1. GAA Award 2 Youth and Adult Course 2 hours on course 2 hours in club
Tactical Prowess
GAA Award 2
Youth and Adult Course
2 hours on course
2 hours in club 1

2. GAA Award 2 – Tactical Prowess Outcomes
By the end of this Module participants will be able to:
Demonstrate their ability to Coach tactical awareness through a series of progressive practices and games
Develop a range of games that encourage decision-making for different ages
Identify their strength and weakness in communicating during the coaching process.
Apply this to working with parents and other coaches in the club.
Tutor Notes:
Tutor to outline the outcomes to be achieved in this module.
Note that this session is mostly practical, with some theoretical aspects initially. The majority of the theory to this session should be completed through the practical session.
Suggested timing:
Introduction/Initial Theory 10 minutes
Attacking and Defending minutes
Decision Making minutes
Activities to develop Tactical Prowess 10 minutes
Practical Session
Tutor Demonstration 30 minutes
Participant Work minutes
Altering Activities 2
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess
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3. The OTú Model – Tactical Prowess
What do we mean by Tactical Prowess for children?
“The Ability to Weigh Up Match Situations and Decide on What Option to Take and When to Take It”
What does this mean for children at 6 and 10?
When to stay or go
Where to run or strike
What to do – pull or catch
Who to pick up or pass to
Tutor Note:
Tactical Prowess –
Tutor to ask what we mean by Tactical Prowess?
In short – Decisions
When to stay or go
Where to run or strike
What to do – pull or catch
Who to pick up or pass to
For older age group its about on and off the ball decisions in Attack and Defence
For younger age groups its about making decisions about where to go and what to do and who to pass to.
Adult Definition – ‘The Ability to Weigh Up Match Situations and Decide on What Option to Take and When to Take It’
Tactical Prowess is based on the players ability to take in all the information from around him and choose the correct option to take. It is individual decision making, not the same as team tactics, or a teams style of play.
Tutor challenged to make the activities children specific and challenging 3
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess
Skill Development 3

4. When to stay or go What Pull or catch Where to run or strike
A Player has to make thousands of decisions in a game
TACTICAL PROWESS
When
to stay or go
Where
to run or strike
What
Pull or
catch
Who
To pick up or
Pass to
Tutor Note:
Tutor Led discussion on these situations that a player finds themselves in during games.
It is equally important to know when as to know how
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess

5. Principles of Play
Attack
Defence
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess

6. Principles of Play Principles of Defence Principles of Attack
Keeping Possession
Passing
Penetration
Support – Wide and Deep
Shoot/Score
Create Space
Movement
Improvisation
Communication
Principles of Defence
Dispossess
Defend the Goal
Deny Space
Delay the pass
Concentration
Control/Restraint
Support
Attack
Width – players wide create space
Depth – players deep (keep shape in forward) give options inside
Mobility – players on the move difficult to mark and creating space
Create Space – to give options for team mates to run and to make passes
Support – when a player on the ball to give options
Defence
Depth – backs need to cover for one another
Support – the player on the ball work to get into position to do this
Deny Space – puch players into areas where they dont want to go
Balance – keep players on both side of the defence to ensure a balanced defence.... (discussion)
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess

