to enable athlete learning Plan for different ability levels Plan equipment and facility usage

Training Session Principles Provide plenty of activity Provide maximum use of time, facilities and equipment Provide a variety of activity Ensure skills have a progression from simple to complex Provide a safe, successful, non- threatening environment Ensure athletes progress at their own rates Be organised, yet flexible in your planning

Planning Activity Checklist How will you introduce the task? Will you explain it? Demonstrate it? Use questioning? How will you know that the athletes understood your instructions? What materials or instructional aids will you need to teach the tasks and enable athletes to practise effectively? How safe are the tasks and activities that you have planned? Do you need to check equipment? Are the progressions of the skill at the athletes’ level? Do your activities cover all domains of learning? Will both your higher and lesser ability athletes get something out of the session?

Planning Considerations Background of season to date Background of athletes Purpose or learning objectives Games/activities to be used Learning opportunities Evaluation

Holistic Performance Objectives Physical (Movement Skills) –includes all growth and change that occur in a person’s body - and the genetic, nutritional, and health factors that affect those developments as well as motor skills Cognitive (knowledge and awareness) –includes all mental processes that are used to obtain knowledge or to become aware of the environment Emotional (affective) –includes emotional, ethical, personality and social development Social Social development, group needs

Performance Objectives Having performance objectives enables coaches to –select or design learning activities to suit athletes’ needs –provide a basis for whether or not athletes achieve objectives and goals set –provide clear direction for athletes in attaining the established objectives

Athletes’ Learning - Setting Objectives/Purpose Emotional –emotional needs –Mental skills Social –emotional needs, social needs, Cognitive –decision-making, tactics and strategies Physical –Fitness, technique

Competition Phases Transition/Foundation Preparation Competition

Planning for Competition Integrate into day to day training sessions, for example −Mental preparation, eg practising in pressure situations (TGfU fantastic for this), timing of training to match competition –Physical athletes will play the way they train (intensity level) –Practise competition routines –Practice skill in meaningful contexts

Planning for Competition Mental Preparation Physical Preparation Pre-competition routines –warm up –technique –fitness –psychological routines Competition strategy Competition Talk Half time Talk

Testing Is this necessary - why or why not? General planning considerations –training emphases –fitness foundation –basic training –emphasis shifts

Example of Pre-competition Routine Arrive at venue XX minutes before the start Check equipment Begin warm-up and stretching Think happy, relaxed thoughts Positively image upcoming performance Listen to coach’s brief comments (no new information) Apply these comments to imagery and/or self-talk Engage in heavier physical preparation Use more imagery if necessary Engage in quicker physical activity Ready self for the start - think of opening skills and game plans Cue word for the first skill –(Kidman and Hanrahan, 2004)

Self Control Trust your preparation No new information Body language rubs off Have comments that are encouraging and prompting, no ultimatums Final should be same as every other game/competition Control the controllable Don’t show frustration