7. Task: Activities to help in developing Tactical Prowess?
Decision-making and Problem Solving
Task:
We want to help players make good decisions?
Create situations that give them options
Gradually increase the options that are available until you have a normal game!
Tutor Note:
To help develop Decision Making in children the Coaches must put the children in situations where they have decisions to make.
Players must be aware of what their options are and be able to (technically and physically) perform the correct option.
Start out by giving a player more than one option and then gradually increase it until there are no limits on what a player can do.
Remember that we are coaching children and as such the activity has to be child friendly. 7
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess
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8. Task: Plan a Session – with 4 activities You will deliver one activity in the session
Session Plan for Children
Activity 1: Dodge Ball
Outcome: Use of space
Content: Two catchers – children run, dodge, use space, co-operate, communicate, support
Activity 2
Outcome
Content
Activity 3
Discuss how you would implement this session with four assistants (parents or other coaches in the club) with 30 children at the selected age group and encourage problem solving
Task
Develop a session plan with 4 activities that promotes decision-making for children in a selected age bracket
Example
Session Plan for Children
Activity 1: Dodge Ball
Outcome: Use of space
Content: Two catchers – children run, dodge, use space, co-operate
Activity 2
Outcome
Content
Activity 3
Run one of the activities with the group.
Evaluate the session in terms of
Outcome set
Appropriateness of content
Challenge of the activity in relation to tactical prowess
Implementation of the session with a group of 30 children and 4 coaches
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess

9. Task Implementation Take a 15 minute session with the group
Follow the IDEA model and coach the decision-making activity to the group.
Set up an appropriate activity to allow participants to learn and develop Tactical Prowess
Develop the activity to make it easier and harder for the children
Use STEP model to progress
Tutor Note:
The major Practical Component of this Module. Coaches to take a 15 minute session with a group of peers. Tutor to demonstrate firstly, as a modeling exercise for the coach to work with. Tutor can use the How to Coach Skills that were introduced in the Foundation Award as a prompt or reminder for the Coaches.
There are tactical awareness prompt cards or reminders for the Coach. Coach to follow the IDEA model and organise an appropriate activity for the participants. Coaches to identify the key tactical awareness principles that the activity is designed to illustrate. He/ she will use the STEP model to adaptation the activity.
Tutor to obeserve, analyse and provide feedback to each Coach.
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess 9

10. GAA Award 2 – Tactical Prowess Outcomes
By the end of this Module participants will be able to:
Demonstrate their ability to Coach tactical awareness through a series of progressive practices and games
Develop a range of games that encourage decision-making for different ages
Identify their strength and weakness in communicating during the coaching process.
Apply this to working with parents and other coaches in the club.
Tutor Notes:
Tutor to outline the outcomes to be achieved in this module.
Note that this session is mostly practical, with some theoretical aspects initially. The majority of the theory to this session should be completed through the practical session.
Suggested timing:
Introduction/Initial Theory 10 minutes
Attacking and Defending minutes
Decision Making minutes
Activities to develop Tactical Prowess 10 minutes
Practical Session
Tutor Demonstration 30 minutes
Participant Work minutes
Altering Activities 10
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess
Presentation title in footer 10

11. Croke Presentation
Award 2 Children Tactical Prowess

12. GAA Award 2 – Tactical Prowess Outcomes
By the end of the session participants will :
Review Award 1 Tactical Prowess material
Be able to identify the options available to players in attack or defence
Be able to identify the options available to players on and off the ball
Be able to identify the factors that influence the decision making process
Be able to design and coach activities to develop Tactical Prowess
Tutor Notes:
Tutors to identify the outcomes to be achieved during this module.
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

13. Review of Award 1 – Tactical Prowess
What do we mean by Tactical Prowess?
The Ability to Weigh Up Match Situations and Decide on What Option to Take and When to Take It
Know what to do and when to do it
Decisions on and off the ball
Decisions in Attack and in Defence
Tutor Note:
Tactical Prowess –
Tutor to ask what we mean by Tactical Prowess?
In short – Decisions on and off the ball, in Attack and Defence
Use Definition – ‘The Ability to Weigh Up Match Situations and Decide on What Option to Take and When to Take It’
Tactical Prowess is based on the players ability to take in all of the information from around him and choose the correct option to take. It is individual decision making, not the same as team tactics, or a teams style of play.
In this clip it is DJ’s ability to see that not taking possession of the ball but striking it on first time is the best option as he would have been tackled. Players need to have the ability to see that the pass is an option and have the technical ability to strike it for the move to work correctly. If DJ had miss hit the pass would it have been the wrong option?
Tutor to focus on when is it the correct time to either 1) take the ball into possession, 2) play it on, either in the air or on the ground, 3) make a dummy run to create space for other players
Tutor can ask the group if they have any other examples of this type of play 13
Skill Development 13

14. A Player has to make thousands of decisions in a game
What?
To pull or catch
Where? To run To pass to
Who?
To pick up
To pass to
When?
to stay or go
Tactical Prowess
Tutor Note:
Use this slide to emphasise tactical prowess as a distinct area within coaching.
It is equally important to know when as to know how

15. Decision Making in Attack and Defence On and Off the ball
T2 Tactical Prowess
Attack
The ability to weigh up match situations and decide on what option to
take and when to take it in order to maximise scoring opportunities
Defence
Knowing what option to take and when to take it in order to minimise the
amount of clean possession and time and space available to opponents
Tutor Note:
Tutor led discussion. Once the definition has been developed, differentiate between attack and defence play.
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

16. Principles of Attack and Defence
Win Possession Create time and Space Maximising scores/Scoring Opportunities
Defence
Deny possession Deny time and Space Prevent Scoring Opportunities for opponents Win and develop possession
Tutor Notes
Tutor Led Discussion
Tutor to identify areas of attack and defence
Group Work
Participants to identify additional principles
Some examples above: Can you identify more?
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

17. Principles of Attack and Defence
Win Possession Create time and Space Maximising scores/ Scoring Opportunities Width Support Depth Speed Communication
Defence
Deny possession Deny time and Space Prevent Scoring Opportunities for opponents Win and develop possession Depth Support
Tutor Notes
Tutor can use this slide to summarise the feedback from the participants
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

18. Task - List 3 different decisions to be made by a player during a match in each of the following positions – with and without the ball:
Goalkeeper
Full backs
Half backs
Midfield
Half forwards
Full forwards
Tutor Notes:
Divide into 6 groups. Take one position per group and identify 3 decisions to be made by players in those positions on the ball and 3 decisions to be made off the ball.
Feedback to the main group and collate information
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

19. Tactical Prowess is the ability to adapt to a given situation
To Read,
To React,
To Respond,
To Recover
Making appropriate decisions means – Knowing What to do, How to do it, and When to do it?
Tutor Notes:
Tutor led discussion focussing on the development of Tactical Prowess. Moving from the definition of Tactical Prowess into how the decision making process works, and how coaches can to influence it.
Tutor to ask how the coach can influence each of the 4 stages (Read, React, Respond, Recover). Use the video clips that follow to get the coaches to identify the stages involved
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

20. Some Examples…
Example videos

21. Factors that affect decision making
The psychological state of the player
Fear of making a mistake
Feeling inadequate
Fear of injury
The agreed game plan/tactics
Instructions from others
Not knowing what to look for
The physical state of the player
The stage of the game
The opposition
The environment
Tutor Notes:
Tutor Led or Group Work – identify factors that can influence decision making on the field.
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

22. Coaching Tactical Prowess Practical
All Coaches will plan for and demonstrate their coaching ability through the progression of activities to develop Tactical Prowess
Tutor Notes:
Coaches to demonstrate their coaching ability in the practical demonstration.
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

23. Coaching Tactical Prowess Practical
Identify the decisions a player has to make with the ball and without the ball for the goalkeeper, full backs, half backs, midfielders, half forwards and full forwards.
Design and coach an activity for each of the above positions that would improve their decision making in a game situation.
Describe how these activities worked in practice and what you would do differently in the future.
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

24. GAA Award 2 – Tactical Prowess Outcomes Review
By the end of the session participants will :
Review Award 1 Tactical Prowess material
Be able to identify the options available to players in attack or defence
Be able to identify the options available to players on and off the ball
Be able to identify the factors that influence the decision making process
Be able to design and coach activities to develop Tactical Prowess
Award 2 Tactical Prowess

25. Thank you